Life in the Middle School

Several different kinds of support are offered to Middle School students.  There is a nurse on duty on campus at all times.  The Middle School Counselor is also available to provide emotional support to students and families.  There is a learning specialist in the Middle School who is available to assist students who are having academic difficulty.  Educational testing is available on-site during the school day if needed, and the school works with tutors who can provide on-going services to families as necessary.  Parents are encouraged to express concerns in any of these areas to the advisor or homeroom teacher or to the Student Concerns Committee, which consists of the counselor, learning specialist, and assistant principal.

Communication with parents takes many forms.  School events are publicized on the school Web site and through the weekly electronic Tuesday Letter; other publications include the Directory and the Handbook for Parents and Students.  During the year, parents and faculty gather for programs which present a speaker on a topic of common concern.  Room parents help with special projects and are an important communication link, and the Parents’ Association is very active in the life of the school.

Parents are provided with information about their son or daughter’s academic progress through trimester reports that utilize checklists and narrative comments to describe the student’s progress through the curriculum.  Parents can expect a conference with the homeroom teacher or advisor in the fall, and parents are encouraged to request a meeting at any time if there is a concern.

Meeting for Worship is held once a week in groups of varying sizes.  Each day begins with a period of silence as well.  There is some study of Quaker history and practice as part of the Middle School advisory and seventh grade Quakerism and the Arts curriculum, but the School’s commitment to Quaker values is also seen in frequent discussions of issues of equality, peace, and social justice in our classrooms, and in the community expectations published in the Handbook for Parents and Students.

Community service is an important part of the Middle School program and also reflects the School’s commitment to Quaker values.  Fifth and sixth graders work with young children and senior citizens, coordinate recycling efforts in Middle School, help with the Project Harvest can drive, and each 7/8 team participates in service projects three days during the year. In addition, all Middle School students participate in keeping their homerooms and team areas cleaned.

Advisories and homerooms meet once a week for study of the Advisory Curriculum.  This program encourages discussion of issues concerning friendships, ethics, and Quaker practice.

Assemblies are gatherings held on Friday afternoons.  Assemblies may feature guests from outside of Sidwell Friends or student programs. 

Minimester is held for all Middle School students the week before spring vacation in March.  There are no classes during the week of minimester; instead, students and teachers engage in a concentrated exploration of one area of interest outside of the classroom and sometimes outside of the city.  Minimester provides an opportunity for experiential education, for stronger ties to the community, and for multi-age connections among students and teachers.  Offerings for the week are different each year, and students are urged to propose projects for the week.  Some of the recent projects were Casting, and Sculpture, Life on the Bay, Free for All on the Mall, and Apprenticeships.  Some trips out of the area carry an additional charge; financial aid is available.  The Middle School also participates in two international exchanges with schools in York, England and in Moscow; these are wonderful opportunities for cross-cultural exchange.

All 7/8 teams go camping for three days and two nights in the fall and plan a special program for 7th graders in the spring.

7/8 Team Days or Out-Thursdays are held approximately once a month, or seven days a year. Four of these days are spent in community service projects as noted above. Several others are spent in curriculum- related trips and projects or for outdoor education activities. Team Time on Friday mornings offers planning time for team activities.

For description of policies and procedures for the school as a whole and for the Middle School, please refer to the Sidwell Friends School Handbook for Parents and Students.