Huntington Middle School, Newport News, VA

At a glance

School district: Newport News City Public Schools
Grades served: 6-8
School type: Public
Principal: Ms. Oriel Robinson-Taylor
Established: 1927 · this campus 2018
Mascot & colors: Hawks · Red, Black, White
Enrollment: 292 students (2024-2025)
Student–teacher ratio: 8:1
Classroom teachers: 37.81 FTE
Accreditation: Fully Accredited (2025-2026)
NCES school ID: 510264001055

Academic performance

SOL pass rates · 2024-2025

Reading

41%

Mathematics

27%

Science

29%

History & Social Sci.

35%

Attendance

2024-2025

37.2% of students were chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days).

About Huntington Middle School

Huntington Middle School traces its origins to Collis P. Huntington High School, which opened in 1927 as a segregated African American high school in the East End section of Newport News, Virginia. It was named for Collis Potter Huntington (1821-1900), the shipping and railroad magnate who founded the forerunner of Newport News Shipbuilding. Under coach Thad Madden, the school's football program recorded 28 consecutive winning seasons from 1943 to 1971 and won seven Virginia Interscholastic Association (VIA) state championships, while its track and field teams captured 19 VIA state titles. Principal Lutrelle Palmer's 1937 activism over unequal teacher pay helped spur NAACP equal-pay lawsuits in Virginia.

Following desegregation the facility became an integrated intermediate school and was converted to a middle school in 1981, serving grades 6-8. The original building at 29th Street and Wickham Avenue was closed in 2018 after being deemed structurally unsafe, and the school program has since operated at a temporary location listed as 5800 Marshall Avenue (shared with Heritage High School). A new Huntington Middle School building broke ground in September 2024 at the historic 29th Street and Wickham Avenue site, with an anticipated opening in 2026. The school remains part of Newport News Public Schools.

Athletics & activities

VIA football state championships won by the historic Huntington High School (1943-1971, under coach Thad Madden); track and field added 19 VIA state titles

Notable alumni

Hazel R. O'Leary· U.S. Secretary of Energy (1993-1997)Joe Durham· Major League Baseball outfielder (Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals)Dr. McKinley Price· Physician and Mayor of Newport News (class of 1967)Flora Davis Crittenden· Educator, civil rights activist, and member of the Virginia House of DelegatesThaddeus E. Hayes· Founder of the Thaddeus Hayes Dance Theatre

Contact

Phone: (757) 928-6846

Official school website ↗

Data sources

NCES Common Core of Data - Huntington Middle — NCES ID, address, phone, grades, enrollment, FTE teachers, student/teacher ratio, locale, race/ethnicity counts, FRL eligibility, charter status2024-2025 link ↗
Virginia School Quality Profiles - Huntington Middle — Accreditation status, SOL pass rates, demographics (economically disadvantaged, English learners, students with disabilities, race/ethnicity percentages), chronic absenteeism, enrollment, principal name2024-2025 metrics; 2025-2026 accreditation link ↗
Wikipedia - Collis P. Huntington High School — Founding year (1927), segregation-era history, desegregation, 1981 conversion to middle school, namesake, athletics championships, notable alumnin/a link ↗
Newport News Public Schools - School Namesakes & History — Namesake details, founding history, confirmation of grades 6-8 middle school configurationcurrent link ↗
WAVY / 13NewsNow news coverage — 2018 closure of original building, temporary relocation, 2024 groundbreaking, anticipated 2026 reopening of new building2024 link ↗

Figures reflect the 2024-2025 (SOL, demographics, enrollment, staffing); 2025-2026 (accreditation) unless noted. School zoning, boundaries, and ratings change — verify with the school division before making housing decisions.

See all homes zoned to Huntington Middle School→

Be first to new homes near Huntington Middle School

Get new Newport News listings emailed as they hit the REIN MLS — free, unsubscribe anytime.

Free new-listing alerts from the VaHome Team. No spam — unsubscribe anytime.