Milton Academy Middle School

m i lt o n a c a d e m y m i d d l e s c h o o l

a p r eview

m i lto n ac a d e m y

Our mission: Dare to be True Milton Academy cultivates in its students a passion for learning and a respect for others. Embracing diversity and the pursuit of excellence, we create a community in which individuals develop competence, confidence and character. Our active learning environment, in and out of the classroom, develops creative and critical thinkers, unafraid to express their ideas, prepared to seek meaningful lifetime success, and to live by our motto, “Dare to be true.�

Academics: A passion for learning At Milton, class sizes are small, which means that everyone is part of the action. Skilled, caring faculty members create an environment that encourages young people to take safe risks, while offering the support

Students: Be yourself, to find out who you are Milton students will tell you that their friends and classmates are happy, prepared, diverse, open to new ideas, and excited about learning. Milton students like to create, problem-solve, work hard, laugh, and try new things. They develop confidence in themselves and pride in their classmates. School is an exciting place for the 155 students in Milton’s Middle School.

They don’t like to miss a day.

students need to succeed. Students make connections across disciplines.

That intellectual energy deepens their understanding—it builds a framework for better questions and more sophisticated appreciation.

Students discover new areas of study

that fascinate and inspire them. At Milton, after-school activities expand the many ways to learn. Boys and girls love the opportunities in clubs, community service, publications, languages, athletics and the arts.

Faculty: Developing skills, fueling growth The commitment of learned and experienced teachers is Milton’s great treasure. Working hand-inhand with their colleagues, Milton’s teachers are curriculum developers.

They design classroom units that involve hands-on learning and an integrated approach. Milton’s faculty love learning. They are passionate about their subject matter and communicate that passion to students. Each day, students take on more responsibility and independence; faculty understand them, support them, and help them grow as they transition from childhood to adolescence.

They make sure that each child takes opportunities, grows through challenges, and develops self-confidence.

Arts: Expression requires reflection Both in and out of the classroom, Milton’s culture celebrates creative expression—in music, painting, writing, drawing, sculpture and performing arts. Middle School programs often enlist Upper School resources of space, expertise and collaboration. Students act in and provide technical support for several performances each year. They take lessons and perform in orchestral concerts. In art classrooms their creations connect with what they’re exploring in literature or social studies. The arts are alive at Milton.

Growing in creativity, discovering new passions—these are parts of School life, here.

Physical Education: Action that shapes attitude Physical education is an essential aspect of learning and development.

Using Milton’s vast indoor and outdoor athletic spaces, students compete on interscholastic teams of their favorite sports throughout the year—soccer, field hockey, lacrosse, tennis, basketball, baseball, softball, squash, football, ice hockey, track, and cross-country.

With their teammates and with skilled coaches, students learn and appreciate teamwork, persistence and dedication. They learn resilience: how to win and lose gracefully. They develop a healthy appreciation and respect for what their bodies can do.

Strong, appropriate preparation for the Upper School Middle Schoolers are moving from childhood to adolescence. They straddle the comfort of dependence and the need for more freedom.

Their thinking, concrete at the outset, becomes more abstract and analytical. Milton’s faculty follow a calibrated continuum that advances boys’ and girls’ skills and confidence.

Teachers are keenly aware of what students need in each grade, and by the time they head off to high school students have acquired the skills to succeed. As part of a K–12 school, familiarity with Milton’s Upper School helps Middle School students reach high and prepare for the next step. Before that, they gain confidence on their own turf, and they become leaders themselves.

Outside of class: Building confidence, competence and character The chances for students to grow and express themselves are many, and diverse. At Milton, young people have many options to gain skills, increase awareness and serve. They can spend an afternoon with a group of friends who have a common interest—robotics, digital photography, gardening, speech team. They can join their classmates in questioning a morning assembly speaker, or in discussing important topics during a culture club meeting.

They love to go off campus to explore a unique place as a class. All together, the chance to do more, and different, with their interests and talents, is something Milton students love about their School. At the same time, they expand and grow, learning about themselves and the world around them.

Respect for others: A safe place to grow Students at Milton care for one another. They overtly support their classmates and schoolmates. They let one another know that it’s safe to try something new, and to try again. Deep in our School culture is the idea that each one of us brings something unique and valuable, and that together we create something bigger than the sum of the parts. We love the differences among us. In our classrooms and our hallways we nurture an interest in and knowledge of the world beyond our walls. Care, respect, listening, sharing and the importance of helping others are all lessons of the day.

Admission and Financial Aid Milton Academy seeks to enroll students who are motivated and eager to learn. In the Middle School, our principal entry points are Grade 6 and Grade 7; we also accept applications for Grade 8 as spaces become available. Approximately 37 percent of Middle School students are students of color. Milton values diversity in all its forms and maintains a generous financial aid budget. Aid is need-based, and Milton strives to meet 100 percent of the demonstrated need of each student offered admission.

We encourage families to begin the admission process well before the January 15 deadline for initiating an application. Beginning the process early affords greater flexibility to schedule appointments, more time to complete paperwork, and, most importantly, time to reflect on the Milton Academy environment and your child.

Milton Academy 170 Centre Street Milton, Massachusetts 02186 617-898-2509 | lmsadmission@milton.edu | www.milton.edu/middle-school