Character

Character Counts at Wakefield

In our Middle School, the Advisory Program is the foundation of student support and personal growth. Students are grouped with dedicated faculty members who serve as Advisors throughout their Middle School journey. Every day starts in Advisory where meetings provide a strong sense of community, starting with discussions on the Wakefield Courtesies, our core values. Students benefit from one-on-one grade discussions, personalized academic support, and weekly sessions focused on time management and upcoming events. This Advisor-advisee bond fosters positive team-building, leadership skills, and an enduring sense of belonging in the Wakefield community.

To further encourage character development, Middle School students are often paired with a Lower School class on special days throughout the year when students in different divisions come together to work on a project or attend an event. These peer-to-peer relationships help build lasting bonds and community spirit throughout the entire school, strengthening the character of our Wakefield Owls.

Curiosity

Through Play, Children Learn to Create, Analyze, Measure, and Collaborate

The Middle School embraces a "Try Everything Once!" mentality, fostering a culture of curiosity and adventure. To encourage this spirit, students are required to participate in one sport each trimester, with practices integrated into the school schedule, and games taking place during or after school. Likewise, our Performing Arts program provides various avenues for exploration. Whether a student prefers to shine on the stage, explore set design in the wood shop, or engage in the magic of tech crew spotlights, there are abundant opportunities for creative expression and discovery. Our Middle School Music program provides the chance for students to select an ensemble in which to participate for the school year. Options may include, choir, guitar, strings, or band. Whether a student has years of experience or just wants to try something new, the opportunity is there to seize. 

The Middle School Experiential Learning program engages and encourages the whole student: the thinker, the creator, the adventurer, and the public servant. These non-traditional, experiences ignite their imaginations and motivation in ways textbooks cannot. Working in our Wake-Up Cafe, students have the chance to apply and enhance their mathematical skills by managing inventory, calculating orders, and problem-solving in a real-world setting, offering a tangible understanding of mathematical concepts. A trip to the JK Community Farm provides a distinctive educational experience for our students and showcases the potential of sustainable farming to address local food insecurity. Following the Farm visit, students participate in a cook-off where they must grocery-shop within a set budget to prepare nutritious meals that are then assessed based on presentation, taste, nutritional value, and budget efficiency - a practical challenge integrating their skills in Math, Life Sciences, the Arts, and sustainability. Real-life experiences such as these are memorable and stay with students long after.

Clear Voices

It's Amazing What Our Students Discover. 
About Themselves, About Their Community, About Our World.

With extracurricular opportunities and a cross-disciplinary academic philosophy, Middle School students have the opportunity to develop their unique voices. Some choose to join "The Weekly Show at Wakefield School" as student newscasters, refining their public speaking skills on camera. Small group literary discussions encourage critical thinking and articulate expression. Our seventh-grade students embark on the Family Tall Tale project, intertwining Hero’s Tale elements into a creative narrative about their own family history. Collaborating with the Technology department, they craft compelling videos that depict their tall tale. Outside of the academic classroom, students are encouraged to form clubs based on their interests and are mentored by faculty members. These experiences create a supportive environment where students can find their voices, develop confidence, and explore their passions.