WHY THE MIDDLE YEARS MATTER AT NDP

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May 20, 2026

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

For many families, middle school marks a turning point. Students begin to take on greater independence, academic expectations rise and young adolescents begin asking deeper questions about identity, belonging and purpose.

At Notre Dame Prep, those years are approached thoughtfully.

Founded by the Marist Fathers and Brothers in 1996, NDP’s middle school combines a Catholic commitment to spiritual formation and community with the globally recognized framework of the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program. The school’s mission states, “With God, the school works to form Christian people, upright citizens and academic scholars.”

That mission shapes daily life in grades 6 through 8.

“This is a place where your child will learn, will grow, have fun and be known,” said Andy Guest, NDP’s head of school.

That idea reflects what makes the middle school experience distinctive. At NDP, middle school is not simply preparation for high school — it is a critical stage of formation in itself.

For students, that often translates into something simple: wanting to come to school every day.

Kelly Patterson, the middle school’s vice principal, says it’s all about “how” the school is intentionally structured.

“We are building relationships, teaching students how to shake hands, look people in the eye, and talk with each other among the grade levels," she said. “The learning most definitely is meaningful, but students are having constant hands-on learning experiences where they are speaking in front of the classroom and interacting with each other. We’ve designed an environment here where students actually want to come to school.”

Faith at the center

Academic growth and fellowship represent vital parts of NDP’s middle school experience. But certainly not all of what makes the school such a unique educational institution in Southeast Michigan.

“At Notre Dame, faith is at the heart of everything we do,” middle school principal Brandon Jezdimir said. “Grounded in Catholic values and guided by the Marist tradition, our school fosters a deep sense of spiritual growth, belonging and connection.”

Students participate actively in liturgies and prayer, grade-level retreats, faith-sharing experiences and faith testimonials. They also serve in visible leadership roles as altar servers, lectors and liturgical leaders.

NDP’s middle school philosophy invites students to “understand the importance of prayer and the presence of God in your life,” to “develop reflection skills that help you understand the significance of your life and your unique role as children of God,” and to “be known and appreciated in our small Marist community.”

For the now-graduated eighth-grader Natalie Esseily, that experience has been deeply personal.

“Notre Dame Prep has shaped me in profound and lasting ways,” Esseily says. “Spiritually, my faith has been deepened through daily prayer, retreats and the witness of teachers and classmates who truly live their values.”

From fifth-grade ministry to co-chairing charity events, service has become central to her NDP experience.

“Being a Christian is not only about belief, but about action, compassion and integrity,” she reflects. “NDP embodies those same values, and it inspired me to carry them further by leading service initiatives.”

That emphasis becomes especially important during adolescence, when students begin asking larger questions about identity and responsibility.

At NDP, those questions are part of the educational experience.

Building community, one house at a time

One of the most distinctive features of NDP’s middle school is its House system.

Introduced in 2017, the system places every student in one of four houses: Bon Repos, Cerdon, Hermitage and Little Seminary of Belley, each named for significant places in the life of Fr. Jean Claude Colin, founder of the Society of Mary (Marists). All four houses include students from grades 6, 7 and 8, faculty mentors and elected student leaders.

“This age group is navigating one of the most complex social and emotional periods of their lives,” Jezdimir said in the school’s feature story on the House program. “Middle schoolers often feel pressure to compare themselves to others and struggle to figure out where they fit in the world. Our house system gives them a community that grounds them, challenges them and helps them grow.”

House meetings take place weekly during Community Time. Students organize activities, build traditions, engage in team-building and participate in friendly competition.

“This structure places authentic leadership in the hands of our students,” Jezdimir said. “Our eighth graders gain the confidence that comes from guiding a group and our younger students benefit from seeing positive role models in action.”

At a stage of life when students are often trying to discover where they belong, the House system creates a sense of connection that extends beyond the classroom.

A recent study published in Education Sciences found that school belonging, supportive adult relationships and meaningful student participation are central to healthy adolescent development.

At NDP, those ideas become part of daily life.

Learning confidence through experience

Middle school also offers opportunities for students to develop confidence beyond the classroom.

One example is The Amazing Shake, a program originally created by Atlanta’s Ron Clark Academy that emphasizes manners, discipline, respect and professional conduct.

Before the competition, students learn practical skills including “how to give a proper handshake, how to network, how to give a successful interview and how to remain composed under pressure.”

Those experiences help make leadership tangible for students.

They give students opportunities to speak clearly, engage thoughtfully and carry themselves with confidence.

For Esseily, the program became one of the defining experiences of her middle school years.

