Middle School Academics
Southern Maryland Christian Academy is dedicated to excellence in Christian education that fosters students to explore a biblical worldview in all areas of studies. Our middle school program builds on the strong continuation of tools established in elementary school. Students transition throughout the day with three one hour and twenty minute core subject classes and two forty-five minute elective courses. Our middle school students are trained to look through the lenses of a biblical worldview with academic excellence to have a firm academic foundation as they advance into high school. Our middle school courses are aligned to national standards. Academic courses offered are unique to each student’s needs, is of sufficient rigor to ensure success, and promotes active engaged learning. Middle school students explore many avenues of interest by participating in up to eight different elective courses offered in one school year.
Southern Maryland Christian Academy’s sixth grade program is primarily a gentle exposure to the responsibilities of the middle school experience. Sixth graders are organized into small sections in which teachers assume joint responsibility for the instructional program of the students. This organization offers advantages for students, teachers, and parents in such a way that sixth graders gain the middle school experience in a responsible way. As a small team, teachers are better able to address students’ needs in core subjects. SMCA 6th grade teacher teams prove an invaluable assistance to the sixth graders as they make the academic and social transition between elementary school and middle school. Each sixth grade student is required to take SOAR© Study Skills course that firmly establishes many necessary skills to become a successful responsible student.
*See course catalog for more electives and course descriptions.
Southern Maryland Christian Academy’s seventh and eighth grade program goes beyond the gentle exposure into middle school to training students in becoming strong leaders in the community. The academic program focuses on helping students take responsibility for their education and begins establishing an independent love of knowledge. Students will continue to be exposed to engaged and motivated learning that keeps students active in the learning process. Seventh graders are exposed to fluent computer and document processing skills with the primary focus of continual integration of technology into learning. Eighth graders are exposed to the basics of financial literacy and an introduction to Spanish 1 which are required electives the following years. The seventh and eighth grade experience prepares students for a successful integration into high school.
*See course catalog for more electives and course descriptions.
SMCA uses Orange XP3© curriculum in all Middle School Bible classes. SMCA middle schoolers experience three things: wonder for who God is, discovery of who He created them to be, and passion for loving others. SMCA desires that students begin to take ownership of their faith through three basic truths:
- I will love God because He will never stop loving me.
- I will follow Jesus because He knows me better than I know myself.
- I will live out God’s story so others can know who Jesus is.
Middle School Bible lays the foundation for developing a worldview. In an age of competing worldviews, Southern Maryland Christian Academy’s bible classes will help students formulate a biblical perspective of the world so that they will reflect the Scriptures both in their thoughts and in their actions.
*Information gathered from: http://thinkorange.com/xp3ms/