St. Andrew's School RI: Middle School Viewbook

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Our Middle School, housed in historic Hardy Hall, occupies its own special space on campus. But middle schoolers here also benefit from being part of our larger school community. Our Middle School students have access to all that St. Andrew’s offers—from accessing our 80-acre campus and its incredible arts and athletics facilities to receiving mentorship and coaching from Upper School students.

At St. Andrew’s, We Make the Most of the Middle

St. Andrew’s Middle School is a small, structured, and supportive program.

Faculty work with students on academic content, while at the same time developing students’ study skills and organizational strategies. As a result, students work to become independent learners, increase their sense of self-esteem, and gain confidence in their abilities.

As they progress through Middle School, students begin to identify opportunities for positive risk taking and grapple with the challenges that come with being pushed outside of one’s comfort zone—in the classroom, on the sports field, on the stage, and during social activities.

“It was important to us to find a school that would academically challenge our daughter as well as support her to achieve her goals. From her very first visit, the St. Andrew’s staff made her feel like they were truly interested in her, and she instantly felt welcomed into the community. In her time at St. Andrew’s, she has always felt included, supported, and that she can achieve anything. St. Andrew’s was definitely the right choice and we are so fortunate to be a part of this special community!”

ST. ANDREW ’ S PARENT

Our Values

Everything we do at St. Andrew’s is rooted in The Chapin Tradition, an ethos embodied by Reverend William Merrick Chapin, who founded our school in 1893 as an orphanage. In our learning community, problem-solving and resilience are valued, and each student’s spirit is developed and celebrated.

What is The Chapin Tradition?

The Chapin Tradition is characterized by an enduring commitment to:

Service: Our students become independent changemakers who seek to better the world around them. We know that acts of service empower students to become more caring, open-minded, and reflective and to develop greater levels of self-confidence and maturity.

Action: Learning here is an active endeavor that demands inquiry and engagement. Our teachers are viewed as facilitators, not purveyors, of knowledge who guide students in how to translate learning into doing.

Inclusion: Students are given the tools and support they need to fully participate in our academic and community life. We expect kindness. Every individual is made welcome and their strengths are both celebrated and leveraged to overcome challenges.

“In our Middle School, students get to be themselves—in the present, in the moment. Bolstered by our innovative curriculum, nurturing faculty, and a small, friendly peer group—each of our middle school students is supported to be the best version of that self. While there is a strong focus on each student’s individual academic path, we also emphasize the importance of developing relationships and becoming a contributing member of a larger community.”

DAVID TINAGERO , Head of School

Meet Faith

8TH GRADE

ACTIVITIES: Violin, Martial Arts, Drawing

GOAL FOR THE YEAR: At the end of the school year, there is a Middle School awards ceremony. One of my classmates got an academic award for the Highest Average Grade. That’s the one that I want to get this year!

Where I can be myself.

What makes St. Andrew’s so

special?

A big part of it is the small classes. You get more help from the teachers. At my old school, there were three classes for each grade and each class had like 20 people. Sometimes you’d have to wait a long time before you got some help. At St. Andrew’s I can always get help from the teachers when I need it. And, the teachers really get to know you.

What is it like going to a small middle school?

At this school, everyone knows each other, so it’s a lot easier to talk to people who are different than you. In Middle School classes, there are also often interactive activities or group activities—and you get grouped with other students completely randomly. So sometimes you have to work with a partner that you don’t know well, or who is more quiet, and you each have to learn how to communicate with each other. It’s another great way to learn how to talk with different kinds of people. Thankfully, we all basically get along at St. Andrew’s.

What’s a Middle School activity that you’ve really enjoyed?

I really like Project Adventure. It’s an outdoor program where the teachers lead us in team-building activities. Sometimes we are put into groups to figure out puzzles. For example, there is a game where our whole team had to get to the other side of a field using only a limited amount of these little pieces of logs. It was basically testing our communication skills and that type of stuff. I really enjoyed that because it was interactive.

Learning at St. Andrew’s

Within our Middle School’s small, tailored classes, students are supported in their development to become effective communicators, critical thinkers, efficient workers, and strong community members.

Our Approach

Within co-taught classes, and utilizing additional support as needed, our teachers work with students to identify their strengths and demonstrate different pathways to success. Students learn to become effective self-advocates as they gain knowledge and understanding of their individual strengths, challenges, vulnerabilities and unique learning profiles. As a result, self-esteem and self-confidence grow.

