Welcome to the Middle School section of the Boys’ Latin web page.
The Boys’ Latin Middle School leads and fosters our students’ transition from their elementary school experience to an environment of increasing freedom and personal responsibility. We accomplish this by balancing the care and attention we commit to each individual student with building a sense of the collective responsibility of living in a shared community. We foster the development of independent learners who are also willing and able to participate in a wide array of team activities. It is our belief that the development of sound character, civility, and grace is as important in our curriculum as are our academic offerings, and we see these two aspirations as complementary to one another. The Middle School prepares students for the academic rigors of high school as well as for the role they will play as responsible, thoughtful, courageous citizens.
We currently enroll 174 boys in grades six through eight. Primarily housed in Jenkins Hall, Smith Hall, and the Iglehart Center, the Middle School shares the cafeteria and the state-of-the-art Carolyn Smith Library with the Lower School (please see campus map for locations and details). In addition, several Upper School courses are open to qualified Middle School students, and we enjoy the presence of numerous Upper School students who avail themselves of our own foreign language curriculum.
The Boys’ Latin Middle School meets the evolving needs of students in the twenty-first century. Our focus is on the quality of our pedagogy, a continuous evaluation and evolution of content, adherence to “the proven essentials” of a classical education, and the practical and innovative use of technology.
Pedagogy:
Our teachers are highly experienced, dedicated to their craft, and highly motivated to develop further their skills each year. The average seniority of our Middle School faculty is approximately ten years, and our newest colleagues have been selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants. Our faculty believes that lifelong learners make the best teachers, and Boys’ Latin offers and encourages a wide range of developmental programs for its faculty. We strongly encourage all of our teachers to pursue advanced degrees in both their subject area and education.
Curriculum:
Our students enjoy a range of academic offerings indicative of a college preparatory curriculum. In addition, we instruct every seventh grader in Latin, as we recognize the significant impact which that language can have on one’s academic success in other areas. We make every effort to encourage students to make connections among the various subjects in which they are engaged on a daily basis. Furthermore, we expose our students to a range of other classes outside of the core curriculum, including Public Speaking, Art, Music (both choral and instrumental—all seventh graders learn to play the guitar), and Decision Making. Within the Decision Making curriculum, we address topics on health, leadership, civility, and peer relations. In addition, we offer a wide range of student activities including competitive athletics, physical education, clubs, community service, and drama.
Information Technology (Computers and Libraries)
We employ traditional print resources and the newest technology in every classroom and the library. We focus on the using both print and non-print resources to assist in teaching and learning, and in accessing information. We integrate technology into every subject area, rather than teaching technology for its own sake.
Cura Personalis
We pride ourselves on the individual attention we provide to each of our students in the Middle School and our exceptional history of meeting the educational needs of adolescent boys. Our team approach to teaching and our commitment to a range of learning styles are indicative of our emphasis on education on a scale of one.
The Middle School seeks to engage its students with the world in which they live, not to isolate them from it. Student-centered clubs, community initiatives, advisory gatherings, outside speakers, and school assemblies all serve to involve our students with the world around them, enriching their academic experience and demonstrating the virtues of character and good citizenship. The formative years of a middle school student’s life are filled with success as well as fraught with the unique challenges of “coming of age” as young men. Understanding that these can often be difficult years, the Middle School faculty works hard to create a positive, safe, and stimulating environment where students can develop the skills necessary to become confident learners and productive citizens.
Visitors to our Middle School are amazed at the many exciting things that our boys are learning and experiencing. As importantly, alumni visitors are delighted to see that the positive environment which helped them become successful has both endured and evolved to meet the needs of tomorrow’s leaders.
