Middle School

Dr. Amy Varo-Haub

Interim Middle School Director

Dr. Amy Varo-Haub draws on her extensive experience in school leadership and student-centered learning to guide Pingry’s Middle School as Interim Director. Throughout her career, she has led academic programs, supported educators in refining their practice, and helped shape school communities where collaboration and curiosity are central to the learning experience. Dr. Varo-Haub believes students thrive when they feel known and supported, while also being encouraged to take intellectual risks and develop greater independence.

The Middle School years are a time of significant growth, and Dr. Varo-Haub is committed to creating an experience that meets students at each stage of their development. She believes deep learning occurs when academic challenge is balanced with creativity and exploration, all within a community built on strong relationships. By fostering collaboration across the division and supporting the adults who work most closely with students, Dr. Varo-Haub helps create an environment where middle schoolers can discover their interests, strengthen their sense of self, and prepare for a successful transition to the Upper School.

Letters to Pingry Middle School Families

January 2026 — Navigating AI in the Middle School
November 2025 — The Power of a Team
July 2025 — A Summertime Hello from Middle School
May 2025 — Intentional Connection
February 2025 — Revisiting Success
December 2024 — Report Cards and Conversations that Matter
November 2024 — Greater Purpose
September 2024 — Growing Together
April 2024 – Project Week: Engaging Students in Authentic Ways
March 2024 – Middle School Leaps Into March
January 2024 — Book Groups: Speaker Series
December 2023 — Student-Led Conferences: Part of Our Student-Centered Philosophy
November 2023 — Thanksgiving Reflections from the Middle School
September 2023 — Lessons from Ted Lasso, Guiding Principles & Finding Joy in the Process
August 2023 — Welcome Video from Ms. Schurdak!

Philosophy

For our Middle School students, these years are a time of incredible physical, social, and emotional growth that build upon the curiosity instilled in them at our Lower School. They begin to try new things, take more risks, and develop independence. They gain confidence in themselves and respect for their peers as they navigate new experiences and form their emerging identities and academic interests.

Curriculum

Our Middle School curriculum serves a dual role: conveying important information while guiding students' critical thinking skills from simple memorization to more thoughtful, independent analysis. Our faculty challenges students to support their opinions with facts and to question the world around them, readying them for success in the Upper School.

Our curriculum supports the liberal arts background that Pingry believes to be an integral part of each student's educational foundation. Students take courses in English, history, science, math, and world languages including Spanish, French, German, Latin, and Mandarin Chinese. Remembering that students are at different stages in their development, our math and world language classes are grouped by student ability. And because our students are on a campus that spans Grade 6 to Form VI (Grade 12), they can be challenged according to their level of readiness. Our Middle School curriculum is appropriately challenging, and for those students demonstrating greater aptitude, we can encourage them to take courses beyond the walls of the Park B. Smith ‘50 Middle School.

In Grade 6 and Form I (Grade 7), all students take drama, art, and performance music, and in music, they may choose from among band, string ensemble, and chorus. Form II students (Grade 8) can select an elective for two of the three trimesters. The entire Middle School participates in a four-day activity block that exposes students to a variety of ways to be physically active and part of a team experience. We maintain a “no-cut” policy in Middle School sports, so students have the chance to participate in a team sports experience regardless of their ability level.

The Middle School emphasizes a student-centered philosophy, exemplified by initiatives like student-led conferences. These conferences empower students to take ownership of their learning and personal development.

At the end of this three-year period, students move on to the adjacent Upper School, armed with the confidence and critical thinking skills needed to realize success in a familiar, yet challenging environment.

For a more detailed look at the course offerings for Middle School students, see the Curriculum Guide below.

Sample Course Offerings

Computer Science 8: A hands-on, trimester course that exposes students to both the technical and creative aspects of computer science.
Digital Filmmaking: An introductory course in fundamental filming techniques and the basics of editing on “iMovie” and “Adobe Premier” software that sets students up for communicating in the 21st century through serious art or shared experiences.
Percussion Ensemble: Students will play anything they can strike, scrape, or slap. Students get the chance to immerse themselves in and perform many different genres of music, including jazz-fusion, rock, Latin, and classical.

To view more course offerings, see the Curriculum Guide below.

Middle School Schedule

Middle School Clubs

MS Enrichments

Pingry's Values for AI Use

Learn More

Our Middle School students gain a sense of confidence in themselves and respect for their peers as they navigate new experiences and form their emerging identities and academic interests.

Curriculum Guide

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3D Design and Printing (Required Form I Friday Course)

Advanced Algebra and Trigonometry Honors

Adventures in the Wild (Athletics and Activity Block)

Art 6

Community Life

We nurture students who are healthy, happy, and engaged—and ready to take on the world.

Athletics Program

Pingry student athletes succeed not just in a win, but in the effort and camaraderie, and step back on the field each day, ready to work.

Arts Program

Myriad offerings in theatre, dance, music, and the arts, enriched by state-of-the-art infrastructure, resources, and talented faculty on each campus.

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