Middle School Curriculum and Offerings

High Rock Middle School
Students at High Rock Middle School receive one trimester of visual art and participate in the Visual Arts Interdisciplinary Program throughout the year. Students also participate in a year long music course held during the school day of their choosing; General Music and Chorus Class, Band, or Orchestra. Students have the opportunity to audition for the Middle School Theatrical Productions and the Middle School Select Music Ensembles which rehearse at Pollard after school.

Pollard Middle School
At Pollard Middle School, students can choose between two tracks, the 1) Performing Ensemble Track and the 2) Arts Rotation Track. The Performing Ensemble track is for students who wish to continue to study their instrument (Band, Orchestra, or Chorus) in depth. The Arts Rotation track is for students who wish to enrich their visual art experience. The course offerings in each of these tracks is outlined below. Students who participate in the Performing Ensemble Track are eligible to audition for the Select Music Ensembles. All students regardless of track are able to audition for the drama productions.

            â€‹7th and 8th Performing Ensemble Track:

    Yearlong performing ensemble (Band, String Ensemble, or Chorus)
    Art 7 or Art 8 depending on student grade level

    7th Grade Arts Rotation Track
    Art 7
    Arts Rotation Classes: Ceramics and Sculpture 7, Music Explorations 7, Experiential Education 7 (Health and Wellness Course)

    8th Grade Arts Rotation Track
    Art 8
    Arts Rotation Classes: 2D Design 8, Global Arts 8, Theater Musical Arts 8, Experiential Education 8 (Health and Wellness Course), Introduction to Chinese and Culture 8 (World Language Course)

    Theatrical Production
    Each year, there are two Middle School Productions, the Middle School Winter Musical and the Middle School Spring Play, which students at both High Rock and Pollard are able to audition for. There are opportunities for students to participate in the cast and technical theater crew.

    Select Music Ensembles
    There are four select music ensembles which students from both High Rock and Pollard are able to audition for; Select Choir, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, and Town Orchestra. Students must participate in their school day curricular ensemble in order to be eligible to audition for these ensembles.

    To review any particular class or course curriculum and to see what our focus for student learning is, please click on Needham Curriculum Maps and search for the class you are interested in, such as Art 7 or Band 7.
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