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A Principle-Approach® Pre-K–12 Christian School in Lancaster County, PA
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Fast Facts About Middle School

✓ Who: 6th-8th Grades

✓ When: 5 Days/Week, End of August – Beginning of June

✓ Location: Conveniently located just 1 minute from the Mountville exit of Route 30 in Lancaster County, PA

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Educational Philosophy

We recognize that middle school students are beginning to ask questions—big questions—about the world in which they live and their part in it.

Middle school students want to know that they are not alone. So, the middle school years (grades 6-8) at Dayspring Christian Academy in Lancaster, PA are focused on student engagement. We want students to know that their education is their property— a part of them that they will take with them for the rest of their lives. Since we view and teach education as an avenue to know God Himself, a student’s educational journey exists to find his or her place of effectiveness in God’s Kingdom. This makes education so exciting!

The Principle Approach is our method of education. Through the Principle Approach, students are able to see God’s hand in every subject and every area of life. With God’s word at the center of all learning, students are able to reason through their subject matter to reach Biblical conclusions.

In middle school, students begin to have a variety of subjects and teachers, all the while needing the stability and structure that provide a foundation to everyday learning experiences. To accommodate this transition, 6th-grade teachers often use similar classroom routines and procedures so that middle school students are not overwhelmed with many, many new practices to learn.

General Information

  • After School: Programs are available
  • Programs for gifted or students with special needs? Yes. Please check our Learning Services page for details.
  • School Security/Safety protocols, etc.  Appropriate security measures are in place to ensure that our families feel confident that their precious children are safe, loved and well-cared for.
  • Tuition: $13,844 for Grades 6-8
  • Financial Aid Info: Financial assistance is available. Call John Riddell at 717-285-2000 for details.

 

 

Dayspring middle school students in Lancaster, PA

Dayspring Middle School Curriculum

Middle School Math: Figuring Interactive Lessons

Since most middle school students seek social interaction with their peers, Dayspring’s teachers design collaborative projects and other hybrid learning activities that channel students’ energy, capture their attention, and enable subject mastery.

For instance, math teachers have students read, discuss, then present findings of a non-fiction article relating to a biblical view of math. Another collaborative math project has students working together to create math equations that result in the date–one for every school day of every school month of the year! Another has students “open” a checking account then keep accurate records for purchases, all the while practicing accurate accounting through real-life addition and subtraction.

This is, of course, in addition to the traditional math lessons expected in middle school. Because Dayspring offers a handcrafted education, students’ are placed in math courses according to tested aptitudes.

Middle School Field Trip to the State Capitol in Harrisburg PA

Dayspring students stand on the steps in the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, PA.

Middle School Students Learn God’s Hand in History

What does a middle school Principle Approach history class look like? At Dayspring, in a recent 8th-grade history class, for example, two students suggested that the class debate the role of the Christian, the church, and government! How do they act separately? How should these roles act in an integrated fashion with a society that is not all Christian? Students crafted questions to consider these complex issues that are applicable to the world in which they live. They discussed responsibilities of the government, but also of the governed. One of those responsibilities that went into immediate action is prayer. The class prays for our congressmen, the president, and for laws that are just and uphold righteousness.

Literature Comes Alive in Middle School

In Literature, students delve into reading and are challenged with assignments that include searches in God’s word, looking for beneficial character traits in literary characters that can be emulated, and writing their own devotional lines. Hands-on activities as opposed to desk work are incorporated to allow for collaborative skills to grow, social relationships to be forged, and challenge students to take a look at the subject matter from a different angle. All of these varying learning opportunities aid in the mastery of material being covered.

Spiritual Formation in Middle School

Middle school is a key time in a child’s spiritual formation. To that end, during weekly chapel time, students gather in small groups by grade and gender, and each group has a mentor who engages with students in discussion and prayer about the topic at hand. This provides opportunities for spiritual community as well as simple friendship and understanding, where walls begin to tumble down. Additionally, an annual retreat brings students together for a two-day experience that includes outside speakers, times of deep prayer—and fun with friends on adventure courses and more!

Further, with God at the center of every subject at Dayspring, a biblical foundation is forged and spiritual formation takes shape as a biblical worldview is cultivated and faith is inspired throughout the academic experience.

View our Course Catalog and Grading Scale here!

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Student Life

Taking the Field: In-Depth Learning in Middle School

Scripture says, “Come and see the works of the Lord,” (Ps. 66.5). In grades 6-8, teachers prepare students to experience in-depth learning in exciting and rich field studies. Sixth-grade students camp and investigate Gettysburg and share biographical reports each has written about a Very Important Person (VIP) in the battle; 7th grade travels to the Museum of Natural History in Philadelphia for their Ancient History course and the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter for science; 8th grade heads to the Harrisburg Capitol and State museum as well as Lancaster’s Guilty Pleas Court for their Pennsylvania History and Civics class.

Athletics & Extra-Curricular Activities

Dayspring’s middle school students are able to participate in a variety of sports and extra-curricular activities. Fall sports include boy’s soccer and girls volleyball. Winter is basketball season for both girls and boys. Spring brings track & field. Additionally, middle school students are able to participate in clubs and extra-curricular activities including our spring musical, student government, yearbook, STEM-related clubs, music-related clubs, and much more.

The middle school experience at Dayspring Christian Academy is an exciting one with excellent academics and the opportunity to create friendships that can last a lifetime.

Science and History Field Trip in Christian Middle School

FAQ

What is the school year like for middle school students at Dayspring Christian Academy?
Middle school year is a standard 5 Days/Week, from the end of August to the beginning of June.
What is the middle school student class size?
24 students per class, 1 class per grade level (6th – 8th).
Are programs available for gifted or students with special needs?
At Dayspring, we see each child as a unique individual, created by a loving Creator, and valued as such. It is because of this that Dayspring has created the P139 program, named for Psalm 139:14, and designed to teach students at all levels who require alternative or differentiated methods of instruction, so they may work to their potential.
What school safety/security measures are in place?

Dayspring’s middle school classrooms are large, bright, welcoming, and friendly. Appropriate security measures are in place to ensure that our families feel confident that their precious children are safe, loved, and well-cared for.

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Are before and after school programs available?
No, before and after school programs are not available to middle school students.
Will my child use the same textbook as government schools or other Christian schools?

Dayspring students do use textbooks for skill-oriented subjects, by and large, though, textbooks are used as resource tools. Students and teachers alike develop highly specialized notebooks that become the primary teaching-learning tools that enhance internalization of the material. All textbooks are selected with care in alignment with biblical truth and rooted in primary sources.

Learn more about the Dayspring’s approach here

Why should I seek Christian middle school education for my child?
The Bible clearly teaches that the responsibility of education belongs to parents, not the State. Proverbs states that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Only by teaching our children the Truth as seen in God’s Word, will we ensure that they can adequately meet the challenges of a secular world and affect that world dynamically for the cause of Christ.
Can I see the school and meet the teachers?

Yes! Visiting Dayspring is a great way to get your questions answered, learn more about the school, meet the middle school teachers and faculty, and see how we can meet your child's individual educational needs.

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Take a tour of Dayspring!

Private tours for you and your child are available. Additionally, middle and high school students are able to experience a day of school at Dayspring through our visitation program. Call Karol Hasting at 717-285-2000 or use the button below to register.

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