Middle School Girls Trip
Middle School Boys Football Huddle
Limelights production of Wizard of Oz: Youth Edition
Middle School Trip to DC
middle school sports lacrosse playing
Wizard of Oz Middle School Production
Middle School students doing service

our Middle School student Experience

Where Transformation Takes Root

At SCH Academy, Middle School is a time of transformation—a journey in which students deepen their understanding of themselves, their community, and the wider world. Our Self, School, and Society framework supports this journey, with Self representing the importance of introspection and reflection, School encompassing the learning community in which our students connect and collaborate with others, and Society representing the unique urban and natural environments beyond our classroom walls that our students both explore and serve.

Through meaningful and experiential learning, our students develop the thoughtfulness, care for community, empathy, and resilience that are needed to authentically live out SCH’s mission to “effect positive change” in the world.

Exploring Self, School, and Society

Every SCH Middle Schooler embarks on a journey of self-awareness, belonging, and purpose. Learn how our programs support growth through the pillars of Self, School Community, and Society.

LEARNING THAT GOES BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

From the banks of the Wissahickon to the heart of Washington, D.C., SCH’s Middle School trips are as bold and dynamic as our students. Every grade embarks on a carefully curated sequence of adventures that spark curiosity, build character, and foster Connection.

What Makes Our Trips Special?

  • Adventure and Growth: Orienteering, ropes courses, and boat-building push students to work together and test their limits.
  • Service with Purpose: Packing meals, planting trees, and volunteering for local nonprofits give students meaningful ways to make a difference.
  • Real-World Learning: Whether exploring the Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the National Constitution Center, or the Woodmere Art Museum, our trips bring curriculum to life through local, interdisciplinary experiences.
  • Joy, Always: End-of-year celebrations at places like Dorney Park and Splashplex Waterpark give students time to unwind and celebrate their hard work.
Middle School students doing service
Middle School Trip to DC

Common Highlights by Grade

  • 5th-Grade: Orienteering, College Settlement Camp, Penn Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, and Splashplex Waterpark
  • 6th-Grade: Riverbend Environmental Education Center (Amazing Race and service), Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia Zoo, Splashplex Waterpark
  • 7th-Grade: Rise Against Hunger, National Constitution Center, Eastern State Penitentiary, Woodmere Art Museum, and Dorney Park
  • 8th-Grade: Outward Bound, Cradles to Crayons, world language trips (Taller Puertorriqueño, Chinatown, Grounds for Sculpture, etc.), Dorney Park, and a capstone overnight trip to Washington, D.C.

At SCH, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Our Middle School trips and experiences are more than memorable—they are transformational.

And ultimately, our Self, School, and Society framework becomes the lens through which students learn to understand and navigate the world: starting with introspection, deepening relationships within our community, and, finally, engaging thoughtfully with
society.

enrichment opportunities

One of every three Intro to Middle School classes focuses on social-emotional learning using the "Second Steps Curriculum" for 5th grade. Students are taught lessons on empathy, problem-solving, and how to calm down. They practice important skills to help them better navigate big emotions and complex relationships.