Sage Ridge School Grades 6-8 I Independent School in Reno

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Middle School Sage Ridge girls at Promotion 2025

Grades 6-8: Empowering Growth, Fostering Independence

Middle School at Sage Ridge isn’t simply a bridge. It’s a profound transformation. From the first day of sixth grade, students step into a dynamic chapter defined by intellectual expansion, emotional maturity, and personal discovery.

Our Scorpions shift from concrete thinking to abstract analysis. They find their voice in discussions, sharpen their reasoning across disciplines, and strengthen their character. Guided by teachers who know them deeply and challenge them purposefully, students grow into confident, engaged learners, always ready for what’s next.

By the end of eighth grade, our students don’t just graduate to Upper School. They rise to meet it, equipped with clarity, confidence, and a strong sense of self.

Throughout their journey, our five pillars—Scholarship, Respect, Integrity, Courage, and Community—serve as a compass for how our students learn, lead, and live.

The Sage Ridge Difference

At Sage Ridge, no student slips through the cracks. Small advisory groups meet regularly for mentoring, academic and social-emotional growth and pillar-centered discussions. With intentional structures and caring relationships in place, every Scorpion is seen, heard and supported.

Our campus is a safe and inclusive space where students are encouraged to advocate for themselves and grow with confidence.

Student-to-Teacher Ratio 13:1

Grades 6-8

Personalized Paths

Flexible Based On Readiness

Sage Ridge Pre-Algebra teacher instructs a 7th-grade student after school

Mentorship and Leadership

With Scorpions Of All Ages

Isabella Ramos Honens speaks at the 2025 Promotion Ceremony

Future-Focused Scorpions

Build College Readiness

School Counselor

Family & Faculty Collaboration

Student Life

Community Across Grade Levels

Perform On Stage

Grades 6-8

Be An Athlete

Grades 6-8

After School Support

Monday-Friday until 6 p.m.

Lower School students in after school fencing program

Whole-Child Learning: Depth, Discovery & Belonging

Our Middle School program cultivates intellectual growth, self-awareness, and leadership. We balance academic rigor with real-world relevance and equip students with tools to thrive in every subject and stage of their Sage Ridge journey.

While many schools offer core curriculum as electives, Sage Ridge provides adaptive, project-based, year-round instruction in all core subjects from grades 6-8, integrated into the daily schedule, with opportunities for deeper exploration through electives.

Core Curriculum Highlights

English

Math

Scorpions progress along individualized math pathways based on readiness. Instruction focuses on critical thinking, conceptual understanding, and problem-solving, preparing students to reach their full potential and build lifelong confidence in math skills. Students develop their capabilities with a long-term goal of succeeding with excellence in AP Calculus AB or BC (or beyond!) in Upper School.

Science

Building on the hands-on, inquiry-based science foundation from Lower School, Middle School students explore Earth and life science concepts across grades 6–8. Topics include Earth’s layers and systems, weathering and erosion, the rock and water cycles, ecosystems, biodiversity, cells, DNA, genetics, evolution, and environmental impact. Students use data collection, engineering design, and collaborative experimentation to connect classroom concepts to real-world applications.

History

Foreign Language

In Grade 6, students experience both Spanish and Latin before choosing one for continued study. Middle School Spanish learners build skills in reading, writing, speaking, listening, and cultural exploration. Latin students develop reading fluency and make connections between ancient Rome and modern life. Sage Ridge School is the only school in the region to offer Latin.

Physical Education

Courses That Ignite Creative Thinking: Visual Arts, Music, Theatre and Computer Science

Middle School students thrive in enrichment courses led by expert faculty. Rotating quarter-length classes in studio art, theatre, music, and computer science, with two semester-length electives in grade 8.

Visual Arts
Middle School artists build upon their Lower School foundation through engaging, hands-on experiences that explore the Elements of Art and Principles of Design. Eighth-grade students use visual language for personal expression and prepare their work for formal exhibition. Scorpions have opportunities to participate in public art installations, showcasing their creative skills, and their unique perspectives.

