Middle School

Episcopal’s personalized approach to education gives Middle School students opportunities for appropriate challenges beyond the traditional course progression. Students who are ready for the rigor of Upper School coursework have opportunities to earn Upper School credit in Computer Science, Physical Science, Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, World Geography, French, or Spanish. These options create greater flexibility for future course selection in Upper School and help students build a strong foundation for continued academic success.

Students have many opportunities to explore academics beyond the classroom, develop leadership skills, serve others, and pursue their own interests. Middle School offerings include MATHCOUNTS, Youth Legislature, Student Council, Praise Band, No Place for Hate, Robotics, Garden Club, and more. Students are also invited to bring forward their own ideas and submit club proposals, giving them a meaningful voice in shaping the life of our Middle School community.

Middle School students choose at least one of two world languages, French or Spanish. Students studying French have a long tradition of choosing an immersion experience in Quebec, while students studying Spanish have the opportunity for a similar experience in Chile. These programs invite students to deepen their language skills, experience new cultures, and see their classroom learning come to life in meaningful ways.

​Middle School students grow in a community built for this important stage of life. Small classes, caring teachers, and a strong advisory program help students feel known, supported, and ready to navigate the academic, social, and emotional transitions of adolescence. Our dedicated Middle School counselor partners with students individually and in small groups, offering support with school, friendships, family concerns, and mental health needs. 

Our Learning Support Services program works in partnership with students, families, and teachers to provide thoughtful support and appropriate accommodations for students with diagnosed learning differences and attention challenges. The goal is to help students understand how they learn, build confidence, and access the curriculum with the tools they need to succeed.

At Episcopal, teachers work together across divisions to support student growth from Lower School through Upper School. Academic departments bring faculty together by subject area, creating strong alignment in curriculum, instruction, and professional learning. This cross-divisional collaboration helps students build skills over time and move confidently from one stage of their Episcopal experience to the next.

Our one-to-one iPad program helps students use technology with purpose, balance, and confidence. As part of the Middle School learning experience, iPads support collaboration, creativity, organization, research, and independent learning. Students learn to use digital tools responsibly as they build the skills needed to think critically, communicate clearly, and engage thoughtfully with the world around them.

For more information, please review the iPad Handbook and FAQs.

The Honor Code sits at the heart of who we are in Middle School. It asks students to respect yourself and others, take care of Episcopal’s environment and materials, be honest and fair, and respect others’ rights to learn. These values guide our conversations, shape our choices, and help students understand their responsibility to themselves, one another, and the larger Episcopal community. During the first weeks of school, every student signs the Honor Code as a shared commitment to reflection, responsibility, and growth. When students make mistakes, our response focuses on repair and learning so they understand the impact of their choices and move forward in a positive way.

Middle School students have many opportunities to grow spiritually through chapel, religion coursework, service learning, and daily moments of reflection and prayer. Students attend chapel twice a week and take quarter-long religion courses each year. Sixth graders study Episcopal Identity, seventh graders explore the Old and New Testament, and eighth graders consider how religion influences everyday life around the world. Students also help lead and participate in chapel as Student Vestry members, Chapel Readers, and Praise Band musicians.

Service learning in Middle School builds on the heart for service students begin developing in Lower School. Sixth graders take a quarter-long service learning course, where they learn the philosophy of service learning and begin to understand how action, reflection, and community partnership work together. In seventh and eighth grade, students continue this work through field trips, reflection, and experiences in the Baton Rouge community. Across all three years, students explore real community needs, connect service to what they are learning, and grow in gratitude, empathy, and responsibility.

Middle School students have meaningful opportunities to grow as leaders and learn the skills of collaboration, responsibility, communication, and problem-solving. The Student Council has been reimagined to give students a stronger voice in shaping community life, planning division events, and supporting class projects. The new Middle School Honor Council will invite students to help uphold the values of the Honor Code and encourage a culture of honesty, respect, and responsibility. Through these leadership opportunities and club officers, students learn to lead with purpose, serve their community, and care for one another.

Middle School students extend their learning through meaningful retreat and travel experiences that connect classroom study, community, friendship, and personal growth. Sixth graders begin the year with orientation designed to help them build strong bonds and establish their class identity. Later in the year, they participate in a local service-learning experience. In seventh grade, students travel to either Houston or Memphis as they continue their study of American history, with a dedicated focus on social justice and civil rights. Eighth graders mark their final year of Middle School with a fall trip to Camp Cho-Yeh in Livingston, Texas, where they spend time in nature, stretch themselves through team-building activities, and look ahead to the next chapter of their Episcopal journey. Students also have opportunities to participate in Episcopal’s broader travel program, with past trips including the Florida Keys, Canada, Iceland, and more.

We value a strong partnership with parents and believe students thrive when school and home work together. Optional student-parent-teacher conferences will take place in October, and parent-teacher conferences are available by request at any point during the school year. Families have many opportunities to stay connected and involved through our active Parents’ Guild, parent education programs, and the Counseling Department’s yearly book study. Parents U-Knighted, a support group for parents of students with learning differences, also offers monthly opportunities for connection, conversation, and support.