Middle School

The Middle School aims to provide an atmosphere that fosters independence, mutual respect, and intellectual pursuit in an environment of high moral and academic standards. The School provides healthy competition within a nurturing support system, recognizing the uniqueness of young adolescents. The School encourages a learning partnership between student and teacher, so that all students have an adult advocate to guide and support them. The School strives to meet the individual needs of students through a flexible curriculum by engaging them in significant learning experiences, using varied teaching and learning approaches." - Middle School Philosophy

The Rye Country Day Middle School is truly a lively and engaging place, filled with remarkable students and teachers. Middle School is a pivotal moment in a child's academic and social development, and we work diligently to meet the needs of our young adolescents in the Middle School. There is a fundamental balance that steers the tone of the RCDS Middle School: we have both a challenging and a nurturing culture. We want our students to be pushed and stretched but not at the expense of their happiness and emotional health. Our dress code is relaxed and our hallways are buzzing, while our students understand the kind of serious commitment that Middle School academics require at RCDS.

Beyond the remarkable facilities of both the Middle School and Rye Country Day as a whole, it is the people who make this place truly special. Our faculty members are dedicated to this particular age group, and they demonstrate a remarkable passion for their subjects. Our students are drawn from an exceptionally competitive admissions process and bring myriad talents and passions to the Middle School. This is an environment where it is not only respected when one does well in academic work, but it is also expected that you will pursue your passions to the best of your ability.

Finally, our program is designed to balance the structure and flexibility that we think is appropriate for this age group. These children need a sense of predictable routine balanced by choice and space that will allow them to evolve into the engaging young adults they will soon become. All Middle School students take some form of foreign language and have the chance to choose Latin, French, Spanish, or Mandarin beginning in Grade Six. Our laptop program begins in Grade Seven, when our students learn to be responsible computer users while they expand their world through the opportunities of technology. Our teachers implement various tools to convey their lessons: Smartboards, group projects, special writing lab periods, and wonderful trips and activities all help build the richness of the academic program. We make it a point to avoid resting on our success and to think about ways we can evolve and improve.

I invite you to explore the Middle School area of this website to get a deeper taste of what make this place so special.

Sincerely,
Joseph Isola
Middle School Principal