Middle School

From seventh to eighth grade

Supporting adolescents as they develop a tangible understanding of responsibility and the self-reliance they will need in adulthood.

As is true for our PrePrimary and Elementary programs, the Middle School will provide a rich environment rooted in the work of Dr. Maria Montessori. It is through her philosophy that our students will reach their full potential and prepare to enter adult life.

Middle School Objectives

Community

We strive to nurture an authentic, just, and equitable community of adolescents that acts as a microcosm of adult society, in which adolescents can safely experience the early stages of their transition from childhood to adulthood.

Purpose

Each individual has a purpose and contributes through meaningful work and study to a common good within the context of their peer community. Through purpose-driven work, each individual experiences valorization of their developing personality–an experience that Maria Montessori considered the most important for the adolescent. Understanding one’s own value through purposeful contribution is empowering for the adolescent on their journey to adulthood.

Preparation

Our middle school graduates are prepared for more than just high school. Our purposeful, student-driven, collaborative projects help students develop the skills that life and work in the 21st century require. Our graduates are adaptable and resilient. They are creative problem-solvers. They collaborate with ease. They advocate for themselves and communicate with confidence and clarity. They know how to learn, and enjoy doing it.

A “School of Experience”

Adolescents thrive when provided with direct and meaningful experiences, collaboration, hands-on work, side-by-side coaching, opportunities for self-expression, and the freedom to help direct their own learning. These experiences are best offered in small and dynamic learning communities designed to meet the developmental needs of adolescents.

“The essential reform is this: to put the adolescent on the road to achieving economic independence. We might call it a ‘school of experience’ in the elements of social life.”
–Dr. Montessori

Our integrated, project-driven studies help students develop critical skills needed for life and work in the 21st century: Communication, collaboration, adaptability, resilience, critical thinking, and creative problem-solving.

Our picturesque surroundings that include forests, fields, and waterways provide a naturally beautiful setting for social and intellectual growth that is rooted in responsible independence, ethical citizenship, and stewardship of the environment.

"Development takes the form of a drive toward an ever-greater independence."