The exciting journey from 5th grade to high school presents some of the most rewarding and challenging opportunities in a young person’s life. It is a time when young adolescents are beginning to address the essential question “who do I want to be?” as much as “what do I want to be?” They gain a better understanding of the greater world and are attempting to discover not only how and where they fit in but also how they can make a difference.
At Montgomery, we value, respect, and embrace the joyful highs and painful lows that accompany young adolescence. We appreciate that this is a time of contradictions and that at one moment a student may be outside trying to catch a falling snowflake in his mouth while the next moment he may be in class sitting around a Harkness table discussing the role of the individual in a democratic society.
As our students begin to practice their independence, we welcome the increasingly important role we play as significant adults in their lives. We understand young adolescents often interpret independent as being “on their own without support of any kind from adults” when deep down what they are craving most are well defined and clearly communicated expectations.
Our knowledge and sensitivity regarding the unique aspects of the young adolescent provide the foundation for us to challenge and nurture the academic, social, emotional, and physical lives of our students in a developmentally appropriate manner. Our professional and supportive faculty guides students through experiences unique to the Middle School years. We prepare our students not only for secondary school but also to be active, compassionate citizens in the technologically advanced and multicultural world they will lead.
Jon Hall
Middle School Head