Bay Farm Montessori Academy unveils plans to restructure its Middle School. Since its opening in 2010, the Bay Farm Middle School has provided 7th and 8th-grade students with an innovative, academically rigorous program that includes lessons at Duxbury Bay Maritime School, a 30-hour internship week, and seminar-based curriculum. The next evolution of the Bay Farm Middle School program will expand the curriculum and learning environment to align with the needs of today's adolescents.
The school aims to break ground in January of 2020 with a gut rehab of the current middle school building. The building will be updated to fit the goals of the program while paying homage to regional architecture. The interior design will comprise of an orderly, composed environment complete with light-filled spaces and a connection to nature. In the center of the building will be an innovative, modern learning lab called "The Shop," a flexible space complete with the latest technology, including iPads, Chromebooks, writable walls, Apple TV, interactive screens, as well as manual tools. As students gain understanding in their daily learning, they will be able to generate ideas, choose the appropriate technology or tools, and apply skills to common problems, gaining an appreciation of how their knowledge can make a significant impact on the world. This type of learning helps build an understanding of the self, teaches students to manage time, exercise choice, organize themselves, and practice self-regulation within a group context.
The academic curriculum will be organized into active, interdisciplinary themes over a two-year cycle. Students will cover topics such as water, money, finance, trade, conservation, justice, consumerism, innovation, change, and more. Each theme will be explored through the academic lenses of science, social studies, literature, math, and the personal world.
"Our Middle School program will take academics and turn it inward, giving our students the chance to take the knowledge they gain in the classroom and directly apply it to hands-on experiences in 'the Shop.' We know that Middle School can cause stress and anxiety for families. Our goal with this expanded program is to offer a safe place where students can build self-efficacy and independence, truly understanding who they are and how they belong in the world." - Conrad Wildsmith, Head of School.
Bay Farm is accepting applications for Fall 2020.
About Bay Farm Montessori Academy: Bay Farm Montessori Academy is an independent, co-ed day school in Duxbury, Massachusetts serving children from all over the South Shore. The school works together to cultivate a vibrant Montessori learning community where children are inspired to grow with joy, purpose, and compassion. Through the wonder of direct exploration, the satisfaction of engaged learning, and the integration of visual and performing arts, Bay Farm Montessori Academy students develop the skills and sense of responsibility to be confident learners, eager to understand themselves and their world.
