Shaping Tomorrow: Saddle River Day Launches Middle School National STEM Honors Society Chapter + OPEN HOUSE April 25th

The Merriam-Webster definition of the word “middle” is, variously, “being in the midst of something,” “something intermediate,” or “the center of a formation”—and aren’t those all perfect descriptions of what being in Middle School is like? It’s the time when, as Anastasia Kelly, Middle School Head, says, “children transform from little kids into young adults.” It’s when they are figuring out their passions, interests, and strengths. It’s when they start making decisions about their path in the future, and it’s a time when they can try something new.

At Saddle River Day School, we help our Middle School students on their journey of discovery by giving them as many varied and diverse experiences as possible, and we also offer them the opportunity to practice the skills they will need to be successful in the Upper School, college, and beyond. Our PBL (Project Based Learning modules) gives students the chance to collaborate and work in teams, and to practice design thinking and problem solving, aggregating ideas from various disciplines into their final projects. The Odyssey of the Mind club gives students the opportunity to think deeply about a topic that is of interest to them, and then asks them to articulate and present their thinking clearly and concisely. N block enrichment classes encourage students to make intentional choices that will help inform their elective decisions in Upper School. 

This commitment to preparing our students for success down the road is also why, this year, we established a chapter of the National STEM Honors Society. STEM education is embedded in the curriculum at SRDS from our Early Childhood Program on. But Middle School is when it’s important to increase our students’ exposure not just to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, but to the skills required to be successful in these disciplines; skills like problem solving, critical inquiry, communication, and data analysis. 

In order to be considered for induction into the National STEM Honors Society, students must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA in relevant coursework, they must be “good citizens” with no disciplinary issues, and they must complete 80 hours of STEM related activities outside of the classroom. They are also required to participate in 240 classroom hours in STEM related subjects but, as we know, the middle school curriculum has that well covered.  

Thirty two middle schoolers are currently pursuing membership in the NSHS. Within the Middle School, N block and enrichment classes including a robotics team, 3D printing, mini golf design, and in one case, a student designed hack-a-thon, can be applied towards their enrichment hours. Mini Science Challenges, hosted during lunch and after school by Middle School faculty members, also count. Additionally, students who choose a STEM topic for Odyssey of the Mind can apply those hours, as can students in Advanced Science, who are participating in the Upper School Science Olympiad preparation. 

The Middle School faculty are also helping students achieve their goals by arranging STEM field trips. Last month, students visited Liberty Science Center, attending a group presentation in the planetarium, and then choosing to participate in either a physics workshop that studied car crashes, or a criminology workshop that taught them about forensic science. Next month, students will visit the Columbia Materials Engineering Lab for a real-world look at research they could be assisting with during their college years. 

Critically, candidates for induction in the NSHS will need to proactively seek out enrichment opportunities in their time away from school. Students can attend additional classes or camps, tutor other students, watch a documentary, or go to a science museum. Many of the provisional candidates have done just that and the Middle School team is preparing to hold an induction ceremony this spring for the students who have achieved all their milestones and are eligible for NSHS membership. 

Opening this chapter of the National STEM Honors Society is just one more way in which Saddle River Day School is preparing our students to be successful in their fast-moving future. Even if that future is as close as the Upper School, where the valuable skills they’ve perfected while completing requirements for NSHS will serve them well if they choose to pursue a Gateway Diploma. At SRDS, this time in the middle, of transition and formation, of discernment and hard work, helps our students maximize the benefits of everything that comes next. 

VISIT SADDLE RIVER DAY SCHOOL

Middle School Open House

Grades 5-8

 Friday, April 25th - 8:15 am - 12:30 pm

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Now is the right time to invest in your child's education. At SRDS we teach students how to think and not what to think, and we prepare students to be innovators, thinkers, and leaders.

To register for the MIDDLE SCHOOL Open House, please email or call Kris Sweeny in the Office of Admissions ksweeny@saddleriverday.org or (201) 327-4050.

Saddle River Day School

Pre-K3 to Grade 12

147 Chestnut Ridge Road  •  Saddle River, NJ 07458  •  Tel: 201.327.4050

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About Saddle River Day School

Established in 1957, Saddle River Day School is a Pre-K3 through grade 12, co-ed, independent school serving just under 600 students. The school provides a robust curriculum and inspires students to achieve academic and personal excellence by teaching them how to think and not what to think. Each division (Lower PreK3-4th; Middle 5th-8th; Upper 9th-12th) offers a signature yearlong research program.

Saddle River Day also offers 30+ advanced placement and honors level courses, a full range of visual and performing arts as well as interscholastic athletics (grades 6th-12th), and highly individualized college counseling to encourage students to discover their passions and prepare them for whatever comes next. SRDS graduates are thriving at colleges like Duke, Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins, NYU, Northwestern, Villanova and Wake Forest.

For more information about the project or Saddle River Day School, please visit saddleriverday.org.