Middle School

181

Middle School Students

Welcome to Middle School

A Nurturing Environment for Holistic Development and Academic Excellence

The ASA Middle School serves approximately 180 diverse students across the 6th, 7th, and 8th grades in a dedicated campus wing, maintaining small class sizes of 16 to 20 students per section. Recognizing the middle school years as a crucial period for self-image and character development, our school offers a rigorous academic curriculum complemented by localized options and a wide variety of engaging electives.

A Culture of Connection and Community

Through a unique blend of local traditions and global perspectives, ASA Middle School provides a caring environment where every student is seen, known, and supported in their personal and academic growth.

What makes ASA truly unique is the dynamic intersection of cultures, values, and aspirations that come together on our campus every day. Every child is known, and every family contributes in their own way to the fabric of ASA. This environment—with its small size, caring adults, and robust academic and co-curricular programs—provides the ideal space for students to explore new ideas, take risks, and build confidence.

Saleem Blevins, Middle School Principal

Core Values in Action

Middle School Assemblies

Celebrating Community

8th Grade Lock-In

Adventure, Learning, and Connections

Classroom without Walls

Celebrations of Learning

Middle school is an important time for students to discover who they are, recognize their strengths, and think intentionally about the people they want to become. An important part of that process is creating regular opportunities for students to set goals and reflect on their growth—not only academically, but also through our core values of Excellence, Respect, Integrity, and Empathy.

Rather than focusing only on awards or individual accomplishments, these gatherings invite students to look back on their learning and recognize growth in many forms.

Once each semester, our Middle School community comes together for a Celebration of Learning. We celebrate what students have learned in their classes, but also the ways they have worked hard, persevered through challenges, supported their peers, demonstrated our core values, and grown as people. Families are invited to join us for these celebrations because learning is a partnership. These moments give students the opportunity to take pride in how far they have come while thinking about where they want to grow next.

Embracing Our Global Heritage

ASA Middle School connects rigorous academics with Paraguayan heritage through immersive events like the annual science fair, Classroom Without Walls trips, and lively cultural gatherings.

An example of positive engagement is our Karu Guasu celebration. The event is a joyful community gathering with Paraguayan music and food, bringing together students, staff, and families from all backgrounds. It is a powerful expression of cultural pride, shared learning, and community unity.

Inspiring History Through the Arts

Performance

Exploring Paraguayan Culture

Folklore Day Activities

Celebrating Culture and Community

The Karu Guazu

MS Students Honor Folklore Day

Grade-level Projects and Karu Guasu

Student Council members listen to their classmates, gather feedback on what is working and what can improve, and turn ideas into positive action.

Student Council members listen to their classmates, gather feedback about what is working well and what students would like to improve, and then work together to turn ideas into positive action. Throughout the year, they help plan events and spirit weeks, lead student-focused assemblies, organize community service initiatives, and develop projects designed to strengthen the Middle School experience.

Just as importantly, students learn that leadership is about more than having a title. It requires listening to others, communicating ideas, collaborating, taking responsibility, and following through. Through Student Council, students develop their own voices while learning how to use those voices thoughtfully to contribute to their community—skills that will serve them throughout school and well beyond.

Experiential Learning Through Classroom Without Walls

Learning extends far beyond the classroom through hands-on service, environmental projects, and real-world problem-solving that directly connect academic concepts to the local community.

The Classroom Without Walls program is an essential part of our Middle School experience. It intentionally brings learning beyond the classroom by immersing students in the Paraguayan context. Through service-learning, cultural experiences, and environmental projects, students are not just observers—they are active contributors to the communities around them.