Is Apollo-Ridge Middle School a good school?

Apollo-Ridge Middle School ranks 498 th of 893 Pennsylvania middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Apollo-Ridge Middle School?

In the 2022-23 school year, 274 students attended Apollo-Ridge Middle School.

What is the racial makeup of Apollo-Ridge Middle School?

Students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School are 95% White, 2% Two or more races, 1% Hispanic.

What high school do graduates of Apollo-Ridge Middle School attend?

Students who attend Apollo-Ridge Middle School usually go on to attend Apollo-Ridge High School

Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Summary:

Apollo-Ridge Middle School is a public middle school serving 274 students in grades 6-8 in Spring Church, PA, which is part of the Kiski Area School District. While the school maintains a low dropout rate, it faces several challenges, including a high-poverty student population, declining academic performance, and significant achievement gaps among student subgroups.

Compared to nearby middle schools like Franklin Regional Middle School and Freeport Area Middle School, Apollo-Ridge Middle School consistently ranks in the bottom half of Pennsylvania middle schools, with a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger. Its proficiency rates in PSSA Math and English Language Arts are well below the state averages and lower than many of the nearby schools. Additionally, the school has a significantly higher percentage of white students (95.26%) and an extremely high percentage of students (100%) qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a high level of economic disadvantage among the student population.

While Apollo-Ridge Middle School spends around $16,500 per student, which is on the higher end compared to nearby schools, its academic outcomes and statewide rankings suggest the need for targeted interventions and improvements to better support student success. The school's declining performance over the past decade, as well as its struggles with specific student subgroups, highlight the challenges it faces in providing a high-quality education for all its students.

Detail:

Public 6-8

1829 State Route 56
Spring Church, PA 15686

(724) 478-6000

District: Apollo-Ridge School District

SchoolDigger Rank:
498^th of 893 Pennsylvania Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $16,517

Students who attend Apollo-Ridge Middle School usually attend:

High:

Apollo-Ridge High School

Feeder schools for Apollo-Ridge Middle School:

Elementary:

Apollo-Ridge Elementary School

Student/teacher ratio: 14.6

Number of students: 274

Racial breakdown:

White:

95.3%

Two or more races:

2.2%

Hispanic:

1.1%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated Pennsylvania middle schools

Compare Apollo-Ridge Middle School to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Apollo-Ridge Middle School ranks worse than 55.8% of middle schools in Pennsylvania. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2023 the calculated Average Standard Score was 47.64. (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: White (95.3%), two or more races (2.2%), Hispanic (1.1%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Apollo-Ridge Middle School is 14.6. (See more...)

Compare Apollo-Ridge Middle School employs 18.6 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Apollo-Ridge Middle School is $16,517.

Schooldigger 2023 Rankings:

Apollo-Ridge Middle School:

SchoolDigger ranks Apollo-Ridge Middle School 498^th of 893 Pennsylvania public middle schools. (See Apollo-Ridge Middle School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Disabled students:

White students:

Apollo-Ridge School District:

SchoolDigger ranks Apollo-Ridge School District 234^th of 606 Pennsylvania school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Apollo-Ridge Middle School

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Rank History for all students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile
2003	48.00	417^th	643	35.1%
2004	69.49	223^rd	663	66.4%
2005	65.46	270^th	687	60.7%
2006	60.49	339^th	736	53.9%
2007	61.62	334^th	749	55.4%
2008	46.14	497^th	753	34.0%
2009	49.32	484^th	770	37.1%
2010	58.71	400^th	805	50.3%
2011	53.40	483^rd	825	41.5%
2012	69.79	284^th	834	65.9%
2013	54.64	429^th	758	43.4%
2014	50.45	436^th	728	40.1%
2015	47.76	472^nd	835	43.5%
2016	56.62	410^th	870	52.9%
2017	53.26	446^th	877	49.1%
2018	57.86	400^th	861	53.5%
2019	54.81	447^th	891	49.8%
2021	32.63	557^th	797	30.1%
2022	45.09	509^th	883	42.4%
2023	47.64	498^th	893	44.2%

See the entire list of Pennsylvania Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	50.85	431^st	874	50.7%

