Our Middle School curriculum and differentiated instruction are aligned to the Common Core standards. Our classroom environment is designed to include independent work, partnerships, small group work, and conferencing in all subject areas to encourage leadership, responsibility, and growth as the students transition from childhood to adolescence. For Bible instruction, we build upon what was learned in the lower grades and focus on the application and practicing of God’s word in the modern world. Students are challenged to grow and mature in the ways of the Lord while discovering their identity in Christ.
The reading instruction consists of read alouds and independent reading across all grades. We target comprehension skills, strategies, and test sophistication. Students are exposed to classroom libraries with a variety of genres, levels and interests. They are given designated times to read independently and reinforce their reading skills inside and outside of the classroom. As part of our ELA instruction we utilize Sadlier for grades 5th through 8th for vocabulary and writing/grammar instruction, adhering to our NYS Writing Standards. For reading, we utilize a combination of Junior Great Books, myLiteracy, and both classic and contemporary texts. Students develop strategies and skills while acquiring a love for reading and writing in all genres through modeling and sharing.
For Science, History, and Mathematics we utilize Savvas Learning (formerly Pearson Realize Ed). Our mathematics curriculum also has an online component (Savvas Realize) with rich and engaging content, embedded assessments, and instant data. Additional supplemental work, aligned to the Common Core standards, is also provided. Skills and strategies are also incorporated into our History and Science curriculum. This helps to strengthen comprehension as students explore topics such as: American/World History and Physical/Earth/Life Science. These content areas reinforce the skills taught in ELA/Math to form a cohesive cross-curricular learning experience for our students.
