Middle School

Philosophy and Counseling Services

Philosophy

We believe that parents need to be in charge. Be willing to negotiate and to allow your sons to exercise a healthy level of freedom, but be clear about limits and boundaries. Let your sons know that you are willing to allow them as much freedom and control as they demonstrate they can handle.

Where school is concerned, organization tends to be one of the biggest challenges middle school boys face. Chaminade students should use their agenda books (or some other daily planner) to keep track of assignments. We strongly emphasize the importance of writing everything down and ask that you reinforce this at home. Maintaining an orderly book bag, binder, and locker are other key components to academic success. We highly recommend that parents monitor these items on a regular basis.

Socially, we feel it is important that middle school students get involved in activities at their school. There is no better way to make friends and to acclimate to a new environment than to get involved. Be cautious, of course, of allowing your boys to get so involved in extracurricular activities that their grades begin to suffer.

Counseling Services

Mr. Francis and Mr. Kertz meet with middle school students throughout the school year. Meetings take place in the counselor’s office and typically last about 15 - 30 minutes. An emphasis is placed on meeting with new students early in the year so that any transitional issues and concerns can be addressed. Returning students who have struggled academically will also be seen early in the school year. The purpose of the counselor visit is to monitor each student’s academic and social development, as well as to look at home life, study habits, and extracurricular involvement.

If it is determined that a student is in need of outside counseling or testing, referrals will be provided to parents.
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General Testing Information

Despite what you might hear, by far the most important factor in being admitted into college is the student's cumulative GPA and the quality of the courses taken to obtain that GPA.  At most institutions, the standardized test scores are the next most important factor.  Like it or not, standardized  testing has become part of our society.  Many decisions made by government, military, industry, and especially education are determined with the aid of such tests.  Everyone admits that a test cannot perfectly measure the complexities of a human being, but most concede that some measure, be it imperfect, is better than none.
Two such tests that cause a good deal of anxiety in young people today are the SAT & ACT.  Students and parents often ask what Chaminade does to prepare students for these tests. What follows is an attempt to answer this question.

Special Testing Circumstances :  Students with long-standing, diagnosed Learning Difficulties, including ADD and ADHD, should click HERE for information regarding possible testing accommodations.

Middle School Testing

Sixth, Seventh & Eighth Graders take the ITBS (Iowa Test of Basic Skills) & the COGAT (Cognitive Abilities Test). Counselors discuss the results with each student and a copy of the results are sent home. Testing dates are indicated on the school calendar.