Academics
Middle School

The IB Middle Years Programme at Headwaters

Starting Fall 2026 for Grade 6:
Academic Challenge Meets Joy and Belonging


At Headwaters, we believe your child shouldn't have to choose between being challenged and being known. The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme provides us with a framework to deliver both: internationally recognized academic excellence wrapped in the warmth and individual attention that defines our community.
 
The Middle Years Programme (MYP) is a learning framework used by almost 2,000 schools in over 127 countries.

It asks a simple question: What if students learned by investigating real problems, rather than memorizing facts?

The MYP is the International Baccalaureate's approach for students ages 11-16 (grades 6-10). It's built on a foundation that will feel familiar to existing Headwaters families: students learn best when they're engaged, curious, and see connections between what they're learning and the world around them.



Why We are Adding the MYP:
A Framework for Excellence, A Place to Be Known

Headwaters has always been a place where students feel known, valued, and free to take intellectual risks. That's not changing. Families know us as a place where students are seen and championed. 

Middle school can be a time of immense change. In a world that can feel big and isolating, Headwaters is an antidote to anonymity.

The MYP is our answer for those seeking a clear, internationally-backed program that offers us a way to formalize what we've always believed:  challenge and belonging aren't opposites. They're partners.

We chose the MYP because it:

  • Is evidence-based framework that
  • Aligns with our existing inquiry-based approach
  • Provides clear, consistent terminology, criteria, and expectations across all subjects
  • Offers external validation of student achievement
  • Maintains flexibility for individual learning styles
  • Emphasizes the whole child, not just test scores
"The MYP isn't changing who we are. It's giving us better tools to be who we've always been: a school that challenges students intellectually while supporting them personally."
 
- Ted, Graf Head of School
A Note for Our Existing 7th and 8th Grade Families:
 
Our existing 7th and 8th-grade students will continue to thrive in the celebrated Headwaters curriculum they know and love. Their experience will be enhanced with MYP-inspired practices, but they will not be joining a new program midway. This phased approach ensures every middle school student benefits from our deep commitment to hands-on learning and Socratic discussion, all while we build the MYP from the ground up.


Supporting Every Learner

We know every child learns differently. Meaningful academic challenge isn't about giving students more work; it's about giving them more complex and interesting problems to solve. At Headwaters, we never introduce a new challenge without building a new layer of support.

  • When a student feels challenged: They might get frustrated or feel stuck.
  • How our guides respond: Guides view these moments as opportunities for learning, not failure. They step in with specific tools, a new way of framing the problem, or small-group instruction.
  • The result: The student learns how to learn, building true confidence and the resilience to tackle the next challenge.

Support at Headwaters is a core promise. We keep classes small, with no more than 18 students, and every child is anchored by our Advisory program, meeting four times a week in a small group with a trusted adult advocate. In the MYP, we explicitly teach “how to learn” skills such as organization, time management, and effective study habits through our Approaches to Learning (ATL) curriculum.

When a different path is needed, our on-site Learning Specialist provides individualized support. Because guides and advisors know each student so well, they respond in real time, noticing when extra help is needed and when it is time to offer a fresh challenge. This connected web of care makes belonging and healthy challenge the foundation of your child’s middle school experience.

Your Questions Answered

List of 4 frequently asked questions.

Learn More!

Want to learn more about this exciting new opportunity at Headwaters School? Connect with our Admissions team today!

Springs Campus

List of 1 items.

Creek Campus

List of 1 items.

River Campus

List of 1 items.

As a 501(c)3 non-profit school, Headwaters School does not discriminate because of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other classes protected by federal, state, or local law in its admissions, financial aid, hiring, or board membership processes.