IT’S AUTHENTIC & ENGAGING!

In order for kids to learn, we believe kids “IN THE MIDDLE” need to be actively engaged in their learning! Learning needs to have purpose and relevance to their lives; students want to know WHY the lessons they are learning is important and to know that they have a positive IMPACT in the world in which they live.

Our learning is structured by ESSENTIAL/DRIVING QUESTIONS that allow students to see the relevance of what they are learning to their own lives. Learning stretches beyond factual learning. It results in students creating real products through which they APPLY and DEMONSTRATE their DEEPER LEARNING.

This means students create products for MARKET DAY in conjunction with their Global Awareness Unit, create PERFECT CIVILIZATIONS to tie in their learning about Ancient Civilizations, and take stands on social justice issues as part of a HEAD, HEART, HANDS PROJECT to culminate their middle school experience.

MIDDLE SCHOOL DOCUMENTS & LINKS

ACS Parent & Student Handbook
2024-25 Bell Schedule
Middle School Supply List

GYM STRIP

For the 2024/25 year, the blue shirt will be our only PE shirt. Knights PE shorts are recommended, but not required. Please use the information below to order your gym strip from the Able Cresting website. 
ORDER ONLINE >>

More Than Just a School

DISCOVERING GOD-GIVEN GIFTS

We believe that middle school is the perfect place for students to really explore who God has CREATED THEM TO BE. After the foundation has been built at elementary school, and before they begin specializing their learning in secondary school, students need to discover what gifts God has given them. That means we need to give them ongoing opportunities to try lots of various activities, from sewing pajamas and building a banjo, to competing in a spelling bee, and going rock climbing!

Middle School teachers are intentional in their curriculum design. Taking into account the prescribed learning outcomes that need to be taught at each grade level, they collaborate together to design learning experiences that are authentic, differentiated, and lead to the development of 21st Century skills such as COLLABORATION, PRESENTATION, CRITIQUE, and REVISION. They challenge students to engage in authentic and in-depth inquiry experiences that can lead to public presentations of their learning, thus increasing the authenticity of their learning.

We could just read a textbook about history, but instead we want to teach (even middle school) students to engage in conversations about culture, technology, how the world began, and why a math concept is important. We don’t want to just tell them what to think, we want to teach them HOW TO THINK. We want them to experience many exciting “aha” moments in our middle school classrooms. This means our academics have to be a cut-above just teaching the required topics, and it means our students will be better prepared for the real world.

All of our students are anchored to a homeroom teacher from whom they receive the majority of their instruction. Our teachers work together to create an educational experience that is consistent across the grade level spectrum. We feel strongly that our middle school students have one core teacher who is their ADVOCATE and CHEERLEADER for their intellectual, social, and spiritual learning and growth.

Numbers We’re Proud Of

Number of students: 406 90
Average class size: 24 85
Number of PE minutes/week: 200 99
Number of grade 8 art displays during POL Night: 86 94
Number of unique coffee cups in Mr. Lande’s class: 23 85