Why Split Gender?
For over 20 years, St. Alphonsus Parish School has offered a split-gender middle school experience. Our program offers a unique choice for parents and students who believe, as we do, that students at this age gain more confidence and are more motivated to excel when the distractions of a co-educational environment are removed. Instruction is molded around the specific needs of each group, with the resulting learning experience being relevant and effective for all students.
Best of Both Worlds
While most core classes like math, science, and humanities are split-gender, enrichment and extracurricular activities combine both boys and girls. Students benefit from a split-gender academic environment and a co-ed social atmosphere, which promotes healthy friendships and interactions.
Other Advantages We Witness
- Girls learn to be more academically competitive; boys learn to be more collaborative.
- Our teachers anticipate the typical classroom behavior and needs of a split-gender group and curate classroom procedures and culture to best serve our students.
- More opportunities exist to deconstruct negative gender stereotypes and role model positive gender expression.
- Standardized test scores for girls in math remain on par with their male peers throughout middle school.
Enrichment Offerings
Every Friday, middle school students have a 2-hour block to dig deeper into a hands-on enrichment course. Offerings vary by trimester:
- Beekeeping
- Iconography
- Model United Nations
- Coding
- Drama
- Health and Fitness
- Home Economics
- Art & Pottery
- Service Learning
