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BRIEF HISTORY OF MATTHEW HENSON MIDDLE SCHOOL

On April 8, 1962, the State of Maryland in Henson's honor placed a plaque and monument on the ground of Pomonkey Junior-Senior High School, now Matthew A. Henson Middle School. It was not until 1969, however, that the school’s name was changed to Matthew Henson Middle School. This event occurred simultaneously with the conversion of the school from high school to middle school. Before the changeover, the building served as an integrated junior-senior high school from 1966 to 1968 and from 1958 to 1966 was one of the two junior-senior high schools serving the black population of Charles County.

The present building was constructed in 1958. An addition to the building was completed in 1962. In January 1982, an extensive renovation of the facility was completed. The building is now a modern educational facility designed to serve 775 students. Incorporated into the redesign were:

Media Learning Center, which holds up to 150 students
A modern school library media center
Air conditioning in all areas except the gym
Carpeting in 80% of the building
A closed circuit TV system
A computer lab
A modern two-way communications system
Internet and wide area network access

During the summers of 2002 and 2003 eight portable classrooms were installed on the south side of the main building. The back parking lot with perimeter sidewalks was renovated during the winter of 2002 and spring of 2003. The Kate Donahue Memorial Garden was dedicated in the spring of 2004 and new landscaping for the front of the school walkway was completed during the summer of 2004 and 2005. A wireless network system was installed in the fall of 2006. During the summer of 2007, all carpeting and tiling was replaced, lockers were painted, student restrooms renovated, and hallway and cafeteria lighting upgraded. Over several years, the Environment Club, with funding from the PTO and Chaney Enterprises has planted native flowering trees along the driveway and built a butterfly garden behind the school. There are future plans to replace all windows, provide security cameras for entrances and common areas, and to replace the flooring in the gymnasium.