MIDDLE SCHOOL
Question well, think clearly, grow in confidence
Middle school is a season of rapid change and big questions. At CKA, small, discussion-forward classes channel that energy into growth: every student participates daily, learns how to study and take notes, and practices asking good questions. Over three years, they build the habits of active learners, including organization and personal responsibility, productive note-taking, and thoughtful evaluation of sources as they explore age-appropriate texts.
Middle school at CKA is about more than academics. It’s the formation of the whole person—body, mind, and soul. Through a scaffolded curriculum and daily formation in the faith, students grow in virtue, responsibility, self‑discipline, and confidence.
MIDDLE SCHOOL FAST FACTS
Grades 6-8
Average class size: 13
1:5 Teacher/Student Ratio
Seminar Format: Small, discussion‑driven classes centered on original texts
Accredited through the New England Association of Schools & Colleges (NEASC)
A space of their own: Middle schoolers have a dedicated entrance and wing
Athletics: Middle School Basketball (B/G), Cross Country (B/G), Volleyball (G), Ultimate Frisbee (B/G)
Clubs: Student Government, Chess, Student Newspaper
Theater: 1 Middle School Play and All-School Spring Musical Each Year
Music: Treble Boychoir
WHY A CLASSICAL APPROACH WORKS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL
Socratic learning: Guided by the Socratic method, students discuss and debate age-appropriate texts and ideas, learning to give reasons, weigh evidence, productively challenge ideas, and change their minds when truth requires it.
Skills that stick: Over three years, we teach how to study, take notes, and ask good questions, moving from organization and personal responsibility to productive note-taking, source evaluation, reading accessible primary texts, and increasingly confident seminar participation.
The right scale: In small classes, teachers truly know each child, their voice, questions, and gifts, and invite them into daily conversation. With mentoring, students move from speaking up to speaking well, learning to listen, reason, and articulate their ideas with clarity and charity.
A word from current parents: “Enrolling our son at Cardinal Kung Academy for his 6th-grade year has been one of the best decisions our family has made. From the very first day, the school community welcomed us with such warmth that it immediately felt like home. We have watched Carter flourish both academically and spiritually thanks to the extraordinary dedication of the teachers, administration, and chaplain, who take a deeply personal interest in every student’s development.”
THE GREAT BOOKS
The Great Books are enduring works of poetry, history, drama, philosophy, and theology that are studied in the authors’ own words (often in translation or in selections). The Great Books place students in conversation with the thinkers and storytellers who shaped our world.
How they serve our mission:
Ground students in a faithful, coherent view of the world rooted in the Church’s tradition.
Connect disciplines so history, literature, theology, art, music, and Latin illuminate one another.
Form judgment and character by asking perennial questions about the good life, justice, courage, and love.
MIDDLE SCHOOL FACULTY
We hire teachers who choose middle school on purpose. They understand students in this developmental moment, set clear routines, and channel curiosity into durable habits, so students build strong study practices and begin exploring their academic interests. All sign an Oath of Fidelity to the Magisterium.
Students find abundant opportunities to lead, create, and compete through clubs, the arts, athletics, and more.
STUDENT LIFE
With cultivated habits and seminar practice, students step into high school ready to lead and learn.
HIGH SCHOOL
Our Catholic faith is not a feature. It is the foundation, informing every subject and every decision.
FAITH & SERVICE
Middle School Schedule
Middle school classes meet daily in core subjects: Math, Science, Literature and Grammar, Latin, History, Theology. Boys and girls are taught in separate sections for Music as they develop skill in singing. Students also take PE twice per week and take advantage of regular breaks for exercise and fresh air. This steady, day-by-day cadence builds strong study habits, consistent practice, and confidence across subjects. Structured study halls are offered and proctored by a faculty member to support time management, reduce homework load at home, and help students stay on top of assignments.
WHY LATIN?
Latin is the language of the Church and a key to the Great Books. Studying Latin sharpens memory and logic, strengthens English vocabulary and grammar, and opens a doorway to theology, history, and classical literature. As students translate and recite, they grow in precision, attention, and a shared inheritance of faith and culture. Because so many modern languages draw from Latin, students find it easier to learn additional languages thereafter (as alumni studying abroad attest).
THE TRIVIUM
From memorization to understanding to eloquence
The Trivium is a roadmap for learning: foundations (Grammar), reasoning (Logic), and clear expression (Rhetoric). In Middle School, we apply this progression across subjects so students build strong study habits, think critically, and communicate with confidence.
Grade 6 — Grammar: Build foundations in language, memory, maps/timelines, and core study and note‑taking habits.
Grades 7–8 — Logic: Define terms, spot fallacies, weigh evidence, and debate charitably in seminar.
Grade 8 — Rhetoric: Synthesize learning; write and speak with clarity and charity.
Unplugged at CKA
At CKA, students are taught not simply to consume information, but to think clearly, question thoughtfully, and reason well. Our classrooms are intentionally device-free so students focus on real books, real conversations, and real connections. This fosters attentive study, intellectual honesty, and strong relationships while strengthening distinctly human capacities: attention, judgment, clear speech, and moral courage.