Middle School
Our Middle School program at Almaden Country Day School offers students in Grade 6 - 8 rigorous academics, small classes with personalized attention and encouragement from enthusiastic teachers, a choice of more than 50 exciting elective classes, opportunities to work in teams on project- and problem-based activities, and unforgettable week-long field trips to Yosemite National Park, Catalina Island, and Washington, D.C.
Adolescent years can be a dynamic time for children due to the many developmental changes they experience. Our Middle School is a safe, welcoming, and stimulating learning environment, where children are recognized for their unique gifts and accepted for who they are. With the support of devoted, talented teachers, a dynamic curriculum with a huge range of offerings to captivate student interests, and a warm spirit of mutual respect and affection that is our culture, middle school at ACDS fosters happy, confident, well-prepared young people who are ready for the world of high school and beyond.
Core Subjects
Electives
Day in the Life
All Middle School students attend Advocacy class daily, all year, in a small group of 10-12 peers and a teacher. In Advocacy, students develop agency -- the ability to be self-advocates -- by learning about relating, communicating, problem-solving and conflict resolution, helping prepare them for an ever-changing world beyond middle school.
Middle School students work in teams to create class projects or pursue individual passions in our popular Maker Space.
Exciting field trips, overnight excursions and our very popular EDGE Day activities provide firsthand opportunities for our Middle School students to apply their learning, try new and unfamiliar experiences, and develop their confidence.
Our yearlong “Big Buddy” program pairs middle schoolers with Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and Elementary Little Buddies, fostering leadership skills and creating deep bonds of affection between Buddies.
Life Beyond ACDS
High School Acceptances
Of our eighth graders who apply to private high schools, our 10-year acceptance rate is 98%. They go on to attend amazing private and public schools such as:
- Archbishop Mitty High School
- Bellarmine College Preparatory
- Bishop
- Harker School
- Kehillah Jewish High School
- Kirby School
- Leland
- Lincoln
- Mid Penninsula High School
- Notre Dame High School
- Oakwood School
- Pioneer
- Presentation High School
- Saint Francis High School
- Santa Teresa
- Saratoga
- Valley Christian High School
- Westmont
- Woodside Priory School
ACDS is a place where our students grow into confident, curious, prepared learners who thrive in high school, college and beyond. They are extremely talented, interesting, and experienced individuals doing amazing things all over the world.
Learn more about our amazing alumni community
Student Life at ACDS
An ACDS student's life is rich and filled with many curricular and extracurricular opportunities, inside and outside of school hours, including interest-based activities, clubs, sports, mentoring, visiting speakers and authors, and field trips.
Clubs and activities range from athletics, musical theater, band, choirs, coding, chess, robotics, mathematics, and more! We also offer activities during school breaks and during the summer. ACDS balances curricular and the extracurricular learning opportunities for a well-rounded child.