A Look Inside Our Middle School (2020)

Growing Boys We love boys for who they are, and we’ll teach them to be proud of who they’re becoming.

A LOOK INSIDE OUR MIDDLE SCHOOL

WE JUST GET BOYS

Every boy is unique. So is our teaching style!

For more than a century, parents have chosen St. Christopher’s because we know boys.

Your son’s middle school years are full of developmental milestones that are critical to his future success. That’s why we’re here for our boys every step of the way with an active, holistic curriculum designed to encourage the mind, body and spirit.

All students are able to explore a wide range of interests through classes in art, music, drama, coding and woodworking. And as your son grows and matures, he’ll enjoy coeducational experiences and extracurriculars through our Saints Coordinate Program with our sister school, St. Catherine’s.

MIDDLE SCHOOL BUILT FOR BOYS

Our classrooms are dynamic spaces where curiosity comes to life. That’s because we understand how boys think and interact with the world around them. Our Saints enter Middle School as concrete and literal thinkers in 6th grade, and in just a few short years, they’ve grown into complex and abstract thinkers fully prepared for Upper School.

WHY ST. CHRISTOPHER’S?

(1) We are experts at teaching boys.

(2) We provide a values-based education.

(3) We foster an atmosphere of academic excellence.

In our recent accreditation with the Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS), they assessed that

“ With research and outreach nationally and internationally to understand and promote boys’ learning, the visiting team believes the school has become a model for how to effectively educate boys.”

MEET OUR FACULTY

Here, we don’t manage boys’ energy – we embrace it. Our faculty have chosen to dedicate their careers to the education of middle school boys because they are passionate about teaching this age group. Your son’s teacher will help cultivate a love for learning by getting to know him on a one-to-one level.

We have multiple resource teachers dedicated to supporting the academic, emotional and spiritual needs of each boy, such as our School M.D., Middle School Nurse, Middle School Counselor, Director of Student Life and Chaplain.

A VALUES-BASED EDUCATION

A time for growth and timeless values 01.

02.

We love and understand boys.

We take pride in our Whole Boy approach to education.

03.

We are committed to academic excellence and preparing boys for both college and life.

04.

We recognize that we are part of something greater than ourselves.

05.

We value the power of relationships and community.

06.

We believe that every boy has both the capacity and responsibility to have a positive impact on the world around him.

07.

We care most about developing young men who possess character and integrity.

What a great place to be a boy!

Middle school is a time of rapid growth and change. These years are bound to be a little awkward, very challenging and (best of all) exciting!

We’re here to help boys develop a strong sense of personal responsibility and organizational skills with a lot of laughter along the way.

We promote choosing the hard right over the easy wrong because men of character begin as boys with values.

THE SUPPORT OUR BOYS AND THEIR PARENTS NEED

Keeping our boys on the right path starts in 6th grade with special programming on cyber safety and digital citizenship. In 7th grade, we hold a dialogue night on decision making. And in 8th grade our boys and parents participate in another dialogue night focused on drug and alcohol education.

CHARACTER AND INTEGRITY

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

Multiple times a week, our boys look forward to Chapel – a friendly and welcoming time of day focused on cultivating compassion and service to others.

Our Middle School boys get the best of both worlds – through mentoring programs they’re able to connect with their Upper School role models and provide guidance to their Lower School buddies.

IT ALL STARTS HERE

Charting a course for his future The level of mental and physical development from 6th grade to 8th grade is matched only by the three years from birth to age 3.* Our curriculum is designed to build year upon year, always positioning a boycentered approach at the heart of our classrooms. This helps our boys discover and strengthen the unique qualities that will start them down a path to success in the Upper School and beyond.

*Source: National Institute of Mental Health

Sixth Grade

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From their first day at St. Christopher’s, we help our 6th-grade boys fit right in.

There’s an opportunity for everyone to find a home with class bonding events, games and service activities designed to help each boy make friends and forge meaningful relationships.

ACTIVE BODIES, ACTIVE MINDS Your son will always feel mentally and physically engaged with a schedule of six different classes – plus PE and two daily recess periods – to get him up and moving from classroom to classroom.

BECOMING MEN OF CHARACTER We emphasize the importance of integrity and set the stage for the rest of our boys’ Middle School experience with their introduction to the Honor Code.

