Middle School Grades
Middle School at St. John Vianney Regional School encompasses grades 5 through 8 in the Annex Building of campus. Subjects are taught in a departmentalized system with some block scheduling being utilized. In the SJV Annex, students receive a high quality faith-filled program with an emphasis on preparation for the academic challenge of secondary school. While the curricular program offers challenging academics... our community service activities, athletics, extra-curricular activities and social events provide opportunities for the development of leadership, character, and social skills.
Our oldest students are required to participate in academic competitions that prepare them with
research and presentation skills: 7th Grade National History Day, 8th Grade Science Fair, 7th and
8th Grade Declamation.
National History Day makes history come alive for our 7th Graders by engaging them in the discovery of historic, cultural and social experiences of the past. Through hands-on experiences and presentations, our students are better able to inform the present and shape the future. NHD inspires our students through exciting competitions and transforms teaching through project-based curriculum and instruction.
Our 8th Grader science project is an in-depth investigation of a scientific question that involves forming a hypothesis, testing your hypothesis with an experiment, making your observations, drawing conclusions and presenting the findings. Our students approach their science projects using the steps of the scientific method: a useful framework that helps structure scientific inquiry by breaking down the process into manageable steps.
In addition, 7th and 8th Grade students participate in Declamation where they must memorize a speech or portion of a speech previously given by another person. Speaking and listening skills that have been honed through learning a speech will be a valuable asset as these students further their education and enter the competitive world of work.
Our Catholic 8th Graders will also spend their year preparing for the sacrament of Confirmation. Confirmation more perfectly binds the child to the Church, making them enriched with a special strength of the Holy Spirit. Hence they are, as true witnesses of Christ, more strictly obliged to spread and defend the faith by word and deed.
With the support of their teachers and advisors, students are nurtured and guided academically and socially throughout the early adolescent years. SJV provides a diverse middle school curriculum which uses the Allentown Diocese and the Pennsylvania State guidelines for overall guidance. Consistently high IOWA standardized test scores indicate this is a successful approach to the middle school development and implementation.
