Dear Roland Park Country School Community,
As we continue to shape an exceptional Middle School experience for our students, I'm excited to share updates on our progress and vision for the future. We ground this transformative journey in research-based best practices, a deep understanding of adolescent development, and an unwavering commitment to empowering every girl to thrive.
A Student-Centered Approach
Our redesigned Middle School will prioritize health, wellness, and the pursuit of excellence, fostering a supportive environment where students feel safe to grow, explore, and learn. We acknowledge that the middle years bring significant change and opportunities, and we will customize our approach to cater to each student's unique needs. Extensive research in adolescent development highlights the unique needs and characteristics of students in the middle years (grades 5-8). They are navigating a pivotal period of rapid physical, emotional, and intellectual growth, seeking greater independence and challenge while still requiring support and guidance. Our redesigned Middle School is built upon this understanding, incorporating best practices and evidence-based strategies to create a truly empowering experience.
Grade-Specific Themes
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Grade 5: Emerging: Building Foundations: Fifth graders will embark on their Middle School journey with a focus on building strong academic and social-emotional foundations.
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Grade 6: Wayfinding: Growing Independence: Sixth graders will continue to develop their independence and self-advocacy skills, exploring their interests and passions while building confidence and resilience.
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Grade 7: Belonging: Cultivating Leadership: Seventh graders will deepen their sense of belonging within the RPCS community, while also cultivating leadership skills and exploring their potential to make a positive impact.
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Grade 8: Advocating: Leading with Purpose: Eighth graders will step into leadership roles, using their voices and influence to advocate for themselves and others, and to create a more just and inclusive world.
Fostering a Supportive Environment
We are committed to creating a Middle School experience that is both challenging and nurturing. We will:
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Implement a House System: Four houses will foster a sense of community and belonging, providing opportunities for mentorship and leadership development across grade levels. We envision vibrant house activities like retreats, field days, and convocations to further strengthen connections and create lasting memories.
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Enhance Advisory Programs: Advisory will provide personalized support and guidance for every student. Meetings will focus on life skills, core values, dialogue, reflection, and problem-solving, fostering a safe space for students to connect and grow. Fifth and sixth grade homeroom-model advisory will meet at the beginning and end of each day.
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Optimize Facilities: The Board of Trustees and school leaders are working with master planners to ensure that our facilities and spaces evolve to support the desired pedagogical shifts, curriculum rigor, and enhanced support systems.
Curriculum and Instruction: Inspiring Excellence
We will design our academic program to challenge and inspire students, fostering intellectual curiosity and a lifelong love of learning. We will:
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Align with Upper School & Expand Opportunities for Inquiry: Implement a vertically aligned curriculum that prepares students for success in Upper School, while expanding opportunities for inquiry-based and hands-on learning, promoting deeper engagement and understanding.
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Promote Inclusivity, Dignity, and Empowerment: Create a culture of inclusivity through Building Inclusive Culture (BIC) classes and an expansive, rigorous curriculum that fosters understanding, empathy, and celebrates diversity, ensuring a sense of belonging for all students while meeting their developmental needs.
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Prioritize Wellness: Enhance wellness education through PE, nutrition, health education, and girl empowerment programs that promote self-worth and self-love, aligning with our core value to "live healthy and be well."
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Build Leadership Agility: Create opportunities for sisterhood, collaboration, empowerment, advocacy, and positive impact that nurtures the next generation of leaders.
Grade 5 Transition and Support
We understand the importance of a smooth transition to Middle School. To support our fifth graders, we will provide:
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Grouped Classrooms: For easy access and transition, fifth grade classrooms will be clustered together.
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Phased Independence: Gradually increase student independence in navigating the Middle School environment throughout the year.
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Study Hall Plus and Support Labs: Provide dedicated time for study skills development, as well as additional support labs for language, problem-solving and organizational skills.
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Instructional Time Analysis: Conduct a thorough review of the allocated instructional time for Grade 5 to determine if it adequately supports opportunities for deeper learning and student engagement.
Partners in Student Success
We believe that strong partnerships between home and school are essential for student success. We will actively engage parents and guardians as partners in this journey, providing opportunities for communication, collaboration, and feedback.
Grounded in Research and Best Practices
Extensive research on adolescent development and the unique needs of middle school girls forms the foundation of this transformative vision. We have also drawn inspiration from successful 5-8 middle school models across the country, incorporating best practices such as differentiated instruction, social-emotional learning, collaborative learning, and family engagement.
Aligned with RPCS’ Strategic Plan
Our new strategic plan prioritizes championing teaching and learning, maximizing student wellness and engagement, and expanding transformational leadership experiences, all of which fully align with this initiative.
We are confident that this reimagined Middle School experience will empower our students to flourish academically, socially, and emotionally, preparing them to become the confident, compassionate, and capable leaders of tomorrow.
Please visit our
website for answers to frequently asked questions about this transition. We invite you to join us on this exciting journey as we continue to shape a brighter future for our students.
Your Partner in Student Success,
Dr. Nadine Richards
Educational Consultant, Nadine Inspires
Sources of Inspiration:
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Turning Points: Preparing American Youth for the 21st Century (Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1989)
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An Investigation of the Concerns of Fifth Graders Transitioning to Middle School (Cavazos, Bailey, & Hooper, 2014)
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Why Start Middle School in 5th Grade? (Laura Jeffrey Academy)
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Grade 5 Transition to Middle School (King School)
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REL Ask A REL | What does the research say about the relationship between middle school configurations (grades 5–8 or grades 6–8) and social-emotional development in comparison to a K–8 configuration? (Institute of Education Sciences)
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Developmental Characteristics of Young Adolescents (AMLE)
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Characteristics of young adolescents (Scales, P. C. 2010)
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Moving into adolescence: The impact of pubertal change and the school context (Simmons, R., & Blyth, D. 2008)
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Research & Quick Facts (International Coalition of Girls' Schools)
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Middle Grades Research & Best Practices (Education Northwest)