Middle School Home / Academics / Middle School A Private School for Grades 6-8 In middle school at Merryhill, academics deepen across every subject, from ratios and equations to lab science and civic action, while the same Merryhill Method that built a foundation in elementary school keeps building: more independence, more complex work, and more chances to lead. It’s the final stretch, built to send students into a college-preparatory high school ready. How We Teach: The Merryhill Method Built on the foundational pillars of confidence, resilience, and independence, the Merryhill Method develops capable, adaptable individuals through active participation in their own learning. By middle school, active participation means choosing an elective, leading a study group, or advocating for a grade on an assignment. Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Confidence Confidence builds over time, and enables children to raise a hand, try a new approach, or answer out loud even when they might be wrong. In middle school, you’ll see confidence when a student presents a research project to the class, defends an argument in a debate, or speaks in front of a large audience. Resilience Our students learn to stay with a hard task until it’s done, even when it might be challenging. For example, they revise essays after peer feedback, retest hypotheses after lab results, or rework math problems until they get the correct answer. Independence Independence is a child’s ability to make a real decision, carry it through, and own the outcome. Our middle school students practice independence by managing homework across multiple subjects on their own, identifying and proposing solutions to real community problems, or choosing electives to pursue next. Ready to see the Merryhill Method at work in a real middle school classroom? Schedule a tour or join us at an open house. Schedule a Tour Middle School Curriculum at a Glance 6th Grade English Language Arts: Read and analyze literature and informational text at grade-appropriate complexity; write arguments, informative pieces, and narratives with clear structure; builds vocabulary through context and word roots Mathematics: Use ratios, rates, and percentages to solve real-world problems like unit pricing and discounts; build fluency with positive and negative numbers; write and solve one-variable equations and inequalities Science: Explore the solar system, the moon’s cycles, and Earth’s history through rock strata and the geological time scale; study plate tectonics, the rock cycle, and how water and weather shape the land; investigate human impact on natural resources Social Studies: Study civics, including the powers of government, the Bill of Rights, and the rights and responsibilities of citizenship; explore economics and financial literacy; build map-reading, source-evaluation, and evidence-based argument skills Technology: Learn to recognize scams and understand online privacy; use word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation tools to create and share research and projects; write programs using sequences and loops 7th Grade English Language Arts: Read literature and informational text with growing independence, analyzing structure and point of view; write arguments that acknowledge and respond to opposing claims; expand vocabulary and figurative language skills Mathematics: Extend ratio and proportional reasoning to multistep problems, including percent increase, decrease, and error; add, subtract, multiply, and divide positive and negative numbers fluently; study scale drawings, angle relationships, and an early introduction to the Pythagorean theorem Science: Study cell structure and function, and how organisms convert energy through photosynthesis and cellular respiration; explore ecosystems, interdependence, and the flow of energy and matter through food webs; investigate heredity and genetic variation Social Studies: Explore civics, economics, geography, and history with deeper research and argument skills; analyze multiple perspectives and historical sources to construct evidence-based arguments; identify and propose solutions to a real community problem Technology: Build on digital citizenship and online safety skills; use presentation and collaboration tools to produce multimedia projects; write programs using loops and functions 8th Grade English Language Arts: Analyze how authors develop theme, structure, and point of view; write arguments that clearly distinguish claims from counterclaims; refine vocabulary, grammar, and personal writing style; cite sources using a standard format Mathematics: Pre-Algebra or Algebra I, based on placement; work with irrational numbers, exponents, and radicals; apply the Pythagorean theorem and find the volume of cylinders, cones, and spheres; factor and solve quadratic equations; work with polynomials; solve systems of equations algebraically and graphically Science: Study the structure of matter, chemical reactions, and the periodic table; explore Newton’s laws of motion, forces, and energy transfer; investigate waves, light, and how digital information is transmitted Social Studies: Explore civics, geography, and history, applying historical thinking to current events; evaluate the structure of the three branches of government and compare government systems worldwide; build a capstone civic action project, applying three years of research and argument skills to a real public challenge Technology: Demonstrate fluency in digital citizenship; use advanced presentation, spreadsheet, and collaboration tools for capstone projects; write programs using functions and parameters; collaborate using practices like pair programming Specialty Classes Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Slide 4 Visual Arts Combine concepts to generate original artistic ideas, develop criteria for a finished piece, and document