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Middle School

Mr. Zachary Post, Middle School Principal

Welcome to the Middle School at AIS. The goal of our division is to create a personalized, compassionate, and community-oriented educational environment characterized by deeply engaged learning by all members.

The middle years are a critical, and exciting, time of transition from childhood to young adulthood. In the Middle School, we help students (Grade 5–8) to successfully navigate that transition by providing an educational program that holistically supports both academic success and positive personal growth. The students at AIS are eager to learn, explore new ideas and express opinions as they develop their sense of independence and ability to increasingly shape their self-identity.

Our dedicated and talented faculty understand the importance of providing multiple pathways for success, building on students’ interests, and keeping learning fun and relevant. Teachers encourage the energy, enthusiasm and natural curiosity unique to this age group while providing the guidance and structure they need to build a strong foundation of academic, collaborative, and critical thinking skills. The Middle School faculty understand that learning is greatly enhanced by a process of inquiry, exploration, sharing, and guided reflection.

At AIS, learning extends beyond the classroom. We encourage students to become involved fully in the AIS community by actively participating in our challenging academic curriculum, as well as the many extracurricular activities offered, including after school program, athletics, and our Outdoor Education and Leadership Program (OELP). We strive to have our students be well-rounded individuals who are effective communicators, empowered thinkers, and global citizens. Our nurturing environment is based on strong relationships and a sense of belonging driven by our Core Values of Justice, Knowledge, and Love.

Please take the time to review the information available on the website. We welcome you to contact us if you have any questions, or wish to visit the school.

Zachary Post
Middle School Principal

CURRICULUM OVERVIEW

The Middle School program is grounded in providing our students with a well-rounded education that balances high academic achievement with social and emotional growth. The framework for teaching and learning builds from a commitment to our students becoming confident, engaged, and caring global citizens. A set of challenging curriculum standards taken from the United States are used to develop learning units and ensure a comprehensive program. As an independent international school, we are able to take proven standards and the best international teaching practices to provide a dynamic and balanced international education.

At AIS, we continuously strive to move instruction beyond traditional texts by embracing cross-curricular projects, collaboration, inquiry and the integration of technology into all areas of the curriculum. Our classrooms reflect a dynamic and active approach to teaching and learning with extensive IT support to enhance our 1:1 Bring Your Own Apply Device Program.

Specialist teachers in Visual Arts, Music, Performance, and Engineering & Design provide students with further opportunities to extend their learning, assisting us in the pursuit of nurturing well-rounded and empowered students. The expertise of our designated Middle School Counselor also enriches the program through the development of our socio-emotional learning curriculum and support of student-life initiatives.

At times, our learning extends beyond campus with various field study trips that allow students to make real-world connections to their learning and connect with our Hong Kong community. In addition to field study, all Middle School students are required to participate in our Outdoor Education and Leadership Program (OELP) which involves an adventure week off campus.

In support of social, personal, and applied learning, our students often engage in project-based learning activities. One annual highlight is our Intensives Project Period, which provides opportunities to work on a flexible schedule in order to deeply dive into learning. At such times, the middle school goes off of its regular timetable and spends large uninterrupted time on project-based learning led by teacher teams. Mixed-age collaboration and cross-curricular investigation allow for the application of skills and culminate in high-quality exhibitions of learning.

Middle School Program

CORE ACADEMICS
(Full year)		 VPA & Engineering
(Specials – 1/2 year)		 FLEX TIME / HOMEROOM
(includes Advisory)
CLASSES Humanities (ELA/SS)
Math
Science
Mandarin
PE/Health		 Art
Music
Performance
Engineering-Design-Innovation		 Lessons in support of our AIS core values, team building, and community assemblies
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE Inquiry-based, balance between collaborative projects and individual practice Students creating, trying out new ideas, working through problems, interdisciplinary Students build close connections and learn important social and study skills, as well as digital safety and career exploration
SPECIAL NOTES Literacy skills are reinforced across the curriculum. On occasion, projects are cross disciplinary. Students get two at a time for half a year; progression of skills over the years The Homeroom teacher helps create a school-home connection with parents/guardians