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

Rank History for Disabled students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	40.13	359^th	660	45.6%

See the entire list of Best Pennsylvania Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for White students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Middle Schools	PA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	28.16	527^th	681	22.6%

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

Data source: test scores: Pennsylvania Dept 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: Pennsylvania Dept of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Apollo-Ridge Middle School

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	388	8	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	396
1989	384	8	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	392
1990	418	4	2	0	2	n/a	n/a	0	426
1991	405	5	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	0	413
1992	452	6	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	458
1993	427	10	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	438
1994	423	5	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	428
1995	393	8	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	402
1996	393	8	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	402
1997	411	10	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	423
1998	389	8	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	397
1999	380	13	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	394
2000	377	10	3	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	390
2001	367	8	3	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	379
2002	380	6	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	387
2003	380	6	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	387
2004	395	4	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	400
2005	381	15	0	1	0	n/a	n/a	0	397
2006	391	11	1	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	403
2007	370	8	0	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	378
2008	369	7	0	0	1	n/a	n/a	3	380
2009	362	9	1	1	1	n/a	n/a	5	379
2010	355	8	1	1	0	n/a	n/a	4	369
2011	353	10	1	1	0	0	4	0	369
2012	333	7	1	0	0	0	5	0	346
2013	310	5	1	1	1	0	6	0	324
2014	301	5	1	0	2	0	3	0	312
2015	299	5	2	1	2	0	5	0	314
2016	293	4	4	2	1	0	7	0	311
2017	275	1	3	2	1	0	12	0	294
2018	255	1	2	2	3	0	14	0	277
2019	243	0	1	1	3	0	17	0	265
2020	266	1	1	1	3	0	16	0	288
2021	260	1	2	1	2	0	11	0	277
2022	264	3	1	1	2	0	13	0	284
2023	261	2	1	3	1	0	6	0	274

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 Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	396	17.4	22.7	n/a
1989	392	25.8	15.1	n/a
1990	426	23.9	17.8	0
1991	413	24.0	17.2	n/a
1992	458	24.0	19.0	n/a
1993	438	21.0	20.9	n/a
1994	428	21.0	20.4	n/a
1995	402	21.0	19.1	n/a
1996	402	21.0	19.1	n/a
1997	423	22.0	19.2	n/a
1998	397	21.0	18.9	n/a
1999	394	22.0	17.9	n/a
2000	390	22.0	17.7	45.9
2001	379	22.0	17.2	42.5
2002	387	22.5	17.2	0
2003	387	22.5	17.2	0
2004	400	21.5	18.6	43.3
2005	397	21.0	18.9	0
2006	403	22.0	18.3	0
2007	378	22.0	17.2	0
2008	380	23.5	16.2	n/a
2009	379	20.5	18.5	n/a
2010	369	24.0	15.3	46
2011	369	23.6	15.5	46.1
2012	346	19.9	17.3	43.9
2013	324	19.6	16.5	51.2
2014	312	20.0	15.6	49.4
2015	314	20.0	15.7	53.2
2016	311	21.0	14.8	55.9
2017	294	21.9	13.4	n/a
2018	277	21.5	12.8	n/a
2019	265	20.5	12.9	51.3
2020	288	19.1	15.0	n/a
2021	277	19.3	14.2	98.9
2022	284	19.3	14.6	67.6
2023	274	18.6	14.6	100

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 Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	396	17.4	22.7	n/a
1989	392	25.8	15.1	n/a
1990	426	23.9	17.8	0
1991	413	24.0	17.2	n/a
1992	458	24.0	19.0	n/a
1993	438	21.0	20.9	n/a
1994	428	21.0	20.4	n/a
1995	402	21.0	19.1	n/a
1996	402	21.0	19.1	n/a
1997	423	22.0	19.2	n/a
1998	397	21.0	18.9	n/a
1999	394	22.0	17.9	n/a
2000	390	22.0	17.7	45.9
2001	379	22.0	17.2	42.5
2002	387	22.5	17.2	0
2003	387	22.5	17.2	0
2004	400	21.5	18.6	43.3
2005	397	21.0	18.9	0
2006	403	22.0	18.3	0
2007	378	22.0	17.2	0
2008	380	23.5	16.2	n/a
2009	379	20.5	18.5	n/a
2010	369	24.0	15.3	46
2011	369	23.6	15.5	46.1
2012	346	19.9	17.3	43.9
2013	324	19.6	16.5	51.2
2014	312	20.0	15.6	49.4
2015	314	20.0	15.7	53.2
2016	311	21.0	14.8	55.9
2017	294	21.9	13.4	n/a
2018	277	21.5	12.8	n/a
2019	265	20.5	12.9	51.3
2020	288	19.1	15.0	n/a
2021	277	19.3	14.2	98.9
2022	284	19.3	14.6	67.6
2023	274	18.6	14.6	100

