PJA Middle School

6th through 8th grade

The middle school years are when critical thinking really takes root. In every discipline, including math, science, the humanities, and the arts, students learn by doing, asking, and thinking for themselves. They develop the critical analytical skills that most students don’t learn until college.

Our middle school students apply these critical thinking skills to discussions of ethics and values, developing solid, grounded views about morals, community and culture. In addition, the Jewish Studies program supports and develops critical thinking skills and provides opportunities for in-depth discussion and analysis.  Our International Baccalaurate curricular framework perfectly rounds out the middle school learning years and provides students with clear vision for future action. 

All middle school students participate in ourTaglit (discovery) program, a special week-long session between semesters. Taglit is focused, performance-based, and hands-on. Students delve deeply into these intensive seminar-style courses, learning quite a bit in a short amount of time. Upcoming plans for courses include oceanography, a full-stage drama production, and creative writing.  Click here to learn more about Taglit.

Our 8th grade students participate each year in a culminating Capstone Project. Combining assignments, activities and skills from Humanities, Jewish Studies and Service Learning, this Capstone experience, integrates academic writing skills and the research process with Jewish Studies themes and a Service Learning project.  Students have the opportunity to showcase their work during the Capstone Expo at the end of the year.  For more information about the Capstone Project, please click here.

Specialists in music, art, physical education, dance, technology, library and an artist-in-residence program round out the PJA middle school experience. 

Middle School Exploratories

PJA middle school students can choose from a variety of exploratories that allow them to try out new skills and explore a subject for a quarter or a semester. Here is a sampling of exploratories that have been offered in the past:

Calligraphy
Healthy Cooking
MathCounts
Cartooning
Printmaking
Art
Yearbook
Dance
Mock Trial
Drama
Costume Design
Improvisation
Explore Portland
Vaudeville
Creative Writing
Yoga

Middle School Field Trips

Students take a variety of day field trips. Overnight field trips include a four-day trip to Outdoor School for 6th grade students, a three-day trip to Ashland for 7th grade students studying Shakespeare and a culminating 8th grade trip to Israel.

PJA Class of 2010 Before Their Trip to Israel!

Curriculum

You are welcome to take a look at the Curriculum mapping our teachers have done for their classes.  Connecting to this web site will give you a peek at what your children will be working on in the classroom.  The link below will open in a separate window and bring you to the Rubicon web site.  Use the search function to help you browse the site.

Click here to view PJA curriculum maps.

Contact

If you would like additional information about the PJA Middle school, please contact our Admission Director, Inge Hoogerhuis or call 503.535.3599.