Middle School Curriculum
A rotating class schedule with seven class periods—including physical education every day—offers active engagement for students’ developing minds.
- Technology supports learning in every discipline as Middle School students build a strong foundation and prepare for the challenges of Upper School.
- Math is a strong focus for Middle School students, opportunities for honors placement and advanced math courses provide an environment where students can excel.
- Our comprehensive Middle School fine arts program provides an important outlet for creativity and self-expression during these critical transition years.
- Our two dozen Middle School sports teams and physical education program build athletic abilities, teamwork, and life-balance skills.
Throughout their four years in the Middle School, students learn study strategies and executive functioning skills that set them up for success in the Middle School and beyond.
Middle School Science Engineering Curriculum
Since 2016, the Middle School engineering curriculum has taught students engineering design-thinking and the skills to design, build, and test prototypes.
- Engineering skills and the engineering design process are scaffolded in grades 5–8 to build on previous knowledge and experiences.
- Rooted in real-world problem-solving, engineering practices are blended with scientific concepts to develop practical, innovative solutions.
- By integrating engineering into science, students use their knowledge to inform design choices, analyze prototype performance, and make data-driven improvements. This deepens their understanding of how scientific reasoning and engineering work hand in hand.
- Students strengthen critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration while gaining real-world insight into the connection between science and engineering.
- From designing medicine coolers and rockets to creating a prototype rover to land a payload safely on Mars, we are continuously updating engineering challenges.
Advisory Program
The Advisory Program is an important part of the Middle School experience. Each student is assigned a faculty advisor and is a member of an advisory group that meets daily. The advisor provides academic and personal guidance, while the advisory group forms a supportive unit. Advisors become mentors and advocates for their students and are an important communication link between the school and the parents. Close bonds typically develop between advisor and advisee that remain well beyond the Country Day years.
Information Literacy
The library curriculum is critical to daily instruction in all disciplines. Students receive whole-class, small-group, and one-on-one instruction and practice their skills through authentic activities and research. These classes encompass a holistic approach to technology integration, critical evaluation of resources including electronic platforms, and principles of digital citizenship. The course of study is designed to teach students skills in locating, evaluating, and applying information to help them function effectively and the goal of the program is to ensure that each student acquires skills necessary to become an independent learner.
Dougherty Middle School Library
The Dougherty Middle School Library serves as a central hub for learning, reading, and research in the Middle School. The library offers access to more than 10,000 books and non-print resources, all available through an automated online catalog that supports both academic inquiry and personal reading interests.
Students regularly use the library as a place to explore ideas, conduct research, and develop critical information-literacy skills. Through guided instruction and independent exploration, the Dougherty Library supports Middle School learners as they grow into confident, curious, and responsible users of information.