their creative process from first sketch to final work Prepare personal artwork for critique and presentation, explain their choices in an artist statement, and apply relevant criteria to reflect on and revise work in progress Interpret the meaning and intent of a work of art, connect visual art to culture and personal experience, and apply artistic thinking to other disciplines and future career interests Music 6th Grade: Continue the Strings elective started in 5th grade (violin, viola, cello, guitar, or piano) 7th & 8th Grade: Clarinet, flute, or saxophone PE & Wellness Demonstrate movement sequences within varied dance forms Throw for accuracy, distance, and power in a variety of practice tasks and games Demonstrate knowledge of offensive tactics in striking and fielding games; demonstrate problem-solving skills in a variety of games Examine how rest impacts the body’s response to physical activity Explain the relationships among nutrition, physical activity, and health factors Implement safe and appropriate behaviors during physical activity and with exercise equipment Spanish Our students build toward five skills: Holding a conversation Understanding what’s read or heard Presenting ideas to an audience Comparing Spanish-speaking cultures to their own Using the language beyond the classroom How to Choose the Right Middle School By middle school, you’re not just choosing a school. You’re choosing who helps your child get ready for high school. Here are five questions worth asking on any campus tour. How does the school build independence without losing track of my child? Middle schoolers need room to manage their own schedule, but they still need some oversight. Ask about small class sizes and the student-teacher ratio, how the school balances the two, for example through an advisor system, and ask a teacher to describe something specific about how a student in their class is doing. Can I see examples of student work? A lab report, a persuasive essay, and a completed math exam will tell you more than a curriculum list ever will. Ask to see project-based learning examples from a specific grade level, alongside the standards it maps to, so you know exactly what a child is expected to know and do by the end of the year. What electives and specialty options does my child actually get to choose? Ask what electives are available at each grade, whether they’re consistent year to year, and how a student’s interests can shape their schedule, and whether learning extends beyond campus through field trips. How does the school prepare students for high school, not just for the next grade? A strong middle school treats 6th through 8th grades as a runway, not just three more years. Ask what an 8th grader is expected to be able to do that a 6th grader can’t yet, and ask how the school supports the high school search, including applications to private high schools, and the transition that follows. How does the school handle the shift toward more independent movement around campus? Middle schoolers often move between classes on their own. Ask how the school balances that independence with safety and supervision, for example through hall passes, advisor check-ins, or lab safety protocols in science classrooms. Slide 1 Slide 2 Slide 3 Tuition Tuition is an investment, in your child’s education and in our school community. Rates vary by program and schedule. We would love to In general, middle school tuition covers a full academic day across every core subject, with fine arts programs, physical education and wellness, and world language built into the weekly schedule. It also includes classroom technology, regular progress reports and parent-teacher conferences, family events and parenting workshops throughout the year, and so much more. Learn More About Tuition After School Enrichment The school day doesn’t have to be the end of the day. Merryhill’s Extended Day program gives working families flexibility to pick-up after the normal dismissal time. Students learn valuable life skills, from managing their own time to working through a project with new friends, alongside homework support, extracurricular activities, STEAM activities, and open play. Learn More About After School Enrichment Beyond Merryhill: Ready for High School By the end of 8th grade, your child has spent nine years, or more, building real habits of leading and owning their own work. Middle school is where that foundation becomes a launching pad: strong academics, real independence, and the confidence to walk into a college-preparatory high school ready to keep growing. FAQs Is middle school at Merryhill focused on strong academics? Yes. Academic rigor increases every year. What stays consistent is how it’s built: confidence, resilience, and independence through the Merryhill Method. My child is transferring from another middle school. Will they be behind or ahead? Every transfer is different, so teachers assess where your child is at the beginning of the year to determine placement in certain subjects. For example, 8th grade math branches into Pre-Algebra or Algebra I depending on readiness. Contact our Admissions team to learn more. Does my child have the same teacher for every subject, or is it more like high school? Middle school moves toward a departmentalized model with different teachers for different subjects. What happens if my child is struggling in a subject? Teachers and advisors catch it early. From there, support might look like extra one-on-one time, homework help through Extended Day, or a direct conversation with you about what’s going on and what comes next. How does Merryhill prepare my child for high school? Merryhill increases academic rigor, chances to lead real-world projects, and opportunities for growing independence in middle school. By the time your child graduates with us, they will enter a college-preparatory high school ready to thrive.
