Middle School
In these three years of personal growth and challenge, activities and lessons focus on the values of personal responsibility, true friendship, and open-minded collaboration. In all of our classes, teachers carefully differentiate their lessons and offer individual attention that enables students to maximize their potential. We feel strongly that praise for effort and determination rather than for results will encourage students to weather mistakes, even failures, and to consider sustained effort to be a success. The broad range of our international and culturally diverse lessons teach the meaningful values of open-mindedness and respect. Worldly integration is a dynamic staple of the community. Our students absorb these valuable lessons in character and develop the skills of independence and self-reliance to meet the variety of high school challenges. Awty students enjoy Middle School, and we endeavor to send them off to ninth grade with self-reliance, respect, and grit.
Our curriculum integrates classes in English, the arts, sports, and physical education across French and International programs to facilitate our goals for linguistic and cultural diversity, as well as academic excellence. All Middle School students study a second language and a third language. These requirements well illustrate our emphasis on multilingualism and multicultural awareness. The International math program, presented in two adaptable levels, is an advanced curriculum with the flexibility to challenge a broad range of aspiring mathematicians. Our hands-on approach to sciences, with an emphasis on lab experience, provides students with experiential learning to stimulate a love of science. Computer classes develop both the fundamental skills for daily work and the experimental possibilities in technology. All grade levels participate in a Fine Arts cycle, which exposes students to the essential skills of music, art, drama, and dance. Additional Arts options include digital studio, photography, honors choir, honors band, and speech and debate. In English and history classes, teachers emphasize analytical writing and research, providing a strong foundation for the expectations in the competitive programs that lie ahead. Students make numerous oral presentations and engage in collaborative projects to develop confidence for articulate self-expression. French Program students in 6ème through 4ème follow the accredited French National curriculum enriched by language mixed classes, electives, and events reflecting an American context. Our teachers guide and support the development of organizational skills and effective study habits, which instills students with independence and determination to meet future academic challenges.
Middle School calls for a balance of rigor and enjoyment. We complement our classroom lessons with educational experiences in sports, physical education, clubs, and trips. We host three on-campus dances each year to have fun while learning appropriate social skills. Our athletic seasons follow the trimesters and students are encouraged to participate on teams. Students not on teams follow a dynamic PE program, which includes units in gymnastics, rock climbing, swimming, and more. We offer extracurricular clubs such as an aerospace club, a chess club, a robotics team, and a yearbook club. Overnight trips are a highlight in the life of Middle Schoolers: sixth grade starts with one night away on Fall Trips; all seventh grade students go on a five-day guided visit to Washington, D.C., exploring lessons in history and government; all eighth grade students participate in an eight-day camping trip to Big Bend National Park in far West Texas. Students hike, swim, raft, and do nearly all the work setting up camp and cooking meals throughout this splendid and challenging outdoor education experience. All told, we are proud of this combination of academic and worldly experiences which encourage students to meet challenges with confidence and reach for their full potential.
