May 14
LS/MS Spring Concert
"Cultural Diversity Evening Book Series"
May 15
5th Grade Mini-Day in Middle School
Parents' Association Officer & Grade Reps Training
May 16
MS Chorus Competition at Hershey Park
May 17
Partners Field Day
May 20
MS Grade Reps Meeting
May 21
7th Grade Monument Displays
7th Grade Ice Cream Social
8th Grade French Student/Parent Mandatory Quebec Trip Information Meeting
8th Grade Trip Information Meeting for Parents
Over the three years of Middle School, students undergo significant growth and development in all the aspects that make us human—intellectual, emotional, social, physical, and moral. As they become more knowledgeable about themselves and the world around them, they become more independent and better able to make informed choices and decisions. It is the goal of the Middle School at Park to provide a program that is attentive to the growth and needs of early adolescents, which encourages curiosity, self-discipline, and open minds, and supports the development of responsible and informed citizens.
Much of the art of teaching is finding the balance between attending to the demands of academic rigor and the emotional and social needs of the students. As Middle School students grow in their ability to think more broadly and to make connections more readily, teachers design their courses to support them in the transition from predominantly concrete to fundamentally abstract thinkers. The faculty holds students to high, developmentally appropriate expectations and provides them with substantive academic challenges. At the same time, they nurture confidence in taking appropriate academic risks and using mistakes as opportunities for growth.
The faculty creates a carefully organized curriculum that builds upon and refines basic skills and also broadens the base of information, providing opportunities to develop mastery in a particular topic. Committed to staying current with the best practices within their disciplines, teachers value interdisciplinary connections and look for opportunities where they can authentically be made. They also work to provide a rich curriculum, reflective of the diversity of our world and of the students in our school. Teachers provide frequent and consistent feedback in many forms, as students express their learning through classroom discussion, essays, reports, tests, projects, and performances The Middle School sets aside time outside of the classroom to expose students to things they might not ordinarily explore. Extracurricular activities, a sports program open to all, overnight grade level trips, parent and school sponsored social events, and Intensive Learning Week all give students a chance to explore activities or topics which could spark new interests or identify new talents.
The Middle School works to provide a welcoming and open atmosphere where students of various races, religions, and socio-economic backgrounds feel comfortable and valued for their contributions to our community. In support of the social, emotional, and moral development characteristic of this age, the Middle School provides a strong advisory program. Advisors keep tabs on their advisees, review student progress, and help students set goals. In addition to frequent advisory meetings, the Life Skills program provides a forum for discussion of human relationships, emotional and physical health, and our role in the greater community.
The Middle School seeks to provide a physical setting that supports students’ needs for movement and hands on work. Students work in the classroom, in the hallways, in the library and computer rooms. Small class size and varied kinds of instruction—whole group, small group, individual, direct instruction, discussion, student discovery, research, special projects—all support student-centered learning. Students’ work is displayed everywhere, affirming and celebrating their efforts, and time is set aside for communal sharing of their accomplishments.
Teachers, advisors, parents, and administrators are committed to creating a safe environment based on mutual respect and high standards. They seek out students’ ideas, concerns and opinions, and students expect to be heard. In addition to support for individual student needs, the Middle School works to make students responsible members of a community with common expectations for rational behavior, where diversity in all its ramifications is valued and respected, and where there are avenues for connection to a larger community outside of Park.