NEW for 2024!
The WMS Bothell Campus is expanding, and the Middle School program will move into a newly renovated building in 2024. Learn more on our Construction & Expansion Plan page. Prospective families will tour the new space, and see a preview of what's still to come later this year, on a campus tour (register for a tour here!).
The Age of Social Independence
At WMS, our combined seventh/eighth-grade classes, interesting course work and projects, a Middle School athletics program and close attention from faculty and a supportive school community all help to ease this transition time for your young teenager. We offer special parent engagement sessions throughout the school year to help you navigate adolescence and the issues that can come along with it.
A Montessori Middle School is not hierarchical. Students interact with adults as peers in their learning, and the community nurtures and celebrates each student for what they bring to the school. This is reinforced through student-led community meetings, a continued focus on grace and courtesy, and a culture that fosters compassionate and respectful interactions. The school has been jointly accredited by AMS and NWAIS since the spring of 2006.
Helpful Resources
Click to explore these resources to learn more about grades 7 and 8 at WMS.
Rich academics plus real-life skills
In the WMS Middle School program, our highly qualified teachers help your child build the foundation for life's next steps.
- Small class sizes and low teacher-to-student ratios.
- Guided choice is built into the curriculum.
- Student-centered lessons respect the students' abilities.
- Classes feature dialogue, discourse and inquiry-based learning.
- The WMS culture promotes independence and self-responsibility.
- Multi-age classes provide opportunities for leadership and peer teaching.
- A focus on self-construction better prepares students for the pressures of life.
- Outdoor education, art, STEM, and other activities promote growth and exploration.
WMS strives to create passionate lifelong learners. Our students are guided to become compassionate and respectful citizens of the world. They are taught to be critical thinkers who harbor an innate curiosity of how the world works. These responsible, self-directed adolescents are ready for High School and beyond.
Our students are our best representatives. See what a few of our past graduates have to say about their time in the Middle School program at WMS:
“I’m happy that I’m here because I have a lot of opportunities to express my creativity. The [Innovation & Design] Lab is one of my favorite places to be.”
“One thing I love about being here is the welcoming and supportive environment, and how everyone feels free to be themselves.”
“I like that everyone is at their own level and can go ahead if they are bored or stay behind if they are confused. I also like that if you feel really stressed, teachers will help you by giving extensions or any assistance they can.”
Learning extends beyond the classroom
Essential to a Montessori Middle School education are the opportunities to participate in service learning, take electives that spur interest and engagement, experience time in nature to develop a connection to the land and take extended trips to explore the wider world.
Is WMS the right fit for my Middle School student?
The best way to learn if our Middle School program is a perfect fit for your student is to attend a campus tour, where our Admissions Director will give your family an inside look of the program and facility and will be able to answer any questions. During the school year, a campus tour provides a peek into live classroom instruction.