Inherent in all good middle schools are opportunities for students to explore and to have an opportunity for choice based on their interests. Electives have strong co-curricular connections to social sciences, language arts, math, science, technology, the arts, and physical education. During any given quarter, a student will have approximately five electives from which to choose. 

ELECTIVES Gr. 6  Electives Gr. 7 & 8

What is Advisory?

Every student is assigned to an advisory that has one advisor and 9 to 11 students, and meets for 30 minutes, four days per week. The program is structured around four rotating themes - Mindsets and Goals; Recognizing Bullying and Harassment; Thoughts, Emotions, and Decisions; Managing Relationships and Social Conflict - that guide advisors in their monthly group planning to create engaging grade-level activities and discussions. The essence of an ideal advisory is the relationship between the advisor and their advisees, so that students feel they can safely and candidly discuss issues important to their welfare. 

Advisors serve as the students’ advocate and guide throughout the year, maintaining good channels of communication between the school and home and attending all meetings related to their advisees’ academic or disciplinary issues. Advisors closely monitor each student’s academic and social progress by attending grade level meetings, reviewing reports, talking with an advisee’s teachers, and conducting one-on-one conferences with each student. In this way, advisors can facilitate a positive, productive relationship with their advisees.
 

Discovery Week is an integral part of our school program that offers enhanced educational experiences for all students.

The trips are designed so students will:

• Gain greater understanding of various regions of Russia. Through the trips, students learn about and appreciate the geography, history, people and customs of Russia.


• Become closer and supportive of one another. By traveling together for five/six days, students get to know one another well, make new friends and learn skills in dealing effectively with others in a group.


• Grow in self-awareness, self-confidence & independence. By traveling in a group, away from home and without parents, students will get to know themselves better, gain confidence through new experiences, and make decisions that increase their sense of self-reliance and independence.


• Appreciate each other and their teachers in new ways. Through the common experiences of traveling, eating, and living together for five/six days, students and teachers will experience each other in new ways not possible in the classroom. These new experiences will provide an opportunity for students and teachers to build a positive and constructive foundation for interaction for the rest of the school year and future school years.

At AAS, the counselors support the transition into, through, and out of middle school, including adjustment to Moscow and the AAS community. The counselors seek to:

• Facilitate problem solving and communication among all members of the school community including students, teachers, parents and administrators.
• Support students and families with immediate social-emotional issues.
• Make referrals to outside support services where necessary.