A Kavod, we harness the positive energy of middle schoolers to make our tuition-free charter school one of the best in San Diego. By building trusted relationships and nurturing their independence, we encourage our 6th-8th grade explorers to take the reins. They prove to us day after day that middle schoolers are really awesome kids. We realize you may not get to see all of these things at home, so here’s a little peek of what your middle schooler’s day includes at Kavod.
Middle School Advisory Class
We start our day off with Advisory, a mixed grade (6th-8th) homeroom class that provides a place to connect and belong. Explorers gain academic support, lessons on our OLAM values and have opportunities to discuss the pressing issues of middle school life. It’s one of our favorite times of day and one of the reasons explorers say, “It’s really easy to make friends here,” and “It feels like more of a family than my other school.”
International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme
Our robust academic program for 6th-8th is organized around the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP). Explorers rotate through the following classes in their day:
- Language & Literature
- Mathematics
- Integrated Science & Design
- Individuals & Societies
- Hebrew and/or Spanish
- Visual and/or Performing Arts
- Physical & Wellness Education
Despite the rigor (or maybe because of), explorers frequently say they love the IB programme because they feel like they get a better education and they enjoy the project-based learning. They also love their teachers – it’s one of their most favorite parts of attending Kavod.
“You get a lot of benefits from being at a smaller school, like more help and the teachers are really easy to work with.” -Kavod Middle School Student
The IB MYP not only prepares explorers for the challenge of high school, but it also provides an advantage when applying to a high school with the IB Diploma Years Programme. Kavod explorers have the opportunity to earn high school credits in Hebrew, Spanish, and Math.
Enrichments, Electives & Clubs
Because middle school is also about exploring and getting to know yourself (and having fun!), all explorers choose from a variety of enrichment and elective classes. Students sign up for two enrichment classes that occur every other Monday and one elective class that is 1x per month on Thursdays. A sample of these classes include:
- Coding
- Entrepreneurship
- Theater
- Yoga
- Social Justice
- Debate
- Gardening
- Photography
- Student Council
Explorers can also participate in a wide variety of after-school clubs to explore a new interest and find a place to belong. Some of the options we offer include:
- Dungeons & Dragons
- Art
- Non-Competitive Sports
- Journalism
- Band
- Hebrew Support
- LGBTQ+/Rainbow
- Math Support
- Yearbook
This year, explorers are hard at work on the musical production: Matilda, Jr.!
Leadership & Service
If your middle schooler applies to be a Kavod Ambassador to our younger explorers, they’ll attend the first two days of elementary school to act as mentors for our TK-5 explorers. Middle school explorers are also active good-deed doers: they participate in service learning projects throughout the year designed to strengthen their bond within our school and the greater San Diego community.
Whether your child is starting with us from TK or is ready to join us for middle school, our small community school makes it easy to join in the fun:
“It was easy to make friends. I came in 4th grade from across the country. It was really easy to connect with people. Especially the teachers. They try to reach out and connect.”
-Kavod Middle School Student
If you would like more information about our middle school program, we have lots of information on our website. You can also visit our enrollment page to get started on the best middle school experience you can give your child – we’re enrolling now for 2024-25. Come join us!
About Kavod
Kavod is a tuition-free public charter school in San Diego committed to growing the next generation of bilingual, globally aware leaders who will make the world a more respectful place. We offer modern Hebrew and Spanish to diverse TK-8th graders alongside a rigorous curriculum, the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, and enriching electives. As a small, non-religious elementary and middle school, we are consistently ranked as a top 10% charter school in California and the nation. Kavod means respect – we believe respect makes a world of difference. Enroll with Kavod today!