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 Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$647 (3.9%)	$15,924 (96.1%)	$16,570
2020	$700 (4.4%)	$15,138 (95.6%)	$15,838
2021	$317 (2.3%)	$13,591 (97.7%)	$13,908
2022	$299 (1.8%)	$16,218 (98.2%)	$16,517

Data source: Pennsylvania Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Apollo-Ridge 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 447^th of 891 Middle schools	Ranks 498^th of 893 Middle schools	5.6%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
6th Grade Math (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	24.4	26.7	2.3%
6th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	39	36.4	2.6%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	55.5	51.2	4.3%
6th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	63	55.6	7.4%
7th Grade Math (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	23.1	21.4	1.7%
7th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	38.2	33.2	5%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	62.6	51.9	10.7%
7th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.5	54.5	6%
8th Grade Math (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	38.9	9.1	29.8%
8th Grade Math (Pennsylvania)	32.2	26	6.2%
8th Grade Science (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	73.2	72.7	0.5%
8th Grade Science (Pennsylvania)	58.2	57	1.2%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	65.8	48.8	17%
8th Grade English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	57.9	52.8	5.1%
All Grades Math (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	28.1	19	9.1%
All Grades Math (Pennsylvania)	42.4	39.3	3.1%
All Grades Science (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	73.2	72.7	0.5%
All Grades Science (Pennsylvania)	68	65.6	2.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Apollo-Ridge Middle School)	61	50.6	10.4%
All Grades English Language Arts (Pennsylvania)	60.9	53.8	7.1%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	265	274	3.4%
African American	0	2
American Indian	3	1	66.7%
Asian	1	1
Hispanic	1	3	200%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	243	261	7.4%
Two or More Races	17	6	64.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	51.3%	100%	48.7%

