From my desk in the Middle School at Moorestown Friends, I have a great view: out my office door and into the hallway that runs through the heart of our building. The row of blue lockers outside may not seem terribly interesting, but when I look up from my work, I’m almost always pleased by what I see: kids passing by who are smiling, energetic, and clearly happy to be here.

I think it’s important for you to know this. So often, when I speak with parents looking ahead to middle school, they feel anxious. The simple joys of early childhood seem to be slipping away. The changes to come seem daunting. And, frankly, many parents remember their own middle school experiences as something of a low point. However, it does not have to be this way.

Like any good school, a good middle school should be a joyous place—and more times than not, that’s exactly what our Middle School is.

Why? Because this is an environment where young adolescents find exactly the kind of challenges, opportunities, and support they need to thrive.

And because this is a community where they feel a strong sense of connection and belonging and know they are respected.

This experience starts with outstanding academics. Our Middle School program is rigorous, intended not only to prepare students for Upper School, but also to begin providing the foundation for college. The curriculum spans the core subjects of English, math, science, history, and world languages (Latin, Spanish, French, and Mandarin Chinese). It also includes excellent offerings in art, music, theater, and woodshop.

In all of these subjects, we work to master the skills and content you would expect. We also strive for something more: to help children develop the power of critical reasoning and to nurture strong independent minds. We want our students to think for themselves.

Our curriculum is challenging, but appropriately so. This is not the point in a young person’s development for five hours of homework each night. It’s also not the time (if there ever is one) to sit passively and simply take in material. Our students join in conversation and experimentation. They build and explore. They team up to complete projects and make presentations. And that’s just in class.

Hold on to Your Hats— It will be OK

A message to parents of children entering Middle School.

110 E. Main Street Moorestown, NJ 08057-2949 Phone: (856) 235-2900 www.mfriends.org

Beyond class…

We take trips—one-day field trips to hike in Valley Green or to canoe the Pine Barrens, and overnight trips to learn the history of Mystic Seaport or study ecology in the mountains of northwest New Jersey. These trips are not one-time highlights—they’re highlights that happen all the time.

We play sports—with interscholastic competition starting in sixth grade, with room on the roster for each athlete who wants to play, with a positive, constructive attitude, and with an exceptionally high rate of participation.

We join clubs—everything from Choir, Strings, and Wind Ensemble to woodshop to ceramics to photography.

We dive into Intensive Learning Experiences—weeklong adventures that take us out of our regular routine and into fascinating special projects, whether designing a zoo or staging a musical theater production.

We do all of these things because together they provide a balanced learning experience, because they offer our students the opportunity to strengthen friendships and show leadership, and because each experience provides new chances for each individual to shine.

Some Middle Schoolers will find their moment in algebra class, some on the lacrosse field, and some on the rigging of an old Danish sailing ship 30 feet above the deck.

In short, these experiences are all part of a philosophy of placing young people into environments where they can achieve, succeed, and have fun while they learn.

As I mentioned earlier, one of the things that creates this kind of environment at our school is our sense of community. I can guarantee you that if your child comes to MFS, he or she will be known and will be cared for. This is not a place where kids fall through the cracks. It is a place where the teachers and staff charged with educating Middle School students are people who love Middle School students—who enjoy the work of teaching, advising, and coaching them.

Let me offer one last glimpse into our school before closing, a look at our annual talent show. This is an occasion for any student in grades 5 through 8 to stand up before the entire Middle School and show us their best—and they do. I am proud to say that the talent on display is pretty impressive, whether it features classical piano, rock and roll, a stirring vocal solo, or juggling. But I’m even more proud that our students feel so comfortable taking the stage before their peers, that the event is so charged with positive energy, and that every performer gets a big cheer. For me, this is one clear sign of a joyous school.

I hope this brief introduction to our school encourages you to learn more— and especially to visit.

Sincerely,

Steve ShafferMiddle School Director

Moorestown Friends SchoolHold on to Your Hats—It will be OK