Middle & Upper | Overview

IN THIS SECTION

MIDDLE SCHOOL

In Grades 6-8, the curriculum aims to provide the discipline, standards, skills, creativity, and flexibility to aid a student’s growth toward self-awareness, self-reliance, and responsible participation in a diverse society. Students take seven core subjects (technology skills are integrated into these courses and enhanced through the 1:1 iPad program) and one elective. The seven core subjects are: English; second language (French or Spanish); mathematics; science; humanities (history and geography combined); physical education/health; and arts (visual art/music). Differentiated instruction takes place in each classroom.

GRADES 6 TO 10

WIS has created six curricular blocks to structure overarching learning outcomes within the Middle School and onward through Grades 9 and 10. These blocks build student capacities in key areas, facilitating their academic, social, and personal growth.

INQUIRE
Research Skills: Developing information and media literacy
THINK
Thinking Skills: thinking critically, inventing, and transferring
COMMUNICATE
Communication Skills: exchanging thoughts, messages, and information effectively through interaction
MAKE
Maker Skills: Developing a sensitivity to design, understanding themselves as makers of change
IMPACT
Social Skills: working empathetically and effectively with others
GROW
Self-Management Skills: self-regulating and reflecting

UPPER SCHOOL

Students in Grades 9-10 take six core subjects as well as two elective courses chosen from an array of options.

The six core subjects are:

English;
Second Language (French, or Spanish);
Mathematics;
Science (students choose two among biology, chemistry and physics but have the option to take a third science);
Social Science (three semesters of history and one of geography are required, with an option to take a full year of geography in Grade 10);
Physical Education / Life Skills.

Students must also take two semesters in the arts as part of the graduation requirement.

The Grade 10 Project allows for independent exploration of a topic of personal interest. It may be an artistic production, an original design, or another means of expression. Students set a learning goal and, with the guidance of a faculty mentor, develop a realistic plan for achieving that goal.

Upper School concludes with the IB Diploma Program (IB DP), which is the course of study for all WIS students in Grades 11 and 12. Learn more about the IB DP HERE.

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOLS CURRICULUM

WIS students working on laptops in a class

SELF-AWARENESS, SELF-RELIANCE, AND RESPONSIBLE PARTICIPATION IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY.

HOUSES

The Middle School House system was founded in 2017, to fulfill four key goals:

To build positive inter-grade relationships;
To provide a sense of belonging and connection;
To shape positive behavior through healthy competition and House identity; and
To foster student leadership.

As appropriate to an international school, the House names are taken from world languages:

HOUSE NAME	ORIGIN LANGUAGE	MEANING
Kanna	Icelandic	Explore
Mahi Tahi	Maori	Collaborative
Berani	Malaysian	Courage to Act
Wachifundo	Chichewa	Empathy
Radošs	Latvian	Creative
Azim	Turkish	Perserverance

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAMS

`Randy Althaus`

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

`Kristin Gilliland`

MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

`Zarmina Hotaki`

UPPER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

`Elke Gannon`

GRADES 11 & 12 ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL AND IB DP COORDINATOR

`Anne Leflot`

GRADES 9 AND 10 ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL

`Carole Geneix`

GRADES 6-12 DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

ASSESSMENT

At WIS, we believe assessment practices need to be rigorous, diverse, and research-based. We believe the goal of assessment is to gather valuable information about teaching and learning, in order to support students and to inform instruction. WIS meaningfully assesses its students and curriculum using multiple measures, such as portfolios, observations, conferences, reading inventories, and report cards.

In addition to assessment measures used throughout the school, WIS students take standardized tests at several points during their educational journey.

WIS administers the ERB test to students in Grades 6 to 8 in order to:

inform teaching/instruction
help understand a student’s learning profile and support students’ growth
give students experience with taking a standardized test
provide parents with an external academic assessment of their children

In Grades 10 and 11, students have additional opportunities for standardized test preparation. WIS offers the PSAT (Preliminary SAT) and practice ACT to help students prepare for college admissions. The school also offers Advancement Placement (AP) tests in certain languages. At the conclusion of their Grades 11–12 IB Diploma Program, Grade 12 students participate in a series of exams over a three-week period.

Middle and Upper Overview