Student Life
Developing Leaders
Learn here. Lead anywhere. We intentionally view each Middle School student as a leader-in-progress. Shaping character and developing a desire to express faith in thought and action are key aspects of our culture. Teachers work to cultivate students into leaders of wisdom, compassion, and courage, identifying leadership in the Middle School as students grow in relationship with one another and a greater understanding of who they are in Christ. Recognizing leadership speaks truth into the lives of students.
Grade 8 students lead Lower School Field Day
Leadership takes on many forms. It could be the student helping to lead worship in Chapel or the student who sits and eats lunch with someone he doesn’t know as well. It may be the student who starts a food drive or the student who creates fun spaces during recess or activity period. Students in grade 5 develop mentoring and leadership skills through the Big Buddies program, in which they are paired with a grade 2 student for the year. Validating the different ways one can lead gives students the authority to practice serving and contributing while continuing to grow in virtuous leadership.
Building Community
A healthy peer culture is a core focus at Bear Creek. When students feel safe and secure, they excel with confidence. Middle School students and faculty begin the school year with a day of fun-filled activities and adventure called Icebreaker. This event sets a positive tone for the entire school year. This much-anticipated tradition emphasizes games and activities that encourage friendships and bonding, spiritual growth, teamwork, and leadership development. Students also participate in fun activities such as Fall Carnival and Field Day.
Middle School Icebreaker
Character Development
Our character program, Rooted, utilizes instruction, discussion, and activities to equip students to become rooted in Christ and bear the fruits of wisdom, compassion, and courage. In each session, students explore principles and skills vital to virtue formation. Our faculty advisors facilitate Rooted sessions with our students and provide incredible mentorship, coaching, and shepherding throughout. Additionally, character formation is recognized and celebrated at Chapel and through our Bear Creek Leads program.
Advisories
Clothes pin races during Advisory
Our year-long advisory program for grades 7 and 8 builds character, develops leadership, and fosters relationships. Students meet weekly in small groups with a teacher or staff leader who gets to know them, helps them feel connected, and nurtures their relationships with God and the student community.
Academic Teams
Bear Creek offers a variety of Middle School academic teams including chess, coding, drama, geography, math, memory, and robotics. Teams meet after school with a subject-area coach one afternoon each week during the school year.
Chapel
Students in grades 5 – 8 gather each week for a time of worship, praise, teaching, and reflection during chapel service. The service includes a student-led worship team and a variety of speakers and topics to help students better understand and live the Christian faith in thought and action. Middle School Chapel follows a four-year rotation of topics, tracing a theme through the story of Scripture (e.g., the Kingdom of God, Wisdom, Compassion, and Courage, etc.).
Community Service
Students put their faith into action through community service projects. Each year Middle School students participate in several school-wide community service projects, such as food and clothing drives and hands-on classroom projects to benefit those in need.
socials
Middle School socials and special events are energetic and fun. They provide an opportunity for students and faculty to enjoy each other outside of the classroom and to connect at a different level.
Grades 5 and 6 Family Game Night
Clubs
Students in grades 7 and 8 organize interest-based clubs which meet regularly each week during spring semester. These clubs allow students to dive deeper into areas of passion, find others who share their interests, and explore ways to share their activities or serve other students through the club. Recent students organized clubs include architecture, arts and crafts, board games, book club, card design, chess, drama support and design, football film, Bible study, knitting, creating with Minecraft, outdoor sports, and a group that produces a Middle School newspaper, the Grizzly Gazette.