Middle School

Bend International School’s Middle School is a small, inclusive community where students build confidence, character, and global awareness. Through rigorous academics, hands-on projects, and experiential learning—like field trips and service opportunities—students apply their knowledge to real-world issues. Strong relationships, restorative practices, and a focus on our ten core character traits help every student thrive as a learner and global citizen.

Our Sister School

A highlight of our middle school program is our partnership with Octavio Paz School in Tlaquepaque, Mexico. Students form friendships across cultures, participate in service-learning projects, and experience life in one of Mexico’s most artistic cities. Each year, Bend International School students visit Tlaquepaque, and Octavio Paz students come to Bend, building lasting connections through shared learning and cultural exchange.

Humanities in Middle School

Our Humanities program encourages students to think critically, write creatively, and explore diverse global perspectives. Through daily writing, debate, and analysis of international literature—such as Revolution Is Not a Dinner Party, The Book Thief, I Am Malala, and A Long Walk to Water—students develop their voices as thinkers and storytellers. They learn to see history and culture through multiple lenses and engage thoughtfully with today’s interconnected world.

Science in Middle School

Our Science program gives students hands-on opportunities to experiment, design, and explore the world around them. Guided by the Next Generation Science Standards, students develop essential 21st-century skills through labs, coding, microscopy, and 3D printing. Collaborative projects in chemistry, biology, physics, and climate science encourage curiosity, teamwork, and real-world problem solving.

Math in Middle School

Our Math program challenges students to deeply understand the principles and real-world relevance of mathematics. Using the Open Up Resources curriculum, students engage in collaborative problem-solving and design-based projects that connect math to authentic experiences. This rigorous, hands-on approach builds confidence and prepares students for success in high school and beyond. 

Spanish Integration in Middle School

Spanish language learning is an essential part of our middle school experience at Bend International School. Students build fluency and cultural understanding through immersive classroom study that connects to their integrated units of learning. Each year, field trips across Oregon extend classroom concepts, and the 8th grade capstone exchange with our Sister School in Tlaquepaque, Mexico offers a true opportunity to apply Spanish in authentic, real-world contexts. 

Experiential Education in Middle School

Experiential learning is central to Bend International School’s middle school program. Students in grades 6–8 take part in hands-on field trips across Oregon that connect classroom learning to real-world experiences—from OMSI’s Hancock Field Station to Silver Falls State Park. The program culminates in a week-long exchange with our Sister School in Tlaquepaque, Mexico, where students build cultural understanding and create lasting memories.