Navigators 6th – 8th grade

Navigator students (6th,7th, and 8th-grade students) are taught skills based on Georgia Performance Standards. We strive to place students in classes that best meet their academic needs regarding pacing and accommodations. Our smaller class sizes allow for greater student-teacher interaction to foster success in the classroom. Our classes included rigorous studies in Math, Science, Social Studies, English Language Arts, and Literature as well as enrichment and life skills classes

Social-emotional growth is encouraged throughout the day within the classroom and with our counseling department. We encourage students to learn to work collaboratively with peers within the classroom and with a variety of team sports. Navigators tackle new experiences with our age-appropriate field trips. We start the year with a white water rafting day trip and end the year with a 3 day overnight trip.

Middle School Curriculum

• Mathematics: We focus on teaching Georgia performance standards by combining traditional pencil and paper activities with Chromebook activities for individualized practice. 
  • • IXL is utilized regularly to reinforce skills taught in class and to prepare for standardized testing.
    • Students are given direct instruction and  assistance with executive functioning and organization to help each student reach their full mathematical potential.
• Language Arts: Middle school students complete at least four novel studies a year.
  • • Novel studies help students improve their comprehension through written expression and class discussion. 
    • Students learn to identify the different elements that make a good story and use these skills in their writing.
    • Novels are chosen while considering student interest and reading level.  It is the teacher’s priority that students are academically challenged while encouraged to learn to love reading.
• Social Studies: Sixth and seventh-grade students study World Geography while the eight grade students learn Georgia Studies.
• Science: Pearson Interactive Science is used for middle school classes.
  • • The interactive curriculum is a bright and easy-to-follow consumable workbook.
    • The workbook encourages a natural curiosity for science through relatable and relevant real-world examples in Earth, life, and physical science.
    • Students complete several hand-on activities each 9 weeks to reinforce performance standards. 
    • IXL and BrainPop is used to reinforce skills taught within the class.

• Social Skills: Students participate in social skills once a week. This allows the students to learn tools for appropriate social interaction and practice skills necessary to strengthen their social-emotional relationships. Integration of such concepts allows students to gain valuable insight regarding interpersonal communication and thus be an aid to help them navigate future communal associations. Course topics include:
  • • Identifying and managing emotions. 
    • Conflict resolution strategies 
    • Perspective-taking and empathizing
    • Teamwork and effective collaboration
    • Decision-making skills
• Executive Functioning: Students participate in course instruction once a week. This course allows students to cultivate and practice self-management skills to further develop self-regulatory ability and academic achievement. Course topics include:
  • • Planning and prioritizing 
    • Goal setting
    • Time management 
    • Recognizing and addressing distractions
    • Perseverance and resilience
• Cumberland Cares: Students participate in a monthly community outreach program entitled Cumberland Cares. They volunteer at local service organizations that are arranged through the school. We have beautified local parks and nature preserves, organized the pantry at food banks, packed backpacks of food for students with weekend food insecurity, packed nutritious meals, and created special treats for a nearby nursing home.