Welcome to the Middle School

Endless Self-Discovery

Middle School is a time of significant change cognitively, socially, emotionally, and physically for adolescents. At King School, we create opportunities for our students to develop a genuine understanding of who they are and how they fit into the world around them. 

Communication, intellectual and creative processing, character development, and personal growth are key competency areas designed to encourage academic achievement, personal fulfillment, and social responsibility.

King School encourages self-discovery and builds their confidence to explore their passions. We create a student-centered environment in a private school where children thrive because they can become “both/and”: a rower and a robot-maker, a designer and a goalie, a chemist and a choreographer.

Paths to Excellence in the Middle School

 

A Better Standard for Middle School

When adolescents can delve into an expansive range of interests and topics, they are more likely to discover the multitude of their talents and passions, as well as identify opportunities for growth. Students who feel supported in keeping open minds ask, “What’s next?” and “Why not?” as they look to their futures. As a private middle school in Stamford, CT, King promotes this self-exploration and self-awareness, encouraging students to discover their academic, artistic, and athletic talents in ways that foster balance, growth, and overall wellness.

Learn More About our Private Stamford Middle School: Grades 6-8

Strategic Plan Banner
Finleigh ms quote

“I’ve learned that anyone can make a difference, whether packing a lunch for someone, helping kids with homework, or running a 5K in support of other children.”


— Finleigh B., Middle School student

Gouri Quote

“I had to give a speech when I ran for student council. Having that extra confidence boost from being able to perform on stage was really helpful.”


— Gouri K., Middle School student

Middle School Science Faculty, Michelle Sibrizzi shares her experience in the Classroom

King is always talking about developing lifelong learners. What is the key to inspiring students?

The key is making the content I'm teaching relatable to students, engaging, and exciting. I know that if you hook them, they become invested in what they're learning. You need to keep it interesting; it's about the way you present the material and how you can make it relatable that keeps kids engaged and wanting to learn more.

What does King's approach to teaching and learning mean to you?

King's approach to teaching and learning means ensuring that students feel that you know them and care about them, as well as understanding that there are different learning styles. In the classroom, I practice this by utilizing a variety of teaching methods. Biology is a hands-on environment where we conduct experiments and dissections - group work - but we'll also have individual discussions. There are pictures for visual learners, videos and inquiry-based building activities and experiments to transform what they're learning into action. The homework I assign is open for interpretation, where students complete assignments to show they understand what they've learned. They may do this with written notes, drawing a picture, building a model, or creating a slide show. Whatever works for them.

If a student has a bad day or I've noticed the student is struggling academically or socially, then I can be someone the student can turn to for support. Or a student and I can sit down after a test and go over how the student studied and what can we do in the future to ensure success. Establishing a positive relationship with a student goes beyond just how you teach; to me, it means reaching out to a student who doesn't think you notice.

How do your personal passions influence your teaching? And how do you help students articulate their perspectives and develop their 'voice'?

I am passionate about helping others, so it goes hand-in-hand with teaching. Some of the most emotionally vulnerable years are the Middle School years, so I know how important it is for students to have someone who will listen and support them and also challenge them. They're often encouraged to give feedback on topics we discuss, especially the developments in genetics. We share in small groups, and if students are comfortable, they can share with the entire class. Being comfortable with your "voice" comes from first trusting that you are in a supportive environment - that is paramount. Aside from Biology, we talk a lot about respect and how King is a community centered around kindness and virtues so everyone feels comfortable being who they are and expressing themselves free of judgment.

What do you hope your students take away from your class each year?

I hope that each year they walk away feeling challenged and also inspired and incredibly knowledgeable about not only Biology but also about important study skills and interpersonal skills. I want my students to walk away feeling like they've had a learning experience that was so exciting and interesting that they continue to talk about it years after. I know I've done my job when I hear students say they want to be a cardiologist or a veterinarian or even simply say that after taking my class they understand what the 'doctors' are talking about in a medical TV show.

