In middle school literature, students get to read great books closely, speak about them with their peers, and then distill their thoughts by writing about them. They read books from a variety of time periods and genres. Their reading ranges from Shakespeare's plays to the adventures of Robinson Crusoe to Scout Finch's formative years in To Kill a Mockingbird. 

As students read, they practice the skills of close reading: annotating in order to read with attention, defining vocabulary words they don't know, and using the details of the story to answer broad questions. 

After reading, students discuss characters, recurring patterns, and major questions that arise in their reading. They work together as a class to expand their understanding of the story and prompt new thoughts and questions for one another. 

After reading and discussing a text, students respond to it in writing. This is an opportunity for them to use the particulars of the story to formulate a claim about it. After hours of conversation, students each have unique ideas to share. Writing essays is an opportunity for them to clarify these ideas for themselves and practice making their ideas as clear as possible to their audience. 

By the time they enter high school, students have encountered many great stories, and they have honed the skills they need to enjoy literature at the high school level. 

From Mrs. Gilmore, Upper School English Teacher

Since 2019, the high school track team has maintained a Spring Break tradition of traveling to the Western Slope to compete in a track meet. Over the years, the team has visited Cedaredge, Grand Junction, and Hotchkiss, Colorado. This trip provides a valuable team bonding experience and consistently becomes a cherished memory for our athletes. 

We rent vans and travel the day before the meet, making every effort to keep the trip affordable and accessible for all team members. The time spent together in the vans is a meaningful part of the experience, and sharing meals along the way further strengthens team connections.

At the meet, athletes have the opportunity to compete against teams they typically don’t see during the regular season until the State Championships. The competition is often intense and serves as a strong indicator of how we compare to other small schools.

This year the team traveled to Cedaredge again enjoying the beautiful scenery along the way. They stayed the night in Delta and got to explore the town. They performed incredibly well at the track meet by placing well or winning many of the events, which will give them confidence as they head to the State Championships in May. It was such a fun and unforgettable trip for our High School track athletes. 

From Mr. Gilmore, Athletic Director