International Baccalaureate in the Middle School

Middle school students study within the International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme (MYP), which serves students in grades 6 through 10. With a focus on interdisciplinary, project-based teaching and learning, the MYP addresses the developmental needs of students in this age group and prepares them for Upper School academics, participation in the IB Diploma Programme in grades 11 and 12, postsecondary success, and life in an increasingly interconnected world.

The IB MYP challenges students to make practical connections between their studies and the real world and is inclusive by design, with students of all interests and academic abilities benefiting from their participation.

Learning Support

Middle School students enrolled in our Learning Support program take literature and mathematics courses that are co-taught by a content teacher and a Learning Support specialist. Within this model, students are able to access the same full International Baccalaureate program as their peers while also receiving the differentiated instruction and strategies they need to achieve content mastery.

In addition, all Learning Support students are enrolled in Academic Workshop, a small group support class taught by a learning support specialist that meets once a day. In all of our classes, regardless of the subject, teachers differentiate how they present concepts, review information, and organize classwork in order to serve a diverse range of learners. Together, these components allow for the education of the whole child.

“Our Middle School students come from many different backgrounds in terms of their strengths and challenges. We serve a diverse group of learners, and I think that’s what really stands out here. We also have incredibly talented faculty who work with our students to meet them where they currently are—and who can support their strengths in unique and creative ways.”

ALEXANDRA MCMULLEN , Assistant Head of School for Academics

Class Spotlight: What Do You Want to Create?

All Middle School students take a semester-long IB design course each year. Over the course of three years, students learn to use the design cycle—a way of thinking and organizing to help them realize a goal. This enables them to develop skills that will allow them to undertake new challenges, design and plan activities, and creatively solve problems throughout their lives.

Activities in Middle School design courses include Javascript coding, Python coding, 3D design, computer assisted design (CAD), web design, and robotics. It is amazing to see what our students can create when they are given the time, space, materials, and support to do so!

“Our design courses deepen students’ understanding of creation and innovation processes and allows them to apply various technologies to practice solving real-world problems. The curriculum focuses on teaching students vital technical skills in various disciplines and equipping them with 21stcentury skills, including collaboration, creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking.”

ABDOU LO , Design Faculty

The Whole Child

Middle School is a time of great transition. Our students are navigating early adolescence; they crave independence and autonomy, but perhaps more than ever need supportive safety nets to ensure their continued growth. Through these myriad and often unpredictable changes, it is most important that our students feel known and valued in an authentic way.

At St. Andrew’s, we provide not only a caring environment, but one that also challenges and motivates our students to become the best version of themselves.

Middle School Advising

In Middle School, each student is assigned an advisor, who is responsible for supporting holistic development and well-being as each student progresses through their Middle School experience. Advisors are in contact with their advisees on a daily basis and attend Morning Meeting with their advising group twice a week. Students check out with their advisors at the end of each day, and meet with their advising group twice a week. During advising sessions, students may spend time reviewing their progress with advisors or participating in different activities that are meant to build community and connection. Advisory groups range in size from 6-8 students and the composition includes mixed grade levels.

Mindfulness

This class, taken for one semester in each Middle School grade, provides students with an opportunity to increase their selfawareness and recognize their emotions. Students learn about the connections between their feelings and their thoughts as well as strategies to express them in healthy ways. Discussions, activities, and movement are the foundation of the class, intentionally creating mindful moments for students to practice breathing, communication skills, and cooperation with their classmates.

Brain Breaks

We know that Middle School students need brain and body breaks, so we give them opportunities throughout the day to take them, including a recess and an afternoon break.

Meet Isaac

8TH GRADE

ACTIVITIES: Basketball, Soccer

FAVORITE CLASS: Design! We usually do either coding or 3D printing. In sixth grade, we worked with a Javascript beginner coding set called Karel the Dog. We wrote a series of code and then Karel the Dog would do the task that you programmed. Coding in Java was like writing in a secret code. For 3D printing, we use a website called Tinkercad, where you make a model of what you’re going to print out. You can make almost anything that you model.

Where I can reach my goals.

What makes St. Andrew’s special?

St. Andrew’s is like no other school I’ve been to. There are so many great things that you can do around the campus. We have small classes and you can always get one-on-one help from the teachers. Getting that personal help from teachers keeps me more on task.

