Academics

 

Our English department presents a rigorous standards-based curriculum that challenges our students to push themselves beyond the English classroom and into life. Literature, writing, inquiry, grammar, vocabulary, and communication are combined in the instructional focus, so that our students become skilled and confident readers, writers, and speakers who can think beyond the classroom. Sixth and Seventh grades use the Pearson Literature textbooks supplemented with various short stories and novels. The 8th grade uses a combination of 8th grade Collections textbooks and 9th grade Collections textbooks (English 1), also supplemented with short stories and novels. English 1 students are taking a high-school level course that will help prepare them for various high school English courses. More courses will be included as the school continues to add grade levels.

 

The courses offered in math are based on the student’s prior course work and availability level. Our students take a variety of math courses ranging in levels from 6th grade math all the way up to geometry. Each course is based on the SC state standards and is tailored to meet the students where they are, while rigorously pushing them to levels they did not expect to be able to reach. The 6th math, 7th math, and 8th math textbooks are consumable textbooks, so the students are able to write in them and even tear out the pages. This way they do not have to carry the books around with them. Algebra 1 is a hardcover textbook published by AMSCO, which provides a wide variety of resources for our teachers to use. Geometry is currently a virtual course but it will become an in-person course as we are able to add faculty in the coming years. More courses will be included as the school continues to add grade levels.

 

All science courses are standards-based and rigorous. Each grade focuses on the topics for that grade based on SC Standards. Each grade in middle school includes an aspect of inquiry throughout the whole course. Therefore, inquiry is a common theme throughout middle school science. Our science students will have the opportunity to experiment and to investigate with hands-on tools and projects. As we progress through the year, the students will have multiple opportunities to dig deeper into their content with real-life situations. More courses will be included as the school continues to add grade levels.

 

Our social studies curriculum is taking on a new twist this year as we are transitioning to a new set of standards. Our 6th and 7th graders will have a mix of period history, human culture and geography. Our 8th graders will continue to focus on the history of South Carolina. All three grades will have opportunities to live out their content in field studies and simulations. More courses will be included as the school continues to add grade levels.