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What’s the right way for a student to start a new division? There is so much to learn, and it seems like a student needs to know it all at once at the beginning of the year. I’ve been at schools that do a great job of showing folks the “macro” in the student orientation – where the bathrooms are, how to get to all your classrooms, how to access your locker – but learning the cultural norms of how academics are approached seems in most schools to come by osmosis, as the coverage of content starts on day one or two.

After observing and participating in the first two weeks of school for Grade 6 students at King, I can confidently say there is a right way to start the year – with Middle School U. To start off one’s new division by learning how to organize their binder, rather than stuffing stuff willy-nilly, doesn’t just help students in the fall, but likely for the rest of their academic career. Reflecting on one’s strengths and challenges in an enjoyable, game-based scenario before the stakes rise will help students perform at their best when they're under pressure to succeed. 

I want to take a bit of time to lay out all of the main elements of Middle School U, not only for Grade 6 parents, but for all middle school parents so that you can be aware of some conversations that you can have with students at home about learning and reflections that they have already undergone, assuming they were in sixth grade at King. For newer members of the community, simply being aware that these topics are covered in depth will be useful knowledge.

Middle School U has the following main elements:

• Problem-solving: students discuss issues that are likely to arise, both academically and socially, and have discussions about assessing the “size” of the issue. Once the size of the issue is established, the action plan to manage the issue can be better understood and developed, especially what other resources such as adult intervention are potentially needed.

• Materials management: having a fully departmentalized schedule markedly increases the cognitive load for a student. Students are shown how to set up each of their binders, and each area’s binder is checked to make sure it starts the year in good order. (Of course, this is a topic that needs to be revisited regularly!) In addition, students are shown how to manage their digital and print resources to identify what assignments they have, how to access and complete them, and what occurs when an assignment is not completed in a timely fashion, all before this issue ever becomes “real.”

• Risk-taking: Middle school students generally have a strong desire not to be embarrassed by standing out as not knowing or not understanding. This can be quite dangerous–not only can it exacerbate one’s gaps in knowledge, but it can also hold students back from learning the important skill of how to lean into challenges. During Middle School U, students stretched by engaging in unusual problems that didn’t have a classically straightforward answer. Working on these as a group underscores the value of working together to find a solution, and also normalizes struggle as a reality in classwork during Middle School.

• Executive functioning: A plethora of research has focused on the need to develop strong executive functioning skills during the middle school years, and Middle School U focuses on them directly to bring them into clear focus as distinct skills to be learned and practiced. Students engage in activities that highlight metacognition, flexibility, working memory, and goal setting, such as setting personal SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) and participating in mental working-memory challenges. [Personal note: I got to participate in one of these challenges alongside the students and it wasn’t easy, even for my adult mind–talk about leaning into discomfort!]

Of course, because this is King, and this is Middle School, these tasks are approached not only with seriousness of purpose, but also an air of fun and freedom. Nowhere was this more true than at the culminating MSU Challenge Day, where students rotated through a fabulous building activity where no participant had all of the information to build a structure; playing the game SET, which requires a ton of lateral thinking and risk-taking; collaboratively solving “Wordle” puzzles with words taken from Middle School U activities; and a cup-stacking activity that required both physical and mental agility, and challenged students to communicate in atypical ways. This brought all of the classroom activities to life in a way that underscored how many varied elements are necessary for success in Middle School, and that they have developed an understanding of these skills during Middle School U. Three field trips following MSU Challenge Day help to reinforce team-building, encourage students to take appropriate personal risks, and underscore the importance of thinking beyond oneself to the wider natural world around them.

It’s a truly wonderful start to the school year, and it makes me proud to administrate a division that understands and centers the importance of starting off the division in this way.

Community Time Activities Starting Soon!

In Town Hall this Wednesday, we let the students know about three activities that would be starting up soon. Here’s what you need to know:

Clubs: Clubs are student-originated activities that meet during community time (9:50-10:15 a.m.) on D days of our cycle. Clubs are voluntary ways to spend time with other middle school students; those who do not attend clubs go to Flex. Students fill out a request form with the idea for their club; they either solicit the help of, or are matched with, a faculty member to supervise; and then will announce their clubs at a special upcoming town hall. We aim for clubs to start on Monday, October 19. Talk to your children about their potential club ideas, and offer a little “push” if they’re on the fence about proposing one!

Student Council: Members of each grade level can run for student council positions. Students in Grade 6 or Grade 7 can serve as representatives for their grade. Grade 8 students can run for President, Vice President, or Secretary. All students can run for the King Cares and DEIB representative positions. Interested students should be working on their potential speeches for the positions; they are due next week to teacher Jordan Rochelson. Speeches will take place at Community Time on the following days:

• Tuesday, October 6: Grade 6 Rep and DEIB Representative (only Grade 6 students attend.) 
• Wednesday, October 7: Grade 7 Rep and DEIB Representative (only Grade 7 students attend.)
• Friday, October 9: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and DEIB Representative (all middle school students.)

Encourage your children to choose courage and run!

Affinity Groups: Affinity groups are gatherings of people who share a common identity, background, or experience. They’re often formed within schools and other organizations to provide support, connection, and empowerment for members of underrepresented groups. Affinity groups aren’t about excluding others — they’re about centering shared experiences. Affinity groups meet during Community Time on B and E days, and are voluntary. Allies in addition to those who identify in these categories, are welcome to attend affinity groups. The affinity groups available to middle school students are:

• SOCK- Students of Color at King 
• JSU- Jewish Student Union 
• NSK- Neurodiverse Learners 
• PRIDE 

Affinity group first meetings will take place on Tuesday, October 13.

John Mathews
Head of Middle School