Middle School Program
Episcopal School of Nashville is an independent co-educational Pre-K through middle school, serving students of diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds. Valuing the education of the whole child, the school encourages students to engage their minds, bodies, and spirits as they grow in confidence and communion with others.
Nashville elementary school, episcopal school Nashville, Nashville elementary education, Pre-K, Kindergarten, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade, Seventh Grade, Middle School, elementary school, independent school, private school, Christian school
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Middle School Program

ESN Middle School Program Overview

Middle School is an important milestone in a student’s life. It is a time when they are transitioning out of elementary school into young adulthood, and are maturing intellectually, spiritually, social-emotionally, and physically. These Middle School years often shape a student’s beliefs and perspectives about themselves, their communities, and the world around them. Using the city as an extension of our classroom, our Middle School Program at ESN nurtures, inspires, and guides students in Grades 6-8 through this important time in their lives. Middle School students apply knowledge and skills to solve real-world problems in preparation for high school and beyond.

 

Our Advisory Program and Office Hours provide a daily touch point for students to connect, collaborate and build a safe community with their peers, as well as practice organizational and problem-solving skills, with support from a trusted Faculty Advisor. Office Hours is a 20 minute block at the end of each day where students can ask questions of faculty members, start their homework, and/or work independently. Our Advisory Program is informed by the Development Design Framework, which is an SEL approach that emphasizes both the academic and social needs of adolescents, and provides structures for teaching to the whole child so each student can reach their full academic potential, rather than be limited by the social and emotional realities of adolescence. 

 

Our core academics, specials and elective classes focus on building exposure and practice around 21st century skills, such as critical inquiry and analysis, collaboration, creativity, and curiosity, alongside subject-specific content knowledge. Our low student-to-teacher ratio allows us to provide individualized instruction to meet students where they are, in addition to utilizing interdisciplinary approaches to solving real-world problems. Middle School teachers collaborate to design rigorous and meaningful learning opportunities for students daily, in order to help students move towards independence in their learning and develop into thoughtful, engaged active community members.

 

Clubs provide another outlet for students to practice channeling their ideas into action and hone leadership skills, through identifying and steering school-wide improvement projects. For the 2022-2023 School Year, students have a choice between Student Leadership Council (SLC) and Journalism Club, where they have a space to work democratically and collaboratively with peers, faculty and administration to lead change initiatives and build community. 

 

Additionally, students and faculty work in partnership with community members to provide meaningful application of course skills and content. Community Partnerships have included growing produce to take to the Nashville Farmers Market,  building our own bikes with Oasis Center, developing equitable neighborhood designs and public art with Civic Design Center, organizing supplies and resources for There with Care, designing and building new urban garden beds with Nashville Food Project, exploring different musical histories with artists and musicians from NMAAM, drumming with Global Education Center,  and creating and producing our own songs with Home for Music.  These relationships help us continue to future our mission as a diverse, urban independent school and utilize the “city as our classroom” to inspire the next generation of thinkers and change-makers. 

ELA

Kristin Paine

kristine.paine@esnashville.org

English Language Arts consists of reading, vocabulary, writing, grammar, and spelling instruction. With six close reading questions as guides, students read a wide range of novels.  They then lead discussions designed to help them find deeper meaning and daily parallels.    Writing is a blend of cross-curricular composition (math, science, and social studies) and writer’s workshop. Spelling and grammar entail nightly homework, while reading, writing, and vocabulary instruction take place in the classroom.

Science

Tyree Jordan

tyree.jordan@esnashville.org

In middle school at ESN, students learn science by doing science. Students use an inquiry approach to ask questions and solve problems about the natural world. They navigate their own way through the Next Generation Science Standards by finding connections to their own interests in the physical sciences, life sciences, Earth and space sciences, engineering, and technology. We work closely with the other middle school subjects to put science in a personal and historical perspective.

Mathematics

Michael Rose

michael.rose@esnashville.org

Middle School math follows a rigorous curriculum, in order to build critical foundational skills and instill a love of mathematics.  Students build number sense and work on concepts of measurement and data, fractions, algebraic thinking, and geometry. Math is a series of concepts that provides a basis for logical reasoning and problem-solving. Math class gives students an opportunity to develop good mental habits, including flexibility in approaching problems, rational thinking, searching for real-life applications, and welcoming collaboration. 

Social Studies

Hanna Rose

hanna.rose@esnashville.org

Social Studies at ESN is designed to help students become thoughtful, engaged citizens, who can understand both current and historical events from multiple perspectives. Their Social Studies curriculum explores Tennessee, U.S, and World History, with the primary goals of inspiring curiosity about the world around them, building background knowledge, developing research, writing and critical thinking skills, learning to follow their interests, and engaging in critical analysis or current events. Through hands-on projects, integrated research units, and field trips/community engagement, we’ll explore how history has shaped the world we live in as we strive to be the most inclusive, thoughtful, and engaged citizens we can be.

In the Classroom

Outside the Classroom