Unanswered Q&A

Detailed information about courses and curriculum in individual departments can be found on our curriculum.

Differentiation in mathematics courses in middle school happens during the transition from 6th to 7th grade. Our standard track is a two-year Algebra I progression in 7th and 8th grade. The accelerated track is to complete all of the Algebra I material in 7th grade, followed by Geometry in 8th grade. 7th grade class placements are made by our department chair and 6th grade math teacher, drawing on performance in the 6th grade class and additional testing. More information on the progression of math courses can be found on the Math curriculum.

For new 7th and 8th graders, placements would be made by the chair of the academic department in question. This is done through a combination of evaluating student transcripts, conversation with students and families, and in some cases a test given over the summer.

Work to be done by students outside of class varies by grade, but most students have 1 to 3 hours per day. How much of this becomes true homework has a lot to do with how efficiently students use the time built in for them during the school day, for instance the study hall times students have on most days. The hardest transition for many students is not the volume of work, but the shift to 6 or 7 different teachers and classes, and the organization and executive functioning required to manage that. One of the reasons students do not receive cumulative grades during 5th and 6th grade at Overlake is to make room for that growth and keep the emphasis more on learning than on grades.

All classes require students to have and bring laptop computers, and technology skills and computer fluency are a part of the curriculum across most of our content areas. For example, students in middle school Social Studies courses have a project that includes building a website with Weebly each year, with increasing levels of sophistication.

5th grade students get to choose their arts electives. 6th grade students choose their arts electives, as well as which world language they wish to study. 7th and 8th grade students choose from a wider array of arts electives.

This question is also answered in the World Languages curriculum. All incoming 6th grade students take a first level language course. The 6th grade Latin course is designed for students to be successful whether they took 5th grade Latin at Overlake or are new to the class.

Absolutely! There are daily breaks and office hours during which students are encouraged to visit with faculty and talk about progress, ask questions, and share feedback. Students also have the opportunity to use the student government or MS Announcements to broadcast feedback and ideas to the community. Administration is receptive to student feedback by email or in person and by appointment.

The mission and values of our school are very much a part of our classrooms. Respect, compassion, and integrity live in several aspects of curriculum as well as community events like Holiday Helpers, Service Day, and activism-oriented Project Week courses.

Teachers and advisors work closely with students in homeroom and classes to support their growth and independence as scholars. 5th and 6th grade teachers use rubrics and narrative feedback to help students understand how they're doing academically and think carefully about structuring assessments and projects so that students have a variety of platforms to showcase their strengths. Teachers also collaborate with Learning Specialists to address issues of learning differences and help students learn strategies to improve their performance.

There is not a science fair, but there are numerous opportunities for projects and presentations in classes.

For the end of 2019-20, we moved our classes to an online format. This has no particular bearing on incoming students, as long as we are cleared to return to campus before the 2020-21 school year begins in August.

This spring, students attended classes Tuesday to Friday in Overlake Online distance learning. They were still assigned classwork and homework that was required to be completed and graded thereafter.

August 31st, 2020

The 2020-21 school year calendar is already published.

Please see our sample daily schedules and calendars.

There is an "Activity Bus" that leaves campus at 4:55pm and is designed to accommodate those kids who wish to participate in Arts, Athletics, or other co-curricular activities.

Yes! The library remains open after school until 5:30pm and there is a teacher or librarian on duty.

MS Sports will have 2 to 3 contact days per week depending on the sport and level. Practice time is from 3:15 to 4:30pm.

Currently 5th Grade students can play one sport per season

• Fall – Small-sided Soccer
• Winter – Small-sided Basketball
• Spring – Lacrosse

Our 5th/6th grade soccer and basketball are designed to meet a variety of skill level, from kids who have never tried the sport to those that have lots of previous experience. The programs are designed to be low-risk and encourage those that might be new to a sport to try, fail, learn, and try again in a fun way. They will learn new skills, play games and do drills that enable them to try the skill, and have fun playing with their friends. In the non-athletic realm there are opportunities to participate in math competitions, robotics, music, and other activities on campus.

We do not have a tennis program at the MS level. We have many students who play at clubs or with specific USTA groups that join us for tennis in 9th grade.

Physical Education is treated as part of the regular academic schedule. You can expect your child to have PE at least 3 to 4 times a week, depending on the rotation of school schedule.

A team of folks, including our Student Support Team and advisors, work on creating homerooms that will include a variety of personalities and talents, as well as give the appropriate support to students with particular learning or personal needs.

In the middle school, advisors are assigned – and change – each year. Beginning in 9th Grade, students join an advisory that they stay in through graduation.

Students will be contacted by their homeroom advisor in early August.

It is possible that there may not be an instant connection between a student and an advisor, but it is the advisor's job and desire to find a way to build a meaningful partnership with each of the students and their families. Students are always encouraged to communicate with their advisors and ask for what they need; and if the relationship with the advisor is not working for the student, then hopefully that can be the beginning of a conversation and problem solving.