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Welcome From the Director of Middle School

We are excited to partner with you for the next four years of middle school. These 5th-8th-grade years are a time of incredible growth and learning! At Stanley Clark, we believe in the importance of our four pillars: academics, arts, athletics, and character to support the growth of our middle schoolers into mature, balanced adults. Our teachers are experts in their fields, planning complex learning experiences that push our students to think flexibly and work together with classmates.

In middle school, our students read both fiction and non-fiction, delve into science with hands-on labs, develop the confidence to present in front of others, explore world and American history, hone their writing skills in both narrative and non-fiction pieces, engage in literature discussions, master complex math concepts, learn to express themselves as artists through performing and fine arts, develop teamwork and skills for competition with athletics, and choose from three different world languages. Each of these learning experiences is designed to provide our students with the foundation they need to be successful not only in school, but throughout their lives.

Our Stanley Clark Middle School is a joyful learning community, and we are so glad you are here! Please reach out with any questions to dvance@stanleyclark.org.

Dana Vance
Director of Middle School

Middle School Curriculum

Challenging. Inspiring. Engaging. These are a few words used to describe the unique Stanley Clark curriculum. The academic experience of students is complemented with education in the arts, athletics and character - an empowering combination that results in graduates who lead, volunteer, inspire and excel. Course descriptions may be found below. Please note that our responsive, adaptive pedagogy and desire to meet students' educational needs may necessitate additions, modifications or deletions to the curriculum midyear.

Middle School Curriculum

Prepared for Success

Middle School students graduate from Stanley Clark prepared for success in high school and beyond. Our challenging curriculum allows students to dig deep into the academic areas of mathematics, English, world language (Spanish, French and Latin), social studies, science and technology.

Students also explore drama, visual arts and music as part of their regular curriculum. An extensive athletic program, built into the school day, promotes physical health and good sportsmanship.

To aid in their success, students learn important study skills, engage in collaborative learning, participate in interdisciplinary projects, and are involved in an advisory program to cultivate social, ethical and emotional skills.

The middle school experience at The Stanley Clark School is unparalleled. Each year between 16-20 high schools come to campus for our annual High School Night to recruit our students. Stanley Clark students leave ready to make a positive impact on the wide-variety of public, private, parochial, and boarding high schools they attend.

"As an ISACS teacher now and a teacher who has taught in a variety of settings, I would say the immersive experiences (Water Watchers, the Bug Collection, the trimester cabarets, the Media Center, World Language classes, research papers, etc.), all have a tremendous impact on me."
~ Christopher Hindsley, SCS Class of '00

Experiential Learning

The Stanley Clark School is the place for those who love to learn. We engage, explore, compose, create. Opportunities abound for experiential learning, taking learning outside the four walls of a classroom!

Class Trips

Each year middle school students participate in trips with their classmates and faculty advisors.

5th graders, new to the middle school structure and culture, engage in a overnight team-building trip at the Michiana YMCA’s Camp Eberhardt. Here they face fears and conquer them, witness faculty and peers doing the same, and return to campus with a deeper appreciation for how each member contributes to the good of the group.

The Stanley Clark School highly values the Fine Arts, so it is fitting for 6th grade to journey to Chicago to experience and explore The Field Museum, The Institute of Art and the Chicago Symphony. The students will also visit the Lincoln Park Zoo.

7th graders study Acting and Theatre History throughout the year, which culminates in an international class trip to Stratford, Canada for the Stratford Festival. There students learn about Shakespeare, view performances of The Bard's work, try on period costumes, and learn more about the Globe Theatre. 7th graders end the week with a visit to nearby Niagara Falls.

8th graders study U.S. History throughout the year, and culminate their Stanley Clark experience with a trip to the nation’s capital. While in Washington, D.C., students will visit Museum Campus, national landmarks and Capitol Hill.

French Team

Students are invited to join our French Team, where they can enjoy opportunities to use the French they are learning in real-world contexts, including the Jeunes Amis du Français digital publicity contest, in which students create 3-minute videos showcasing the rich diversity of the French-speaking world; the AATF National French & Francophone Trivia Contest; the AATF National FiES Commission Poster Contest; Indiana French Congrès, in which students compete in a variety of events, such as impromptu speaking, poetry recitation, musical entertainment, and visual arts expo; and the World Language Expo and Clark’s Got Talent!, where students perform live music and a play in French in front of students, parents, and teachers at Stanley Clark. A summer trip to a featured destination in the French-speaking world is offered every two years.

International Summer Trips

Over the summer, there are often opportunities for middle school students (and their families!) to travel internationally alongside faculty and staff for experiential educational tours! When students travel, they expand their knowledge of the world around them, discover more about themselves, and grow more confident. These skills are critical for creating the global citizens of tomorrow. In recent summers, we have traveled to locations such as Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii, as well as England, France, and Germany, where students explored World War II historic sites on the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landing in Normandy, France.

Latin Team

Students are invited to join our Latin Team and compete at a series of Jeopardy-style certāmen tournaments around the state, at Indiana Fall Latin Day at Purdue, at Indiana Junior Classical League State Latin Convention at Indiana University, and at National Junior Classical League Convention at a different university each year. A summer trip to Italy and/or Vatican City is offered every two years.

Science Olympiad

The Stanley Clark School participates in Science Olympiad, a national science competition encouraging students to pursue in-depth studies in areas such as biology, chemistry, physics and engineering. The goal of Science Olympiad at Stanley Clark is to foster student curiosity and scientific exploration. Students in 6th - 8th grades may participate, and no student is cut from the team. Often the club competes against schools whose Olympiads are older students; yet the team consistently places in the state finals.

Speech Team

Starting in 6th grade, students have the opportunity to participate in Speech Team. Nearly 50-60 choose to do so. Students learn to express, interpret, write, communicate, present. They gain valuable communication, leadership, and public speaking skills that will serve them for years to come. The Stanley Clark team competes in speech meets across Indiana, a rare opportunity for middle school students in our region. Consistently the students perform well against competitors, and the team regularly places first or second overall.