Music
Middle School musicians explore melody, harmony, rhythm, and the cultural contexts of music. Students learn foundational chords on ukulele and guitar, perform songs solo and in ensembles, and complete projects on musicians' lives and their artistic development. Scorpions expand their repertoire while examining the powerful relationship between music and activism. They study the brain’s response to music, how it enhances skills across disciplines, and how musicians influence culture. Through performance, research, and reflection, Scorpions experience music as both an expressive art and a means for connection and change. Quarterly Coffeehouse performances build musicianship and stage confidence.

Theatre
Middle School Theatre builds communication, collaboration, and confidence. Students begin with pantomime and physical storytelling, advance to character development and monologue work and explore improvisation, acting methods, and scene work. With exposure to techniques from Stanislavski to Uta Hagen to improvisation, Scorpions develop expressive range and performance skills. They take creative risks, support their ensemble, and grow their voices both on and off stage. Middle School Scorpions can audition for the fall play or spring musical.

Computer Science
Building on Lower School foundations, Middle School students develop increasingly complex digital skills. Students create games, animations, and interactive stories, focusing on logic, sequencing, and feedback. Artificial intelligence explores ethical questions, data, and human-centered design. Students transition to Python, using code to build digital art, music, and video games while developing fluency in text-based programming and creative computation.

Advisory

Strong Executive Functioning Emphasis

Ready to Rise: Eighth Grade to Upper School

Alongside our intentional curriculum and programming, eighth-grade students prepare for Upper School through:

PSAT
Upper School Shadow Day
Upper School curriculum pathways meeting with the Director of College Counseling and the Assistant Head of School to explore tailored curriculum options, 9th-grade course selections, and future academic goals.

Course Guide

Grades 6-8

Outdoor Education & Sage Session

Learning Beyond the Classroom

Each fall, all Sage Ridge students participate in Outdoor Education Week. Sage Ridge Middle School students participate in five-day, four-night immersive learning adventures that build courage, peer connection, and a love for the outdoors.

Examples of Outdoor Education experiences:

Exploring the ocean and climate of California in the Marin Headlands
Rock climbing, hiking, and camping in Pinnacles National Park
Kayaking, hiking, and learning about wildlife and geology in Northern California
Paddleboarding, hiking, and STEM in the Eastern Sierra at June Lake

Ask a Sage Ridge graduate about their favorite memory, and chances are it includes Outdoor Education Week.

Every May, Sage Session elective and enrichment classes are offered for two weeks. Designed by faculty, courses are bold, hands-on, and deeply engaging. Examples of recent Middle School offerings include making your own podcast, introduction to speech and debate, ballet and musical theatre jazz, history of pirates, game theory, physics of flight, and Democracy in Action in Washington, D.C.

Eighth-graders have the opportunity to join Scorpions in grades 9-11 on an international trip led by our Physical Education Department Chair Ms. Christine Kratzer who has been taking our Scorpions to faraway places to broaden their experiences for many years. Following an exciting trip to Japan in 2025, Scorpions will travel to Berlin, Prague, Krakow, and Budapest in 2026!

Signature Programs

Art, Athletics, And Extracurriculars

Middle School students step into leadership roles and pursue wide-ranging passions.

Serve in Student Government
Lead service projects and shape school culture
Join activities like robotics, Junior Classical League, fencing, and unique clubs
Perform, exhibit, and compete at regional and national levels in the arts
Audition for the school play or spring musical
Compete in cross country, volleyball, basketball, and track & field for year round competitive athletics opportunities open to students new to a sport or ready to get to the next level

These opportunities foster agency, initiative, and the confidence to grow with integrity and purpose.

At Sage Ridge, no one sits on the sidelines.

Ready For More. Ready For Sage Ridge.

Middle School is a defining chapter—where students stretch intellectually, discover their voice, and step into themselves.

At Sage Ridge, students in Grades 6-8 are empowered to explore their interests, deepen their learning, and rise to new challenges. It’s a time of discovery and momentum—and it starts now.

By joining in Grades 6-8, students:

Accelerate academic growth and critical thinking
Gain confidence through challenge and connection
Become leaders in the classroom and community
Build lifelong habits of curiosity, empathy and courage
Grow with the guidance of trusted mentors

Don’t wait. Your child’s potential is here.