Middle School
A Private Middle School for Brooklyn and Beyond
The differentiating design question for the faculty and administration at Northside is “How involved are our students in their learning?” This key value runs throughout the entire school. Middle School students must feel empowered, challenged and intellectually respected.
We believe that when students are engaged in the subject matter or skills they are mastering, their learning accelerates.
Students at Northside will graduate as confident learners and enthusiastic participants in the world around them. They will be prepared for their futures at well-regarded high schools and beyond.
At the core of our program is a commitment to three underlying principles.
A Strong and Positive Sense of Community
Northside is built on a foundation of supportive students, parents, faculty, and administration. Therefore, we are designing a division based on the enrollment of two sections per grade. Close, meaningful relationships with teachers and peers are critical in the Middle School years which involve tremendous cognitive and physical growth. We know that our students will thrive in a community small enough that everyone knows their names and yet large enough to offer rich and exciting growth opportunities.
Engaging and Challenging Academics
Research is clear that student engagement equals student success. Tackling relevant psychological, philosophical, and political questions captivates Middle School students as it mirrors their desire to engage with the adult world. Building on the child-centered, interdisciplinary learning in our lower divisions, our Middle School students are now ready for more rigorous demands.
Our carefully designed curricula will provide our students with multiple opportunities to practice and refine the important skills of writing, reading, speaking, problem solving, and critical thinking thus building academic skills crucial to this stage of development. The key is that we embed these skills in an engaging curriculum.
These are the years where students discover new talents and passions. Athletics, drama, daily foreign language, community presentations, robotics, computer science, literary magazines, and other co-curricular offerings become focal points for their journey of self-discovery. The outcome is engaged, excited, and well-prepared learners.
A Committed Faculty with Demonstrated Expertise in the Middle School Years
The highest design aspirations cannot be met without a committed, knowledgeable faculty who enjoy the energy of Middle School students. Our teachers take responsibility for all of their students’ learning by assessing and addressing individual needs within the curriculum that allows for challenging each student to be comfortable being uncomfortable.
