Middle School (5-8)

The Middle School at Stuart is a vibrant and energetic learning community, where each of our girls discovers who she is, who she wants to become, and how she will make a positive difference in the world. Our girls are challenged and nurtured as they mature spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and physically in a caring community where the faculty knows each individual girl.

A spirited faculty and student body energize one another. Our challenging and innovative curriculum is designed to take advantage of the way girls learn in the STEM fields of science, technology, engineering, and math—as well as the arts, humanities and athletics. Every facet of the School is designed with what is best for the girls in mind.

Our superb faculty utilizes the most up-to-day technology, inspiring girls to be inquisitive, creative, collaborative, resourceful, and empowered learners. Students connect to both their local and global communities, developing consciousness and commitment for social justice through service learning. Whether she leads, competes, or creates on the field, in the lab, or on the stage, we believe there is something special here for every girl. Each Middle School girl takes financial literacy, leadership, and digital literacy courses, which provide her key skills often not learned in other classes.

A rich advisory program, an active student government, extensive club offerings, strong athletic, drama and fine arts programs, and an 8th grade domestic exchange program to Sacred Heart schools from San Francisco to New Orleans provide our girls a wide range of opportunities to explore their interests, develop their talents, and exercise leadership.

The Middle School years are a time of tremendous change and growth, and our advisory and health curricula are designed with the needs and experiences of girls in mind. The all-girl atmosphere provides students with an environment where they feel comfortable, free to express themselves and able to focus on the tasks at hand. Stuart is a place where girls become confident, intelligent, and articulate leaders for positive change in our world.

The Middle School is a place of happy, excited girls who work together to excel in all that they do. We hope you will visit us and experience the enthusiasm, energy, and excitement for yourself.

Integrated Math - Coming September 2024

Integrated Math is a re-imagined way of teaching mathematics that integrates traditional Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Precalculus, and Statistics topics throughout an organic sequence of courses allowing students to bridge connections between topics in the moment not only through a mathematical lens but also in the scope of real-world applications. Firmly rooted in research and supported by the practices of other leading schools in our field, such as Kent Place School and Morristown Beard School, the concepts students learn through Integrated Math build off of one another to help improve retention and provide students the opportunity to dive deeper into the critical math concepts that are foundational to their learning.

Learn more

Curriculum

English

The mission of the English Department at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart is to empower students to read, write, and think critically.

Program Highlights

Signature Experiences

The Middle School has many signature experiences for the girls to experience as they progress through their Middle School years. Each year, the students embark on a cross-curricular project based learning experience that allows students to research a real world issue to find potential solutions. This allows the students to use skills and concepts from each subject area to apply to real world situations. In the past girls have investigated drinking water scarcity, preservation of farmland, environmental protection, and building a sustainable school.

Being part of the Sacred Heart Network of Schools, allows Stuart girls unique opportunities. All students are invited to apply to take part in Network Summer Service projects which are hosted by Sacred Heart Schools across the country and allow Stuart students to work alongside Sacred Heart students around the country in direct service with marginalized communities. 8th Grade students have the opportunity to go on exchange to another Sacred Heart School in the United States or Canada and spend a week experiencing how they live the Goals of the Sacred Heart and similarities and differences from their experience of Stuart.

Stuart’s rich club program allows students to be active in showing their gifts. Stuart has a successful robotics team and debate team that compete in competitions around the state. The Middle School’s select choir, Stuart Voices, is comprised of committed singers who compete against other schools in the state.

STEM in the Middle School

Research shows that the middle school years is often the time when girls lose interest in the STEM fields, not at Stuart! Stuart’s program is designed to push the girls academically while ensuring they have fun experiences that get them excited about science, math, and technology. From hands on projects such as designing and laser cutting their own rubber band powered cars in 5th grades to completing substantial Stuart Independent Science Projects in 7th and 8th grades where they designed their experiments, conduct them, and then present their findings to scientists from the area, the science program is based on Next Generation Science Standards designed to get the girls to be active scientists, themselves.

In math, the girls are pushed to not only be able to solve problems, but to apply their understanding of math in different situations. The 6th grade program is taught in the “flipped classroom” method, which allows students to watch the concept explained by video which they can watch at their own pace and then have practice work at their level to practice.

A 1:1 iPad program allows technology skills to be implemented across the curriculum and for students the ability to use applications in authentic situations. All 8th graders take a computer programming class, which ensures that every student is exposed to computer programming before leaving the Middle School.

Critical Skill Development

In addition to traditional classes, the Stuart Middle School experience also offers students direct instruction in other key skills such as Financial Literacy, Leadership, Digital Citizenship, Study Skills, and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Students take these courses each year and have critical skills and concepts explicitly taught to students and allows to ensure that Stuart students are prepared to be leaders in the future.

Peer Mentor Program

The Peer Mentor Program is an exciting work and an excellent opportunity for our 8th grade and 5th grade students. Participating in peer mentorship gives the 8th graders the opportunity to show their skills, share their interests, and honor the mission of the Sacred Heart goals.

A Peer Mentor is someone who is committed to the coaching and mentoring of a small group of 5th grade students whom they will walk with throughout the school year. As a mentor, they would discuss, listen to, and assist a new middle school student in the following areas:

Friendships - how do I get over being unfriended?
How do I negotiate with a teacher?
How do I deal with being shunned by a friend?
What can I do when I feel sad?
How do I get through all of my homework!

What do Peer Mentors Do?
Mentors commit to attending a training module and a mentor session once per cycle with the Program leader and with their mentees during the school day. As a group, mentors participate in group skills coaching, leadership training, and bonding experiences for themselves and their group of mentees. Some of the events for the peer mentors include: bonding experiences, MS orientation, trainings, and food, fun, and celebrations!

Mentors are exposed to a fair, yet, rigorous application process to give exposure to the practice of leadership, professional development, and emotional awareness. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to be a reflection of themselves and to give back in a way that leaves a lasting impression on their middle school experience.

Backing for the work of Social - Emotional and Counseling support at Stuart:
The EASEL Lab - Harvard Graduate School of Education
Happiness Lab - Yale University