Academics

Middle School

Bayside Academy’s Middle School focuses on developing the whole student, fine-tuning the academic and social skills students will need to become lifelong learners. The Middle School faculty represents a strong group of role models and professionals who strive to support and challenge our students and who model Bayside’s core values every day. Middle School students are not just “stuck in the middle”—we work hard to honor their potential and the unique season of life they are in by maintaining a rigorous academic program with many opportunities to explore and grow as they form their identities as citizens and learners. Students are encouraged to look at the community outside of our school to find ways to learn and serve. A committee of Middle School students and faculty lead the division in service opportunities and create unique grade-level service opportunities throughout the school year and on the schoolwide Great Day of Service annually.

Students in Bayside’s Middle School learn through student-centered, hands-on activities that are exploration- and inquiry-based. In math, students are taught using curriculum and methods based in number sense and real-world problem-solving with the goal of understanding and then mastering the concepts of mathematics. Middle School students have dedicated classes in the science labs and STEM spaces each week with a focus on authentic discovery and design, connected to the world around them. In language arts, students are encouraged to explore their individual style as creative writers while mastering the structure of the English language, spelling, and grammar. In social studies, students focus on the history of our state and country, building to thorough studies of United States geography and world geography through global issues. Students are taught Spanish language and culture using a comprehensible input approach based in conversation and storytelling. Additionally, students attend music and art classes twice weekly and choose to join the school’s band or focus on drama and vocal studies. Play and physical activity are prioritized during our busy days in Middle School: students have a structured PE class 4–5 times each week and a daily recess time for free play on The Bluff.

Each grade in the Middle School brings a host of experiences to facilitate practical application of the concepts learned in the classroom as well as annual traditions that are unique to each grade. Fifth graders take a three-day, two-night trip to Dauphin Island Sea Lab to learn about coastal resources and gulf marine life. Sixth graders take a three-day, two-night trip to McDowell Farm School for a unique experience learning about sustainable farming and where our food comes from while working beside and learning about classmates. Seventh graders travel to Huntsville to attend NASA Space Camp. The culminating trip in Middle School is for our eighth graders who travel to Washington, D.C.

Kelly Hughes, Previous Head of Middle School

We say all the time that Bayside is a family, and that is the truth. Being part of a family means that students have the freedom to grow and make mistakes in a community that respects their potential. Each day, I have the amazing opportunity to watch students discover something new about a concept or about themselves, and these special moments are the true joys of my job as an administrator. At Bayside, faculty and students challenge and support each other daily!