More than likely, because a good friend of mine, who lives all the way out in Suffolk County, Long Island, always refers to the schools in her area as Middle, whereas here in the city limits, they're called Intermediate. Not sure the old Junior High schools when I was a kid are still around, but I imagine if they are, they're now referred to as Intermediate as well.
In my part of the state, also, (eastern NY/capital district) they're referred to as Elementary, Middle, and High schools. However, this differs just from one town to the next. Clifton Park still calls them as Elementary, Junior, and High school, while Albany refers to them as Elementary, and Middle schools again. In my specific town, some folks call it Middle school, and some folks call it Junior High.
I'd almost say the term Middle school and Junior High are practically interchangeable; they always refer to the same thing.
I have to admit that "Intermediate" would annoy the heck out of me. I don't like the way it sounds, LOL. But it's just a personal taste thing. I also don't understand the whole notion of "graduating" at the end of Elementary school. I'm sorry, but when I was in school, the ONLY "graduation" was your high school graduation ceremony. Now they have one for Kindergarten, the end of Elementary, and the end of Junior High... it's nuts in my opinion.
It's too much emphasis on making every last little thing "super duper special" and not enough focus on getting the kids and the CURRICULUM to a point where the children graduate high school knowing the basics for how to function in adult society. I'm sorry but moving from elementary to middle school is NOT "special" to me! And yes I'm a parent! Moving from the middle to high school, I don't see that as warranting a "graduation" either. I think it would help the kids if they had maybe a couple of days at the end of the school year to walk around the high school (WITH supervision/parent chaperones), and get a little familiar with the routine. But a graduation is, IMO, making too much fanfare over too little.