Middle School 6th - 8th Grade

Imagine what a classroom would look and sound like when students are actively engaged in inquiry work, where they are reading, talking, questioning, analyzing and creating products, in large groups, small groups, indepen-dently – toward the goal of demonstrating their learning.

The purpose of Monte Vista Christian Middle School is to provide a structure through which students can demon-strate mastery of a subject by creating and presenting a research-based project that is driven by their own interest in a topic and allows them to work within the same parameters as real researchers. While the projects can assess the students’ knowledge of content, concepts, and skills and the level of depth and complexity to which students have understood them, they also allow students to think deeply and analytically and to question a topic which has particular resonance and meaning for them.

Students benefit from a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach not only because of the connections they find among content ideas, but also because they thrive on the coherent development of their creative and indepen-dent learning skills. When students in middle school experience a continuum of interdisciplinary project assign-ments from grade 6 to 7 to 8, they can develop the knowledge, skills and stamina for independent learning that are required for success in high school, college and the world of work.

MIDDLE SCHOOLPROFILE 2014-2015

ADMINISTRATION

HeadmasterStephen Sharp, MA

Middle School PrincipalRay Blute, MA

Academic AdvisingErin Torr

Watsonville, CA 95076931-722-8178www.mvcs.org

HISTORY AND TRADITION: Monte Vista Christian School is an independent, coeducational, selective day and boarding school for young men and women in grades 6 through 12, offering a college preparatory education in the Christian tradition and context. MVCS is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI).

CAMPUS: Monte Vista Christian School is situated on 100 acres in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County. The picturesque campus lies just 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean in the Monterey Bay area. The location is readily accessible to the city of San Jose and the four surrounding counties; our student body commutes daily from 31 different cities in our region.

ADMISSION: Admission is through a competitive assessment and interviewing process. Approximately 500 students apply each year. Financial aid is also available for those who qualify.

STUDENTS: Middle School enrollment for the 2014-2015 academic year is 261. The current student to teacher ratio is 14 to 1; average class size is 20. FACULTY: The middle school faculty at Monte Vista numbers 25, all with degrees; 36% hold advanced degrees, and 32% have taught here 10+ years.

Monte Vista Christian School admits students of any race, color, and national origin to all rights, privileges, programs,

and activities made available to students in the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national,

or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, administration policies, financial aid, or in any other

school-administered program.

MONTE VISTA CHRISTIAN Monte Vista Christian School champions students to achieve their highest potential

through Christ-centered educational excellence.

Exploratory Wheel

• Habits of Effective Teens

• Musicology

• Middle School GPS

• IXL & Tutorial Design

Exploratory Wheel

• Developing the Inner

Genius

• Communications

• Health/Fitness

• Spiritual Cinema

Exploratory Wheel

• Careers

• Grammar/Writing

• Digital Art

• Teen Life Skills

Electives: Each elective is selected for one quarter unless noted otherwise. These

electives are subject to change based on demand and/or scheduling.

STAR ASSESSMENT RESULTS 2014

Grade 6 Grade 7 Grade 8 Reading Math Reading Math Reading Math

MVCS 68 67 66 66 64 66 Nat’l 50 50 50 50 50 50

GRADE SCALE

Grade Numerical Point Equivalent Equivalent A 100-90 4.0 B 89-80 3.0 C 79-70 2.0 D 69-60 1.0 F 59- 0.0

MODIFIED BLOCK SCHEDULING• The school year is divided into two 18 week semesters

• Monday/Wednesday, periods 1-7 meet for 44 minutes

• Thursday, class periods 4, 5, 6, and 7 meet for 80 minutes

• Fridays, class periods 1, 2, and 3 meet for 80 minutes

• Our Tuesday schedule includes a 46 minute Chapel. A 30-35

minute Bible Homeroom class is added to the schedule on all

other days.

CALIFORNIA JUNIORSCHOLARSHIP FEDERATION

The California Junior Scholarship Federation is the oldest junior

high school scholastic scholarship insittution in the state of

California. CJSF is part of CSF, the oldest scholarhip instutution in

California, founded in 1921. Monte Vista Christian Middle School

students are honored for their academic achievements through

application to CJSF.

CURRICULUMMVCS Middle School students take 4 core classes and a Bible

Homeroom class. The core curriculum includes Language Arts,

Science, Social Science, Math, Bible, and Physical Education.

Contract P.E. and/or Horsemanship may take the place of Physical

Education. All students not enrolled in a music class take a class

from their grade level Exploratory Wheel. A Middle School elective

class is chosen by each student each quarter. In addition, each grade

level has the opportunity to participate in an exciting “outside the

classroom” learning experience: 6th grade-Science Camp; 7th

grade-Oceans Camp; and 8th grade-Washington, DC Trip.

• Advanced Programming w/

ALICE

• Art

• Beginning Computer Program-

ming w/ALICE

• Band (whole year)

• Ceramics

• Choir (semester class)

• Creating Movies & iMovies

• Drama (semester class)

• Garage Band

• Growing with Games

• Horsemanship (semester class,

fee)

• Intro to Spanish

• Learning & Leisure Games

• Math Enrichment

• Sports R Us

• Student Leadership

• Study Skills

• Yearbook (whole year by inter-

view)

6th GRADE:• Bible 6

• Language 6

• Earth Science 6

• Social Science 6

• Math 6

• Physical Education

• Elective

7th GRADE: • Bible 7

• Language 7

• Life Science 7

• Social Science 7

• Pre-Algebra

• Physical Education

• Elective

8th GRADE: • Bible 8

• Language 8

• Physical Science 8

• Social Science 8

• Algebra I

• Algebra Readiness

• Physical Education

• Elective

MIDDLE SCHOOLPROFILE 2014-2015