Middle School Courses

The Middle School art program at Holy Child School at Rosemont encourages independence, self-expression, and a concise understanding of formal art concepts. Students have the opportunity to approach assignments using different methods to accentuate individuality and unique talent. Each study is deeply woven with threads of history, iconic artists, and profound movements within the art world. With knowledge of the above-mentioned topics and structured discipline within the classroom, students are knowledgeable in and have the skills needed to become strong in visual arts.

Advisory is a program designed to aid and guide Middle School students in making informed, constructive decisions to benefit not only themselves but also the larger community around them. Meeting in small, gender-specific groups, students discuss topics that impact adolescents and are guided by advisors to consider the consequences of their actions, and to be aware of the feelings and actions of others. Keeping open communications channels between teachers and students allows us to be proactive in addressing student and adult concerns.

Following the mission and philosophy of the Holy Child Network of Schools and Founder Cornelia Connelly, our goal is to nurture each child to develop his/her talent; to be mindful of the dignity of the individual; and to have each child well known by at least one School adult. It is important for each child who attends Holy Child to feel safe and an important part of this community.

The Middle School English program at Holy Child focuses on what it means to be literate in today's twenty-first century society. Key skills include reading, writing, active listening, and creativity infused with the 21st century skills of collaboration, communication, and media and information literacy. The major goals of the English/Language Arts department are to develop reflective and forward-thinking students who are able to deconstruct and dissect text, then construct meaning through their reading, speaking, and writing.

Big Ideas Math: A Bridge to Success develops conceptual understanding and procedural fluency through a balanced program of discovery learning and scaffolded instruction. 

Students are provided with the opportunity to explore, question, and explain as they seek to answer the curriculum's Essential Questions that are designed to encourage abstract thought. Students in Grades 5-7 are enrolled in Big Ideas Course 1, 2, and 3 respectively and Algebra I is taught in 8th grade. All 5th graders take Course 1, there are two levels of Course 2 in 6th grade, two levels of Course 3 in 7th grade along with an Algebra I course (designed for a select group of students), and finally two levels of Algebra I in 8th grade along with an Honors Geometry course. The Holy Child Math Department Scope and Sequence can be found here.  

All Big Ideas courses stress basic algebraic skills, the vocabulary of mathematics, and real life application of various mathematical functions. Our Grade 6, 7, and 8 courses are taught in homogeneous groups and equip students with a strong foundation in algebra, geometry, and problem solving. Upon graduation, all students will be prepared to continue their study of mathematics at a competitive, college-preparatory high school level.

The Middle School Music program at Holy Child develops the musical and creative thinking skills necessary for life-long enjoyment and participation in music. Using the artistic processes of performing, creating, and responding to music, students actively engage in learning by singing, playing instruments, improvising, creating and arranging music, reading and notating music, listening to and moving to music, and exploring the relationship of music to other subjects, cultures, and arts.

The Middle School Physical Education program seeks to develop the whole child while challenging children to become leaders and self-starters through teamwork, play, and physical development. It seeks to give a balance of creativity, risk taking and responsibility, not only in games and sports but also in fairness and sportsmanship. We work to educate our students that a healthy lifestyle encourages overall fitness including healthy eating and exercise habits.

The Middle School Religion program at Holy Child is designed with the intent to share, guide, and teach our School community the reality of God’s loving presence in our world and God’s action in and through us. This learning experience is done in conjunction with the teaching magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church and the Holy Child philosophy and tradition, which is more clearly articulated in contemporary society by the Mission Effectiveness process. The end result is that through actions and words we bring our faith to be a lived experience in service of God and neighbor.

The Middle School Science program at Holy Child School at Rosemont builds on the content and skills acquired in the Lower School science program. The science curriculum spirals throughout grades 5 to 8; this means that rather than attempting to master all of the learnings within a subject (i.e. Biology, Physical Science, Earth and Space) in one year, students will explore elements of each discipline throughout each of their four years in Middle School. This approach allows our students to deepen their understanding of the subject matter when it is developmentally appropriate, and supports retention as key learnings are frequently addressed. There is a strong focus on guiding students to be independent, organized, reflective, and thorough as they investigate authentic science problems through hands-on inquiry.

The Social Studies program strives to instill in the students an understanding and appreciation for history, geography, diverse cultures, and our democratic values. Key skills involve the analysis of primary and secondary sources. The department's goal is to broaden the students' knowledge of the world and their responsibilities as global citizens.

The Middle School Spanish program at Holy Child strives to ensure the students enjoy learning a foreign language and grow to appreciate a different culture. The teachers conduct the classes in the target language in order for students to develop both the skills and the comfort level needed to become proficient in a foreign language. Students work on listening, speaking, writing, and reading skills so that they can feel comfortable using and understanding the language. Our students have exceeded national norms in National Spanish Language exams for the past four years!

The technology program at Holy Child strives to help students develop the skills necessary to effectively use available technology tools for academic and personal purposes and to become responsible and productive digital citizens. Building on the foundation developed in the Lower School, Middle School students use technology in virtually all facets of their education. Applied skills focus on four areas of literacy: technological literacy (the ability to use the technology at hand), informational literacy (the ability to find, evaluate and use information), media literacy (the ability to evaluate and create media) and digital literacy (the ability to interact in the digital environment). (Click here to review our Responsible Use Policy.)

Middle School students have benefited from our 1-to-1 Chromebook program (above), where each student carries their portable device with them throughout the day to facilitate learning. In addition, all Middle School students have a class called Tech Studio. Tech Studio is held in the newly renovated MAD (Media Arts and Design) Lab. During Tech Studio students explore, experiment, design and create using electronics, game-design, programming, film-making, music production, computer-aided design, and 3D printing.