The Middle School Experience

It is our mission to meet the unique needs of early adolescents within the foundational framework of Jewish values. We provide a student-centered, holistic, and experiential learning environment that is interdisciplinary and engages the whole child. We create a safe environment that helps learners transition from childhood to adolescence, while preparing them for the opportunities and demands of high school. We combine academically rigorous and strong social-emotional programming to help our students thrive academically, socially, physically, and spiritually.  

Our Middle School’s holistic approach is grounded in Hillel’s teaching in Pirkei Avot/Ethics of Our Ancestors 1:13

If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
?אם אין אני לי, מי לי
And when I am only for myself, then what am I?
?וכשאני לעצמי, מה אני
And if not now, when?
?ואם לא עכשיו, אימתי

Early adolescents emerge during these Middle School years as accountable members of the Jewish community through their B’nei Mitzvah. Our Middle School helps teach the foundational skills necessary for this accountability within their early adolescence through a thematic approach to our curriculum.

6th Grade:
Identity 

Students reflect upon their own and others’ experiences that contribute to their current identities. 

7th Grade:
Community 

Students turn their attention to how an individual can hold multiple communal memberships and the push and pull factors that foster and could undermine communities.

8th Grade:
Taking Action

Students engage in a year of examining attributes and qualities of leadership while exploring what it means for an individual or community to take action in the face of injustice. 

Unique CESJDS Experiences

The Innovation Minimester is a 2 week program fostering creative thinking and real-world problem solving skills. Students engage in passion projects and explore them through the design process. Additionally, they hear from innovators from a wide variety of fields to ignite and encourage inspiration. Innovation Minimester amplifies our commitment to our CESJDS values of Torah L'Shmah/learning for the sake of learning and Tikkun Olam/Improving our world.  

 

 

 

 

The Middle School Bridges Capstone trip to Atlanta and Montgomery is a culmination of the CESJDS Middle School thematic curriculum. In 6th and 7th grade, our students examine their identity and community with an eye towards using the language of and thinking about their Universe of Obligation. This trip, which focuses heavily on civil rights and taking action, is an extension of the work that the students complete during their time in the Middle School. Students follow the trail of identity to community to action, and how this affects their Jewish American experience past and present. This includes a fully integrated curriculum that incorporates skills and concepts from the Humanities, STEM, Arts, and Experiential Learning disciplines.

 

Benjamin's transition to Middle School was extremely smooth for all of us! 6th grade brought a new level of independence that felt just right for our son. JDS struck the perfect balance of setting high expectations for academic excellence and being a responsible, kind member of a classroom community while providing the support and understanding of how to best work with Middle School students.  

Natalie and Ethan Selzer, Parents of Benjamin (Grade 7)

Explore Our Middle School Classrooms