Humanities: Focus is on the exploration the people, cultures, and legacies of ancient civilizations. Through this focus, they develop critical reading and writing skills, build language fluency, and learn to think critically about the world around them. Novels include Boy of the Painted Cave by Justin Denzel, Homeless Bird by Gloria Whelan, and A Long Walk to Water by Linda Sue Park.    Textbooks: Ancient Civilizations (Harcourt), Invitation to Literacy (Houghton Mifflin Quest), Vocabulary Workshop Enriched Edition (Sadlier)

Math: Focus is on long division, the four operations with decimals and fractions, simple algebraic manipulation, understanding ratios for problem solving, area of polygons, and some statistics concepts. Middle school math is a multiple path math program. Math paths are not set, rather they are dependent on student mastery of the concepts and assessment. Math is also integrated with science and technology for a true STEM curriculum.   Textbook: Go Math (Harcourt)

Religion:  Focus is on the Old Testament and the promise that God makes to his people in the form of the Covenant. Learning about topics such as the Sacraments, Liturgical Seasons, prayer, and church teachings is all done through this lens.

Science: Focus is on learning how to observe, investigate, and think like a scientist, with studies of ecosystems, cycles of the earth’s materials, weather, climates, and space exploration. Science is also integrated with math and technology for a true STEM curriculum.    Reference Textbook: McGraw Hill

Technology:  Middle school technology classes introduce our students to a wide range of 21st century literacy skills. These range from proficiency with typing and Office products to basic coding skills and work with robotics. There is an added focus on cutting-edge technology topics.

Social-Emotional Skills: Second Step Curriculum; SEL class is taught weekly, and lessons provide social-emotional support and encouragement to students, helping them to thrive.

Humanities: Focus is on historical fiction and nonfiction text, geography, and current events, students learn about the history of Washington State, the Golden Age of Islam, Medieval China and Japan, and Medieval Europe. Novels include Refugee by Alan Gratz, The Ghost in the Tokaido Inn by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler, and Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford.

Math: Focus is on the four operations with all positive and negative numbers, integer exponents, solving basic equations and inequalities, two- and three-dimensional geometry formulas, probability and statistics, and an introduction to transformations in the coordinate plane. Middle school math is a multiple path math program. Students may advance through either Algebra or Geometry by the conclusion of 8th grade. Math paths are not set, rather they are dependent on student mastery of the concepts and assessment. Math is also integrated with science and technology for a true STEM curriculum. Textbook: Go Math Accelerated (Harcourt), Algebra (Pearson)

Religion:  Focus is on the person of Jesus. Students study the gospels closely, which requires them to consider the historical context and build on their 6th grade knowledge of the Old Testament. By the end of 7th grade, students will have considered the radical compassion of Jesus and his challenge to us to bring his love to all, especially those in need.

Science: Focus is on Life Sciences, including classification and characteristics of life, microscope investigations, biotechnology activities, systems of the human body, botany concepts, and genetics and heredity. Science is also integrated with math and technology for a true STEM curriculum.     Reference Textbook: McGraw Hill 

Technology:  Middle school technology classes introduce our students to a wide range of 21st century literacy skills. These range from proficiency with typing and Office products to basic coding skills and work with robotics. There is an added focus on cutting-edge technology topics.

Social-Emotional Skills: Second Step Curriculum; SEL class is taught weekly, and lessons provide social-emotional support and encouragement to students, helping them to thrive.

Grade 8 Curriculum:

Humanities: Focus is on exploring the fascinating world of American history and literature from colonization to World War I.  Additionally, 8th grade receives Holocaust education. Novels include Chains by Laurie Halse Anderson, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and Our Town by Thorton Wilder.

Math: Focus is on rational exponents, solving one- and two- variable equations, graphing linear and quadratic equations in the coordinate plane, an introduction to exponential relationships, manipulating polynomials, solving quadratic equations by factoring, and the quadratic formula. Middle school math is a multiple path math program. Students may advance through either Algebra or Geometry by the conclusion of 8th grade. Math paths are not set, rather they are dependent on student mastery of the concepts and assessment. Math is also integrated with science and technology for a true STEM curriculum. Textbook: Algebra (Pearson), Geometry (Pearson)

Religion:  Focus is on exploring, professing, and reflecting on their Catholic faith, which is found in Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition. The students are taught to recognize the presence of Christ and enter into communion with Him through active, full, and conscious participation in the liturgical celebrations and sacraments of the Church

Science: Focus is on Physical Science studies including chemistry concepts, investigations, and activities. They also study nanotechnology, materials science, force and motion laws, space explorations, and engineering wonders. Science is also integrated with math and technology for a true STEM curriculum.  Reference Textbook: McGraw Hill

Technology:  Middle school technology classes introduce our students to a wide range of 21st century literacy skills. These range from proficiency with typing and Office products to basic coding skills and work with robotics. There is an added focus on cutting-edge technology topics.

Social-Emotional Skills: Second Step Curriculum; SEL class is taught weekly, and lessons provide social-emotional support and encouragement to students, helping them to thrive.

Each week our grade 6 students attend classes in Art, Guitar & Keyboarding, PE, Speech, Technology, and Spanish.

Each week grades 7 and 8 attend classes in Art, Handbells, PE, Theatre Arts, Technology, and Spanish.

Our middle schoolers participate in a service and leadership based advisory program. Advisories meet weekly to build community and devise ways to serve our school and greater world communities. They lead and participate in many schoolwide service projects including the Thanksgiving Food Drive, Candy Cane & Cocoa to support One Equal Heart, New Bethlehem Center Coat Drive, Catholic Schools Week Kid-to-Kid Campaign Toy Drive, Lenten CRS Rice Bowl, Jump Rope for Heart, and other projects. Grade 7 serves at the 8th grade graduation. Grades 7 and 8 are eligible to enter the Respect Life Essay Contest each year. Grade 8 students plan and lead HFK Spirit Days and act as Religion Buddies for the younger grades.

Additional Religion Supplements: Virtue of the Month: Virtues in Practice, Talking About Touching

Middle School Math Team, National Geographic Bee, UW Engineering Discovery Days, Honor Choir, and Drama Program. Field trips include Holocaust Center for Humanity and the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial.  Grade 6 spends a week at outdoor camp at Camp Hamilton.

Grade 7 Jousting Tournament, Advisory Sorting Ceremony, Fun Fridays, HFK Fun Run, birthdays, Middle School Holiday Socials, Advent Program, lead Read Across America events to celebrate Dr. Seuss’s birthday, lead Spirit Days such as Storybook Character Day or Sports Day, lead Field Day (grade 7), end of the year celebration, Graduation (grade 8), and others.