At a time where many schools are faced with enrollment challenges, Kells is excited to be expanding! A year ago, an interesting opportunity presented itself to Kells. Beside our elementary school a commercial building came up for sale. With an option to buy, we realized that it gave us the possibility to increase our student population. Currently we are at capacity in the high school and there is very little room for expansion in elementary.
At a meeting with our staff, there was a unanimous agreement that creating a middle school for grade 7 and 8 would be an excellent choice. The faculty believe that middle school would provide an ideal transition to high school for elementary students, permitting us to offer a schedule and a unique program better tailored to the needs of these grade levels.
Kells recognizes how daunting the transition from elementary to high school can be for many students, with more challenging coursework, increased homework, and new social dynamics. Along with the new freedom they experience as high school students, comes the greater responsibility for their own learning. The new addition of Kells’ middle school is an effective solution to provide a smoother and more comfortable transition. It lays the groundwork for a positive and enriching high school experience.
Some of the programs offered at the elementary level will be continued in the middle school, such as the strong arts and sports programs, small classes, a supportive environment, and choices geared towards students’ particular interests. Our FLEX program is immensely popular, where students have the freedom to choose from a plethora of options from chess, dance and yoga, to martial arts and sports, foreign languages and cooking, and more. Tutorials and an after-school homework program will also be a component of our middle school.
Grade 7 and 8 are crucial times in a learning journey and it will be undoubtedly beneficial for students to have special attention and a unique school model. A learning specialist will be available to work with students in developing independent learning skills and to focus on any academic skills that may be missing, in order to ensure that students are better prepared when they enter high school. It is also a time to focus more on their needs, such as social and emotional development.
We are delighted at the opportunity to design classrooms and spaces suitable for middle schoolers and look forward to opening our doors in Autumn 2017.
