Middle Years

The Middle Years are a time of growing independence, and St. John’s Academy is designed to grow with your child every step of the way.

Students in Grades 6 through 10 move between classrooms for their lessons, building the self-direction and organizational skills that will serve them throughout senior school and beyond. This is where students begin the IB Middle Years Programme, a rigorous, globally respected curriculum that challenges them to think critically, make connections across disciplines, and engage with ideas that matter in the real world.

Science lessons move into the lab more frequently, and field trips become curriculum-driven adventures, with students visiting galleries to support arts education or exploring nature and conservation areas to build on science. Technology is integrated thoughtfully to supplement learning and to provide literacy, always in balance with hands-on and discussion-based learning.

In Grades 6 and 7, students continue to build their athletic foundations through sports jamborees, while students in Grade 8 and up join the Seawolves sports teams, stepping into the full spirit of St. John’s athletics.

Enrichment

We encourage our students to be active, to be creative, to participate in service, and to think locally and globally. Our programs ensure that students build community outside of their classroom, learning to contribute, build, play and work with their broader student community.

As students grow into greater independence, co-curriculars become an opportunity to go deeper to pursue a genuine interest, take on a creative challenge, or contribute to the wider school community in a meaningful way. Middle Years students choose from a broader and more varied menu of options spanning the arts, the outdoors, technology, service, and beyond.
Learn More →
Our visual arts program, which covers painting, drawing, pottery, sculpture, and more, gives students the time, materials, and mentorship to develop a genuine artistic practice.
Our design program introduces students to the principles of visual communication and the digital platforms that bring them to life.
Music at St. John’s Academy is deeply imbued in our programs and offerings. Starting in their earliest years at St. John’s, our musicians grow in confidence, skill, and love of the craft and the sound of it carries across the whole school.
Learn More →
Students in our Middle Years have the opportunity to try out for and compete on SJASL competitive school teams, representing the Seawolves against other schools across Vancouver Island and beyond.
Students learn to swim, paddle, and navigate Shawnigan Lake with confidence and care, building the water safety skills, physical literacy, and deep connection to the natural environment that come from learning on the water itself.
Learn More →
Environmental education at St. John’s is deeply ingrained in daily school life through inquiry-based lessons, hands-on projects, interdisciplinary learning, and a deep institutional commitment to environmental stewardship, conservation, and care for the land. Nestled between the forests of Mount Baldy and the waters of Shawnigan Lake, our campus sits within one of the most ecologically rich and beautiful settings on Vancouver Island, and we use every square metre of it with intention.
Learn More →
Our philosophy is built around the belief that young people flourish when they feel connected and valued, and everything we do outside of academics is designed with that in mind. St. John’s gives every student a role to play in the life of their school with opportunities for involvement including peer support networks, student-run enterprises, school-wide competitions, and student government.
Learn More →

IB Middle Years Programme

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme is a rigorous, globally respected curriculum that challenges students in Grades 6 through 10 to think critically, make connections across disciplines, and engage meaningfully with the world around them. Rather than simply absorbing information, MYP students are encouraged to ask big questions, explore ideas from multiple perspectives, and take ownership of their own learning, building the intellectual habits and academic confidence they will carry with them into senior school and beyond. At St. John’s, the MYP is enriched by our natural setting, our close-knit community, and the belief that the best learning happens when students are genuinely curious about what they are discovering.