As anyone who has lived through it can tell you, middle school is one of life’s most crucial phases. It’s where many have their first academic successes and where most develop the social and emotional patterns that define them. In other words, it’s where people become who they will be for the rest of their lives.
Friends Academy, a Quaker independent school in Locust Valley, NY, knows how important the middle school years are. So much so, that unlike most public and private schools, they offer a comprehensive four-year program that begins in fifth grade.
This four-year program affords students the opportunity to move through the multi-layered transition of adolescence by giving them the time, attention, and consistency they need. Within the Friends Academy Middle School, faculty understand at a crucial level how tweens and adolescents think, learn, and see themselves in the world around them – starting students in fifth grade gives their teachers a valuable extra year to get to know them earlier and to instill habits of cognition, study skills, organization, and interpersonal skills.
Friends Academy combines experiential learning with real-world collaboration – always preparing students for its rigorous Upper School, top colleges, for life. As each year builds upon the years prior, students gain academic and social confidence and learn lessons about accountability and responsibility, all while being given the space and guidance they need to make the mistakes that are integral to learning.
Friends Academy is rooted in Quaker pedagogy – that looks like teaching students to think critically by asking deeper questions, use collaboration to accomplish a challenge beyond the reach of one individual, to respect the points of view of others, and leverage the powerful tool of reflection to iterate, engineer, and create limitless solutions.
In addition to academics, Friends Academy allows students to explore their potential and possibilities by offering a full slate of extracurricular programs. There are numerous opportunities for community service, as well as healthy academic competition in many disciplines, including science and math, forensics, entrepreneurship, and the arts. Friends provides a physical education curriculum that focuses on wellness, skill development, strategy, and sportsmanship. As the only Long Island private school who participates in the rigorous Section VIII public school league, the Middle School, beginning in 7th grade, offers a full and competitive athletic experience for its student-athletes – from cross country to soccer to basketball, volleyball to lacrosse, and much more.
Across all grade levels, Friends Academy engages students with an inquiry-based model based on collaboration, curiosity, problem-solving, reflection, and access to real-world professionals.
“Guided by the Quaker values, our Middle School students are leaders who act as role models for younger students, contributing in meaningful ways to the greater good on a local, regional, and global level,” shares Principal of Lower & Middle School Rik Dugan.
“Our students launch from middle school equipped with a toolbox full of skills to innovate in an uncertain future, and a moral compass to guide them as they navigate our complex world.”
Importantly, enrollment in the Friends Academy Middle School is an excellent way to ensure placement in the #1 ranked Friends Upper School. To learn even more about what makes the Friends Academy Middle School experience unique, families can visit friendsacademy.org to download The Family’s Guide to Middle School ebooklet or call 516-676-0393 to find out more and talk with a member of their welcoming Admissions staff.
