Easing the transition to Middle School

By Robert Missonis, Assistant Head of School and Head of Middle School

As I begin my twentieth year at Stuart,  I am excited to start this new opportunity to share many of the interesting and innovative things that are happening in our curriculum and classrooms as we strive to live Goal II, “Schools of the Sacred Heart educate to a deep respect for intellectual values.”  

As the start of Middle School approaches for students, excitement can quickly turn to anxiety about all that is new. Students may not always vocalize these mixed emotions - or realize they’re feeling them until days before school begins. For the 2024-2025 school year, we introduced a more expansive and intentional orientation program for our fifth grade students designed to build their confidence and relieve natural anxieties that occur during this major transition in their academic life. 

The opening of Cor Cordis has been instrumental in shaping this more holistic approach, guiding us to prioritize our students' emotional and intellectual well-being with instruction led by faculty and staff who will be a regular part of their lives in the Middle School. Spearheaded by Dean of Student Life Kristen Zosche and Grade 5/6 Team Leader Patrice Dias, the girls participated in a three-day orientation at the start of the year, which included two days of activities on all aspects of school life followed by a day off-site for traditional team-building and bonding. 

On the first day of their orientation, students worked on developing self-awareness with Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging Monique Jones and Hayes Honer, the fifth grade counselor. The girls reflected on themselves and learned about the power of having a growth mindset and the beauty of trial and error in their learning development. In the afternoon, they learned about self-management from Middle School Learning Specialist Maureen Pfeffer and Director of Library Services Deborah Koehler. Students had an introduction to study skills, strategies for time management, using Stuart’s digital tools, and organization basics for the Middle School. As the girls develop more independence (or, as we say at Stuart, “wise freedom”) and take greater responsibility for their learning, they will have the right tools and adult support systems in place to build their confidence as they navigate the Middle School years. 

On the second day of orientation, the girls learned how to write emails to their teachers, reviewed the expectations of the Middle School, learned to sing our fight song, Couer de Jesus, and role-played solving different interpersonal conflicts that tend to arise in the fifth grade year. They ended the day completing a scavenger hunt around the building to locate their classrooms, which is one of the most-talked-about anticipations of moving up to Middle School.

The highlight for most of the girls came on the last day when they traveled off-site to the YMCA of the Pines to participate in various team-building activities such as canoeing, archery, fishing, and rock wall climbing.  

It was certainly a busy week, but in speaking to the girls and watching them hit their stride this week, it was clear to see the extra time and effort spent by the fifth grade team has paid huge dividends as the girls began their academic classes with confidence, excitement, and feeling bonded as a group ready to take on the amazing journey ahead of them.  

In this new bi-weekly column, Robert Missonis will highlight the innovative developments within our curriculum and classrooms, demonstrating our commitment to academic excellence through Goal II: 'Schools of the Sacred Heart educate to a deep respect for intellectual values.' Robert Missonis is Head of Middle School and Assistant Head of School for Academic Leadership. These updates will explore how we continuously advance our teaching practices to foster intellectual growth and uphold our Sacred Heart mission.