The Middle School years are often a time of dramatic changes – physical, intellectual, and emotional. These changes are taking place at a time when the world is also changing at a rapid pace.

In Harrisburg Academy’s Middle School, which is comprised of grades 5-8, we stress hands-on learning in five core curricular offerings: math, English, science, history, and foreign language (Spanish, French, and Latin). This curriculum is designed to prepare your child for the challenging college preparatory program he/she will encounter in our Upper School.

We have high standards for our students, but they consistently meet and exceed our expectations because of supportive teachers who are creative and diversified in their teaching methods. Small class size allows for lots of individual attention. In addition to classroom learning, students explore and discover their talents and abilities in a wide variety of clubs and activities – including music, art, theater, and athletics.

Early adolescents can present their challenges, but Middle School also provides unique and wonderful opportunities for bonding and forming community. Because we acknowledge the energy, openness, and enthusiasm characteristic of young people at this age, we are committed to a teaching philosophy known as Developmental Designs.  

Six Principles of Developmental Designs:
1.  Social learning is as important to success as academic learning

2.  We learn best by constructing our own understanding through exploration, discovery, and application.

3.  The greatest cognitive growth occurs through social interactions within a supportive community.

4.  There is a set of personal/social skills that students need to learn and practice in order to be successful socially and academically:
Cooperation     Assertion          Responsibility               Empathy           Self-Control

5.  Knowing the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual needs of the students we teach is as important as knowing the content we teach.

6.  Trust among adults is a fundamental necessity for academic and social successin a learning community.

Circle of Power and Respect (CPR)
Homeroom groups meet four days out of the six-day cycle to greet each other, share, and play age-appropriate games. The goal of this meeting period is to develop relationships between students and build a strong sense of community where students care for each other and interact respectfully. These characteristics will contribute to greater comfort in the classroom and increased academic gain in the content area.