Academics

Middle School

Middle School is a time of great change and increasing independence for students. Through inquiry and self-reflection, students are figuring out their best learning modes: “Do I learn best by reading? By writing? By listening? What combination of research and retrieval works best for me?”
The Middle School offers a challenging academic sequence in an environment designed to enhance intellectual and personal development. Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades follow a curriculum of English, mathematics, history, science, computer science, and foreign language. Visual arts, music, performing arts, physical education, and health & wellness are also a part of every week.

The departmentalized schedule is designed to introduce curious students to academic subjects taught by specialists and to promote the further development of their independence and self-discipline. Along with heavier course loads, Middle School students learn to integrate more discretionary time into their schedules. Trevor’s advisory program helps guide students in time management and goal-setting, as they tackle more sophisticated content.

Rebecca Damas - Director of Middle School

We believe that Middle School is more than a time to prepare for Upper School; it is a unique time in every child's life that should be treasured.
    • Middle School Common Room

Welcome to the Middle School

Our promise to families is ambitious academics, engaged students, and balanced lives. We guide our students towards a balance among their pursuits and interests that allows them to thrive academically, on the athletic field, in the arts, as classmates and members of this community, and outside of school. We also want Trevor to be a part of our families’ lives in a way that promotes balance, convenience, and partnership in the education of your children. You really can have it all in one place here: a stellar academic program, outstanding arts electives, and competitive athletics teams, all housed in a world-class facility designed just for us that is open to students from 7:30 am to 6:00 pm. To highlight just a few of the components of our program that make us unique in the city of New York…

The Trevor faculty is second to none in serving both as teachers and advisors to Middle School students. Our teachers are not only experts in their fields of study who want to share their expertise in the classroom, they want to spend time with their students outside of the classroom, too. Teachers’ desks line the perimeter of our Common Room on the 5th floor, and student schedules include work periods in that space. Students can work on assignments, meet with their teachers or advisor, or catch up with a friend over a game of chess. No matter what students choose to do, adults are there to give advice, answer questions, reflect with students about their choices, and sometimes just listen patiently. An added bonus is that our students get to see their teachers in action as they do their own work and collaborate with their colleagues. 

In the classroom you will see students engaged in constructing a body of knowledge and building a set of skills that will serve them into adulthood. They might be sitting in the round or in groups or pairs. They might be solving math problems at the board, interpreting primary sources, annotating a class novel, deliberating over the meaning of a phrase in a poem, dissecting specimens, building models, or conversing in French, Spanish, and Mandarin. Students learn to take Cornell notes by hand and create slideshow presentations on Google Workspace. No matter the discipline, students ask questions of their teachers and classmates as they pursue greater understanding. Intellectual curiosity and independent thinking are hallmarks of our students, and we value both good questions and thoughtful answers.

Walk the halls of our campus, and you will see the artwork of our students on display. Pop by the dance studio to witness student choreography in action, or attend a concert or performing arts production in our theatre. Stop by one of our gym spaces and catch our students playing a casual game of pick-up basketball during the lunch hour or competing fiercely in a match after school.

I could go on, but that’s what the rest of the website is for. Trevor is a truly remarkable place for our students and our families. I hope that you will have an opportunity to see us in person and in action!

Rebecca Damas
Director of Middle School