Is Ron Watson Middle School a good school?

Ron Watson Middle School ranks 373 rd of 533 Arizona middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Ron Watson Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 503 students attended Ron Watson Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Ron Watson Middle School?

Students at Ron Watson Middle School are 61% Hispanic, 33% White, 3% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What high school do graduates of Ron Watson Middle School attend?

Students who attend Ron Watson Middle School usually go on to attend Gila Ridge High School

Ron Watson Middle School

Summary:

Ron Watson Middle School is a public middle school in Yuma, Arizona, serving 503 students in grades 6-8. The school is part of the Yuma Elementary District, which is ranked 217 out of 288 districts in the state and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Academically, Ron Watson Middle School struggles, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts and Mathematics below the district and state averages. For example, in 8th grade, the school had a 22% proficiency rate in ELA compared to the district's 21% and the state's 35%. In 8th grade Math, the school's proficiency rate was 14%, while the district was at 10% and the state at 28%. The school has also seen a concerning increase in dropout rates, rising from 0.5% in 2017-2018 to 6.2% in 2021-2022, significantly higher than nearby schools like R Pete Woodard Junior High School (2.6%) and Fourth Avenue Junior High School (3.4%).

Additionally, Ron Watson Middle School has a relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, with 56.86% receiving free or reduced-price lunch, compared to nearby schools like Centennial Middle School (55.95%) and Gila Vista Junior High School (76.67%). The school's statewide ranking has also declined, from 214 out of 695 Arizona middle schools in 2016-2017 to 373 out of 533 in 2023-2024, and its SchoolDigger rating has decreased from 3 stars to 2 stars.

Detail:

Public 6-8

9851 E 28th St
Yuma, AZ 85365-7132

(928) 502-7400

District: Yuma Elementary District

SchoolDigger Rank:
373^rd of 533 Arizona Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $7,118

Students who attend Ron Watson Middle School usually attend:

High:

Gila Ridge High School

Feeder schools for Ron Watson Middle School:

Elementary:

Sunrise Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 18.9

Number of students: 503

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

60.8%

White:

33.2%

Two or more races:

3.4%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 56.9%

See top rated Arizona middle schools

Compare Ron Watson Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Ron Watson Middle School ranks worse than 70% of middle schools in Arizona. It also ranks first among 4 ranked middle schools in the Yuma Elementary District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 23.48. (See more...)

The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (60.8%), White (33.2%), two or more races (3.4%). (See more...)

Compare Details 56.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ron Watson Middle School is 18.9, which is the 2^nd best among 4 middle schools in the Yuma Elementary District. (See more...)

Compare Ron Watson Middle School employs 26.5 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Ron Watson Middle School is $7,118. 2 middle schools in the Yuma Elementary District spend more per student.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ron Watson Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Ron Watson Middle School 373^rd of 533 Arizona public middle schools. (See Ron Watson Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Yuma Elementary District:

SchoolDigger ranks Yuma Elementary District 217^th of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Ron Watson Middle School?

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Rank History for Ron Watson Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2009	39.13	412^th	663	37.9%
2010	45.29	378^th	692	45.4%
2011	45.78	372^nd	685	45.7%
2012	42.93	465^th	772	39.8%
2013	62.54	271^st	787	65.6%
2014	52.79	310^th	690	55.1%
2015	38.06	282^nd	521	45.9%
2016	53.43	262^nd	677	61.3%
2017	61.82	214^th	695	69.2%
2018	51.32	298^th	711	58.1%
2019	42.57	301^st	605	50.2%
2021	36.20	470^th	832	43.5%
2022	23.82	434^th	605	28.3%
2023	34.72	499^th	854	41.6%
2024	23.48	373^rd	533	30.0%

See the entire list of Arizona Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	42.87	343^rd	650	47.2%
2023	38.83	252^nd	384	34.4%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	41.74	298^th	606	50.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	55.93	171^st	789	78.3%
2023	19.06	321^st	363	11.6%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	45.03	240^th	503	52.3%
2022	23.74	284^th	369	23.0%
2023	30.85	487^th	717	32.1%
2024	20.39	253^rd	314	19.4%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Migrant students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	49.02	10^th	29	65.5%
2023	33.25	12^th	19	36.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Migrant Students!

