Our middle school program provides challenging academics supported by the combination of small class sizes, in-depth learning experiences, and rich, intergenerational relationships that nurture 11-14-year-old brains, bodies, and identities during periods of rapid growth.
Math, English, science, civic studies, and Spanish classes ensure that students graduate thoroughly prepared for the wide range of independent, Catholic, and public high schools our alumni attend. Meanwhile, visual and dramatic arts programs, team sports, health classes, and multi-night experiential education programs – along with a robust advisory program, study skills and executive functioning classes, and tutorial periods – give students the support they need to succeed and thrive at a key developmental stage.
Sixth Grade
Students explore diverse literature while strengthening comprehension, critical thinking, and analytical reading skills. They write in narrative, expository, persuasive, and research formats, practicing grammar, organization, and revision. Vocabulary and spelling are reinforced through differentiated activities, and students use tools like graphic organizers, sentence starters, and mnemonic devices to develop clear writing structures. Rubrics guide assessment, while discussions, presentations, and collaboration build confident speaking and listening skills.
Seventh & Eighth Grade
Students analyze literature—including short stories, novels, and films—while exploring concepts like motif, symbolism, and narrative perspective. Through Socratic discussions and debates, they strengthen critical thinking and communication. Daily writing, reading responses with textual evidence, and ongoing grammar and vocabulary work build strong analytical and composition skills.
Sixth Grade
Students build fluency with addition and subtraction of fractions while developing a strong understanding of multiplying fractions and dividing fractions by whole numbers (and vice versa). They extend division to two-digit divisors, integrate decimals into the place value system, and strengthen skills with operations involving decimals to the hundredths. Hands-on learning also supports a clear understanding of area and volume of different geometric shapes. Ratios, percents,and graphs are introduced.
Seventh & Eighth Grade
Students explore proportional relationships, deepen their understanding of operations with rational numbers, and work with expressions and inequalities. They solve linear equations, explore functions and relationships, and work with exponents and scientific notation, helping students connect mathematical concepts to real-world problem-solving.
Our Middle School STEM program invites students to “figure out” rather than “learn about,” challenging them to engage with concepts through inquiry, experimentation, and discussion. Students build scientific literacy by asking questions, testing hypotheses, using the tools and technologies available in our Maker Space, and connecting science to their everyday lives. A three-year integrated science curriculum, aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, ensures that every student graduates with the conceptual and content knowledge necessary to succeed in high-school science classes.
Our visual arts program develops students’ vocabulary, technical skills, and creative thinking. Through projects that explore 2D and 3D design, color theory, and sculpture, students learn to express complex ideas and connect art to culture and social change. Curriculum adapts to community events and local museum exhibits, and visiting artists provide hands-on workshops. Students build confidence, critical thinking, and a lifelong appreciation for contemporary art while developing practical skills to bring their ideas to life.
Whether heritage speakers or beginners, students are challenged at the right level to grow their Spanish skills. Through song, movement, art, poetry, games, reading, and writing, they build comfort and confidence in listening and speaking. Students expand vocabulary through gestures, storytelling, and interactive practice, while also encountering Spanish beyond the classroom to boost fluency. Our program weaves Latinx cultural studies into literacy, art, music, and more—sparking curiosity and a love of both language and culture
Our Orff-based music program sparks joy through rhythm, movement, and storytelling. Students explore percussion and mallet instruments, play in ensembles, and act out stories with sound and movement. They also experience music from around the world, including Afro-Caribbean and African rhythms, building creativity, confidence, coordination, and an appreciation for diverse musical traditions
Our PE program builds both physical skills and a love of movement. Students develop locomotor, stability, and manipulative skills while learning body mechanics, spatial awareness, and effort control. Just as importantly, they practice teamwork—listening, cooperating, and sharing—and sportsmanship—honesty, fairness, and respect in both winning and losing. With these foundations, students strengthen social-emotional skills and learn what it means to be a good teammate and classmate.
Our Cultural Studies program helps students explore identity, gender, and cultural diversity through an anti-bias framework. Younger students learn to value differences and see themselves as changemakers, while older students connect history to current events to understand the ways that humans identify challenges, make decisions, and implement solutions that impact communities in both negative and positive ways. Across all grades, students build empathy, critical thinking, and a sense of responsibility as local and global citizens.
At TBS, Health class helps students develop the social and emotional skills they need to thrive as individuals, friends, and community members. Young students explore feelings, empathy, and self-regulation through the Zones of Regulation, learning to express themselves with “I” statements and read non-verbal cues. As they grow, students practice active listening, self-coaching, and assertive communication, building a growth mindset and the ability to engage thoughtfully with others.