IN THE COMMUNITY Our Global Thinking course engages 6th-grade boys in contemporary issues to nurture curiosity and instill a sense of global citizenship.

In the classroom Students are incentivized to meet goals by earning points through Gamefied Science. In this course, we tap into the boys’ competitive spirit without having them openly compete against one another – all points are kept secret until the end of the term when prizes are awarded.

Seventh Grade

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With one year of Middle School under their belts, our 7th-grade boys are ready to take even greater ownership of developing their time management, teamwork and organizational skills.

ACTIVE BODIES, ACTIVE MINDS Boys are now able to choose from 13 interscholastic team sports and a Robotics team to exercise their mental muscles and learn how to work together to achieve their goals. There is a team for every boy.

BECOMING MEN OF CHARACTER Forum is a course designed just for 7thgrade boys to contribute positively to their social, emotional and spiritual growth.

IN THE COMMUNITY Adventure becomes the classroom when our boys take their class trip to Challenge Discovery – a local team-building course where they have a blast learning valuable problem-solving skills.

In the classroom All novels in 7th grade English tie back to inclusivity. Boys get in-depth insight from authors through monthly author visits. Our boys can also develop their writing skills through the PaperBoy, a magazine written and illustrated entirely by the students.

Eighth Grade

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This is the year when it all comes together – our boys are maturing into complex, abstract thinkers. By the end of 8th grade, your son will be confident in his abilities and well prepared to begin Upper School.

ACTIVE BODIES, ACTIVE MINDS Our boys look forward to their class trip to the James River, where kayaking is the perfect conduit for their energy and team building.

BECOMING MEN OF CHARACTER With World Language offerings in Chinese, French, Latin and Spanish, our boys develop communication skills that will aid them in connecting with people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

IN THE COMMUNITY This year, Saints can choose from eight trimester electives, including local service initiatives like Engage RVA and Leadership and Public Speaking.

Enriching opportunities Rising 8th graders can broaden their horizons by embarking on one of our summer experiential learning trips to Costa Rica and South Africa.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

Our boys do it all Every Middle School boy can play his favorite sport each season, take part in a team-focused strength and conditioning program, or explore in the Outdoor Adventure Program featuring biking, kayaking, canoeing and climbing each spring.

THERE’S SOMETHING FOR EVERY BOY • • • • • •

Robotics Choir String ensemble or band Outré, our theater program Community service projects “PaperBoy,” our Middle School magazine

ExploRVA

Boys from all grade levels are welcome to join our ExploRVA program, led

by Middle School teachers, where they can get out into the Richmond community for fun cultural activities.

WHAT MAKES US DIFFERENT

The St. Christopher’s experience has something unique and exciting for every boy to look forward to each year.

Theatrical Productions: In this highlight of our Middle School experience, our boys have the option to collaborate with the girls of St. Catherine’s to put on two performances a year, in which they learn every aspect of a dramatic production, including makeup, costumes and how a play comes together.

The Middle School Library: Our library is curated to the interests of middle schoolers and encourages them to make their own selections from short stories, nonfiction, book series, graphic novels and even audiobooks.

Our Episcopal Heritage: The School’s Episcopal tradition provides the foundation for developing young men who possess honor and integrity.

While our chapel services are based on the Episcopal faith, all faith traditions are recognized and encouraged. Here, all boys are welcome.

JUST LIKE OUR BOYS, WE ARE ALWAYS LEARNING

The Center for the Study of Boys, our research and professional development center, helps train our staff in best practices to engage and teach boys. The success of this program has allowed us to share our findings with other educators in the area so that we are building strong men even outside our doors.

We’re excited to meet your son.

Call our Admissions team to get started today.

(804) 282.3185 ext. 2390

MIDDLE SCHOOL ADMISSIONS AND FINANCIAL AID TEAM

Hamill Jones

Gail Douthat

Director of Admissions & Financial Aid jonesh@stcva.org

Administrative Assistant to the Admissions & Financial Aid Office douthatg@stcva.org

Lance Clelland Director of Middle & Upper School Admissions clellandl@stcva.org

Ed Cowell Director of Community & Inclusion cowelle@stcva.org

Nikki Jones Administrative Assistant to the Admissions & Financial Aid Office jonesn@stcva.org