Middle School

The two main goals of the GPS Middle School are to give students a solid academic foundation on which to build in the Upper School and to provide a sensitive, nurturing environment in which girls will feel comfortable as they experience the challenges of the transitional years from childhood to early adolescence. Experienced teachers guide our sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students to develop the self-confidence to meet the many social, emotional, physical, and academic changes of early adolescence. Academic development and personal development are equal objectives of the Middle School years.

The pursuit of academic excellence drives our curriculum, and the course of study is designed to prepare students for meeting the challenges of a college preparatory program. The core curriculum includes instruction in English, history, math, science, and world languages. Honors courses are available in English, math, and science for those students who are ready to move at a more accelerated pace. Fine arts are a very important component of the curriculum, and students are introduced to the full spectrum of fine arts with classes in orchestra or vocal music, drama, art, and dance.

In the GPS Middle School we have made a serious commitment to prepare our students to be technologically competent. Starting with computer classes twice a week in sixth and seventh grades, we are putting in place the computer skills to enable our girls to be qualified participants in our eighth grade laptop program. Every member of the eighth grade class must purchase a laptop computer for use in classes across the curriculum. All school buildings are wired for radio frequency transmission, which makes the use of computers much more viable and convenient.

Skills development is stressed over content in our academic approach. Problem-solving skills, critical thinking skills, oral and written communication skills, study skills, and computer skills are taught. Strategies to help students learn how to learn as well as how to use and handle knowledge and information are important parts of skills development. Skills instruction is incorporated into classroom instruction.

The approach in each course encourages the highest possible degree of student involvement. Student centered classrooms and proactive learning are high priorities. The science curriculum is designed to be hands-on, experiential classes, while collaborative learning, projects, oral presentations, and class discussions are other strategies used to increase student participation in other areas.

All students in Middle School are required to take physical education, and a full range of athletic opportunities is offered after school. Teams participate in competitive play in soccer, cross country, volleyball, basketball, swimming, diving, track, tennis, golf, and softball. Choosing to be involved in after school sports is optional.

Many opportunities are also available to explore individual talents through extracurricular activities such as musical groups, drama, dance, and numerous other clubs.

Eighth grade class officers are always true leaders of the Middle School.