Programs + Resources « Academics
Middle School Programs and Resources
Advisory
Every middle school student is a member of a grade-level advisory group, comprised of one faculty member and 12 students. These groups meet on a weekly basis to connect on a more personal basis to discuss topics relating to their school and/or personal lives. Grade level themes guide the discussions: self awareness and advocacy (6th grade), community contributions (7th grade) and service learning (8th grade).
High School Placement
Live Oak enjoys an excellent high school placement record. Bringing a combination of high academic achievement and active citizenship, our students are sought after by competitive schools in the Bay Area and beyond. Most are accepted into the school of their choice. They arrive at high school prepared, enthusiastic, and confident—ready to take on new challenges. Live Oak families are supported through the high school placement process. Live Oak’s parent forums and student classes prepare eighth graders and their families for applications, interviews, the SSAT, and the transition process. Most graduates attend independent high schools, with some attending public, parochial, and boarding schools.
Academic Mini-Courses
Designed to help students hone organization and study skills, pursue areas of interest, and understand their individual learning preferences, mini-courses explore topics such as test-taking, media literacy, and health and nutrition. Mini-courses meet three times weekly and enable students to enrich their core academic courses and provide additional
opportunities to connect with teachers.
Rotation
Students take a once-a-week rotation class each trimester to explore an area of interest for focused study. Classes range from literature studies and drawing to knitting, gardening, and Ultimate Frisbee.
All School Programs and Resources
Assembly
Assemblies give students opportunities to share learning and school news through community celebrations. Students have fun and learn new skills while participating. Lower school and Middle school students gather in groups on a weekly basis.
CTP 4 (ERB)
Beginning in third grade, this yearly test—required for the accreditation process for independent schools in California—helps Live Oak evaluate individual performance and group achievement in relation to curriculum goals. Reading and auditory comprehension, vocabulary, writing mechanics and process, and mathematics are assessed. Parents receive a copy of the test results in a year-end summary report.
Field Trips
Living history experiences, field studies, civic explorations, and an annual eighth grade trip to Washington, DC, give students the opportunity to see the ways in which lessons at school have relevance beyond the classroom walls.
Groves
Every Live Oak student is a member of a mixed-age Grove—a small group with one or two students from each grade, led by a faculty member. Students remain in the same Groves throughout their time at Live Oak. Middle school students take on leadership roles in these groups, acting as models for social interaction and supporting younger members in Grove activities and community projects. For more about groves see School Life > Groves
Learning Specialists
Students who need additional support or challenge in one or more units of study benefit from the services of a full-time Lower School learning specialist and a part-time Middle School learning specialist. Our dedicated specialists work closely with classroom teachers, parents and students to provide support necessary to further student learning.
Service Learning
Connecting with the community allows students to explore societal issues while engaging in concrete experiences to effect change. Projects include recycling and composting, volunteering, food drives, and more.
Technology
Technology is carefully integrated into the curriculum at every grade level. Students gain instruction in computer essentials, from keyboarding and understanding of basic computer concepts to use of standard office productivity tools and internet-based research techniques. Middle School students engage in a variety of progressively more challenging technology-based projects, including construction of student wikis and blogs, PowerPoint presentations, podcasts, and digital videos. For more about technology see Academics > Technology
