We Are Age 3 through Grade 8 on Purpose

Often, we hear from families of graduating students that they wish we had continued beyond Grade 8. We appreciate hearing this wish as it is a high level of compliment. We would love to continue to be a part of their child's daily educational journey, yet we cannot, as this is not our purpose.

Our purpose is to educate the whole child from age 3 through Grade 8. We purposefully chose to put Grade 8 as the last year of the educational path we offer. We recognize that by being a school that culminates with Grade 8, our focus is on the journey from Age 3 through Grade 8—from a preschooler to an elementary child and then through the beginning of their adolescence, which is a very sensitive time.

Students entering sixth grade are still discovering themselves as learners. As an adult, three years is a short time. As a tween or young teen, however, three years is an eon filled with many changes. The high school that is the right "fit" is difficult to determine for an eleven-year-old.

As young adolescents, our program offers them a comfortable environment where they can experience being at the top of the school during what is often a stressful time in their development. At the top, they experience a program created just for them rather than one driven by a high school program. The needs of the high school, in other words, outweigh the needs of the lower grades, which often impacts the schedule, the use of the facilities, and the allocation of resources. Most importantly, the objective of the middle-school grades in such a school is to prepare the students for that high school.

In a school such as Eton, we strive to prepare the students for any high school. Culminating at eighth grade also offers greater opportunities for leadership and mentoring. They organize all-school student events such as the end-of-year dance, student council, and spirit days.

Though our doors open only through eighth grade, the lessons, friendships, and confidence we nurture stay with our students forever—proof that being Age 3 through Grade 8 on purpose truly matters.