"It is clear that Holy Family Middle School strives to prepare students for their future, not our past."
Dr. Emily Alford, Curriculum Consultant |
After two years of planning, Holy Family Academy proudly introduced our distinctive Middle School program in the 2007-08 school year. Since Holy Family Academy was designed under the "build a school model" wherein the school adds a new grade a year, the Academy was not bound by any historical precedence. The Principal, teachers, and Long Range Planning Committee, a sub committee of the School Advisory Board, were able to start with a clean slate in designing a new middle school curriculum. Critical to the design of our innovative curriculum was the work and counsel of Dr. Emily Alford. Dr. Alford provided Holy Family with an analysis of current educational “best practices” in both teaching methods and curriculum design.
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| Our middle school curriculum is designed to address not only the academic needs of adolescents, but also their social, behavioral, and spiritual needs. Our research indicated that a middle school format, rather than a junior high, was most beneficial in preparing students for high school. Listed below is a brief comparison of the two distinct formats used to educate students in grades six through eight. |
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Middle school students with collected food at their yearly retreat |
"Our son transitioned to Holy Family Middle School from a public elementary school. The move has been rewarding and enriching for our entire family. His creative and thinking skills have blossomed in Holy Family's truly remarkable learning environment."
6th grade parent, Barrington, IL |
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7th grade trip to Camp Timber-lee
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Middle School |
Junior High School |
| Student-Centered |
Subject-Centered |
| Fosters collaboration of students |
Fosters competition of students |
| Affective and cognitive growth are emphasized |
Cognitive development is first priority |
| Focuses on creative explorations and experimentation of subject matter |
Focuses on mastery of concepts and skills in separate disciplines |
| Varies length of time students are in courses |
Offers subjects for one semester or year |
Rather than structuring our classes as a “junior version of high school” with classes changing every 43 minutes, we have chosen the more student-centered approach. Our middle school is designed to continue our focus on inquiry learning and differentiated instruction which our students have grown accustomed to in the elementary grades.
The middle school science and fine arts curriculum are enhanced by using Harper
College’s fully-equipped science labs, performing arts theatre and faculty
expertise. Click
here to see Harper Facilities.
Middle School Performing Arts Program at Harper College Theater
Science class at Harper College lab
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| "We were originally drawn to Holy Family Middle School because of the association with Harper College and the math and science curriculum. We quickly realized that we have gotten so much more. Our only regret is that we didn’t move our daughter earlier."
6th grade parent, Barrington, IL |
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In summary, the Holy Family Middle School is designed to meet the unique developmental needs of adolescents - at physical, cognitive, and socio-emotional levels. |
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