Middle School (Grades 6-8)

Living Your Faith, Leading with Purpose

Welcome to Middle School!

These are the transformative years, when students evolve from children into young adults ready to take on the world. At St. Paul’s, our 6th through 8th grade students don’t just prepare for high school; they develop the maturity, character, and academic skills that set them apart.

High school admissions directors consistently comment on the poise, well-roundedness, and readiness our graduates bring to interviews. That’s no accident. It’s the result of three years spent in a community that challenges students academically, forms them spiritually, and empowers them to become confident leaders who use their gifts in service to others.

We graduate spirit-filled academic achievers who are persons for others: young people prepared not just for the next school, but for lives of meaning and impact.

A Community That Challenges and Supports

Middle School students benefit from small class sizes and part-time teacher assistants in 6th and 7th grade Language Arts, providing individualized support during these crucial years.

Our Learning Services Support Team includes three Learning Resource Specialists who provide both remediation and enrichment, ensuring every student is appropriately challenged.

Student Counseling services support students through the social and emotional complexities of adolescence. Add in our dedicated full-time school nurse and health clerk on site, and you have a community committed to every student’s academic, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

What Makes Our Program Special

Faith That Guides

The school day at St. Paul begins and ends in prayer, grounding students in faith from the first bell to the last. Our chaplain and parish priests journey alongside students, presiding over liturgies and prayer services that transform beliefs into lived experiences. Religion is not confined to textbooks; it is woven into daily life, helping students recognize God’s presence in their learning, relationships, and growth.

Literacy and Critical Thinking

Language Arts integrates with Social Studies, using Core Literature as a foundation while focusing on critical thinking, analysis of fiction and nonfiction, and development of sophisticated writing skills across genres. Part-time teacher assistants provide daily support in 6th and 7th grade, helping students master reading strategies and express increasingly complex ideas with clarity and voice.

Advanced Mathematics

Math classes are organized in small, homogeneous groups of 10-20 students, allowing for appropriately challenging instruction based on Common Core Standards. Students have opportunities for both grade-level and advanced coursework:

  • 6th grade: Common Core or Honors Common Core
  • 7th grade: Common Core, Honors Common Core, or Algebra I
  • 8th grade: Introduction to Algebra & Geometry, Honors Algebra I, or Geometry

This structure ensures every student is working at their optimal level of challenge, building the strong mathematical foundation needed for high school success.

Science and Innovation

Through STEMscopes, an engaging inquiry-based curriculum guided by Next Generation Science Standards, students explore STEAM phenomena with hands-on investigations in our dedicated science lab and Makerspace. All 6th-8th graders participate in the annual spring STEAM Fair, showcasing their creativity and scientific thinking. During a trimester-long project, students learn to build and code a basic robot, developing computational thinking and engineering skills essential for 21st-century careers. They do not just learn science; they think like scientists and innovators.

Spanish Proficiency

Middle School students receive 2.5 hours of Spanish instruction per week, building fluency and cultural competency that will serve them throughout high school and beyond.

Enrichment and Wellness

Students receive one hour each of Music, Art, and Physical Education per week, ensuring well-rounded development and opportunities to discover and refine their talents beyond core academics

Technology Integration

Using 1:1 Chromebooks, students integrate technology seamlessly across all subjects, developing the real-world digital literacy and collaboration skills they will use in high school, college, and careers.

The Middle School Experience

Walk into any St. Paul Middle School classroom and you will see engaged young scholars tackling complex problems, debating ideas, conducting experiments, and supporting one another’s growth. Our teachers create environments where students feel safe taking intellectual risks, advocating for themselves, and developing their unique voices.
Middle School students also step into significant leadership roles: running Student Council, mentoring younger students, leading service projects, and representing St. Paul with maturity and grace. These are not just activities on a resume; they are formative experiences that shape character and build the confidence to lead with purpose.

What students experience in Middle School determines the leaders they become, and at St. Paul the Apostle School, we are committed to making every single day count.

Schedule a visit!

Ready to see it for yourself? Schedule a preview day to meet our teachers, explore our classrooms, and discover what makes the St. Paul Middle School experience so special.

Schedule a Preview Day