Intermediate School
The Intermediate School at Saint Stephen’s is a special division for children in grades 4 through 6, who are in the midst of forming their academic and social identities. Since leaving childhood and accepting more responsibility can be an uneasy experience, the years spent in the Intermediate School form an important bridge over which students are carefully guided to ensure their success in the Middle School, Upper School, and college.
Each member of our creative faculty is experienced in helping students move academically from the concrete to the abstract; from primary skills to higher-level thinking. In English classes, for example, students grow from learning how to read to analyzing written material. In math, children apply their skills in working with basic calculations to solving algebraic equations.
Teachers work together to plan an integrated curriculum, where children can study one topic in each academic class. For instance, students learning about an endangered species might write a poem about it in English class, use watercolors to paint an animal in art, and calculate the rate of an animal’s extinction using Microsoft Excel in math. Technology is incorporated in all academic subjects.
The social transition is probably the most challenging part of a child’s development at this age. School becomes more than just a place to learn, but also a place to make friends. The faculty is trained to help students in their social discovery on a daily basis, through a strong Character Counts! program, chapel programs, advisory periods, and age-appropriate holiday activities. The Saint Stephen’s community embraces all children, celebrating their successes and supporting their individual interests inside and outside of the classroom.
