Preschool through IB Middle School
Academics

Middle School

Dare to be your best.
In BCD’s Middle School we believe….

List of 5 items.

  • Feeling Safe Empowers Learning

    Every school should be a safe place for students and teachers to thrive together, and we see safety as far more than just a secure campus. At BCD, students can feel safe to take risks and be themselves. With changing brains and bodies, middle school can be a challenging time in students’ lives, and our community of friends, teachers and parents are here to provide united support each and every day. We work to engage young minds and develop the skills of “failing forward” and learning from our mistakes.

  • Character Counts

    Respect yourself. Respect others. Take responsibility for your actions. That’s the BCD motto, and it holds special meaning to our students as they grow into young adults, good citizens and the best versions of themselves. As part of our character development curriculum, all middle school students are assigned an advisor with whom they meet with daily to learn how to navigate academic and social issues with confidence and kindness. Additionally, we follow the Developmental Designs for Middle School (DDMS) curriculum as a framework to effectively blend social and academic learning.

  • Our World Needs Global Minds

    All BCD middle school students participate in the IB Middle Years Programme (MYP), which centers around local and global awareness, challenging students to inquire into a wide range of exciting topics and draw links between the classroom and the outside world. Students build confidence in their skills by thinking critically and creatively to solve problems in new ways. The MYP also helps our Bulldogs build a strong sense of self and understand who they are so they can emerge as respectful, responsible members of their communities.

  • The Future Isn’t Far Away

    BCD middle school is founded on strong academic preparation balanced with life skills that will help our students excel in high school and beyond. Our well-rounded curriculum includes lessons in self-awareness and self-advocacy, as well as study skills in writing, research, organization, time management, and life skills needed for the transition to high school. Students also write a personal mission statement and focus on how to carry it forward with them regardless of the type of high school they attend.

  • School Is “Coloradical”

    BCD Bulldogs love school, and our teachers, faculty and staff are dedicated to making our campus a place that fosters fun and inquiry in equal measure. Our unique and beautiful Boulder location sets the stage for learning that reaches outside the classroom into nature and the world. BCD is where education is engaging, hearts and minds are open, and inspiration is all around us.
BCD’s Middle School offers an innovative, engaging curriculum that balances meaningful inquiry into core academic subjects with in-depth pursuit of students’ interests in the Arts, Health and Physical Education, and Design/Technology.  The program presents students with age-appropriate challenge in a nurturing environment that cultivates independence of thought, habit, and mind.

BCD’s middle school program not only meets the diverse needs of our students during these critical, middle years, but also provides excellent preparation for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate high school programs. Watched carefully and guided by skilled, experienced teachers, our graduates are well prepared for success in any quality high school.
 
Knowing that the world needs well rounded learners, the Middle School also invites students to explore competitive athletics, student government, travel opportunities, and an expansive curriculum, including a wide array of electives, to round out their development as citizens of our community and the world.
 
The Boulder Country Day Middle School is an authorized International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. The IB Middle Years Program (MYP) emphasizes intellectual challenge and encourages students to make connections between their studies in traditional subjects and to the real world. The IB program fosters the development of skills for communication, inter-cultural understanding, and global engagement, qualities that are essential for life in the 21st century.
 

Find us in Boulder, CO

IB Middle Years Program


The aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world.

The Middle Years Program (MYP) is an internationally acclaimed educational program that aligns with BCD’s Mission and underscores our belief in engaging and meaningful academics. The MYP exhibits the characteristics of interdisciplinary teaching and learning, favors a focus on concepts rather than merely on content, and provides a rich, inquiry-based model of introducing and exploring concepts within and across the disciplines. The MYP’s focus extends beyond the notion of knowledge as an accumulation of content to include connectedness in learning and the big ideas that bind people and civilizations together. The learners that emerge from our program are well-prepared for today’s world, which is information-filled, fast-paced, and demanding of 21st century skill sets such as communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity.

IB MYP FAQs:


FAQ document for parents on the MYP from ibo.org.

The IB Program at BCD

Free checklist - Middle School Choice Checklist

Click here. 

Middle School can be a challenging time for adolescents. Choosing the right school for your student during those years can have a big impact on who they become. Need some help determining what is most important to you and your child? Download our 10 Questions to Ask When Visiting a Middle School worksheet.

Benefits of a PS-8th Environment for middle schoolers

BCD is a Preschool - 8th school. Why is that important to middle schoolers?

At a time when they are typically feeling caught in the middle between childhood and high school, middle school students in a PS-8th environment serve as school leaders and role models for younger students. This dynamic provides students with responsibility, focus, and confidence during an otherwise complicated time in their lives. 

Learn more about the benefits of a PS-8 school.

MS Exploratory Classes

Our middle school electives are called Exploratories because middle school is a great time to explore new ideas and activities. Each semester, students are offered various options ranging from debate, to cooking, to art, to robotics and more. Here's a peek inside debate class.

Engaged and Empowered Learners

  • Livi Gray’s Capstone featured in Boulder Lifestyle magazine

    Livi Gray's (Class of 2020) powerful Capstone project, Faces of America, was featured in the August issue of Boulder Lifestyle magazine. We are very proud of the work she did both in her artistry and in using her voice. Great job, Livi!

  • BCD Students Featured in Inspiring Project on Change Makers

    We are so proud of the 4 BCD alumni featured in this video project by the Wunder Collective (headed by BCD alumna Kristian Moley) about inspiring, young change makers. Sydney, Ruthie, Reese, and Elizabeth share their 8th grade Capstone projects and their passions. Well done, Bulldogs!

    Good citizenship is the most important lesson Boulder Country Day teaches because good citizens become great leaders. This year, I had the chance to interview four graduating 8th Graders, all of whom will wow us one day. They will end their BCD careers this week presenting their capstone projects which focus on community service. In the midst of a pandemic, when self-management becomes mandatory and expectations become lax, these four students maintained their commitment. They have taken the opportunity to do good despite having several doors close in their face including the one that connects them with the world.

    I hope you watch and consider their stories. I hope you’re inspired. I hope you know the future is bright. And I hope you make a choice to do more good, if for no other reason than because it is such an easy one to make.

    - Kristian Moley
    https://www.wunder.film/capstone

  • Artificial Biceps in 7th Grade Science

    Some fabulous work is being done in Ms. Fellows 7th grade science class. Student are working on a unit about human body systems and were assigned a lab specifically on the skeletal and muscular system. Students were learning about flexor and extensor muscles. They read an article about a robot called a human skeleton that is used in companies to help humans to prevent muscle fatigue. They had to design their own contraption to help the bicep muscle heal if it had a sports injury (hence artificial bicep).

    Here are some examples of what students submitted.

  • BCD Athletic Director attends 2020 Inclusive Sport Summit hosted by the CU

    On February 26th, our Athletic Director and CU Women's Basketball alumna, Randie Wirt, attended the 2020 Inclusive Sport Summit hosted by the CU athletic department. What a great opportunity for both Coach Wirt and our school to benefit from such a wonderful institution right on our doorstep. 

    Learn more about CU's Inclusive Sport Summit.

    Learn more about BCD's Athletics.

  • The Compliment Wall

    We love this! In 8th grade health class student did something called The Compliment Project. Students take turns sitting with their backs to the whiteboard while their classmates write compliments about them. The students are studying social-emotional health and learning how we thrive when we feel a sense of love and belonging. This is the third year this activity has been done in this class and the kids LOVE it. They love to write as much as receive the compliments. They are often overwhelmed with emotions when they read what their classmates say.

    More on BCD's Middle School program. 

  • BCD Students Attend Civics Day in Denver

    A group of BCD 7th and 8th graders were invited to participate in the ACE Scholarship School Choice Civics Day. They had the opportunity to sit on the House floor while they were in session, tour the Capitol building, meet the Representative for Boulder County, Edie Hooton, and have a quick meeting with Governor Jared Polis. BCD was one of six schools who had the opportunity to participate.

  • The Benefits of BCD's Middle Years IB Program (MYP)

    Boulder Country Day's Middle School is an authorized International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program (MYP). 

  • Model UN supports the development of globally minded citizens

    On January 30th, Boulder Country Day middle school students participated in the annual Model United Nations exercise. In teams, students represented a member country by researching it, writing resolutions on current issues it faces, and defending those resolutions at a gathering called the MUN General Assembly. Through this process, students learned about international relations, developed empathy, and gained a better understanding of how issues across the world affect us all. As an authorized IB Middle Years Program (MYP), BCD uses this curricular enhancement to support the IB goal of developing globally minded students.
     
    ‘It helps you to be more aware of the world around you so that you know more than just what’s happening the U.S.­­ ­- you know about the entire world. It also teaches you that history effects everything and it’s not just something you learn because you have to.’ 

                -     BCD 8th grader

    More on BCD's Middle School

    More on the IB program

  • Middle School Seminar

    During the week of January 7th – 10th, all BCD middle school students participated in the BCD Seminar. The BCD Seminar is modeled after the Aspen Institute Seminar and is intended as an opportunity for BCD students to stretch their intellectual thinking. With over 60 years of experience, the Aspen Institute Seminar is designed to help people of all ages and walks of life to reflect upon the most important questions facing us as human beings and as leaders.
     
    Each night, BCD students were assigned texts by various authors, both ancient (including Aristotle) and current (including J.K. Rowling). The texts were used to prompt students to think about complex human issues such as: Is goodness something that is in humans or is it something that needs to be taught and learned? Is it something we as humans are born with or must choose to act on? In-school discussion were then led by guest moderators, Todd Breyfogle, Director of Seminars for the Aspen Institute, and Allyson Sudbourough, Teacher Effectiveness Coach for Denver Public Schools.
     
    As you can see, the texts present some really big concepts. Students were advised that while the texts are difficult, to not be discouraged because Seminar is intended to be a laboratory in which—together—they will try to figure out what the texts say and mean, both on their own terms and for us as humans today. They were also reminded that seminar discussions thrive on questions. So, very often it is the seemingly simplest questions that can provoke the most meaningful discussions.
    Students began the seminar by examining the painting of “Icarus” who is seen plunging into the water after his wings have melted. The bystanders seem unfazed by Icarus’ fall and do not appear to be making any effort to rescue him. An open discussion of human nature then began on whether or not Icarus should be saved. The conversations remained lively from there on out.
     
    Moderator Todd Breyfogle shared that his discussion of Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics (on friendship) with the BCD 7th grade students was one of the best he had ever had, with students OR adults! This is quite a compliment coming from the Director of Seminars at the Aspen Institute. There seemed to be a sense of pride in our students as they realized they could read, understand, and discuss Aristotle. Another thing our moderators and Mr. Welch noticed was how BCD students appreciated the opportunity to discuss big topics that do not necessarily have a right or wrong answer are not designed to lead to any particular conclusion, by rather serves to stretch themselves intellectually and challenge them personally. 
     
    “BCD students are remarkably capable. They devoured a dense selection from Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics and were ready to engage in conversation, armed with questions and opinions. It was one of the best conversations I’ve had on Aristotle’s understanding of friendship, whether with adults or younger people.”
    –Todd Breyfogle, PhD, Managing Director, Seminars, The Aspen Institute
     
    At the end of the week, students created personal mission statements or wrote letters to their future selves about some of the important things they had learned about themselves from the process.

    We hope the seminar experience of deep learning through community discussion will remain a meaningful touchstone for these students for many years to come. We would also like to extend special thanks to alumni parent former board member, Jay Orris of Peak to Peak Management, for bringing this opportunity to BCD many years ago and for his ongoing support of the program.

     
    Personal experience statement by Mills, 7th grade.
     
    I thought the Middle School Seminar would be an interesting way to learn about morals and ethics, but also learn about my classmates’ opinions and ideology. I ended up learning those things in addition to learning about human inclinations when someone is in trouble. It was interesting to hear what my classmates thought about whether humans are by nature good or bad. We read a very moving autobiographical piece by George Orwell, called “Shooting an Elephant”. It ignited an hour-long conversation about whether shooting the elephant in the story was morally right, even if Orwell feared for his life if he didn’t kill the elephant. We also discussed a painting portraying Icarus flailing and drowning in the Aegean Sea, as onlookers refused to help. This initiated a conversation about whether humans are born good or bad, or whether it’s a learned behavior. I found this conversation interesting and was intrigued by my classmates’ thoughts.
     
    I was positively impacted by the experience of sharing our thoughts. The Middle School Seminar was inspiring and gave me lasting insights into my peers, human nature, history and the world as a whole.
     
     
    Texted used in 2020 BCD Seminar
     
    6th grade: Risk and Reflection
    Session 1: What is our nature?
    • Intro, Painting (Icarus)
    • Plato, “Ring of Gyges” (shortened version)
    Session 2: What is success?
    • Ayyappa Paniker, "Horse Play" (Poem)
    • Sandra Cisneros “Eleven”
    Session 3: What is resilience?
    • J.K. Rowling "The Fringe Benefits of Failure"
    • “An Unlucky Man?” A Tale from Nigeria
     
    7th grade: Commitment and Community
    Session 1: What is our nature?
    • Intro, Painting (Icarus)
    • Mencius, On Human Nature (short excerpt)
    Session 2: What do we commit to?
    • “Story of Fire” A Sufi Tale
    • George Orwell “Shooting an Elephant”
    Session 3: How do we live together?
    • Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics (on Friendship)
    • Luther Standing Bear, “Indian Wisdom”
     
    8th grade: Courage and Purpose
    Session 1: What is our nature?
    • Intro, Painting (Icarus)
    • Chuang Tzu, “Woodcarver”
    Session 2: What gives us Purpose?
    • “Seneca: On the Shortness of Life” Translated by John W. Basore
    • Chimamanda Adichie, “Danger of a Single Story”
    Session 3: What gives us Courage?
    • “The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas” Ursula K. Le Guin
    • Constantine P. Cavafy, “Ithaca” (poem)
     
     

  • BCD's partners with Positive Coaching Alliance to Enhance the Athletics program

    BCD partners with Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) for all our athletic coach training becuase we believe their values align well with ours. The Positive Coaching Alliance mission is to transform the youth sports culture into a Development Zone® where all youth and high school athletes have a positive, character-building experience that results in Better Athletes. Better People.

    The Big Picture in Youth Sports
    A Second-Goal Parent recognizes that there is a Little Picture and a Big Picture in youth sports. The Little Picture concerns things like whether the child is playing the right position, the team is winning, etc. The Big Picture, which often gets drowned out by the Little Pictures, is about what the child is learning from youth sports.

    There are two broad goals in youth sports: striving to win and building character so kids develop into successful, contributing members of society. As important as winning may seem, Second-Goal Parents let coaches and athletes worry about the first goal of scoreboard results. Second-Goal Parents have a much more important role to play: ensuring their children take away from sports lessons that will help them be successful in life. That is the Big Picture.

    Endless Procession of Teachable Moments
    If you embrace your role as a Second-Goal Parent, it will transform the way you see youth sports. It will help you seize the endless procession of teachable moments that will come your way again and again when you are looking for them.

    What might have seemed like a disappointing loss or a failure by your child becomes an opportunity to reinforce resiliency. A tough competition in forbiddingly hot, cold, or nasty weather can prompt a conversation with your child about learning to enjoy challenges. Whether your child succeeds or fails on the playing field, you will be able to use the experiences to reinforce the kind of person you want him or her to be.

    A Second-Goal Parent focuses relentlessly on the Big Picture – helping their child take away the lessons that will help them be successful, contributing members of society. And, in the process a Second-Goal Parent is able to better enjoy their child’s youth sports experience, which will end all too quickly.

    Boulder Country Day School is proud to partner with Positive Coaching Alliance for our athletic coaching training and we are excited to welcome PCA on campus to present to parents.

    Second-Goal Parent Workshop - presented by Positive Coaching Alliance
     
    Wednesday, November 6th from 6:00pm - 7:00pm
     
    This event is free and open to the public, see please feel free to bring a friend. Register here.

  • Climbing walls at Outdoor Ed...and beyond

    When I was walking through the woods during our Outdoor Ed trip, I could hear the indistinct shouts that Middle Schoolers make when they are outside and allowed to use "outside voices". I was heading towards the climbing wall, a triangular pyramid 25 feet in the air. This climbing wall was one of the many activities available for our Middle School students at Outdoor Education at the foot of the Rocky Mountain National forest. Students also had the opportunity to do other activities, including archery, mountain formation, and team building activities.

  • Time is of the Essence: A Parent's Perspective on Preschool through 8th Grade

    “I wish I had been here from the beginning”, said my older son half-way through 7th grade at BCD a couple of years ago. When I asked him why, he gave me several reasons: The teachers, the students, the community, the opportunities to explore new interest areas, the leadership opportunities, the service projects, the trips, and last but not least “I am finally getting how to balance academics and the rest of my interests- and I don’t have to choose one or the other- I can just be me”. I liked his answers and with our second son saying to me just the other day that he too wishes he had been at BCD “for more time than I will have here in middle school”, I decided to see how much their comments may be more than a personal story. As a trained education researcher, looking further, deeper and more closely is what I am passionate about; -and when personal experience matches with solid data, I am calling that a “Great Day!”

  • Why Choose a PS - 8th Grade School

    Boulder Country Day has intentionally chosen to focus on preschool through eighth grade and we believe it is among our greatest assets.  We firmly believe that a PS-8 school environment offers distinct advantages during the most critical years of a child’s intellectual, social, and emotional development.

  • The Aspen Institute Executive Seminar

    Thanks to the generosity of Christy and Jay Orris and their commitment to faculty professional development, I recently had the opportunity to attend the Aspen Institute Executive Seminar in Aspen, CO. 

  • Boulder Country Day School teams with I Have a Dream Foundation to compete in First Lego League competition on November 18th

    Through an anonymous Diversity, Equity & Inclusivity grant by a BCD parent,  Boulder Country Day School and I Have a Dream Foundation of Boulder County (IHAD) have partnered to form a combined First Lego League® (FLL) team. The grant funds transportation and course expenses for participating IHAD students and brings together students, technology, and BCD’s goal of inspiring students to reach their full potential. 

  • Alumnus' artwork draws financial aid donation

    This year's Gala was a huge success. Thank you to all who participated!

     

  • BCD Students Attend LEAD Conference in Chicago

    Students from the middle school student council joined thousands of other student leaders at a Leadership Experience and Development (LEAD) Conference in Chicago, IL on February 10th – 12th.
     
     

  • Middle School to livestream CU Conference of World Affairs

    BCD middle school students will be live streaming several sessions from this year’s CU annual Conference on World Affairs. 

     
  • Middle School Science Lab

    Middle School Magic


    If our Preschool and Elementary school divisions have been described by some as “magical”, then I can only imagine our middle school can be described as transformational.

  • 8th Grade Capstone Celebration

    As part of BCD’s Middle School curriculum, 8th grade students complete a Capstone Project. Capstone Projects are a yearlong experience that encourages students to dive deeply into a subject of personal passion. This experience develops in-depth learning in the presence of an experienced mentor. 8th grade Capstone projects are a culmination of students' BCD experience bringing together the key elements of passion, innovation, and service. It is always exciting to see the range of interests and directions the students take. Student projects this year range from building ovens in Nicaragua, to designing head bands for a cure, to piloting a plane, to stage fighting. On April 22nd, our 8th grade students finished the hard work they have put into their Capstone projects as they presented their work to their families and mentors. Well done, Bulldogs.

    To see a complete list of this year's projects, click here.

    More on BCD's Middle School curriculum.

    BCD's homepage.

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Boulder Country Day School    4820 Nautilus Court North • Boulder, Colorado 80301 • Phone - 303.527.4931 • info@bouldercountryday.org
Boulder Country Day School, where academic distinction meets education with character. BCD is a top rated, accredited private school in Boulder, Colorado where every child has the opportunity to discover their own unique excellence. Distinguished by small class sizes, outstanding faculty, engaging academics and a focus on community, our preschool, elementary and IB middle school teachers strive to create a well-rounded educational environment that balances traditional subjects with the arts, world languages, athletics and project-based learning.

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