When does the class day begin and end?
The normal class day for Middle School students begins at 7:45 a.m. and ends shortly after 2:30 p.m. All students have their choice in participating in either an after-school athletic activity or an enrichment activity.
What language choices are offered to students in the Middle School?
All students in the sixth grade take a quarter of Chinese, German, Latin, and Spanish. This allows them to experience four very different cultures and languages before deciding which language they would like to pursue in the seventh grade. Baylor students are required to take two years of a language in the seventh and eighth grade, and two years in grades 9-12, although most students exceed the minimum requirement.
What is the role of an adviser in the Middle School?
Each student at Baylor (grades 6-12) is assigned an adviser, who serves many important roles. Advisers are an advocate for their advisees; helping students cope with academic and social challenges that may arise. Advisers help to monitor a child’s progress while guiding the child in establishing relevant goals. An adviser is also the primary communication link between the school and the home. Parents and advisers touch base frequently via phone, email and in person.
What opportunities exist for parent involvement in the Middle School?
Parents of sixth grade students have a wide variety of opportunities to become involved with Baylor School. Interested parents can volunteer to chaperone sixth grade events, participate in community gatherings like tailgates or book clubs, organize snacks, or attend parent networking meetings. Opportunities to volunteer with the Parent Alliance also exist. Parents can sit on a wide range of committees focused on important topics like admissions and communications.
Do sixth grade students attend classes in other buildings besides Barks Hall?
The majority of a sixth grade students' day is spent in Barks Hall. Advisory, humanities, math, science, literacy strategies and computer classes all take place in the building. Students do, however, have numerous opportunities to experience the entire Baylor campus. Performing arts classes, visual arts classes, physical education, lunch, chapel and afternoon athletics and enrichment activities not only provide students with chances to travel to various parts of campus but also create circumstances in which they can interact with the broader Baylor community.
What types of after-school athletics and enrichment activities are offered to Middle School students?
Baylor offers a wide variety of athletic and enrichment offerings that are second to none. Children interested in sports can participate on competitive teams that include tennis, golf, swimming, diving, soccer, softball, football, wrestling, basketball, volleyball, fencing and baseball. In addition, students can choose from a wide range of enrichment offerings that includes community service, theater, digital film, dance, studio art and outdoor education.
What types of support services are offered to Middle School students?
Our Middle School faculty pride themselves on working tirelessly to ensure all students reach their full potential. Because of the small class sizes and numerous opportunities for extra-help during the week, students are able to receive individual instruction when needed. Should a student require support beyond what is available from an adviser or teacher, Baylor does have a system in place to meet special needs. Individualized support plans can be created that may utilize a variety of campus resources including peer tutors, the Writing Center, or our learning specialist and middle school counselor.
How is technology used to support the Middle School curriculum?
The Middle School is equipped with laptop carts and the Middle School building is completely wireless, giving teachers tremendous flexibility in using technology in the classroom. In addition, sixth grade students are required to take a computer course that meets one period per week for the entire year. This course teaches the basics of the Baylor network and email systems, reinforces the fundamental aspects of Microsoft Word, and serves as an introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint, among other things. These skills are also reinforced within the context of the students’ classes, where they use technology for activities ranging from typing a poem to creating a PowerPoint presentation to mapping the world’s earthquake zones. One of Baylor’s 21st Century Classrooms is housed in the Middle School, giving students the opportunity to work on shared Wikis, digital filmmaking, and video conferencing with students in Chattanooga.
How much homework is a typical Middle School student expected to complete?
Middle School teachers at Baylor assign homework that is designed to enrich the curriculum taught in the class. On average, students are expected to complete between 20 – 30 minutes of homework per subject, per night. The typical Middle School student will spend between 90 and 120 minutes on homework per night.
What is the difference between Humanities through Literature and Humanities through History that are offered in the sixth grade?
Teaching reading and writing are crucial components to the sixth grade curriculum. Research indicates that the integration of learning in each discipline with the whole curriculum makes learning more meaningful to children. Therefore, reading and writing are taught in the two courses within the context of literature and history, respectively. In Humanities through Literature, students spend a significant portion of the class focusing on books of their choice to read and write about. In Humanities through History, students study reading and writing within the context of ancient history.
Could you explain the "block scheduling" concept that is used in the Middle School?
Our unique schedule provides a challenging curriculum academically while giving students an opportunity “to have a life" out of school. Students take four core curriculum academic courses per quarter: math and language meet four times a week all year long; science and fine arts meet five times a week for two quarters each; English and social studies are taught as a humanities course and meet five days a week all year long. The schedule allows students to focus on four core subjects each quarter and allows teachers to carefully monitor homework and stress.