Middle School

Our middle school program is designed to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills through studies that utilize inquiry and hands-on learning. Middle school students connect with instructors who are subject-area experts that engage students in collaborative learning experiences and help students develop important communication, time management, and organizational skills in preparation for the high school years. Our middle school instructors use open communication and intentional relationships to help students navigate the unique, and often challenging, social, and developmental dynamics that accompany adolescence.

 

 

Striving for Greatness

Middle school courses strive to help students pursue excellence within the core subjects. The language arts program we use consists of reading quality literature, multi-genre writing, grammar instruction, and vocabulary enhancement. All of these disciplines are experienced both in and out of the classroom.

 

Steady Growth

Mathematics at the middle school level builds upon the student’s previous knowledge, while at the same time continuing to challenge them in dynamic ways. During in-person time, students participate in engaging group activities to reinforce their learning. The at-home lessons, instruction, assignments, and activities serve to solidify their understanding. By the end of the middle school years, students will be prepared for Algebra.

 

Direct Application

In social studies, students are encouraged to engage with history through debates, simulations, and group assignments. Similarly, science classes incorporate hands-on experiments and group investigations to create an exciting environment.

For our elective classes, we find instructors who are truly passionate about what they share. These classes are designed to enrich the on-campus experience for our middle schoolers.

 

Above the Status-Quo

Staff do not seek to simply create “good students,” but rather to encourage students to be resourceful, creative, and to think critically. While we seek to develop these traits throughout the program, we foster them specifically in Life Skills classes. In these classes, students learn important life skills as they prepare for life through and after high school. Beginning in middle school, students learn time management and study skills by completing the 7 Habits of Highly Successful Teens. As they progress through our program, students are encouraged to discover their unique talents to see how they can best be used in the future. As John Gardner profoundly said, “We don’t even know what skills may be needed in the years ahead…We must train our young people in the fundamental fields of knowledge, and equip them to understand and cope with change. We must give them the critical qualities of mind and durable qualities of character that will serve them in circumstances we cannot now even predict.”

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As our students move through middle school, they develop a greater sense of responsibility and independence. At home, the role of parents transitions from co-teacher to guide, as students develop academic independence.

Middle school can be challenging for many children because it is a life-stage marked by change. As they grow from childhood into adolescence, we want to guide our students to act intentionally, think critically, listen thoughtfully, reason wisely, and speak persuasively. At this stage of life, together in partnership with parents, we want to begin teaching our students how to live life to their fullest potential.