Academic Excellence

At Calvert School, Middle School students are exposed to a wide variety of subjects, while continuing to master the skills learned in the Lower School. Teachers prepare students for future academic excellence by further developing basic educational skills.

In English, students are introduced to complex novels, maintain journals, and compose poetry. In Mathematics, students start with Pre-Algebra, and by Eighth Grade are able to take courses as advanced as Algebra II.

Calvert School also has a rigorous science and history curriculum, with additional courses in the arts and foreign language added. Along with these core skills and subjects, a special project is assigned over the course of the year in each grade. Fifth Graders study countries, Sixth Graders the disaster of Pompeii, and Seventh Graders our own city of Baltimore. In Eighth Grade, the Castalia Project—named after the home of Calvert's famous first Head Master, Virgil Hillyer, which still stands on our campus grounds—enables students to use their research skills and apply them to a topic of their choice.

The Eighth Grade project is designed as a culmination of the skills that each project and the entire Calvert education cultivate. The Castalia Project is comprised of a research paper, a creative component, and a presentation on any topic a student chooses. It showcases research, writing, and public speaking skills, but also allows students to express their individuality and creativity. It is our hope that this project will send students into the world with a love of learning for its own sake and a confidence in their ability to tackle challenging long-term projects.