Grade 8 students engaging in team building activities led by faculty and the Head of Middle and Upper School.
The years that fall in the middle of a student’s academic journey from preschool to high school are sometimes referred to as “the forgotten middle”. Less attention has been paid to the importance of the upper elementary grades and middle school in recent years, according to the ACT. The middle school years, however, should not be overlooked: they play a key role in guiding preparation for high school and beyond.
Grade 6 students making use of a quiet hallway to engage in thoughtful group work.
On the sidelines of a soccer game, Upper School students discuss previous plays with their coach.
- An environment that values individuality. Your child is an individual who should be celebrated for their unique strengths, interests, and passions. In a small school with low faculty-to-student ratios, teachers can get to know each child in their classrooms. When teachers know each student, they can engage with them in meaningful ways, ensure that individuality is celebrated, and minimize the collective desire to fit in with the crowd.
- A robust and diverse middle school program. A full, well-rounded academic and co-curricular program establishes a balance between providing students with challenges and with opportunities to experience individual success. Every student should be a thinker, reader, artist, athlete, musician, and scientist within the course of the school day.
- A connected school community with opportunities for leadership. In an intentional preschool - Grade 8 school, middle school students are the leaders of the school community. Programs that connect older and younger students together contribute to a positive school community and allow all middle school students to step into leadership roles.
- A high school placement process that commits to finding the right fit for each child. By the time a child is nearing the end of the academic journey from preschool - Grade 8, they are often ready for a change. A preschool - Grade 8 environment provides the chance for you, your child, their guidance counselor or Head of Upper School, and admissions directors or counselors at local high schools to collaborate in finding the high school environment will fit your child best. The placement process should support your child in finding a high school that will meet their needs and provide the space for them to continue to grow.
Learn more about middle school at Ridgefield Academy! Contact Director of Enrollment Dave Suter at dsuter@ridgefieldacademy.org to schedule an individual admissions appointment.