Middle School 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.

MIDDLE AND UPPER SCHOOLS CURRICULUM

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

The Middle School is guided by the motto: Explore, Empathize, Connect, and Create.

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 SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TEAM

`Randy Althaus`

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

`Kristin Gilliland`

MIDDLE SCHOOL 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: