This fall I have seen an uptick in the number of parents reaching out to me seeking help with a new middle school placement for their student. I’ve been pondering this increase in inquiries and keep coming back to this: being a middle school age is HARD!! The middle school years can be some of the most challenging for students, as they navigate significant physical, emotional, and social changes. During this time, students are figuring out who they are, learning how to maximize their strengths, compensate for weaknesses, and discover how they fit within their community. It’s because of this that I wish I could get more parents to strongly consider junior boarding schools! Junior boarding schools offer a unique solution, providing students with a structured, supportive environment to explore these important aspects of identity development.

Belonging and community are key elements during middle school, and the immersive nature of junior boarding programs fosters strong relationships between students and faculty. The 24/7 experience encourages students to form deep, lasting connections, allowing them to feel emotionally safe. This sense of safety builds the confidence to step outside their comfort zones, take on new challenges, and develop leadership skills.

Moreover, junior boarding schools provide students with the opportunity to make mistakes in a supportive setting. In speaking with Amy Jolly, Head of School at Applewild School, a junior boarding school in Fitchburg, MA, she summarized it best, “These mistakes are not just tolerated but viewed as crucial learning moments, ensuring that students can grow and recover. By the time they transition to secondary school, junior boarders are better equipped to handle higher-stakes environments, having developed resilience and self-awareness that many of their peers may lack.”

At junior boarding schools, students are encouraged to stretch themselves in every area—public speaking, athletics, creative endeavors, and social development. There is no option to sit on the sidelines, as Jolly notes. By pushing students to explore new skills and passions, these schools create a foundation of confidence and capability that will serve them well beyond the middle school years. Perhaps most noteworthy is this quote from Amy Jolly, “It is no surprise that we receive communications from the secondary schools who receive our students saying "your graduate just got voted class rep or president'...we build compassionate leaders who go on to positively change their secondary schools, colleges, and the world.” What’s not to love about this?!