Middle School

SCDS's Middle School—consisting of grades 6-8—provides a fluid but structured environment. The Middle School continues the single-subject teaching model used in the Intermediate School, and as students mature in their cognitive and creative development, they become responsible for their own independence and freedom. Students find secure and firm limits in the Middle School, but know it's elastic enough to permit exploration of their place within the social fabric of the school. Powerful learning experiences allow students to delve into intriguing subject matter at a rigorous level, and students begin to see themselves as school, local, national, and global citizens.

Analytical and critical thinking skills are key when progressing through SCDS's middle school curriculum. International class trips provide an opportunity for students to apply their work in humanities as they travel across the world, and students dig deeper in the classroom with mathematics, science, art, drama, speech and debate, physical education, Spanish or Mandarin, library, technology and life skills. SCDS's Middle School also celebrates the power of choice; beginning in sixth grade, students can select from dozens of elective offerings that supplement their core classes. Our curriculum is conducive to self-starters and aims to produce graduates who leave SCDS with an appreciation for themselves, the community, and how they can contribute to the world around them.