Middle School

There is so much joy to be mined from the Middle School experience. At Harford Day School, students take ownership of their learning, so when success comes, it is fully theirs. It starts in sixth grade when every student takes our Study Skills class. We want students to manage their own task lists, study skills, and deadlines. These skills, built on the foundation of our Lower School program, prepare students to create a small business in the Innovation Lab, work together to finish a 3-D map of the earth’s layers, read Macbeth, do a deep dive on a constitutional amendment, and more. It’s cool to be smart at HDS, and it’s cool to get good grades. What begins with Study Skills in Sixth Grade and culminates with a Capstone Project in Eighth Grade.

We understand that Middle School can be fraught with uncertainty and self-doubt. Our program teaches perseverance by encouraging students to take an active part in navigating their friendships as they evolve, strengthening the resolve students have in their values, and helping students build confidence in themselves and their abilities. Harford Day Middle School is a place where students feel comfortable advocating for themselves with peers, teachers and administrators.

Empathy isn’t just a buzzword at Harford Day. Students actively engage in understanding others’ perspectives throughout the curriculum, whether through reading about diverse perspectives in English class, tracking the stats of underrepresented athletes in Math class, or looking at primary sources to see History beyond the textbook. Middle School Empathy and Ethics classes teach students directly about the diversity of the human experience to prepare them for working in an increasingly diverse society. Outside of the classroom, students engage in service learning trips where they help plant and harvest food for food-insecure families or help prepare a meal for local residents experiencing homelessness.

At Harford Day School, our students don’t follow a single path. We don’t have theater kids and sports kids, we just have Dragons. From Little Dragons to Fifth grade, every student participates in a yearly class play. In Middle School, students can choose to participate in our Fall Play and/or Spring Musical. These performances foster confidence, teach teamwork, and instill a sense of pride in accomplishment. Because they are a tradition woven into the fabric of our program, students of all ages embrace them. When performance becomes a choice, most students participate in at least one show during their time in middle school. Dragons don’t choose between the stage and the field, they joyfully participate in both. 

Harford Day’s Middle School program challenges students academically while recognizing the unique needs of early adolescents. Our rigorous curriculum builds mastery in fundamental skills and concepts that prepare students for success in high school-and far beyond. But it does much more than that. Every lesson, project, and experience is shaped by one guiding question: What’s best for early adolescents? This means creating a supportive environment where students feel known, valued, and capable of stretching themselves intellectually, socially, and emotionally. Through opportunities for collaboration, leadership, play, and exploration, students learn to think critically, communicate effectively, and approach challenges with resilience. The result is a confident, well-rounded learner ready to thrive in the next stage of their journey.

Harford Day School is the oldest Preschool through Eighth Grade School in Harford County accredited by the Association of Independent Maryland-DC Schools (AIMS), and member of the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS). The Early Childhood, Extended Day and Summer Programs are further licensed by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE). We offer a range of schedule options, including extended day, and summer programs.

We know that tomorrow’s students, thinkers, leaders, and citizens need to develop their abilities to analyze, to evaluate, to think critically and creatively—sometimes independently, sometimes with partners and groups, and always with resilience to make mistakes and survive setbacks.

We also know that middle school students require instruction and practice in communication and collaboration, and so we provide lots of it, in settings as varied as the art studio, the science lab, the lacrosse field, and the math classroom.

Just as essential as mastering both new and traditional academic skills is the opportunity for students to grow through social interaction, play, physical activity, and leadership. These experiences build confidence, strengthen relationships, and support the development of well-rounded, capable learners.