ADMISSION CALENDAR ADMISSION OPEN HOUSES Preschool - 8th Grade Saturday, October 24, 2009 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Preschool - 8th Grade Sunday, January 10, 2010 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ECD Only Thursday, January 21, 2010 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. APPLICATION DEADLINE January 29, 2010 FINANCIAL AID DEADLINE January 29, 2010 FIRST ROUND OF DECISIONS MAILED: March 18, 2010 PLEASE CALL THE ADMISSION OFFICE AT 650-342-5436 ext.205 TO SCHEDULE A TOUR TOUR DATES: (8:15 - 10:00 a.m.) September 24 October 1, 8, 22 November 5, 12, 19 December 3, 10 January (2010) 7, 14, 21, 28

Middle School - Where We Find Our Voices

GRADES 5 - 8

Core Curriculum

Language Arts
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Foreign Language (Spanish)

Extended Curriculum

Library
Physical Education/Athletics
Religion
Digital Media Skills
Art
Music
Drama

School Days

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - 8:05 to 3:30, Wednesday - 9:00 to 3:30 (no chapel on late start Wednesday)

The middle school years are a unique time of transition, filled with absolute joy and confusion. St. Matthew's Middle School is a place where this time of adolescent transition is carefully nurtured and a caring, experienced faculty helps students deal with the daily challenges they face. Teachers serve as advisors and offer a challenging academic program, along with guidance in how to learn.

Learning in the middle school years is marked by rapid and uneven intellectual, social, emotional and physical changes. To address these differences, the curriculum is designed to be interdisciplinary (topics are presented from the perspectives of several disciplines) and integrate a variety of teaching methods and strategies. Students expand academic skills, gain greater understanding of themselves as learners, become more independent and enter into more complex social relationships.

Special attention is given to students in fifth and sixth grade, as they encounter the new experiences of middle school. Each grade has two homeroom teachers, and students in grades six through eight change classrooms for each subject; fifth grade is semi-contained. Class periods range between forty and sixty minutes in length, with extra time devoted to math and language arts. The school counselor and academic support teacher provide additional services for students and serve as a resource for faculty.

At the end of each trimester, parents and students receive formal assessments that reflect the student's progress and effort. Midway through each trimester, interim reports are sent home as progress updates. In addition to regular parent-teacher conferences, teachers are readily available to meet with parents and students to communicate successes and challenges to be met.

A broad range of extracurricular activities enhance the middle school academic experience, with specific opportunities for leadership through Student Council, class meetings, assemblies, Chapel, Big and Little Student Buddies, service learning, the middle school newspaper and athletic coaching.