Middle School

Fifth through eighth grade students grow and learn with the help of a rich and sophisticated curriculum in the Middle School. Fifth grade serves as a bridge year that incorporates appropriate elements of both our Elementary and Middle School frameworks. Each student is issued an iPad, and additional tech tools including 3D printers, SMART Boards and online resources are used frequently across curriculum. 

Novel studies and independent reading play a sizable role in reading instruction.  Students share learning through group and class discussions, complete multimedia activities on their laptops, and write recommendations and book reviews on sites such as goodreads.com. A specialist devoted to the Middle School aids in mechanics, editing, and grammar. The core math program is McDougal Littell, and seventh and eighth graders who qualify are invited to enroll in a special Loyola Academy math program that meets each morning on Loyola’s campus.

The Religious Education curriculum develops an intellectual grasp of doctrine according to age level and maturity, and fosters prayer and the development of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The Middle School science teacher meets with students in a dedicated science lab. All students participate in the annual science fair, which teaches students to hypothesize, manipulate variables, interpret data, and identify and present findings using laptops and SMARTBoard technology. 

A Humanities block integrates Social Studies with Language Arts and Reading to explore common themes and maximize concept mastery. Sixth through eighth graders study Latin, a gateway romance language for soon-to-be high school students, which also develops reading and vocabulary skills to serve them for a lifetime. Latin instruction is offered four periods each week.

All Middle School students are assigned common-space lockers to encourage independence while also priming the transition to high school. Students in fifth through 8th grade grade are also organized into small, single-gender “Formation” groups paired with a “Formations” teacher.  These groups meet once every week to discuss developmentally-relevant topics in a safe setting.  Topics include hygiene, internet safety, friendship, and bullying. Middle School students are required to log 30 hours of community service over the course of each academic year.

We invite you to learn more about our Middle School curriculum below. Please visit the All School tab for information about curriculum and programs shared by all Kindergarten through eighth grade students at St. Francis Xavier School, including Technology, Music, Art, Library, Physical Education, the resources of our Learning Support Team and our Crusader Communities.

Learn more about our Middle School curriculum below.