Middle School at GMS
About Our Middle School
Confident. Capable. Ready for the world.
Our Middle School program offers rigorous academics with purposeful work, preparing adolescents to become engaged citizens, compassionate humans, and independent thinkers who can thrive in any environment.
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👩🎓 Adolescent Development Matters
Adolescence is a time of intense growth, physically, socially, emotionally, and cognitively. Our Montessori Middle School is thoughtfully designed to meet the developmental needs of students ages 12–14.
✅ Physical Growth
Rapid neurological and bodily changes
Increased energy and need for movement
✅ Emotional Growth
Higher self-awareness, self-criticism
Desire for autonomy; sensitivity to peer pressure
Courage and creativity on the rise
✅ Social Growth
Craving for independence and identity
Strong peer connections
A passion for justice, ethics, and meaningful contribution
✅ Cognitive Growth
Critical thinking and constant “why” questions
Abstract reasoning and debate skills emerge
We honor these transformations by offering freedom with responsibility, real work, and guidance, rather than control.
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🏫 A Classroom that Works With Adolescents
The Middle School classroom is student-centered, not teacher-dominated. Students are given opportunities to:
Manage time
Make choices
Organize and regulate themselves
Collaborate with peers and adults
This foundation of self-management is essential for future success in high school, college, and life.
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👫 Community & Leadership
Our students grow into thoughtful, effective leaders through:
Student-led community meetings
Group problem-solving and collaborative science work
A culture of respect and compassion
Embracing diversity of thought, background, and learning style
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⏱️ Uninterrupted Work Periods
Each day includes blocks of at least 2 1/2 hours for focused work in:
Mathematics
Language Arts
Humanities/History
Science
Creative Arts & World Languages
These long periods foster concentration, collaboration, and deep exploration.
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🔄 Spiral Curriculum: Building Mastery Over Time
Instead of cramming and forgetting, students revisit key concepts across multiple subjects and years. This model develops:
Deep understanding
Connections across disciplines
Academic confidence
Projects, checklists, rubrics, and planning tools help students track their growth and take ownership of their learning.
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💼 Real-World Work: Micro-Economy & Internships
💵 Micro-Economy
Students build and run businesses to understand economics firsthand. Budgets, profit/loss, and customer service included.
📄 Internships
Each student completes a week-long internship annually. They write resumes, apply to real businesses, and spend a week exploring professions, from working with children to learning in local businesses. These are formative experiences that support identity and independence.
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💻 Technology With Purpose
Middle School students use technology intentionally. Our goals:
Research and digital literacy
Multimedia presentation skills
Responsible digital citizenship
We let student interest drive innovation, with teachers guiding appropriate use.
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🏠 Homework: Minimal & Meaningful
We believe home time should be for family, friends, and rest.
No busywork. No nightly stress.
Homework is only assigned if in-class work is incomplete.
Weekly student assessments communicate with families.
Reading, independent work, and practical life at home are encouraged.
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❤️ Supporting Adolescent Well-Being
We take student wellness seriously. That means:
No high-stakes testing
Emphasis on sleep, balance, and joy
A curriculum that fosters valorization, the deep confidence that comes from doing real, meaningful work
“Montessori believed adolescents must feel strong, worthy, and capable. Our job is to help them prove it to themselves.”