Harmony Intermediate is unique among Loudoun County schools: it’s the only school in the district to house eighth and ninth grade students.

The ninth graders at Harmony are actually freshmen at Loudoun Valley High School, a setup that has been in place for the last five years.

“The kids want to be in a real high school, but educationally, this makes sense,” said Harmony principal Sherron Gladden. She said the situation could change with the addition of a new high school in the area.

Students have a variety of clubs available, including rocketry, dance, art and drama. The drama club performs a production once a year – usually a musical. The school recently started a world culture club in response to its increasing diversity.

The school also is home to an aerospace class.

The school doesn’t have an ESL program because of the small number of students who need such services at Harmony. Students needing ESL services attend Loudoun County High School, then receive special assistance at Harmony.

According to the school’s improvement plan, 94 percent of students passed all of their required SOL tests, surpassing the district’s goal of 90 percent.

Test scores indicate the school performed below the district average in eighth grade reading and math proficiency in 2005, but ninth-graders scored well above the district average in math proficiency.

Students at Harmony can learn a variety of languages: sign language, French, German, Latin, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese.

The school has several regular activities for students. For eighth-graders, a cookies and cider event is held in the school’s courtyard each year. Ninth-graders assist with homecoming activities and spirit week, and are part of a spring carnival to wish them well before leaving for Loudoun Valley High.

Gladden said the school hopes to maintain a high standard of education at a time of increasing enrollment. She praised her staff’s teaching styles and the high scores of Harmony students.

“We’re trying to keep that small feeling and sense of community while we grow and become more diverse,” she said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to meet those needs.”