1:10
STUDENT-TEACHER RATIO
100%
INDIVIDUALIZED LEARNING PLANS
40%
LEARN ABOVE GRADE LEVEL IN AT LEAST 1 SUBJECT
THE MAGNOLIA DIFFERENCE
Middle School the way it should feel
Most middle schools manage behaviors, sequence content and move students through them methodically. Magnolia's middle school builds thinkers - students who know how to learn, handle challenges and advocate for themselves.
Individualized at every level
The same personalized learning plans that define Magnolia's early grades extend fully into middle school. Your 7th grader gets a plan built around who they are - not who the curriculum assumes they are.
Small enough that no one slips through
At 1:10, a Magnolia middle school teacher knows their students' writing voices, their math anxiety triggers, and what genuinely excites them about learning.
Preparation for high school - and life
Content rigor, study skills, self-regulation and genuine intellectual curiosity. We graduate 8th graders who are ready to walk into any high school and thrive, because they know how they learn.
TAPP Accredited
Rigorous external review of curriculum, faculty credentials and outcomes - earned each year
4 Years
On average, our families stay for 4 years. Family retention is our most honest metric.
THE DAILY EXPERIENCE
A day in the life of a Magnolia middle schooler
Structured flexibility is a deliberate balance. Every day is different. Every day is purposeful. Here's what a typical middle school day looks like.
7:45-8:30
Arrival & Morning Welcome
Students arrive and connect with their homeroom teacher for a brief 1:1 check-in — a standing rhythm that keeps teachers aware of how each student is actually doing that day. Goals for the day are set and daily support cards are reviewed.
8:35-9:15
Electives & Enrichment
Students can choose each semester from Art with Adria or Theater with Jeanna, rotating through the week. These electives are core to a Magnolia education and are frequently where students discover what they're genuinely good at.
9:15-10:20
Core Academics Block 1
Math, language arts, reading, and writing rotate through focused instructional blocks. Students work at their proficiency level — which may be different in each subject. Small-group instruction and 1:1 support happen within the same room.
10:20-10:30
Break & Movement
A structured break that prioritizes physical movement, social connection, and reset. Research consistently shows that middle schoolers learn better after movement — so this isn't downtime, it's part of the program.
10:30-11:50
Core Academic Block 2
Science, history, and social studies are explored through discussion-heavy, project-based formats. Middle schoolers are expected to develop — and defend — their own thinking. Writing across disciplines is integrated throughout.
12-12:45
Lunch & Recess
Unstructured social time supervised by teachers who are present but not hovering — giving students space to practice the social navigation that defines these years, with support close by when it's needed.
12:45-2
Academic Block 3
Another rotation of math, language arts, reading, and writing rotate through focused instructional blocks. Students work at their proficiency level — which may be different in each subject. Small-group instruction and 1:1 support happen within the same room.
2 - 2:30
Typing & Spanish
Students shift between Spanish instruction and typing skills.
2:30-3
Study Hall & Intervention
Students work independently on ongoing projects and assignments. Teachers circulate for targeted support. Students flagged for supplemental instruction work with Deidra or the intervention team — within the school day, not after it.
3-3:30
Closing Day & Dismissal
Each day closes with a brief group reflection — what went well, what's being worked on, what to carry into tomorrow. Daily planners are sent home to keep parents informed on assignments and educational progress.
Flexible scheduling available. We're open M-F from 8 AM - 3:30 PM, with aftercare available from 3:30-5:30 PM for an additional fee. We partner with families to supplement at-home education. Ask for details.
What your child will master
Our middles school curriculum covers the core academic subjects with depth and precision - while integrating content areas that build curiosity, creativity and character in equal measures. Select a grade band to explore what's your student will be taught.
Language Arts & Writing
Reading comprehension, literary analysis, persuasive and expository writing, grammar, and vocabulary — woven across all subject areas. Students develop a writing voice, not just a writing formula. Discussion and debate are central to every unit.
Science
Life, earth, and physical science are taught through a combination of direct instruction and hands-on lab work. At Magnolia, students don't just read about science - they practice it. Inquiry and real questions drive the units.
Social Emotional Learning
Self-regulation, conflict resolution, emotional literacy, and friendship skills are taught explicitly - not assumed. SEL group classes are embedded in the weekly schedule and supported by BCBA-led interventions for students who need more tailored support.
Math
Pre-algebra through algebra, geometry, and data analysis - introduced at the level that meets each student where they are. Joel and Josh approach math as a language, not a sequence to memorize. The goal is understanding, not performance
History & Social Studies
Texas history, US history, world geography, and civics. Mari brings over 20 years of experience to building discussion-rich classrooms where students analyze primary sources, debate historical decisions, and connect the past to their own lives.
Study Skills & Executive Function
Note-taking, time management, organization, and self-advocacy — the skills that separate students who succeed in high school from those who struggle. These are explicitly taught at Magnolia, not expected to appear on their own.
Magnolia graduates enter middle school different.
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Academically: reading and math at or above grade level - often years ahead
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Emotionally: self-regulation and ownership of their learning journey
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Socially: peer relationships, conflict resolution, genuine empathy
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Intellectually: still curious - kids who love learning after 6 years of school
THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE IT HAPPEN
Our middle teachers
Magnolia's middle school teachers aren't just content experts — they're people who remember what it felt like to be thirteen, and who chose this age group on purpose. They are some of the most interesting, irreplaceable humans in West Austin education.
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100% CPR & First Aid Certified
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Degree-Holding Educators
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100% Bilingual Instruction Capacity
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Social & Emotional Learning-Trained
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Lifelong Learners
BCBA • BOARD CERTIFIED BEHAVIOR ANALYST
Meghan built Magnolia from the ground up with a singular vision: a school where every child is genuinely known and celebrated.
A Board Certified Behavior Analyst with 17 years experience as an educator, she brings the science of learning into every classroom — and the warmth of a true believer into every conversation with a family. Her door is always open.
Where you'll find Meghan: On the playscape encouraging imagination or in a classroom doing 1:1 instruction.
Meghan Tapp, M. ED., BCBA
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Bilingual (EN/ES)
MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER
Mari
MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER
Joel
MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHER
Salome
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Adria
ART TEACHER
Lauren
RBT & SUPPORT STAFF
Want to meet the rest of our incredible Magnolia team?
MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILIES
What families say about middle school
These are real words from real Magnolia families - shared because they wanted other parents to find what they found here. No prompts. No scripts. Just honest experiences.
PARENTS & MAGNOLIA INTERVIEWS • THE MAGNOLIA SCHOOL