The SSM Middle School is based at St. Mary’s Hall, a historic building on the southern end of the SSM campus. Aside from the classrooms, our space also has a chapel, gymnasium, library, and dining hall. Students may walk between campuses or take a bus that travels back and forth throughout the day. St. Mary’s Hall is also home to our largest girls’ dorm.

Each day after 1st period, we meet for thirty minutes in a block we call Community Period. On Mondays, we meet as a group in the Chapel and hold an assembly. We have time for announcements, and we have time for some brief programming. For example, we have used this time to talk about the challenge of making good decisions when faced with complex situations, to prepare students for safety drills, and to have treats together as a community.  

On Tuesdays and Thursdays, our students meet with their advisors in small groups. During this time, our advisors lead their advisees through activities meant to help the group get to know each other or grapple with an important topic. Sometimes, they just have fun together, too. On Thursdays, our advisors conduct a Chat & Check with each of their advisees. This is a formal individual check on how our students are doing in school and in our community. The advisors help students strategize about the challenges they are facing, and they give kudos and pep talks. If the advisors have questions or concerns, they share them with our Middle School leadership team. They also help students identify and celebrate all the ways they are growing, learning, and thriving here.  

On Wednesdays, we attend Chapel led by Father Colin Maltbie. This is an important time for us to come together in community, take a pause from our busy lives, and reflect on important themes.  

On Fridays, our students meet with their advisors with a quick check-in, and then they have choice time. When the weather is nice, we spend time outside, playing games and being active. When the weather is cold or rainy, our faculty plan special activities, such as making holiday crafts, writing letters of gratitude, and bingo or trivia competitions. 

Each student at SSM is assigned an advisor. This person is a faculty member who serves as the first point of contact for the student and their family. Students see their advisor every day in Community Period. 

Advisories are grade-based groups, usually about 7-9 students. Over the course of the year, these students tend to develop a strong bond with each other and with their advisors.

We have a full-time School Counselor at the Middle School. Our School Counselor provides support and guidance to our students and their families, consults with our faculty, co-teaches 9th grade Health and Wellness, and leads Health and Wellness initiatives for the 6th - 8th grade. Our Counseling Department works very closely with our Health Services Department.

For our boarding students, one of our Counselors is on-call every night school is in session.

Our School Nurses are based at Kramer House, which is on the Upper School Campus. We have two full-time nurses and a Director of Health Services. During the evenings, overnights, and weekends, someone from the nursing team is always on call. 

Our English as a Second Language program empowers emergent readers and writers with the confidence and competence to flourish academically and socially.

Our Performing and Visual Arts teachers and weCreate teachers guide our youngest students through introductory experiences in the visual arts, dance, theater, music, and digital video. Harnessing the energy of middle school students, acknowledging the worry some have about sharing their work, and then guiding them as they create is a hallmark of this team of teachers.