How do you create a personal and meaningful learning experience for your students?

I create a meaningful experience by relating concepts and teaching such a variety of topics that each student can find at least one topic of interest that they explore on their own after class. If I connect to their lives, it becomes meaningful to them, and they become more engaged; it's a win for everyone. Biology is a subject that naturally lends itself to that, where students have the opportunity to perform activities such as dissecting the organs we discuss, listening to their own heartbeat using stethoscopes, understanding the physiological reasons why heart rate increases, understanding cancer at a cellular level, and even learning how genes are inherited.

Is there anything you would like to add?

Ultimately, I think it is important that students see their teacher not only as someone who is there to help them learn but also as someone they can trust and talk to about something bothering them, even if it may not be about school. Some of the biggest compliments I've received are about just being there and listening and taking notice when a student is down and asking the student to talk about it or just listening. As Maya Angelou said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

Meet our Community

Middle School in Action

Middle School Students Perform in Eastern Regional Honor Choirs

King’s middle school choir brought harmony to Providence! Thirteen talented students journeyed to Providence, Rhode Island, for the ACDA Eastern Regional Honor Choir. Selected from over 1,800 auditions, they showcased their a cappella skills, made new friends, and wowed the audience. Thanks to Ms. Bach's guidance, our students hit all the right notes. It was a celebration of dedication, friendship, and the power of music! 

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Making a Difference Through Cookies and Happiness

Since 2021, King students have gathered for Give Back Tuesdays to work with community partners on various King Cares Projects. The students select an area of interest and volunteer to help the King community with its philanthropic endeavors. This week was particularly special as students gathered to work with a company formed by four King siblings to package cookies for The Villa at Stamford, a rehabilitation center and King partner organization.

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Middle and Upper School Students Explore Cyanotype Printing With Visiting Artist Leah Caroline

Upper and middle school students explored the art of cyanotype printing from Monday, December 4, to Friday, December 8, with visiting artist Leah Caroline, culminating in a large-scale installation in the Performing Arts Center. Cyanotype is a nineteenth-century photographic printing technique originally used for recording natural elements. In this process, plant materials, found objects or film negatives are placed on chemically treated paper or fabric, exposed to sunlight, and then developed in water. This development process transforms the paper from a bright yellow-green to a brilliant Prussian blue, leaving the unexposed areas white. 

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R.E.A.D.Y. Projects Highlight Students Interests in Grade 8

From the impact of genetics and ethnicity on breast cancer and the environmental effects of candles to American football's history and the ball's aerodynamic design, Grade 8 students showcased a diverse range of interests through their semester-long R.E.A.D.Y. projects. Friends and family of the young researchers buzzed around the middle school atrium on Friday, December 8, listening to the students’ R.E.A.D.Y. presentations, an acronym that stands for Research, Experience, Action, Designed by You. 

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Students in Grade 8 Explore the Molecular World Through Augmented Reality

Students in science teacher Katie O’Connor’s Grade 8 Concepts in Physical Science class used ClassVR, a technology that introduces virtual and augmented reality in classrooms, to see things invisible to the naked eye through augmented reality. More specifically, they had the chance to see models of elements and compounds that are ubiquitous in their world. 

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“A Wrinkle In Time” Opens the 2023-24 Performing Arts Season

Middle school students debuted the first theatrical performance of the 2023-24 school year with two magical performances of “A Wrinkle In Time” on Friday, November 10. The iconic science fantasy piece tells the story of three adolescents who embark on a journey through space and time looking for a lost family member. Themes of family, good against evil, personal maturity, and forgiveness resonated with many students.

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Dancing to Build Community

The middle school community enjoyed an engaging presentation from Rodney Eric Lopez, a motivational speaker and educator who teaches about community, growth mindset, and generosity through dance. Lopez spoke with students and faculty in the middle school atrium on Thursday, November 9, where he shared how dancing and departing from comfort zones can bring a community together.

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