Middle School
Middle School Program Ages 11 to 14 (Grade 5–Grade 8)
At Red Oaks, middle school students expand their learning through the distinguished International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (MYP). Within our small-sized classrooms, your child will engage in the internationally acclaimed and rigorous curriculum that holistically addresses students’ intellectual, social, emotional, and physical well-being. It provides students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need in order to manage complexity and take responsible action for the future as lifelong learners. As an IB school, we strive to develop inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who will help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.
Middle School
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
- Instilling Global and National Awareness and Action
International Mindedness, primarily an attitude of openness and curiosity toward the world and different cultures, has always been fostered at Red Oaks. An internationally minded learner is, above all, a competent communicator, open-minded, and knowledgeable. At The Red Oaks School, we instill the values, attitudes, knowledge, understanding, and skills associated with international mindedness, a commitment to multilingualism (teaching Spanish and linguistics), intercultural understanding (MUN program and Racial Literacy curriculum), and global engagement (Service as Action and the Community Project)
- Developing Each Student’s Life Skills
We teach and practice two proven curricula to develop a student’s life skills. The first is an Executive Skills curriculum based on Dr. Peg Dawson’s research on emotional control, response inhibition, stress tolerance, goal-directed persistence, sustained attention, working memory, task initiation, planning/prioritization, organization, time management, and metacognition (reflective skills). The second, a Learning Skills curriculum based on the International Baccalaureate’s Approaches to Learning (ATLs), teaches students valuable skills: collaboration, communication, organization, critical and creative thinking, and research that they will use during their school years and throughout life. The development of executive skills and ATLs are specifically taught in advisory classes and in all subject disciplines.
- Project-Based and Inquiry-Based Learning
The IB Curriculum in all subject disciplines is centered on both project and inquiry-based learning, where students gain knowledge and apply their approaches to learning skills through an in-depth inquiry of a concept or a central idea.
- Design Thinking and Next Generation Science
The design (STEAM) curriculum is another signature program of the IB Middle Years Program. Students are challenged — guided by the IB Engineering Design Cycle — to use their critical and creative thinking skills and their collaboration skills in solving real-life design problems. Equally interactive is our rigorous science curriculum that meets Next Generation standards. Students engage in phenomenon-based learning and connect firsthand to the world around them as budding scientists and engineers.
- Language Acquisition
The Spanish Language is taught in two phases- Emergent and Intermediate. Students expand their vocabulary, exploring the language to communicate their understanding of personal, cultural, and social interactions in a thematic context. The students develop proficiency skills in reading, speaking, listening, and writing through various learning tools and multi-modalities. In addition, at the Red Oaks School, the 7th and 8th Grade students complete a two-year Linguistics course exploring the latest research on the universal concepts and properties of language development and the structure of all languages- phonetics, morphology, syntax, and semantics and applying them to their mother tongue. The students create a guide outlining language history and evolution, language acquisition, the role of language in identity and culture, and defining the linguistic terms. The students become lifelong learners by expanding and deepening their understanding of languages in general and their own in particular.
Our middle school is an accredited International Baccalaureate World School
Middle-schoolers at Red Oaks are educated through the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IBMYP), a distinction recognized worldwide as unparalleled preparation for success in high school, college, and professional life. This program emphasizes inquiry-based learning and holistically addresses students’ intellectual, social, emotional, and physical well-being, providing students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need in order to manage complexity and take responsible action for the future.
Every year, when the 8th graders present their Community Project, parents and teachers are amazed by the poise and confidence they exhibit. A consolidation of learning, the Community Project engages the 8th graders in in-depth inquiry, developing their IB learner profile, providing them with an opportunity to demonstrate the approaches to learning (ATLs) skills, empowering and enabling them to become lifelong learners.
–Noga Beer, Middle School Director
Tour our Middle School today!
Visit Red Oaks during school hours to get a sense of the learning that takes place here everyday. Observe our students and faculty. Ask questions. A personal tour is the best way to help you decide if Red Oaks is a perfect fit for your middle schooler. Schedule today with Fran Sonneborn our Director of Admissions.
Download our complete Middle School Summary of Coursework
A home to the creative arts
The arts are very much alive and flourishing here at Red Oaks. Music and the Visual Arts, including theatre, are all incorporated into our curriculum — for enjoyment as well as a tool to build collaboration skills and self-confidence. Learn more about this program. Learn more about this program.
Students who want to give back to the community
We believe that community involvement is an essential part of education. As a Red Oaks middle schooler, your child will be required to perform a number of hours of community service during the school year. Students are also expected to contribute to the school community by choosing among in-school support jobs throughout the school year. Additional opportunities exist for those interested in pursuing community action — such as through partnerships with local charities and healthcare facilities. Learn more about this program.
Technology: beyond keystrokes and swipes
We don't just provide our students with the latest in learning technology. Honestly, every school does that. What we do is challenge them to fully comprehend the massive responsibility that comes with it. Understand how to best utilize the technology of today for academic success. And explore what is means to be a digital citizen. Learn more about how technology is applied in the classroom.
Promoting global citizenship
We want all Red Oaks students to become a well-informed, involved citizens — motivated to make a difference in both their community as well as the world. This commitment ensures all our students are well-rounded individuals, excellent role models and respectable citizens. Learn more about this program.
How do our middle schoolers become top candidates for their high school of choice?
See for yourself by taking a tour of Red Oaks during school hours. Experience the learning and our wonderful atmosphere. Observe lessons as they are being taught. Meet with our Head of School and Director of Admissions if you'd like, too.