Rank History for Female students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	53.51	246^th	624	60.6%
2019	44.25	237^th	466	49.1%
2021	37.75	446^th	820	45.6%
2022	15.58	436^th	494	11.7%
2023	31.86	509^th	806	36.8%
2024	18.21	304^th	379	19.8%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	47.46	76^th	143	46.9%
2023	40.69	76^th	110	30.9%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	45.57	275^th	617	55.4%
2019	25.41	309^th	435	29.0%
2021	35.03	475^th	818	41.9%
2022	22.68	363^rd	476	23.7%
2023	35.76	456^th	810	43.7%
2024	16.52	293^rd	356	17.7%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	43.07	262^nd	573	54.3%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	43.22	271^st	543	50.1%
2019	44.50	188^th	387	51.4%
2021	39.35	431^st	802	46.3%
2022	20.65	325^th	392	17.1%
2023	31.23	502^nd	760	33.9%
2024	20.94	250^th	322	22.4%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	27.92	361^st	390	7.4%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2021	23.81	77^th	108	28.7%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	AZ State Percentile
2018	46.01	227^th	436	47.9%
2019	23.07	264^th	337	21.7%
2021	36.40	517^th	780	33.7%
2022	14.44	406^th	446	9.0%
2023	30.60	472^nd	675	30.1%
2024	10.62	251^st	273	8.1%

See the entire list of Best Arizona Middle Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Ron Watson Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Total
2005	140	3	3	148	3	n/a	n/a	297
2006	151	5	4	162	4	n/a	n/a	326
2007	241	12	9	245	5	n/a	n/a	512
2008	194	12	8	215	1	n/a	n/a	430
2009	201	15	6	209	4	n/a	n/a	435
2010	166	17	8	223	5	n/a	n/a	419
2011	174	11	6	211	3	0	3	408
2012	180	8	2	205	3	0	0	398
2013	201	13	7	185	4	2	1	413
2014	201	9	7	192	1	2	4	416
2015	187	8	10	203	2	2	0	412
2016	194	7	8	191	3	1	2	406
2017	183	9	10	185	3	1	1	392
2018	173	10	9	210	0	1	1	404
2019	203	4	8	239	4	2	2	462
2020	234	11	6	271	4	3	5	534
2021	192	7	3	297	2	4	10	515
2022	189	6	2	290	4	2	19	512
2023	167	8	1	306	3	1	17	503

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ron Watson Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	297	16.0	18.6	61.3
2006	326	16.0	20.4	57.4
2007	512	21.0	24.4	5.9
2008	430	23.0	18.7	51.6
2009	435	27.0	16.1	52.9
2010	419	20.5	20.4	54.9
2011	408	18.9	21.4	52.7
2012	398	20.0	19.9	54.5
2013	413	20.0	20.6	56.4
2014	416	19.0	21.8	41.6
2015	412	19.0	21.6	41
2016	406	21.0	19.3	4.2
2017	392	23.2	16.8	57.9
2018	404	20.0	20.2	55.7
2019	462	20.0	23.1	47.8
2020	534	24.0	22.2	50.7
2021	515	23.0	22.3	n/a
2022	512	23.0	22.2	27.7
2023	503	26.5	18.9	56.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Ron Watson Middle School

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2005	297	16.0	18.6	61.3
2006	326	16.0	20.4	57.4
2007	512	21.0	24.4	5.9
2008	430	23.0	18.7	51.6
2009	435	27.0	16.1	52.9
2010	419	20.5	20.4	54.9
2011	408	18.9	21.4	52.7
2012	398	20.0	19.9	54.5
2013	413	20.0	20.6	56.4
2014	416	19.0	21.8	41.6
2015	412	19.0	21.6	41
2016	406	21.0	19.3	4.2
2017	392	23.2	16.8	57.9
2018	404	20.0	20.2	55.7
2019	462	20.0	23.1	47.8
2020	534	24.0	22.2	50.7
2021	515	23.0	22.3	n/a
2022	512	23.0	22.2	27.7
2023	503	26.5	18.9	56.9

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ron Watson Middle School

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$574 (7.0%)	$127 (1.5%)	$1,276 (15.6%)	$5,531 (67.4%)	$1,973 (24.0%)	$7,504 (91.5%)	$8,205
2020	$476 (8.3%)	$601 (10.5%)	$1,553 (27.1%)	$4,300 (75.0%)	$356 (6.2%)	$4,656 (81.2%)	$5,733
2021	$1,026 (14.7%)	$755 (10.8%)	$2,807 (40.1%)	$4,361 (62.3%)	$855 (12.2%)	$5,216 (74.5%)	$6,997
2022	$998 (14.0%)	$1,324 (18.6%)	$3,320 (46.6%)	$4,668 (65.6%)	$127 (1.8%)	$4,795 (67.4%)	$7,118

Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ron Watson Middle School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Rank Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Ranks 301^st of 605 Middle schools	Ranks 499^th of 854 Middle schools	8.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	462	503	8.9%
African American	4	8	100%
American Indian	4	3	25%
Asian	8	1	87.5%
Hispanic	239	306	28%
Pacific Islander	2	1	50%
White	203	167	17.7%
Two or More Races	2	17	750%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	47.8%	56.9%	9%