“One experience that especially challenged and shaped me was The Amazing Shake, where I competed at the global level in Atlanta,” she said. “It pushed me beyond my comfort zone and sharpened my communication, confidence and professionalism. It reminded me that every time I represent Notre Dame Prep, I am called to uphold our values of respect, humility and excellence.”

Experiences like The Amazing Shake help students develop skills that reach beyond presentations or competitions. They reinforce the values and habits students carry into everyday life.

A place to discover interests and strengths

In middle school, learning extends well beyond the academic day.

“At NDP, learning goes far beyond the classroom,” noted Guest. “Students are encouraged to explore their interests, develop new skills and discover their passions through a wide variety of extracurricular activities. Whether on the field, on stage, or in service to others, every student at Notre Dame Prep can find their place to shine.”

Students can participate in VEX Robotics, Gamers Unplugged, Environmental Club, House Council, Forensics, Michigan Youth in Government, National Junior Honor Society and Yearbook. Arts offerings include choir, band, theater, visual art and makerspace. Athletic opportunities include basketball, volleyball, football, track and field, cross country, softball, baseball and more.

Those experiences often become the places where students discover interests, build friendships and gain confidence.

A school organized for the middle years

Research continues to show that the middle grades are among the most significant years in a student’s development.

The American Psychological Association notes that early adolescence is marked by rapid cognitive, emotional and social change. Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Education and Human Development found that students often experience declines in self-confidence, self-management and social awareness during the middle school years, even while academic achievement continues to grow.

“It’s very important to understand that some of the declines are normative,” said Sara Rimm-Kaufman, Commonwealth Professor of Education at the University of Virginia.

That helps explain why school design matters.

At NDP, middle school students learn in an environment intentionally structured for this stage of life. The average class size is 19 students, with a class cap of 24. Teachers use 80-minute block scheduling and an A/B rotation that provides time for discussion, projects, inquiry and deeper engagement with material.

The goal is deeper, more meaningful learning.

Academic recognition

NDP is an International Baccalaureate Middle Years Program World School, offering the MYP to every middle school student.

The school describes the program as “a curriculum framework that allows students to develop knowledge, skills, understanding and attitudes they need to be effective in a world of increasing globalism.”

Students engage in eight content areas, including language and literature, mathematics, science, individuals and societies, religion, arts, design, physical education and health and language acquisition through Spanish or Mandarin Chinese. The curriculum also emphasizes interdisciplinary connections, inquiry-based learning, service and action, and the eighth-grade community project.

“The MYP is a concept-driven curriculum, implemented collaboratively by NDP teachers,” said Katherine Thomas, NDP's IB MYP Coordinator. “With the MYP we continue to maintain the high academic standards for which we are recognized.”

The academic value of that approach is supported by outside research.

In a January 2023 article, “Middle Years Mindedness,” NDP cited a University of Oxford study that found students in the MYP demonstrated “higher levels of critical thinking skills compared to their non-MYP counterparts.” Researchers concluded that “the evidence supports the conclusion that the MYP contributes to students’ critical thinking skills by embracing evidence-based, student-centered pedagogical approaches.”

That same article referenced research from the University of Nottingham showing “a clear and significant relationship between attending an MYP school and a greater level of open-mindedness among pupils with regard to awareness of cultural differences.”

Students are not simply preparing for future academic rigor. They are already learning within a framework that emphasizes reflection, inquiry and real-world application.

Why the middle years matter

For prospective families, the question is often whether middle school is transitional or foundational.

Many educators point to the latter.

At NDP, the answer begins with culture — faith, friendship, leadership and belonging — and extends into the classroom.

The combination of Catholic and Marist formation, community-building, extracurricular exploration and International Baccalaureate inquiry creates a middle school experience designed not only to prepare students for ninth grade, but to help them grow into thoughtful and caring young people.

As the school’s mission reminds, the goal is to form “Christian people, upright citizens and academic scholars.”

For families considering the years when children begin to discover both direction and purpose, that may be the most defining promise of NDP’s middle school.

For information on admission to Notre Dame Prep, please click here.

Comments or questions? mkelly@ndpma.org

About Notre Dame Preparatory School
"At Notre Dame Prep, we inspire our students to become the best versions of themselves. We challenge them through an experience of academic excellence, focused on active, project-based learning. We invite them to explore a world of opportunities beyond the classroom. We guide them as they grow in spirituality within a community strong in its Catholic and Marist identity."

Notre Dame Preparatory School is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School's upper school enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame Prep's middle and lower schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. All three schools are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." NDP is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers and is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the National Association of Independent Schools. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School, visit the school’s home page at www.ndpma.org.