MIDDLE SCHOOL
GRADES SIX THROUGH EIGHT
A Note from Jonathan Davis, Middle School Principal
The Middle School at Dwight-Englewood is an area of the campus designed around the unique needs of students in their tween and early teenage years. The majority of our Middle School faculty are dedicated Middle school teachers who only teach this age group and have created a curriculum that meets the needs of this particular cohort of students. We are housed in a new building designed with the students in mind and with the intention to inspire their learning and growth.
Our Middle School is built around the concept of “process over product,” and this is part of the fabric of daily life around campus. Students are encouraged to take risks, evaluate where things went wrong, and persevere through setbacks. This happens both in and out of the classrooms, as students are encouraged to try out for a new athletic team, audition for the spring musical, or raise their hand in their most challenging class.
The faculty have designed their programs to be not just challenging but engaging. A visit to the Middle School during the school day reveals a wide variety of activities. There is group work and collaboration throughout the three floors. Students may be rehearsing their presentations for sixth grade Egypt Day in one spot, while in another, eighth graders are designing and building marble runs in Science.
The Middle School operates under two important rules: be kind & do the right thing. These underpin the development of our diverse community through our advisory program, special assemblies and programs, and frequent reminders from me. Ultimately, the Middle School aims to produce students who can meet the challenges of a changing world while being caring and nice to those around them.
I invite you to come to Dwight-Englewood to see the Middle School for yourself. I hope to see you around campus at some point this year.
Regards, Jonathan
1
Academics
ACADEMICS, ORGANIZATION AND SKILLS DEVELOPMENT
The Middle School program is an exceptional combination of vigorous curriculum and skill development, in conjunction with a commitment to student exploration, process and problem solving.
It encourages discourse for young adolescents to discover and pursue their particular abilities, talents and interests, while providing opportunities to work collaboratively with peers both within their grade level and across the three grades.
Each grade level is unified around a theme which serves to connect the experiences in the core curriculum of Social Studies, English, Science and Mathematics.
Grade-level teams of teachers have a positive impact on the delivery of the curriculum, skills development and individual student needs. The program helps students develop organizational, academic and personal skills they will need as they progress through their academic career.
TECHNOLOGY
From a technology standpoint, the Middle School relies on a 2-piece platform that utilizes the strengths of technology and the advantages of paper through the use of the schoolissued personalized and customized iPad and Levenger notebook. Together these two items are powerful learning and organizational tools for your child; one that they will most likely use for life.
Students use their iPads to collaborate with others, creatively synthesize and demonstrate knowledge through the creation of multiple media types including video and engage with the world.
Students use technology to create videography and multimedia presentations to be shared with various audiences including classmates, scientists, business people as well as panels of independent experts both internal and external to the Dwight-Englewood community.
Academics
2
Curriculum
3
Project Based Learning
STUDENT INQUIRY IS THE ENGINE THAT DRIVES LEARNING IN PBL
In Project Based Learning, our students are engaged in authentic, real-life projects that lead to gaining essential knowledge and important skills. They investigate openended questions to find meaning and conclusions which they then transmit in purposeful ways. Through rigorous inquiry, research and investigation students construct essential understandings and begin to solve problems that are meaningful.
GRADE LEVEL THEMES
6TH GRADE
“What makes us who we are?” The “Identity Unit” is the unifying theme and is centered on hands-on experiences and projects, some of which are interdisciplinary. Students are immersed in a coordinated unit that stretches their minds and emphasizes the connections among subjects.
7TH GRADE
“How do you connect to the world around you?” This theme connects the four major disciplines of English, Social Studies, Science and Mathematics in the 7th Grade. Regardless of what they are studying, students are asked to use reason and empathy to broaden their perspectives.
8TH GRADE
“How do we meet the challenges of a changing world and make it better?” This theme challenges students’ higher level thinking skills. This voyage takes students from a local view to a national and then international perspective encouraging them to think beyond themselves.
Project LearningBased
4
d-e.org • 201.227.3102 • 315 East Palisade Avenue • Englewood NJ 07631 www.d-e.org Nasser Samedy Senior Director of Admissions Director of Middle School Admissions 201.227.3105 samedn@d-e.org
“
“
As a community of learners, Dwight-Englewood School strives to foster in each student a passion for life-long learning. We seek excellence, honor integrity, and embrace diversity in order to develop the skills, values and courage to meet the challenges of a changing world and make it better.