And St. Andrew’s strives to have a great community, based on being kind toward others and treating them with respect. It’s just a really great all-around place. How does your advisor help you?

My advisor is the one who’s usually telling me to keep up on my work! Every day we check in, and we talk about my grades, how I’m doing in my classes, and what I need to do to catch up in a class if I’m not doing as well.

What activities do you enjoy and what have they taught you?

At St. Andrew’s, there are so many activities to choose from. In the fall, I play soccer and in the winter, I play basketball. Sports and school are usually where I try to focus my life. They both teach you a lot. The coaches for soccer and for basketball are also teachers. One thing they do on the field that they also do in the classroom is push me to strive to achieve my goals, but also consider what’s best for the team.

Beyond the Classroom

We know that extra-curricular activities and social opportunities are a key part of a middle schooler’s development and growth. We offer myriad opportunities for students to engage in experiences outside of the classroom. Additionally, throughout the year, middle schoolers are encouraged to participate in social events like community service days, dances, bowling nights, and family potlucks.

Athletics

St. Andrew’s Middle School students have the opportunity to play on two competitive teams—soccer in the fall and basketball in the winter. Eighth grade students can try out for any of our Upper School teams, which include cross country, lacrosse, tennis, squash, crew, and golf, in addition to soccer and basketball.

Clubs and Activities

Students not participating on an athletic team may opt to participate in one of our after-school activity offerings and club sports, with many participating in our strong arts and theater programming.

Bike Club

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Club

Crew

Homework Club

Open Art Studio

Ski Club

Spirit Squad

Squash

Yearbook

Tech Theatre

Theatre Performances

(fall, winter, spring)

“At St. Andrew’s we ask students to extend themselves, and to explore who they are.”

JOANNE FAYAN , Arts Department Chair

Learning Through Experiences

Hulbert Trip

Each fall, all Middle School students travel to Hulbert Outdoor Educational Center in Fairlee, Vermont for two nights and three days. During this foundational community-building experience, students build connections with each other, develop individual and collective leadership skills, and hone their critical thinking, communication, and problem solving abilities. Students live, eat, and learn together, while hiking, kayaking, playing, learning how to take “smart risks,” and tackling Hulbert’s incredible woodland ropes course.

Project Adventure

Project Adventure is a spring course for our Middle School students centered around our ropes and obstacle course that builds upon the Hulbert experience. It is designed to instill personal confidence, improve group dynamics, and develop strong communication skills. Through individual and group exercises, students participate in activities that stress the need for cooperation, communication, and problem-solving. Through these experiences, students learn how to navigate challenges and increase awareness of the importance of both effort and failure in the learning process. It’s also a whole lot of fun! Each activity is debriefed, which allows students to both reflect on their challenges as well as successes.

Where I can test my limits.

“My favorite activity—although it was probably the scariest one for me—was a tall pole that I had to climb up and then jump off of to try to grab this trapeze bar. I had a harness, and there was a person who was very trained in controlling the safety rope down on the ground. But I had to learn to really trust somebody else.”

ST. ANDREW ’ S STUDENT

Join Our Learning Community

We seek to enroll students from a variety of backgrounds, whose unique perspectives enrich life at the school. The admission process at St. Andrew’s is designed to give students ample opportunities to learn about our programs and connect with current faculty, staff, and students.

Financial Aid

We recognize that not all families interested in St. Andrew’s School may be able to afford the full cost of tuition. Sixty-two percent of our students receive need-based financial aid. Financial Aid decisions will only be made after a student has applied to and been accepted to St. Andrew’s School and all necessary financial aid paperwork has been received. Please note that St. Andrew’s cannot guarantee funding to all applicants who qualify.

Our New Tuition Rate

Our Middle School is small, vibrant, diverse, and awesome. It’s a place we want more students to be able to access. With that in mind, we have reduced the yearly Middle School tuition to $25,000. Newly enrolled families will also be able to take advantage of a guaranteed annual tuition cap (capped at 2% per year) for the entirety of their time at St. Andrew’s.

Learn More

Please fill out our brief inquiry form at standrews-ri.org (choose the Inquire button) or scan the QR code to go directly there.

An admission counselor will be in touch once your form is submitted—and will walk you through the admission process personally.