Middle School
I rely on the strong work ethic that was instilled in me at UPrep. UPrep's incredible teachers truly know each student, and I was asked to do work that my teachers knew I was fully capable of completing. That willingness to do hard work and take pride in my efforts has trickled down into everything I do." –Madeline Dow Pennington '01
Middle School at University Prep is about establishing the building blocks for academic success and character development. Our students begin to learn what it means to self-advocate as learners and begin to find their voices, their passions, and their community.
Most importantly, our students see their teachers as partners in their academic journey. Middle School students demonstrate their ability to understand and articulate their academic strengths and areas for growth during bi-annual student-led conferences, and they formulate action plans to improve academic performance, gaining confidence in the process of learning.
Our students leave UPrep's private Middle School program poised and positioned as collaborative, confident, self-advocating learners. We invite you to learn more about our Middle School curriculum by browsing our website.
The teachers and advisors who work here really enjoy middle school kids; they roll with the punches. They find those opportunities to say to a student, ‘Hey, you’re doing great’ or ‘Hey, you know that you could have done that a little bit better, right?’ They are very patient and very accepting. The adult community at UPrep — and their social-emotional lean-ins for this particular age group — makes it a joyful environment, too. –Director of Middle School Susie Wu
Distinctions
Intensives - Twice each year, students take full-credit, three-week intensive courses that allow them to focus on one course, study deeply, and partner with organizations off campus. Courses include required and elective offerings, and feature contemporary topics and interdisciplinary learning.
Grading - We use a non-traditional formative grading system instead of a traditional letter-grade system to help students break their learning down into component parts, assess progress toward mastery, and communicate about their academic progress.
Unified Campus - Middle School students use all of our best learning spaces, including Founders Hall (our theatre), the Pumadome (our gym), the Library, the Commons, and our Integrated Learning office, and have opportunities throughout the year to collaborate with and learn from our Upper School students.