Middle School |New Canaan Country School

Middle School: Grades 5 & 6

In and out of the classroom, on and off the sports fields, our teachers artfully stretch our Middle School students further than they think they can go but do so with the compassion children need to triumph boldly over challenges.

Independence and Collaboration

In fifth and sixth grade, children become more autonomous. A strong adult presence and small classes help usher children through these critical transformative years. This is especially important as they begin the natural process of developing independence from their parents.

In Middle School, they are given more responsibility and must develop sound study and time management skills. They continue to practice and master their academic competency and push their creative and critical thinking. They hone their ability to apply their knowledge toward more sophisticated analysis and synthesis across subjects and disciplines.

They also participate in collaborative projects which teach them to work together by accepting and giving feedback to their peers – critical skills for success in life and in the workplace.

Introduction, Practice, Mastery and Application

In the Middle School, students continue to practice and master foundational skills. At this point they are also ready to apply these skills to deeper, more advanced concepts in the same subjects or to novel situations in new subject matter.

Our subject-specific curricular objectives in the Middle School include:

Language Arts: Cultivate an appreciation of classic and contemporary literature and strengthen their writing skills.
Mathematics: Participate in a rigorous math program that stresses the importance of computational and estimation skills, as well as the application of logical thinking and problem-solving.
Science: Learn scientific methodologies through a variety of hands-on experiences in Earth, life and physical sciences, with a focus on geology, weather, the human body, electricity and bird identification.
Social Studies: Study history, geography and current events while developing skills in research, note taking, outlining, mapmaking and synthesizing information.
World Language: Strengthen their abilities in Spanish
Art/Music: Participate in the visual arts, woodshop, Maker Lab and drama.

List of 2 members.

Kirsten Rosolen

Head of Middle and Upper School

Bio
Kirsten Rosolen has been Head of Middle School since 2005. She started her teaching career at Country School as a Grade 5 apprentice and then became a Grade 5 homeroom teacher. An alumna of Choate Rosemary Hall, she returned there for many summers to teach and work as the Director for the CONNECT Math and Science Program for Middle School Girls. Kirsten earned a B.A. in Biology from Bucknell University and an M.A. in Teaching, with a focus on Middle School Education and Administration, from Sacred Heart University. In addition, she was a fellow in Vanderbilt’s Peabody Professional Institute for Independent School Leadership. Recently, she presented on Mission Skills at the annual National Association of Independent Schools and co-authored the article, "Building Character: How Can Independent Schools Ensure They Teach What They Profess?" Kirsten has also served on the Board’s Advancement Committee and Master Planning Committees. Kirsten is active in the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools (CAIS) and the Fairchester Middle School Heads groups and was a member of a school accreditation team. She enjoys playing pickle ball and cooking. Kirsten and her husband, Matt, have two children.
Jarvis Wyche

Assistant Head of Middle School

Bio
Most recently, Jarvis has been Director of Student Life and Engagement at Fayerweather Street School in Cambridge, MA. Previously, Jarvis spent 5 years at Thayer Academy as a Middle School Counselor and Health & Wellness Teacher. He was also Executive Director of Project RISE at Thayer Academy from 2019-2021. He holds a Doctor of Education from Northeastern University, a Master of Science in School Counseling from Northeastern University, a Master of Music in Vocal Performance from New England Conservatory of Music, and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Developing Both Competence and Confidence

by Head of Middle and Upper School Kirsten Rosolen

At New Canaan Country School, we believe that being academically well prepared is simply not enough. To be successful in life, we want our students to have a combination of both competence and confidence.
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Middle School News

Fifth & Sixth Grade Performing Arts Students Produce Original Play: "The Rocky Road Trip"

Fifth and sixth grade performing arts students presented their original play "The Rocky Road Trip" to audiences of Middle School classmates, family, faculty and staff during performances held in the school’s auditorium June 2 and 5. The production was entirely student-written, choreographed, designed and performed by the ensemble cast of 32 students over the course of the spring trimester.
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Middle School Shares: Students Showcase their Unique Artistic Talents

Country School fifth and sixth graders showcased their considerable artistic talents in group and individual performances at “Middle School Shares,” an hour-long production created by the students, for the students, on April 28 in the school’s auditorium.

Student acts included comedy skits, breakdancing, tap dancing, a drum solo, card tricks, a guitar solo, group and solo choreographed dance performances, a video of sports highlights, piano performances, vocal solos and joke-telling emcees.
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Do Dark-Eyed Junkos Prefer Sunflower or Milo Seeds? Sixth Grade Bird Sleuths Measure Feeding Behavior in Scientific Study

Sixth grade students presented their scientific experiments and conclusions on the feeding behavior of local birds to Upper School students, faculty and staff at a Bird Symposium, held in the school’s Dining Hall on April 5 and 6. The event was a culmination of their trimester-long inquiry-based study of birds.
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Sixth Grade Students Capture Civic Engagement Through Their Artwork

Six grade students embarked on a journey of civic engagement when asked to incorporate words with pictures to illustrate a multitude of global and local issues that were on their minds. The idea for the project came from art teacher Liz Ferran after she listened to a piece on WNYC radio, entitled “Spotted Lanternflies”. VIEW the carousel of student artwork.
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