At the very core of our mission is a student-centered approach designed to help each student develop in a safe and supportive environment. The Middle School curriculum extends from the Lower School in a developmentally appropriate manner. With small class sizes and outstanding educators, students learn through experience and discovery to seek a deeper understanding of knowledge.

Middle School is a time of great transition. Students experience tremendous physical, social, emotional and intellectual growth. Tesseract’s student-centered program is designed to help develop unique talents in a safe and supportive environment. One example of Middle School students taking responsibility for their growth is the Digital Bill of Rights, an internet philosophy designed and voted on by Tesseract MS students to keep each other safe and successful using social media and electronic devices.

Our multi-sensory, integrated approach to learning allows Middle School students to make their own connections processing and remembering information in a way uniquely meaningful to them. Real life experiences provide for the basis of learning, where creativity is fostered and celebrated.

Making connections is integral to a Tesseract education. In Middle School, our educators connect student learning to local and global communities – applying knowledge obtained in the classroom to the real world through local field trips, visits from guest speakers and travel, ranging from Arkansas to Costa Rica (visit MS Class Trips & Projects).

The nature of the Middle School Curriculum is not only to educate our students academically but socially as well. Middle school is a time of great change and transition. Recognizing and assisting with these characteristics is an example that separates Tesseract from most schools in the Valley. The
Developmental Designs for Middle School (DDMS) program promotes a sense of camaraderie and community for students – keeping them safe, connected, responsible and engaged in learning. Advisory teams are comprised to foster healthy, enjoyable relationships that meet several times a week to address a wide range of social, emotional and academic issues.

Programs such as Thriving Thursdays and the Middle School Growth Development program help students with social development and inter-school programs. Designed and developed by Middle School students and led by our school nurse and the MS counselor, these programs are conducted in small groups, which allow for more open and honest dialogue. Middle school students know that their opinions are respected during these sessions, which is essential for children at this age.