Understanding the unique needs of girls, ages 12 to 14, has led Oak Knoll to look purposefully at the total program we offer for our seventh and eighth grade girls. These students experience the environment of an inclusive Upper School, which spans the years of girls from twelve to eighteen, and they also know the advantages of a small, student-centered program, which highlights the enthusiasm and special accomplishments of students in the middle grade years.
Aware of the growing sense of self which begins to emerge in young women at this age, teachers, advisors, and guidance personnel create opportunities for their students to display their talents and use cooperative approaches in teaching in order to underline the importance of student voice in the classroom. "Hands-on" and "social interaction" are by-words of the middle grades educator—whether planning a science project, organizing a Consortium program in music, creating live book reports or working with students in the Clown Ministry as they plan a Christmas party for young children with cancer. Where possible, faculty work together in planning projects which can approach areas of study from multiple perspectives.
We look at our seventh and eighth grades both as a "head-start" for the high school years and as a time for a girl's first strides toward the sense of individuality and identity that will be hers in adulthood. Our program is designed to foster self-worth, cooperation, accomplishment and a sense of community.