Schools Near Ron Watson Middle School

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				AASA English Language Arts (2024)			AASA Mathematics (2024)			Per Pupil Expenditures (2022)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	AASA English Language Arts 6th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 7th Grade	AASA English Language Arts 8th Grade	AASA Mathematics 6th Grade	AASA Mathematics 7th Grade	AASA Mathematics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Ron Watson Middle School	Public	6-8	9851 E 28th St	Yuma	85365	Yuma County	Yuma Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 502-7400	503	27	18.9	56.9%	167 (33.2%)	8 (1.6%)	306 (60.8%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.6%)	1 (0.2%)	17 (3.4%)	23.5	373^rd of 533 public middle schools	30.0%		34.7	499^th of 854 public middle schools	41.6%	126	44.0	33.0	22.0	23.0	15.0	14.0	$7,118	$998	$1,325	$3,320	$4,669	$127	$4,795
Castle Dome Middle School	Public	6-8	2353 S Otondo Dr	Yuma	85365	Yuma County	Yuma Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 502-7300	974	37	26.5	56.0%	205 (21.0%)	11 (1.1%)	735 (75.5%)	3 (0.3%)	6 (0.6%)	1 (0.1%)	13 (1.3%)	18.6	426^th of 533 public middle schools	20.1%		25.7	609^th of 854 public middle schools	28.7%	183	38.0	33.0	21.0	13.0	16.0	7.0	$5,882	$1,209	$1,221	$3,638	$3,496		$3,452
Gila Vista Junior High School	Public	6-8	2245 S Arizona Ave	Yuma	85364	Yuma County	Yuma Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 502-7100	553	20	27.6	76.7%	80 (14.5%)	10 (1.8%)	453 (81.9%)	1 (0.2%)	6 (1.1%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.5%)	14	469^th of 533 public middle schools	12.0%		21.4	667^th of 854 public middle schools	21.9%	198	27.0	32.0	19.0	10.0	12.0	8.0	$7,251	$1,020	$1,379	$3,419	$4,503	$349	$4,852
R Pete Woodard Junior High School	Public	6-8	2250 S 8th Ave	Yuma	85364	Yuma County	Yuma Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 502-7200	628	32	19.6	63.9%	81 (12.9%)	12 (1.9%)	514 (81.8%)	2 (0.3%)	5 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	14 (2.2%)	21.9	391^st of 533 public middle schools	26.6%		28.7	572^nd of 854 public middle schools	33.0%	181	37.0	35.0	26.0	16.0	17.0	15.0	$6,431	$1,213	$1,244	$3,669	$3,968	$06	$3,974
Fourth Avenue Junior High School	Public	6-8	450 S 4th Ave	Yuma	85364	Yuma County	Yuma Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 502-7000	374	22	17.0	86.6%	9 (2.4%)	5 (1.3%)	353 (94.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)								(n/a)	23.0		12.0				$9,764	$1,706	$1,308	$4,721	$6,208	$542	$6,750
Centennial Middle School	Public	6-8	2650 W 20th St	Yuma	85364	Yuma County	Crane Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 373-3300	715	33	21.6	76.8%	57 (8.0%)	11 (1.5%)	626 (87.6%)	4 (0.6%)	7 (1.0%)	2 (0.3%)	8 (1.1%)	24.9	362^nd of 533 public middle schools	32.1%		35.8	488^th of 854 public middle schools	42.9%	126		32.0	24.0		22.0	24.0	$8,510	$768	$276	$1,812	$5,851	$1,615	$7,466
Crane Middle School	Public	6-8	4450 W 32nd St	Yuma	85364	Yuma County	Crane Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 373-3200	610	26	23.4	66.9%	51 (8.4%)	6 (1.0%)	532 (87.2%)	7 (1.1%)	3 (0.5%)	2 (0.3%)	9 (1.5%)	19.9	411^th of 533 public middle schools	22.9%		36.2	480^th of 854 public middle schools	43.8%	69		30.0	24.0		15.0	19.0	$8,658	$880	$331	$2,090	$5,798	$1,649	$7,447
Somerton Middle School	Public	6-8	1011 North Somerton Ave.	Somerton	85350	Yuma County	Somerton Elementary District	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(928) 341-6100	625	35	17.8	86.9%	11 (1.8%)	0 (0.0%)	603 (96.5%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (1.6%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	13.5	475^th of 533 public middle schools	10.9%		25.1	618^th of 854 public middle schools	27.6%	143		28.0	18.0		11.0	9.0	$7,412	$390	$51	$831	$5,885	$1,085	$6,971

Ron Watson Middle School

Ron Watson Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Yuma Elementary District:

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Rank History for Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for all students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Special Education students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Migrant students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Female students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Military Connected students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Male students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for African American students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Hispanic students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Native American students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Ron Watson Middle School

Rank History for White students at Ron Watson Middle School

Enrollment information for Ron Watson Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Ron Watson Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Ron Watson Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Ron Watson Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Ron Watson Middle School

Rankings

Student Body

Schools Near Ron Watson Middle School

Frequently Asked Questions about Ron Watson Middle School

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