A Day in the Life: Middle Schoolers

INSIDE SSM

|

A DAY IN THE LIFE

A Day in the Life:

Middle Schoolers

Our St. Mary’s Hall Middle School campus, with 120 students in grades 6-9, creates a challenging and engaging environment for active, purposeful learning.

START OF SCHOOL

COMMUNITY PERIOD

Like the Upper School, the Middle School starts promptly at 8 a.m. However, Middle Schoolers meet for eight class periods per day, every day, to help foster good study habits and time-management skills before they transition to the blended model at the Upper School.

Middle Schoolers have a built-in Service Learning component, which often takes place during community period. Once a week, the sixth and seventh graders volunteer at Milestone Senior Living, and the eighth and ninth graders volunteer at local elementary schools. Throughout the rest of the week, students meet with their advisors and learn about Health and Wellness during community period.

21

|

THROUGH THE ARCH MAGAZINE

A DAY IN THE LIFE

|

INSIDE SSM

“Meeting every day adds a level of value to education that is felt by both teacher and students here at the Middle School. Our younger students bring a brightness and light to the Middle School. They are full of boundless enthusiasm that is waiting to be tapped into.” − Sofia Viruly, English Teacher

CHAPEL

IN THE CLASSROOM

Middle Schoolers meet in the St. Mary’s Chapel for weekly services as well as for a weekly assembly.

Each Middle School advisory takes turns preparing readings for the week’s message with Fr. Maltbie.

Our Middle School students are full of boundless energy, and enjoy the many hands-on and project-based experiences offered in their classrooms. These include cooking s’mores in science class, researching and presenting a topic for National History Day, and writing and illustrating their own children’s books.

WINTER/SPRING 2020

|

22

INSIDE SSM

|

A DAY IN THE LIFE

“As Angela Bennet wisely said, ‘Teaching middle school is an adventure not a job.’ The critical years of early adolescence not only beckon us to ignite passions but to shape character. We take this seriously, and it is woven into everything we do here.” − Heather Morehead, Middle School Director

LUNCHTIME GAME TIME

RIDING THE BUS

Middle Schoolers sit at rotating assigned tables at lunch, to foster relationships across grade levels and extracurricular activities. A faculty member is assigned to each table as well, and the meal often ends with a fun activity like Jenga or a card game.

Many students take classes, or have practices and activities, at the Upper School throughout the day and need more than the five-minute passing period to get there. Thus, Raquel Rott, and all of our timely transportation staff, drive back and forth between campuses several times every class period to get them there.

23

|

THROUGH THE ARCH MAGAZINE

A DAY IN THE LIFE

|

INSIDE SSM

“I love that I can skate every day, twice a day here; I skate during and after school.” − Alyssa Lamb ’25

ACTIVITIES

DORM LIFE AND DOWN TIME

The Middle School schedule allows students to participate in both extracurriculars and Centers of Excellence programs; currently we have Middle School students in most COEs, and they still have time to participate in other activities like theater, or attend weCreate activities like Deep Dive & Dessert talks.

One thing that a lot of our Middle Schoolers look forward to at the end of the day is free time! St. Mary’s Hall is home to the middle school girls, and the boys live in Breck and Clapp Dorms. They all attend study hall in their rooms from 8-9:30 p.m., with a quick evening snack afterwards.

Organized activities are provided throughout the year, such as “Fall Fun Night” and lip sync battles.

WINTER/SPRING 2020

|

24