Middle School
Middle School matters.
Are we the right fit for your family?
Book an individual tour or join us for an Open House to find out.
Our Middle School Program
Perhaps more than any other time, middle school is a crucial stage in a student’s life. Sixth through eighth-graders experience rapid mental and physical development, yearn for new freedoms and challenges, and form lasting ideas about themselves as adults. At The New School, students enjoy our whole-school activities and clubs, mixed grade classes, and collegial teacher-student relationships, while also experiencing the safety and comfort of dedicated advisors, a close-knit campus community, and a pass/fail grading system with substantial qualitative feedback.
Our middle school graduates are not just ready for high school academics–they are also confident in who they are and what they are capable of as a result of our program.
What makes our program one-of-a-kind?
A flexible curriculum that meets individual needs and challenges students to grow and think for themselves. We offer all of the expected middle school content, including English, Social Studies, Science, Math, Art, Drama, Computers, and PE. These classes are taught in keeping with the overall philosophy and approach of The New School, emphasizing critical thinking, individual and group projects, and the development of good academic skills and habits. Although students have a set schedule for the most part, many classes provide students with many opportunities for individual choice, such as in choosing writing and project topics.
High School Classes
Students take a range of thought-provoking classes in the core academic subjects, as well as in the arts, foreign language, computers, and physical education. We also frequently challenge eighth-graders to take high school classes in math, science, social studies, and foreign language.
Middle School Projects
Each year students complete a Middle School Project on a topic of their choice that may lay outside the regular academic curriculum. Recent examples include a timeline of the universe, knitting, an examination of video blogs, and designing a medieval castle.
Community
Middle School students participate as leaders in the larger New School community, organizing all-school events, running for student-government positions, and interacting as equals with their high school classmates. They also plan middle school-only events such as trips to the movies, an overnight lock-in, and a laser tag party.