Program overview

Challenge, independence, and purpose

Middle School at PKS is a time of growing independence, deeper academic challenge, and expanding horizons. From Grades 5 through 8, students are encouraged to take greater ownership of their learning, pursue increasingly complex questions, and develop the confidence to express and defend their ideas.

Our program balances intellectual challenge with the joy, connection, and sense of purpose adolescents need to thrive. Students learn to think critically, communicate effectively, collaborate across differences, and approach unfamiliar problems with curiosity and resilience.

Deepening learning across disciplines

As students move through Middle School, they encounter increasingly sophisticated content and develop the skills and habits needed for advanced academic work. Teachers challenge students to analyze, question, synthesize, and communicate their thinking with clarity in both Mandarin and English.

Interdisciplinary and project-based experiences create opportunities for students to make connections across subjects and apply their learning to complex questions and authentic problems. Increasing independence is balanced with thoughtful guidance and support as students learn to manage greater expectations, advocate for themselves, and take responsibility for the quality of their work.

Our curriculum page is in progress.
Additional information, resources, and updates coming soon!

Voice, identity, and community

Who am I?  What do I believe in?  How can I contribute?  Adolescents love to marinate on these questions, and middle school students at PKS are given big, real world challenges that help them find their own answers. Our students must think independently, work in their emotional, cultural, and intellectual stretch zones, and find their own voices. They are given increasing opportunities to exercise choice, contribute their perspectives, take on leadership, and play an active role in shaping their community.

Learning in a bilingual and multicultural environment also asks students to move between languages, perspectives, and cultural contexts. Through these experiences, they deepen their understanding of themselves and others while developing the cultural competence to engage thoughtfully with an interconnected world.

The world is our classroom

Some of the most powerful learning happens beyond the walls of a classroom. Experiences throughout Middle School connect academic learning with people, places, cultures, and communities beyond PKS.

Our travel program builds progressively across the Middle School years, culminating in international learning experiences that ask students to apply their language skills, navigate unfamiliar environments, and grow in independence and cultural understanding.

Preparing for what comes next

The transition to high school is an important milestone, and no two students take exactly the same path. Beginning in Grade 7, our High School Guidance program helps students reflect on their strengths, hopes, and goals as they consider the environment in which they will thrive next.

Students and families receive individualized guidance throughout the process, supported by an experienced transition team that knows each student well. From exploring options to navigating applications and making a thoughtful final choice, our goal is to ensure that every family has a deep and trusted partnership as they take this next step together.