GPS Middle School: Tiered Learning

GPS Middle School offers a rich and engaging academic program that lays the foundation for students’ academic paths while developing the vital skills for their future success in Upper School and beyond.

Recognizing that intellectual development is a process, each grade in Middle School is designed to build upon the knowledge and skills attained during the previous grade. This approach allows each girl to gradually and appropriately take ownership of her learning journey.

Sixth Grade

In sixth grade, emphasis is placed on providing a positive and individualized onboarding academic and social experience for each girl so she can:

» Achieve a sense of belonging and interpersonal connection through small-group learning

» Gain her footing academically

» Build a common foundation of skills competency

» Embrace the value of a multidisciplinary approach to thinking and learning

Seventh Grade

In seventh grade, girls build acuity in their academic skills while receiving perspective on the socioemotional aspects of development through:

» An increased emphasis on collaborative classroom experiences

» A focus on the development of communication skills

» The development of solution-seeking skills by learning to ask questions, identify problems, and complete problem-solving exercises

» A gradual increase in academic challenges

» Opportunities to take risks, try new experiences, and gain confidence with the encouragement of their teachers and peers

» Gaining a healthy perspective on friendships, conflict, and choices

Eighth Grade

In eighth grade, the emphasis is on the application of acquired skills, student-driven educational experiences, and readiness for Upper School through:

» Articulating/defining areas of strength and interest

» Preparing them for the academic challenge of Upper School

» Sharpening academic abilities

» Honing study and organizational skills to support increased academic challenges

NEW Eighth Grade Capstone Class | Through the Capstone Class, each eighth-grade girl will explore, research, and design a learning experience on a topic of her choosing and share her work and results at the end of the year. Engagement with her peers, faculty, and the wider community will enrich this process. The artifact and the sharing will be based on each girl’s guiding question, learning journey, and the goals of her individual capstone experience.

Preparing Girls for Success in the Upper School

Middle School provides a place for exploration and self-discovery while simultaneously offering a ramping-up of academic challenges and independence. As our ninth-graders walk across the lawn on the first day of their freshman year to their new home in the Upper School, we want them to do so with the assurance that they are well prepared.

Eighth-Grade Emphasis

Throughout their Middle School experience, girls test the waters in different areas of interest through athletics, arts, class electives, and clubs. In eighth grade, they are coached to be more fluent in articulating their areas of strength and honing their interests. As a result, they are able to begin charting their academic path for Upper School.

Eighth grade is also characterized by increased academic challenges and independence. For example, eighth-graders have a free study period where they use their time-management skills and learn the benefit of working on homework at school. In class, students are also introduced to more longterm projects with fewer check-in points to exercise their planning and organization skills.

We redirect girls from focusing on perfection, which is an unattainable and unhealthy goal, to becoming resilient. It is during this critical time that we increase expectations, encourage her to stretch beyond her comfort zone, and take risks—all within a highly supportive environment.

Freshman Seminar Helps With Transition To Upper School

In the GPS Upper School, new ninth graders are received with much enthusiasm and continued support for their success. Emphasis is placed on making sure freshmen know what to expect and in building their study and social skills.

Freshman Seminar, a 16-week program for all ninth-graders, includes discussions that center on topics to help them have a successful introduction to high school. Through a small-group structure, girls connect with each other while also becoming familiar with Upper School faculty and staff who have a vested interest in their growth as individuals, scholars, and community members.

Students further develop the skills of time management, self-advocacy, goal-setting, and healthy risktaking while learning to cultivate balance in their lives. Considerable time is also spent helping girls become proficient with their new MacBook computers.