Signature programs

Students in Middle School at Mead are engaged in several unique programs that are foundational, transformational, and particularly relevant today.

Marine Biology

Mead 6th Graders spend time at and on the ocean studying marine science and environmental stewardship.

With a first trimester emphasis on fieldwork on the Long Island Sound, a second trimester project focusing on marine mammals, and a third trimester study of hurricanes, climate change, and coastal resilience, the year ends with a four-day whale-watching trip to Cape Cod to reinforce the ecology concepts covered throughout the year.

In This Section

Staging Shakespeare

Every other year, the Mead 7th and 8th Grade classes join forces to produce and perform a full work of Shakespeare.

In a perfect interdisciplinary union of Language Arts, Drama, Studio Art, and Engineering, our students design sets, prepare costumes, memorize lines and staging, act as light and sound techs, and present a thoroughly studied and lovingly performed work of "the bard." Recent productions have included Pericles Prince of Tyre, The Tempest, and A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Light and Life Experience

Imagine that you and your friends have only one week to dream up and put together a performance festival of artistic expression and ingenuity.

You must imagine and vet every element, then sketch, script, stage, rehearse, and pull it all together, while simultaneously engaging in a week of creative workshops. And finally, you will display and perform everything you have prepared for all of your friends and families.

Light and Life is a wild, wonderful, and a transformatively powerful lesson in team work, creativity, pragmatism, and the power of resilience.

Light & Life, considered to be one of Mead's finest community traditions, has K-8 faculty and students step away from usual routines for one week in December (around the time of the winter solstice), and come together to try something that they've never done before, be it dancing, singing, acting, painting sets, managing a light board, designing a costume, or myriad other offerings. Each student is engaged in activities that grow confidence, test skills, and give everyone the space and time to collaborate closely with faculty and peers.
The Light & Life tradition consists of two distinct parts– the daily workshops, and the evening celebration, which includes both exhibits from many of the workshops as well as on-stage performances.
The goal of the Light & Life evening is not to put on a perfect performance. It is an opportunity to embrace challenge and experience something new. It is a moment to take risks, collaborate deeply, and figure out how to 'make it work' under pressure.
Light and Life is about working with friends to pull off the seemingly impossible, and is fondly remembered by alumni as one of their most transformative experiences at Mead.

The Graduation Mastery Project

Magical, challenging, and powerful.

These words from graduating students best capture the essence of the Graduation Capstone experience. This rewarding tradition gives 8th grade students the opportunity to synthesize the different elements of their Mead education and to see for themselves how they have grown and evolved. This project is likely the most challenging process a Mead student will experience, and perhaps the most significant in its reinforcement of a sense of academic confidence and independence in our students.

Elements of the Graduation Mastery

Personal Reflection Piece

ndividually, students must create something that symbolizes themselves and their growth at Mead. Whether or not a student has been here for two or ten years, the personal reflection is meant to illustrate how each student has grown and changed during their tenure at Mead. The personal reflection piece can take the form of art, drama, dance, writing or music. Over the years, students have chosen all of these forms. Students must be prepared to speak and answer questions about their work in front of the Graduation Mastery Panel, comprised of The Head of School, The Home Center Director, The Director of Admissions, The Mastery Challenge Teacher, The Graduation Ritual Facilitator and each student's Support Person. They also complete an Artist’s Statement that accompanies their reflection piece.

Reflection Essay

All students write a formal essay that describes how they see themselves at this time, the direction they wish to proceed in life as well as how they have woven the seven school skills into their learning. The essay includes the students’ understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as a learner and what they think the impact of these qualities will be on their future education. Additionally, students must identify what they believe has been the most meaningful contribution to their development at Mead. As with the personal reflection piece, students are expected to discuss their essay with the Graduation Mastery Panel.

Curriculum Area Mastery Challenge

Students select a subject area that is especially meaningful to them and, within it, the desired challenge through which to demonstrate mastery. The Home Center Director matches the student with the best Curriculum Director for that particular challenge. The Challenge CD creates the Mastery, along with the deadlines for each stage of the challenge. The student presents their challenge to the CD; it is the Challenge CD’s responsibility to determine that the student has completed all requirements. Then, the student is asked to demonstrate and defend his/her Mastery Challenge before the Graduation Mastery Panel. At this time, the student also defends his/her Reflection Piece, Artist’s Statement and Reflection Essay. No two challenges look alike, even within the same curriculum area, because the staff customize the challenge according to each student.

Graduation Mastery Panel

Each student meets with the Graduation Mastery Panel to present and defend his/her Reflection, Essay, Reflection Piece, Artist’s Statement and Mastery Challenge. The Panel is prepared to pose questions about the work presented and the personal process involved. The student receives feedback from the Panel. Lasting approximately one hour, the Panel engages each student in a rigorous discussion about the work presented. Once the Mastery is approved by the panel, the student is approved for graduation.

I learned how to truly express who I am rather than pretend to be someone I am not. Alumni, Class of '06