Research shows that middle school years are when students begin to form their academic identities and goals, and our mission is to help them set that bar high. Our academic approach incorporates student-centered learning, collaboration, writing across the curriculum, time management skills, and learning by doing. The outcome is a community of able and inquisitive students who participate enthusiastically in their own education, and are ready to take on high school.

If you have questions about our academic curriculum, please contact Director of Middle School Admission, Allison Marsland.

The eighth-grade arts program devotes the last two months of school to a theatrical production. Students can act in the play, or take part by producing, designing costumes, or being part of the stage crew. The final production takes place in Williston’s state-of-the-art theater.

Students spend a full day immersed in the languages and cultures of France, Spain, and China. Hands-on activities include cooking, traditional dance, and martial arts workshops. Latin students attend Classics Day at Mount Holyoke College.

After being assigned a tree on campus, students provide seasonal observations and growth data to the Harvard Forest Schoolyard Long-Term Ecological Research Project. They then analyze the data set to determine the patterns and changes in growth habits over time.

At the start of each school year, we place every student in a small group of peers, led closely by a faculty member who gets to know each child well. These advisory groups are the cornerstone of our support system. They meet regularly for community-building activities, academic consultation, conversation—and breakfast pastries!

Our STEM Foundations course introduces all seventh graders to concepts in science, technology, engineering, and math. Topics include computer and app programming, robotics, and 3D modeling and printing.

A constellation of support, our Center for Academic Success provides students at every level with the resources, instruction, and academic support they need to succeed. We offer levels of support for every kind of learner, ranging from drop-in writing and math centers to a structured Academic Strategies Tutorial.

Students investigate topics and conduct experiments over one month, then share their findings with an audience of families and the larger Williston community. The much-anticipated evening lets students develop their presentation skills and learn more about self-directed independent research.

In the fall, both grades visit these two renowned art museums as part of our fine arts curriculum. Working with the museums’ education coordinators, students learn observation skills, and a background in both traditional and contemporary art.

Our public-speaking curriculum culminates in the spring with this rite of passage, when every student prepares and delivers a five-minute speech in front of the whole Middle School on a topic of their choosing.