Middle School Curriculum

Our Education is a Complete Toolbox
You Might Get Your Hands Dirty

At the Waldorf School of Garden City, our philosophy is that students learn by doing.

The middle school years are often characterized as a stage of life to survive, to get through—jumping from the comfort of childhood into adolescence. Waldorf Middle School students (and parents) are invited to drop the panicked navigation of these years and instead celebrate the middle school years as a time filled with experiences and adventures to patiently enjoy and fully embrace.

At Waldorf, students are encouraged to view middle school as a transitional stage during which they learn to take ownership of their identity, education, and community. At the same time build autonomy while—at once—recognizing the value and complexity of the interdependence between the individual self and the larger world as they ready themselves for high school. The rich experiences and relationships available to Waldorf’s Middle School students empower them to find purpose, to exercise creativity, to take risks, to explore the depths of academics and extra-curricular opportunities, to engage with peers, and, in many ways, to determine their own path through adolescence.

Waldorf is dedicated to providing its middle school students with an academic curriculum with rigor and purpose—one that is creatively designed to meet the particular needs of middle school students—along with exceptional teachers, regular class travel,  athletic programs, fine arts and performing arts courses. All this, nestled within a community based on respect and responsibility, underscores the distinct culture of the Waldorf School of Garden City’s Middle School—a place where young adolescents can learn, contribute, and mature in a supportive, dynamic, and challenging environment.

“My daughter began her school career at the Waldorf School of Garden City as a three-year-old, and now she is in sixth grade. The connection between our natural world, child development, and academics is brought into a daily reality. We have been so fortunate to be able to be part of this institution. The school itself sits on a lovely property with several play yards as well as a nature trail. Our experience with the faculty has been one of mutual respect and willingness to encourage each child to reach their heart’s and mind’s potential. The curriculum is introduced and taught in a way that connects each child to the outside world and in a way that meets them intrinsically.” —Current Parent

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