Middle School Experience

It’s not your typical middle school tradition.

There’s a handcrafted lodge built by students using saplings and a tarp. There is also a small fire pit, hot river rocks, clean water,
and plenty of steam. And each year right before Thanksgiving, the kids gather inside to talk about thankfulness and the people, events, and learning that shape their lives.

Welcome to the ‘Sweat Lodge’ and our Middle School students who, despite the craziness that defines their age, are courageous enough to ask questions, challenge beliefs, and determine who they will become.

408 Andrews Chapel Road
Ten miles from the Lead Mine campus, tucked away on 35 acres of land, you’ll find our Middle School. And, like the Thanksgiving Sweat Lodge tradition, there is nothing typical about it. First there are the ‘shacks’: the Pottery Shack, Bike Shack, and Music Shack or House of Blues as it is sometimes called. There are rocking chairs on the porch and, at times, food cooking in the kitchen. And, of course, there’s Stella the dog, who came one day for breakfast and decided never to leave.

The curriculum is non-traditional, too. Here they start with the basics—honors level courses in English, Spanish, science, algebra, geometry, and humanities—and enhance them with life skills: occupations, community service, national and international trips, and week-long intensives called intersessions. Yet integrated into this atmosphere are text books, tests, and grades. It’s Montessori with a twist—with the twist linked to the students’ developmental needs and the teachers’ profound responsibility to prepare them for the next level.

The Third Plane
Maria Montessori believed that students reaching this plane of development needed two things: protection during their difficult physical and emotional transitions and an understanding of the society they would soon be entering. One hundred years later, these remain the students’ greatest needs.

“This is the biggest transition they’re going to have,” Mary Marino, Co-Director, said. “They are in such a huge growth spurt. There’s also a huge emotional piece because, let’s face it, they’re teenagers. There’s drama every day. There are ups and downs, tears and happiness, and jubilation. And it could all happen in 10 minutes.”

“This environment, as opposed to a big public school or something like that, really gives the students opportunities with not as much teasing and not as much pressure and not so many people that you feel lost. They can figure out who they are before moving on from here. That’s huge,” Nick Smith, Co-Director, adds.

Mary concludes, “This is a safe place to try on adult roles and get feedback. A safe place to test the waters. [The students] are trying on their own values and their own thoughts. They know what their parents have said, and they hear other things from their peers, and to a great degree they’re testing their ideas and setting the bases for how they’re going to interact in the future. As 9th year students, they have a lot of poise and confidence about who they are and how they want to be perceived.”

Global Education
The campus is extraordinary and the opportunities vast. Nevertheless, the goal at the Middle School is to send the kids out, literally and figuratively. This year our students have gone around the world—from Creedmoor to the Czech Republic. “I watched them make their way around Prague where not everyone speaks English,” said Liz Byrne, former Co-Director. “They encountered different foods and different cultural habits and there was a huge amount of learning going on.”

Back in the classroom, our faculty opens the students'eyes to another perspective. “Their world is a black or white thing,” said John Colbert, former Co-Director. “Part of what we do is challenge them to question, ‘What if?’ and to accept the possibility that the world might be full of grays.” Topics are weighty and include current events, religion, moral values, the death penalty, even Hiroshima. “We show them the debate, the information on both sides, and the gray area in the middle,” said Chris Becom, Co-Director. “We want them to understand the world in many different ways,” adds John.

Explore, Cooperate, Create, Become
Nine students graduated from MSR this past academic year. During their time here, they moved seamlessly from sensorial to reasoning learners. They practiced grace and courtesy, sat on peace councils, and been part of community meetings. They explored our city, traveled the world, and ran a small business. And they directed their education, every step of the way.

When asked to describe the role of MSR, Subhash Patel, Co-Director, said, “We give the students the opportunity to be the best that they can be.” Barbara Littauer, former Co-Director adds, “Something really special happens here for our students. Something life changing. And that’s what’s so exciting. You can’t quantify it, but it’s there. It happens."

The decision to keep our daughter in Montessori and send her to the middle school is one of the best decisions we’ve made. The MS staff works hard to provide the students with a thoughtful, engaging, challenging program and the tools and resources they need to be successful. The individualized attention is a plus, especially during the tumultuous teenage years! We are simply thrilled with the MS! —Middle School parent