Junior High (Seventh & Eighth Grade)
Full Day program: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Level Overview
As the culmination of the Oak Hill experience, the Junior High program introduces new styles of learning to students which many have not experienced in prior Montessori classrooms. The classroom is team-taught, and the curriculum is experiential and interdisciplinary, all the while being student-centered. Learning out of textbooks is balanced by learning through the hands and the body. Junior High is where the lessons truly delve more into the abstract, all the while granting students the freedom to utilize materials from memory or the imagination to support and enhance the learning experience. Our Junior High program positions our students for success in the next steps in her/his 
educational journey.
Purpose and Goal
The seventh and eighth grade years are critical for both the intellectual and emotional development of young women and men. The intentional structure of the students being in the same classroom with the same teachers all day creates mutual trust and a collegial nature which is rarely found during this age range. Every day in the Junior High challenges the head, hands and heart to help each student reach his/her highest potential.
Classroom Structure
To an outside eye, Junior High looks a lot more like “traditional school” than the rest of the classrooms at Oak Hill. Textbooks are utilized to support pedagogy, and the students have a larger quantity of assignments to turn in as homework than any other level; however, the freedom of work choice is seamlessly integrated into the curriculum as well. Junior High students encounter math seminars, humanities simulations and opportunities to express themselves through spoken word performances and film festivals. Art and Music are delivered at a level where students graduating our programs will be prepared to continue their artistic endeavors if they choose to do so.
Alumni often reference back to the freedom they experienced in Junior High as one of the most influential elements of their successful transfer into the High School level. Getting out of the classroom for day trips and long outings is a crucial portion of the Junior High experience as it builds leadership skills and strengthens the bonds of the community. Whether it is a trip to the science museum or going to Washington D.C., Oak Hill strongly believes that learning happens outside the classroom as much as it does in it.
Targeted Outcomes for students after completing the Junior High program
Comfort with constructive feedback leading new levels of creative, independent and critical thinking- Familiarity with the concepts of Algebra and Geometry streamlining the transition to High School mathematics
- Personal knowledge of current events, government and civics leading to engaged and informed citizens
- Excellent communication skills in the areas of writing, speaking and listening
- Hands-on experience taking problems through the scientific method/using scientific experimentation
An understanding of the interconnected nature academic subjects share- Extensive skillsets in collaborative problem solving and group work dynamics
- Refined time management, prioritization and research skills