In the first month of school, students and faculty in Middle School have focused on community, fun, exploring passions, and being connectors, as challenged by Dr. Jacobsen at Convocation. Putting curiosity and choice at the center of the students’ experience this year, Middle School students had the opportunity to choose their own courses for connections. Connections available for students to choose from included strings (violin, viola, cello), percussion, jazz band, voice, dance, making a musical, digital communication, drawing, programming, and athletic development. Each course is specifically designed to foster passion, curiosity, and inquiry, allowing students to explore new areas of interest, build skills, and realize their greatest potential.

In The Hive, students are 3D printing, building, and creating. In Humanities, students are exploring the ideal of the “American Dream” – how it has changed over the years from a white picket fence to an influencer dream. And what are the different perspectives of the American dream from different groups of people? In math, students are learning through doing. Physically making human graphs, then moving to paper graphs and individual work – including something for each different type of learner.

Classrooms have become safe spaces, for students and teachers to ask questions, wrestle with assumptions and identity, and have courageous conversations. As shared by Middle School Head of Learning and Innovation Jennifer Santi, the Middle School faculty are “designing a learning experience, engineering and crafting lessons that drive impactful explorations of ‘being’ and building up students to be thoughtful, empathetic, inclusive human beings.”

In Chapel, Coach T taught students to be third. God first. Others second. Me third. Encouraging them to have a servant heart, especially looking towards September 11 and the start of a Year of Impact. Clubs are beginning, sports are in full swing, junior prefects are applying, and the cast has been selected for the Middle School fall play. In the arts, Middle School students are gathering together at Tech Tuesdays, a new initiative to teach interested students all of the in’s and out’s of running a show, behind the scenes, with the hope that they will be able to successfully design, build, and run tech for all Mount Vernon productions this year. Mount Vernon Middle School students are curious, passionate, and collaborative. They are runners, performers, learners, and explorers. Stay tuned for more from the not-so-messy Middle!