Sixth Grade Academy

The Academy is an intentional, specific approach to middle school for all incoming sixth graders at St. Joseph’s.  It is a dedicated space that includes not only classrooms but meeting space for cross-curricular activities

• Responsive schedule that is flexible and adaptable to meet identified student needs
• Focus on team-building and belonging, including activities that help integration into a new school
• Graduated access to Chromebooks and technology, with education on appropriate use
• Virtue and character formation within the curriculum
• Opportunities for field trips and guest speakers

All sixth graders participate in Middle School Households with seventh and eighth graders, and lunch time includes all middle school students. Physical education and Fine Arts classes take place outside of the Academy space. There are also many opportunities for sixth graders to participate in a variety of co-curricular activities, and this helps to foster relationships across a wide range of friend groups.

Yes. The benefits of single-gender classrooms at this age are well-documented, and we are committed to this important aspect of our middle school educational model.