Middle school is about taking risks and expanding horizons. Having teachers you trust makes all the difference:

"We have high expectations for our students and our curriculum reflects that. We try to have a lot of open-ended opportunities so that we can challenge the kids who need a challenge, but support and encourage those who need that." Sue DeZeeuw, Middle School Teacher

 

"The teachers really delight in the children and desire to know them inside and out, to know their strengths and their weaknesses, to best plan for how to help them learn. The goal is to create a safe place here at our school, a safe place to make mistakes and to learn from them and to grow as followers of Jesus." Xan Morgan, Middle School Teacher

Our middle school is dynamic and interactive. To prepare students for high school's demands, a team of teachers challenges students to take risks, think critically and use discernment, understand and apply their personal, spiritual, and academic talents, deepen their relationship with Christ, and make service a priority. In sixth and seventh grades, the teachers work to complement all parts of the curriculum. In eighth grade, the students take six core subjects. 

 

To help students develop responsibility and independence, we have advisory clubs. These multi-grade groups of 15 to 16 middle schoolers meet with their adviser every day for 25 minutes to foster academic, social, and spiritual growth among students and teachers. These sessions focus on devotion time, teacher/student academic planning, life skill lessons, and community building. 

Math
Science
Literature and Writing
Social Studies
Foreign Language
Bible
Computers

Math

Building on the elementary school curriculum, the sixth-grade curriculum balances basic skill development and problem-solving strategies. Mental math, computation, and critical thinking skills are developed through hands-on activities and small group work. In seventh and eighth grades, students delve into pre-algebra and algebra. Students are expected to become adept at using symbolic operations to prepare them for higher levels of analytical and mathematical thinking.

Science

The middle school science curriculum encourages students to see scientific inquiry as one way to reveal the amazing complexity and orderliness of God's world, and what it means to be good stewards of God's creation. Through laboratory and outdoor exploration, the students learn the scientific method, and how to responsibly use and apply knowledge. 

• In sixth grade, students focus on Life Science. Units include plants, animals, the human body, ecology.
• In seventh grade, students focus on Earth Science, and learn to recognize God's hand in landforms, waterways, the sky, and space.
• Eighth graders study Physical Science, focusing on matter, energy, electricity and magnetism.

All students are invited to participate in the school's annual Science Fair.

Literature and Writing

Literature offers a window into history and culture and also into human relationships. That's why we use the language arts curriculum to complement social studies units. Students learn to analyze what literature teaches us about history, God's world, and each other. They are introduced to a wide variety of literature, including oral traditions, poetry, informational texts, short stories, and historical fiction. Writing assignments are linked to projects in other subject areas, and build a foundation of usage and mechanics.

Social Studies

The social studies curriculum emphasizes an integrated approach to learning that helps students develop a greater knowledge of God's plan for the world. Students are encouraged to take risks and use their creativity as they research and design long-term projects. In sixth grade, the students focus on World Geography and Ancient Civilizations. Seventh graders focus on European History (Middle Ages, Renaissance, and the Reformation). They study economic principles, geography, and how the Christian world was established in western Europe. Eighth graders focus on American history.