Middle School
Grades 7-9
Personal growth
High school readiness
Beginning in Grade 7, academic subjects are taught in grade-based classes.
Our senior students leave theme-based investigations behind, but cross-curricular connections continue as they prepare for high school.
Your child should anticipate learning through independent work, group discussion/collaboration and project planning and execution–short to long term.
Critical thinking and problem-solving
We support our students in seeking context and not settling for surface understanding. Students sharpen these essential skills in Social Studies and STEM, reflective discussions, and community-building projects.
Dr. Peter Duinker
Professor Emeritus, Dalhousie University
Communication and connection
Throughout the junior high years, our students continue to build readiness to speak up and speak out.
Opportunities to present, educate, and advocate expand. Students gain confidence and the capacity to communicate to diverse audiences, tackling weighty content and challenging subjects using written and spoken communication as well as meaningful graphics and modelling.
Individuality within community
We value the presence and participation of this age group in our school community. In many cases, we have known them since Pre-primary!
We celebrate their personal investment in chosen pursuits/passions while encouraging their active contribution to collective efforts in and out of school.
Perhaps one of the best testaments to how well HIS is educating my children is how well my eldest has done in high school and university, but also in non-academic settings. I believe HIS prepared him well.
Dave Vroege
Ownership and agency
We take the long road to social-emotional development. We invest in strong communication, nurturing a culture that makes safe spaces for honest personal reflection, candid conversation, and growing independence. We consider it a privilege to walk alongside these students during this season of life.
Multi-age experiences
within the Middle School
Grades 7-9 students and their teachers start the year with a 3-day trip at a local camp venue, an early opportunity to build bonds through outdoor activities, play, cooperative challenges, and shared experiences. This trip creates a strong foundation for the year ahead.
Mixed grade groups take short courses in arts/culture and sport/active leisure. The mix of possibilities changes; in every case, healthy risk-taking and full participation is key. We call it “Enrichment”, a weekly challenge to step out of our individual comfort zones and learn something new.
in our whole school community
Our whole-school events are an opportunity for our MS students to shine through various leadership roles. They experience planning, mentoring, encouraging and celebrating their younger schoolmates. Parents of our younger students love watching their little ones enjoy positive connections with “big kids”.
Parents of our MS students appreciate how our community values play alongside opportunities to demonstrate growing maturity, responsibility, and empathy.
Assessment and reporting
Students in Grade 7-9 experience routine assessment of their independent project work and their group collaborations (process and outcome). Project-specific rubrics are introduced in Grade 7 and used for planning and detailed assessment.
Students learn test-taking strategies and have practical experience sitting tests. At this stage, test results are used to identify areas for reinforcement or consolidation.
Parent-teacher conferences and routine, proactive communication continues.
Report cards
- Grade 7 – one report card (end of year), anecdotal format (no grades)
- Grades 8 and 9 – two report cards per year (mid and final), separate letter grades given for achievement and for engagement
