Programs + Resources « Curriculum
Middle School Programs and Resources
Advisory
Comprising one faculty advisor and 14 students from a grade level, the advisory group meets weekly, focusing on the development of personal and social skills relevant to changing selves.
High School Placement
Live Oak's High School Placement Counselor helps seventh and eighth grade students and their families with the high school application process. Specialized classes and individualized counseling help students find the best match and progress to high school with enthusiasm, responsibility and confidence.
Learning Academic Strategies for Tomorrow (LAST)
Designed to help students understand their learning styles and hone important skill areas, LAST classes are held two times a week for all Middle School students. Classes are taught as mini-courses and subjects cover topics such as test-taking, public speaking, internet research and desktop publishing.
Rotation
Students take a once-a-week rotation class each trimester to explore an area of interest for focused study. Offered by Middle School teachers, classes range from cooking, gardening and yoga to drawing and literature studies.
All School Programs and Resources
Assemblies
Class-led weekly Lower School assemblies and bi-monthly Middle School assemblies give students an opportunity to share learning and school news. Parents are always invited.
Camp
The school year culminates in a three-day outdoor experience at the YMCA's Camp Jones Gulch near Pescadero. For more about camp see How We Learn > Camp!
CTP 4
Beginning in third grade, this yearly test is required for the accreditation process for independent schools in California and is one tool used by Live Oak to gain information regarding individual performance and group achievement in relation to curriculum goals. Reading comprehension, auditory comprehension, vocabulary, writing mechanics, writing process and mathematics are assessed. Parents receive a copy of the test results in a year-end Assessment Report.
Field Trips
Students see the ways in which lessons at school have relevance beyond the classroom walls. Younger students explore San Francisco and the Bay Area. Older students take overnight trips that address both academic and community-building goals. Living history experiences, field science studies and the annual eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. promote in-depth understanding of the world.
Groves
Every student is a member of a mixed-age grove, which includes a representative of every grade. Led by faculty, groves meet monthly and facilitate students' sense of belonging, connectedness and responsibility in the school community.
Learning Specialist
Students who need additional support or challenge in a unit of study benefit from the services of the full-time Learning Specialist. The Learning Specialist works closely with classroom teachers, parents and students to provide the support necessary to further their learning.
Parent Participation
Parents at Live Oak participate actively in the school, reinforcing Live Oak's philosophy, curriculum and strong sense of community. For more about parent participation see Our School > Parent Participation
Service Learning
Serving and enhancing our local community and beyond, projects include recycling, volunteering, food drives and more. Service learning provides students with the opportunity to explore and seek understanding of societal issues and problems, as they do something concrete to affect change.
Technology
Students are instructed in computer essentials, including keyboarding and word processing in preparation for full integration with classroom work. Learning is enhanced and expressed through student-produced videos, PowerPoint presentations, digital portfolios and web sites. Students expand their facility with, and critical thinking about, internet-based research.
