Discover the Difference at Darlington

Working with teens is usually a lot like riding a roller coaster.  There are ups and downs, many jerky motions, an occasional loop, and some stomach flip-flops.  Our hope is to make it a ride that leaves our students wanting more while always looking back with fond memories.

Relationships are the core of what makes the Middle School, and Darlington, great.  Teachers take phone calls at home at night, students are actively supported as both artists and athletes, teams go out to dinner with their coaches, friends accept that different is good, and we all seek to support each other as a community.  For each child here, Darlington feels personal.  We know these students; we talk about them every week; we invest time outside the classroom watching their athletics, helping them raise money for the Circle Georgia trip and preparing them for life.  The Darlington teacher commits to the whole child and the greatest possible potential of every student by actively knowing and loving these kids as unique individuals.

In a world that changes daily, language and a global awareness are imperative.  We are making sure that Spanish is personal as our students learn vocabulary to help them describe themselves and others in their world and in connection to other disciplines.  For instance, the students are not only learning how to speak in Spanish, but they are learning how to listen to native speakers and comprehend what they are saying, how to read Spanish text and translate the passage, as well as how to write Spanish sentences and paragraphs.  We want the students to learn how to dissect the language and feel confident when they are using it in the future.

As many public schools drop their art programs due to economic challenges, we are actively expanding the opportunities at Darlington.  We understand that art education should not be a privilege; it should be a right for every child.  At the Middle School, we offer visual arts, drama, band, chorus, jazz, and strings. All students are exposed to a variety of arts in a variety of mediums as we nurture a love of arts in every child.

We have embraced the opportunity to encourage thinking skills across disciplines so that students don’t accept that the global glut of information is always true.  Technology is a critical part of our world and we are striving to stay on the cutting edge of using what is native to this generation, while requiring them to be savvy.   As students become discerning consumers of technology, they hone their ability to think for themselves, analyze data, and draw conclusions in a complex and often confusing world.  In that spirit, we are learning with our students to become a global classroom by accessing other countries and opening discussions with schools in other lands.

The Teaching and Learning Center allows students and teachers to collaborate in recognizing different learning styles, applying study skills, and challenging learners to move to more higher level thinking.  Classroom discussions, debate, and public speaking force students to move beyond memorization into higher order thinking and apply knowledge to new situations.  Infused technology, experimentation, and research force students to look at the questions, “why?” and “how do you know?”  Accordingly, assessment centers on reasoning and writing, rather than multiple choice and matching.

At Darlington, we encourage, we support, and we grow, together as one family.  The mission states exactly what we hold dear and what we want for each student:  To learn with passion, act with integrity, and serve with respect. 

Our students say it best:

“Besides the usual friends and family that most people mention, I am thankful for Darlington.  Darlington is a wonderful place that will prepare me for the future.  College is something that is very important to me and my family and being here will help me get into a great college.  My family has had to make some sacrifices to be able to send me to Darlington because it is so expensive to go here.  They have had to cut back and save money, but I think it is worth it.” – Eighth-grade student

"I am thankful for the school I’ve gotten into because there are so many people in the world that would love to get the education I’m getting.” – Eighth-grade student

We are so thankful to families for entrusting Darlington with the education of their children.  It is our pleasure to partner with parents to ensure their child's success!