Inspiring Community
Visionary Leadership
In the Middle School at St. Andrew’s, we build a community where students are encouraged to take intellectual risks, celebrate successes, and work together
“The St. Andrew’s community goes beyond the brick and mortar campus when providing students, families, and staff a feeling of belonging. By hearing, seeing, and affirming each member of our community, we are each allowed to be and embrace our true selves.”
to overcome challenges. We create a safe and respectful environment for embracing the diversity of our emerging selves and those emerging around us. Our innovative Advisory Program, which includes single-gender advisory groups, nurtures empathy and inclusion and culminates in the Positive Leadership Initiative. Through the PLI, grade 8 students work with a service organization in Washington, D.C., choose a service theme, and design and implement community projects. In connection with their study of world leaders in History 8 and the brave protagonist in English 8, students are asked to become leaders and heroes in our community. They present their projects and experiences of leadership through service to the entire Middle School in the spring.
3
days exploring the Chesapeake Bay on the annual grade 6 trip
11:1
ratio of students to advisors in Middle School
3
LORRAINE MARTINEZ HANLEY
hours of community service performed by each eighth grader
50+
presentations on 75 world leaders in the grade 8 World History research project
OUR RESEARCH-INFORMED SCHEDULE 8:30 A.M. – 3:40 P.M. Each Wednesday begins with all-school assembly or Time By Design, which students can use to pursue individual passions, deeper learning, or personal wellbeing. Students have an hour each day to eat, refresh, and meet for clubs and special seminars.
Morning Meeting Academic Block Academic Block Recess and Lunch Academic Block
Blocks of 65-minute classes rotate throughout the week. Research suggests that deep, engaged learning requires longer class periods with fewer daily transitions.
Academic Block
design iterations each by seventh graders in the artificial limb project
Advisory or Study Hall
Afterschool options available until 6 p.m.
25
Middle School clubs, including Cosplay Club, Board Games and Classic TV, Math Club, and Spirit Club
Middle School Curricular Highlights
DIRECTOR OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION, LANGUAGE TEACHER, 8TH GRADE ADVISOR, CENTER FOR TRANSFORMATIVE TEACHING AND LEARNING FACULTY
Sports Practice
20
GRADES 6–8
Three times per week, students either have structured study hall time or meet in their advisory groups.
OUR MISSION
SAES.org A coed, college preparatory day school | Age 2 to Grade 12 8804 Postoak Road Potomac, MD 20854
admission@saes.org 240.477.1700
To know and inspire each child in an inclusive community dedicated to exceptional teaching, learning, and service
Dynamic Growth and Transformative Achievement Our experienced Middle School faculty applies research-informed
approaches to challenge and guide students during this critical time of transition. Students engage fully in a rigorous, multifaceted academic
program through hands-on activities, design projects, interdisciplinary work, analytical writing, field trips, and real-world problem solving.
Your child will become an independent thinker and joyful, self-motivated learner, ready for the advanced opportunities of our Upper School.
SIXTH-GRADE COURSES
SEVENTH-GRADE COURSES
EIGHTH-GRADE COURSES
Humanities 6
English 7
English 8
Math
History 7: Civics
Science 6: Scientific Foundations
Math
History 8: Comparative World Leadership
World Language: French, Latin, or Spanish Performing Arts (1 trimester) Visual Arts 6 (1 trimester) Religion 6: The Hebrew Bible and the Nature of God (1 trimester) Athletics
Science 7: Life Science World Language: French, Latin, or Spanish Performing Arts (1 trimester) Visual Arts 7 (1 trimester) Religion 7: The Life and Impact of Jesus (1 trimester) Athletics
Math Science 8: Physical Science World Language: French, Latin, or Spanish
Visual Arts 8 (1 trimester) Religion: World Religions OR Ethics (1 trimester)
The Middle School math curriculum includes Connected Math I/II, a problemcentered curriculum; then Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Geometry, and Honors Geometry.
Middle schoolers enroll in a series of classes that probe our Episcopal identity as well as their own religious identities. In Religion 6, they study the earliest stories of the Bible in search of an answer to the guiding question, “What is the nature of God and the world God created?” In Religion 7, they continue analyzing the role of the divine in our everyday lives through studying the life and teachings of Jesus. In Religion 8, students have a choice of studying world religions or ethics, examining in either course the universal values that guide humanity. In studying religion, our goal is not to promote any particular religion but rather to use our Episcopal values as a starting point to help students discern their own spiritual and religious beliefs.
Middle School curricula are integrated to develop significant writing, communication, and critical thinking skills. Sixth graders compare ancient civilizations, myths, and modern narratives in an intensive humanities course that combines English and history. Seventh graders explore identity and choices in an English course that includes creative and narrative writing assignments in response to culturally relevant literature. Eighth graders write extensively in English and apply their skills to history, where they prepare an in-depth multigenre research and writing project on a world leader.
ARTS
ATHLETICS
Students take visual and performing arts courses each year. A sequence of visual arts courses allows students to explore all media and connect creatively with their academic subjects.
All middle schoolers participate in a sport or a fitness class each trimester. The emphasis is on skill building, conditioning, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Practices and interscholastic games are held during the last time block of each day.
WORLD LANGUAGES
Band
Our students study Spanish, French, or Latin in a sequence developed specifically for the Middle School language learner. Languages are taught in immersion classrooms that have students speaking, listening, writing, and thinking in the language even at the earliest levels. Investigations of the respective countries and cultures and projectbased learning strengthen the use of language in real-world contexts. With this solid foundation, our middle schoolers are well-prepared for more advanced language studies in our Upper School.
Performing arts options include: Chorus Dance Drama Middle School Musical Middle School Technical Theater Music & Computers
“Communication, interpersonal skills, materials management, time planning, creativity, problem solving, resiliency, tenacity, grit— the set of mind skills demanded to be successful in design work reads more like those needed to be successful in real world employment,” says science teacher Charles James, who engages St. Andrew’s middle schoolers in D!Lab design projects that address real human needs.
Athletics
RELIGION
HUMANITIES
Recent productions include Annie Jr. and The Lion King Jr.
Performing Arts (1 trimester)
MATH AND SCIENCE
The science curriculum begins with an exploration of the scientific method and the concepts that underlie the physical, biological, and environmental sciences. In seventh grade, students study biology with a design focus that includes lessons in robotics and the creation of artificial limbs. In eighth grade, students focus on physics, exploring how the elements of the physical world interact.
More than 30 students each year are part of the Middle School musical cast and crew.
Teams and sports include: Baseball
Softball
Basketball
Swimming
Cross Country
Tennis
Dance
Track
Fitness
Volleyball
Lacrosse
Wrestling
Soccer
The All-Middle School Summer Read connects our students in a shared experience. In recent years, authors Kwame Alexander and Ellen Oh have each visited campus to discuss their writing with Middle School students.