Sixth Grade Academy

The Sixth Grade Academy is more than just a grade level; it is a meticulously designed ecosystem. By housing lockers and core classes in a dedicated 6th-grade hallway with a dedicated teaching team, we provide the safety of a smaller environment while granting students the autonomy they crave. This "soft landing" into middle school is a key differentiator from other schools.
 

During 6th grade, boys and girls undergo significant cognitive, physical, and social shifts at different rates. We separate boys and girls for core academic subjects (Math, Science, English, and History) so our teachers can adapt instructional styles to match their developmental needs—reducing distraction and boosting academic confidence. Students still socialize, collaborate, and build community together during lunches, recess, related arts, and some Household activities.

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.

Sixth graders have intermittent access to Chromebooks and technology in the classroom, with education on appropriate use.  Sixth graders are not given their own Chromebooks for personal use or to be used outside of the classroom.