Our middle school serves students in 6th through 8th grade and focuses on establishing a strong foundation for high school learning at USL or another institution. These students benefit significantly from being mentored by our high school students and alumni. They also participate in advisory groups that offer one-on-one support and guidance from a faculty member throughout the year.
View Our: Middle School Daily Schedule
ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS
Humanities
In the Middle School, historical topics are taught in a three-year-cycle: Pre-Civil War U.S. History, Post-Civil War U.S. History, and Modern European History, Ancient Greece & Rome and civilizations of the Mediterranean. This course also includes, via three-year-cycle, the yearly study of a play by William Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet, MacBeth, and Julius Caesar.
Languages
The World Languages program is structured so that each student can earn up to 4 total Carnegie units (high school credits) in Spanish and Latin. Students are grouped by ability, and Spanish I and Latin I are taught over 2 academic years. The standard grade progression is as follows: 6th Grade (Spanish/Latin I-A), 7th Grade (Spanish/Latin I-B), 8th Grade (Spanish II and Latin II). In addition to Spanish and Latin, our Middle School students will experience Hebrew and Arabic taught by guest teachers throughout the year.
Math
Middle School students can advance through higher level courses upon completing the 8th grade standards.
Science
In the Middle School, USL follows a three-year cycle of themes: Water, Air, and Earth. Each theme blends all four sciences and asks students to think and operate like a scientist.
Middle School Trip
Each year, our 6th-8th graders are invited to explore the world beyond our classrooms on a multi-day, overnight trip that brings to life many of the subjects that they have studied in school. Destinations vary from year to year, but we always include a tour of a college campus to introduce students to future academic opportunities.