School History

School History

James Delbridge Ryan was an activist for education reform and equity. During his influential fifty-year career, Ryan left an indelible mark on the community in which he served. Born October 25, 1872, Ryan moved to Houston after graduating from Prairie View A&M University at the age of seventeen. In 1926, Ryan was appointed the founding principal of Jack Yates High School, the second African American school in Houston. He remained principal of Yates until his death in 1940. 

Since 2013, in association with Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), Baylor College of Medicine Academy was established in the original James D. Ryan Middle School campus.  Our health science program provides a rigorous curriculum founded on project-based, hands-on learning to 6th–8th-grade students. Students have the opportunity to earn high school credits, explore pathways in health and biomedical science, and become ready for challenging high school academic programs.

The Advantage

Our health science theme offers a framework for students to gain the skills and knowledge needed for a wide array of disciplines that can match the needs of the multidisciplinary nature of the health science industry, which employs professionals like computer scientists, scientists, communications specialists, artists, educators, engineers, business professionals, and medical professionals.  The theme also provides a framework to help students build healthy decision-making skills for any aspect of their lives.

The How

We meet our mission and vision through a student and teacher culture of continuous improvement in the critical thinking and effective communication skills that fuel life-long learning.