Middle School

The Stony Brook School Middle School curriculum stresses skill building in a nurturing environment that encourages self-discipline and imagination.  This work prepares students for the rigors of our Upper School curriculum and the pace of a college preparatory education.

During the seventh grade year, a double period gives students a powerful grounding in English.  This experience prepares them to read and assess literature with more sophistication and also gives them the foundation in grammar necessary to begin developing their own voice.  Seventh graders also begin the study of the Bible that is woven throughout the School's curriculum.

During the eighth grade year, a cross-pollination of themes and skills used in English, social studies and Bible encourages critical thinking and introduces students to a multifaceted world with historical depth and spiritual complexity.  Various forms of visual and dramatic arts are integrated into these classes.  Students also begin the challenge of their foreign language sequence and are prepared in pre-algebra for the Upper School math sequence.  The Middle School curriculum also prepares students with the foundational life science and earth science classes.  Maturity and self-advocacy are emphasized throughout to help ensure that the student will enter high school with confidence and skill.

The commitment to small class size (average of 14 to 18 students) as well as the structured approach to personal organization, time management, and responsibility gives Middle School students the environment and skill to thrive on the road to college.

As students become excited about their own learning and growth, they are also encouraged to contribute to the larger community.  The Stony Brook School prizes service to others, and the Middle School offers regular opportunities for community service.

Middle School students are also offered the opportunity to be assigned an Upper School mentor, usually a junior or senior.  This mentor works with and encourages his/her younger counterpart, serving as an important role model as they prepare for entrance into the Upper School program.