Middle School at South Hills Academy
Middle school is a time of great changes socially, physically, psychologically, and intellectually. It is also usually a very trying time for young people as they navigate the changing social landscape while striving to adapt to all their individual changes.
South Hills Academy supports our students with a tailored program that features teachers who love working with this age group and know how to support them; a respectful, safe, and nurturing environment based on Christian values and care for one another; a clear structure that helps students develop their personal, social, and academic skills; and educational challenges that are doable but also build strength.
Activities
All middle school students participate in the following activities:
- Band
- Choir
- Visual Arts
- Drama
- Physical Education
Principles of the Middle School Curriculum
- A holistic view of education that develops a well-balanced person
- Interdisciplinary perspective emphasizing links between
- Intercultural awareness with a focus on valuing individual differences
- Greater emphasis upon mastery of life-long learning skills, such as research and communication skills, rather than on mastery of a pre-ordained body of knowledge
- Complete integration of information technology skills in every subject
In This Section...
Core Subjects
Middle school core subjects:
- Math
- Science
- English
- Social Studies
- Foreign Language
Activities
All middle school students participate in the following activities:
- Band
- Choir
- Visual Arts
- Drama
- Physical Education
Middle School Core Subjects
The South Hills Academy middle school curriculum is designed to meet and exceed the standards currently established by California. We are a liberal arts school, which means all subjects are given equal significance.
Bible
We learn all subjects through a Christian worldview lens. Students learn about Christ and we place a great emphasis on developing the character traits of Christ. We do this in order to ensure that our student possess a solid Christian foundation.
English
Our English classes focus on developing higher-level reading, writing, and speaking skills while exploring themes in literature that help students to mentally grapple with the issues they face as growing adolescents in today’s world.
Math
Students take math classes based on their ability, not grade level. This allows them to learn at their cognitive level to best prepare for high school so that they are neither hopelessly confused nor bored by lack of challenge.
Science
We use the Next Generation Science Standards to challenge our students and immerse them in science with a more hands-on approach. Although our science classes do not include Christian doctrine, the Christian perspective on scientific topics are presented and discussed.
Social Studies
Our eighth grade students complete the Big History Project created by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The students use all of the history skills and knowledge they have acquired to tackle a real-world problem. By the end of the course, the students make a prediction about the future of the real situation they have studied.
Foreign Language
SHA has a robust foreign language program because we know that students who invest in a language during the critical middle and high school years boost their prospects for success -whether they aspire to pursue higher education or to enter the workforce upon graduation.