Middle School
Academic Program
Middle School students follow an established curriculum of English, Natural Science, Mathematics, Social Studies (Geography in Grade 6 & 7 and World History in Grade 8), Technology (Computer Applications, Computer Science & Robotics), Fine Arts (Studio Art, Music, and Drama), World Language (Japanese + French or Spanish), Religious Studies, Physical Education and Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE). Students in Grades 6 & 7 also take an Organizational Skills class designed to give them the tools to be intrinsically responsible and successful students.
An elective course among Computer Science, Studio Art, and Drama is selected in Grade 7 to study in Grade 8. At the end of Grade 8, two elective option courses are selected for continued study in Grade 9. The first course is among IGCSE Computer Science, IGCSE Visual Arts, IGCSE Drama and IGCSE Music. The second course is the World Language course among either Japanese, IGCSE French B or IGCSE Spanish B.
Student Life
The Middle School offers a caring environment coupled with an appropriately rigorous curriculum that is designed to provide the information, processes, and skills with which reflective decisions can be made.
In a nurturing and supportive atmosphere, our students begin to embrace learning as a lifelong pursuit, to use inquiry as a means to discover and explore what truly inspires them, to use the print and digital resources available in a creative and progressive way, to deepen the value of effective communication and authentic relationships, to understand the necessity of attaining fluency in other modern languages, to explore the possibilities of extracurricular activities, and to recognize that increased freedom and independence come with heightened responsibilities.
Homeroom
Middle School students meet on a daily basis with their homeroom teachers for morning prayer and any announcements for the day. Each homeroom has two assigned teachers to care for students and monitor their overall school experience. Additionally, students meet with their homeroom for a whole period three (in Grade 6) or two (in Grade 7 & 8) times a cycle; time devoted to meeting and caring for the social-emotional developmental needs of the students.
This includes discussing relationship concerns or issues that occur within the class and may also include how to organize one’s time and set goals for being successful in the Middle School. This is also a time for bonding as a class and learning what it means to be part of a cooperative team; a team that is accountable to looking out for one another. Homeroom for Middle School students represents a safe place to discuss the challenges of school and problem solve how to handle the day-to-day stresses that come along with adolescence. We strongly believe in partnerships with parents for student success and foster that in our commitment to ongoing, formal and informal two-way communication.
Pastoral Program
In addition to the pastoral support students receive through their Homeroom experience, in Grades 6 and 7, students are assigned a Middle School staff member as their advocate. As a school community we strongly believe that students need adult role models to be successful in school and in life outside of school, someone to look out for them and encourage them through the challenging times of adolescence. Students meet with their assigned advocate once each cycle during lunch recess time for the purpose of making such connections. This is a time of discussion and learning guided by the students' needs and interests and also the topics covered in the PSHE course.
Learning Support Program
Beyond having instruction differentiated within the classroom, students who require extra support or need additional strategies and interventions receive assistance in a number of ways including After School Academic Support, our Learning Support Program or individualized tutoring. Saint Maur also offers a content-based English as an Additional Language Program to assist students in acquiring both conversational and academic language.
Field Trips
Twice a year, all Middle School students participate in educational excursions that extend the curriculum beyond school and offer experiences that connect and relate to their classroom curriculum. Designed to give real-life cross-curricular connections, our educational excursions give students and their teachers the opportunity to bond and experience culture, the environment, physical education, technology, mathematics, and literacy beyond the classroom environment. At each Middle School Grade Level, the students also participate in an extended educational excursion that usually last 2 nights and 3 days.
Days of Reflection
Days of Reflection are themed days related to the Saint Maur Essential Outcomes and aimed at the development of Moral Citizens, Unique Individuals, Global Citizens, Balanced Learners and Lifelong Learners. Students are involved in a variety of tasks and exercises to raise their awareness of world issues, in a relaxed atmosphere, where different styles of teaching and learning combine to make an enriching experience.
As the culmination of Middle School, students in Grade 8 combine their fall educational excursion with their Day of Reflection in an overnight team-building experience at a camp in Nambo, Chiba.
Extracurricular
One of our core beliefs is that all students should have the opportunity to participate fully in a wide range of activities that interest them. Therefore, practice and performance schedules have been organized so that students can choose to participate in Fine Arts and Sports and various Clubs.
School Supported Sports
Sports available for Middle School students include soccer, basketball, cross-country, boys baseball and girls volleyball. The sports are divided into 3 seasons of approximately 3 months per season.
Fine Arts
Please visit our Fine Arts section to view the robust opportunities available at Saint Maur.
Clubs
Ping Pong, Speech, Brain Bowl, Dance, World Scholars Cup, Math Challenge and Student Council are among popular extra-curricular activities that complement a wide variety of after school clubs such as Robotics, Irish Dance, Tennis, Drama, Visual Arts, Film, First Aid & CPR, Yearbook and Japanese Animation Studies. Whether involved in Sports, Fine Arts, or other Club activities, Middle School students are able to compete and collaborate with other international schools in the Kanto Plain Association of Middle Schools – our regional league and beyond.
Community Service
MS students participate in various opportunities to raise awareness of local or global issues or serve the Yokohama community. This year our Middle School Student Council (MSSC) has hosted a fundraising event for World Wildlife Fund on campus and for the first time, will aim to organize and host an event named, One run at a Time. This fun run aims to raise money for various charities while at the same time bringing the school community together for a leisurely and healthy activity. The MSSC will also continue to make a donation to a school in Thailand to support the education of the Thai children.