Schools Near Apollo-Ridge Middle School

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2023)				Ranking (2022)				PSSA Math (2023)					PSSA Science (2023)		PSSA English Language Arts (2023)					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 (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	SchoolDigger Rating (2023)	Average Standard Score (2022)	Statewide Rank (2022)	State Percentile (2022)	Rank Change from Previous Year	PSSA Math 5th Grade	PSSA Math 6th Grade	PSSA Math 7th Grade	PSSA Math 8th Grade	PSSA Math All Grades	PSSA Science 8th Grade	PSSA Science All Grades	PSSA English Language Arts 5th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	PSSA English Language Arts All Grades	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Apollo-Ridge Middle School	Public	6-8	1829 State Route 56	Spring Church	15686	Armstrong County	Apollo-Ridge School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 478-6000	274	19	14.6	100.0%	261 (95.3%)	2 (0.7%)	3 (1.1%)	1 (0.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (2.2%)	47.6	498^th of 893 public middle schools	44.2%		45.1	509^th of 883 public middle schools	42.4%	11		26.7	21.4	9.1	19.0	72.7	72.7		51.2	51.9	48.8	50.6	$16,517	$299	$16,218
Kiski Area Upper Elementary School	Public	5-6	4728 Route 66	Apollo	15613	Westmoreland County	Kiski Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 727-3426	493	35	14.0	100.0%	445 (90.3%)	36 (7.3%)	4 (0.8%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.4%)								(n/a)	44.4	31.4			38.1			69.4	69.0			69.2	$19,563	$654	$18,909
Kiski Area IHS	Public	7-8	260 Hyde Park Rd	Vandergrift	15690	Westmoreland County	Kiski Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 845-2219	543	28	19.3	55.6%	493 (90.8%)	30 (5.5%)	14 (2.6%)	1 (0.2%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (0.7%)	53.5	431^st of 893 public middle schools	51.7%		64.6	307^th of 883 public middle schools	65.2%	124			31.8	17.5	24.7	58.1	58.1			60.0	43.9	51.9	$19,498	$757	$18,740
Leechburg Area Middle School	Public	6-8	215 1st St.	Leechburg	15656	Armstrong County	Leechburg Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 845-7701	152	12	12.3	46.1%	142 (93.4%)	1 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (5.9%)	60.1	359^th of 893 public middle schools	59.8%		45.9	497^th of 883 public middle schools	43.7%	138		63.7	27.4	27.5	39.3	62.5	62.5		63.6	37.2	52.5	50.4	$20,100	$2,631	$17,469
Charles A Huston Middle School	Public	6-8	1020 Puckety Church Rd	Lower Burrell	15068	Westmoreland County	Burrell School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 334-1443	416	29	14.1	39.7%	379 (91.1%)	8 (1.9%)	8 (1.9%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.8%)	42.3	534^th of 893 public middle schools	40.2%		43.5	528^th of 883 public middle schools	40.2%	6		25.6	24.8	20.4	23.7	55.2	55.2		48.0	41.0	44.4	44.5	$15,790	$506	$15,283
Highlands Middle School	Public	5-8	1350 Broadview Boulevard	Natrona Heights	15065	Allegheny County	Highlands School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 226-0600	652	56	11.6	100.0%	478 (73.3%)	50 (7.7%)	22 (3.4%)	8 (1.2%)	4 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	90 (13.8%)	44	520^th of 893 public middle schools	41.8%		39.8	556^th of 883 public middle schools	37.0%	36	37.2	29.9	22.9	21.0	27.6	50.7	50.7	48.9	44.2	46.4	48.3	47.1	$17,152	$1,204	$15,947
Freeport Area Middle School	Public	6-8	629 South Pike Rd.	Sarver	16055	Butler County	Freeport Area School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 295-9020	426	31	13.7	28.4%	414 (97.2%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (1.2%)	85	104^th of 893 public middle schools	88.4%		89.3	64^th of 883 public middle schools	92.8%	40		61.7	57.7	34.1	50.8	63.9	63.9		72.5	81.1	68.8	74.0	$14,874	$414	$14,460
Holiday Park Intermediate School	Public	5-6	100 School Road	Pittsburgh	15239	Allegheny County	Plum Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 733-1500	542	34	15.7	27.5%	462 (85.2%)	35 (6.5%)	7 (1.3%)	7 (1.3%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	30 (5.5%)								(n/a)	67.8	54.9			61.2			63.8	55.9			59.7	$16,698	$430	$16,268
Plum Middle School	Public	7-8	440 Presque Isle Dr	Pittsburgh	15239	Allegheny County	Plum Borough School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 733-2400	557	32	17.2	24.6%	483 (86.7%)	30 (5.4%)	11 (2.0%)	3 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	29 (5.2%)	71.8	225^th of 893 public middle schools	74.8%		75.7	181^st of 883 public middle schools	79.5%	44			44.5	29.1	36.5	64.8	64.8			61.0	58.5	59.7	$17,840	$459	$17,380
Franklin Regional Middle School	Public	6-8	4660 Old William Penn Hwy	Murrysville	15668	Westmoreland County	Franklin Regional School District	No	No	No	No	(724) 327-5456	786	62	12.7	20.0%	644 (81.9%)	13 (1.7%)	25 (3.2%)	65 (8.3%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.1%)	38 (4.8%)	89	72^nd of 893 public middle schools	91.9%		91.8	46^th of 883 public middle schools	94.8%	26		57.0	52.2	49.5	52.9	78.3	78.3		71.7	75.0	72.7	73.2	$18,575	$48	$18,527

Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Apollo-Ridge Middle School:

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Apollo-Ridge School District:

Average Parent Rating:

What do you think?

Rank History for Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Rank History for all students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Rank History for Disabled students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Rank History for White students at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Review counts

Enrollment information for Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Student/Teacher Ratio Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Per Pupil Expenditures for Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Impact of COVID-19 on Apollo-Ridge Middle School

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Apollo-Ridge Middle School