Middle School (ages 12-14)

The Evergreen Community

Our Middle School program is designed to nurture and encourage the growing independence of adolescent students and to instill in them the confidence they will need to meet life’s challenges.

Our program is built on the pillars of independence, opportunity, and academic rigor. It is designed to meet the developmental needs of adolescents.

Occupation Explorations (or “Expos”) are subjects that rotate each academic quarter, allowing adolescents many opportunities to explore and fulfilling their desire for novelty.

Choice Expos

These Expos rotate based on the interests of the students and expertise of the guides. They provide students with ample opportunities to explore passion areas and even potential careers. Examples include:

Art (including expos on specific media)
Choir
Conversational Spanish
Farm Stand & Event Planning
Journalism
Performance
Photography

Required Expos

Some Expos are required, providing content and student support that does not fit into the core subjects. Examples include:

Health
How to Evergreen (for 7th years new to Middle School)

Montessori secondary programs focus on encouraging adolescent independence while providing structures for accountability and building good habits. Some of our supports include:

Frequent Work Cycles

In addition to time spent working in lessons, students have two 2.5-hour uninterrupted work cycles per week during which they prioritize and focus on their work.

Community Meetings

Students engage in daily community meetings that allow them to problem-solve, develop initiatives, and bond as a community.

Weekly Study Halls

Topical weekly study halls promote the habits of visiting guides to ask questions about the material or have a quiet place to work on that lesson material.

Advisory System

Students are assigned an advisor who remains with them for both years of middle school, serving as a touchpoint for support.

Thoughtful Technology Integration

Compared to other middle schools, SVCMS maintains a low-screen-time environment. At the same time, we thoughtfully incorporate computers and tablets into work at this age to prepare students for the world and high school.

Time for Play & Rest

Students have one hour each day for lunch & recess, which they can use as they wish. This is followed by a brief silent time for contemplation, art, reading, or planning to help students transition into afternoon lessons.

All students take these courses year-round in long blocks that allow them to launch from lessons to work with the support of a guide. Our curricula cover all Colorado State Standards for 7th & 8th grade while providing students with the flexibility and support to dig into areas of interest.

Agroecology Occupation (Science)

The Agroecology Occupation houses our science curriculum. Students engage in learning via practical projects in agriculture, husbandry, robotics, and more, allowing them to apply science lessons to the real world.

English Language Arts (ELA)

Our integrated ELA program guides students through explorations of challenging literature texts, writing assignments, and grammar studies. Students learn to analyze and produce writing across the curriculum through academic, artistic, and practical life lenses.

Math

Our math program integrates hands-on Montessori materials with rigorous math practice. Students move through an adaptive curriculum at their own pace and may take lessons in Algebra or Geometry after completing the 7th & 8th grade math standards.

Peace

Peace lessons teach students necessary practical life skills such as emotional regulation, conflict resolution, and self-awareness in a playful environment.

Social Studies

In Social Studies, students use a wide variety of primary and secondary texts to explore events in U.S. History, applying critical thinking and considering multiple perspectives.

This page is under construction-- check back later for more details!

In the meantime, check out our alumni's educational outcomes or learn more about enrollment.

St. Vrain Community Montessori School