Grade 6 Launch

Milken Launches 6th Grade for 2021-2022 School Year

We are excited to share the news that Milken Community School will open a 6th grade beginning in the 2021-2022 school year. 

The new 6th grade will be housed on the stunning Saperstein Middle School campus, and our students will have access to all of Milken’s expansive resources, facilities and programs.  A three year middle school will be more responsive to the marketplace and more aligned with our educational philosophy; this additional year will also allow us to fully embrace our signature X-learning pedagogy.  Most importantly, our new 6th grade will help to attract students who are not currently enrolled in Jewish Day School, thereby to grow our reach and our ability to achieve our mission.

FAQs

List of 13 items.

  • Why is Milken Adding a 6th Grade?

    Based on the historical enrollment trends in Jewish day school elementary schools,  the tuition assistance needs of our community members, and the interest from public school families, Milken’s leadership and our Board of Trustees recognize both a pressing need and an incredible opportunity to add a 6th grade to Milken’s current Middle School.  Milken’s 6th grade will serve a specific purpose: attracting public school students who have not yet been in Jewish Day School. 
  • What is the pedagogy and rationale around adding a third year to Milken’s Middle School?

    Middle School is a challenging transitional period for most adolescents. In its current form, Milken’s Middle School is a two-year program (7th and 8th grades), and we believe that adding a third year (6th grade) will give students a longer horizon to adjust to Middle School. We fully support the research that shows the benefits of 6th grade being a part of an elementary school tenure, but with so many public and independent schools ending elementary school in 5th grade, we think adding a 6th grade will fill an important gap for families. Additionally, Milken has been a 7-12 school and with that breadth, we are able to offer expansive facilities, robust programming and an in-depth curriculum.
  • What will Milken’s 6th Grade look like?

    The new 6th grade will be housed on the stunning Saperstein Middle School campus, and our students will have access to all of Milken’s expansive resources, facilities and programs.  A three-year Middle School will be more responsive to the marketplace and more aligned with our educational philosophy and fully integrated into our signature X-learning pedagogy. 
  • What is the curriculum for the 6th grade?

    Curriculum will be similar to our existing 7th and 8th grade curriculum, but with a core focus on the executive functioning element, helping to prepare our youngest students for the skills necessary to be successful learners in middle and upper school context. We will frame a large part of the curriculum in our X-learning model, which focuses on the intersection and importance of identification, exploration, purposeful play and connection. Please click here to read more about X-learning. 
  • How will the admission process work for families interested in the 6th grade?

    The admission process will be consistent with Milken’s 7-12 admission process. 
    Admission priority will go to students currently enrolled in public school and secular private school.  Enrollment space is limited as we are only opening 1-2 sections for the first two years of the program (2021-2022 and 2022-2023). Sections will have no more than 15 students each.  
     
    Families interested in learning more about Milken’s 6th Grade should click here.
  • How will adding a 6th grade affect Jewish feeder schools?

    As part of the larger Jewish community, we want to be sensitive to the needs and concerns of our feeder schools, all of which are currently configured as K-6 or K-8 schools. For families who may be interested in applying to Milken’s Middle School, there is no need to apply for 6th grade to secure a spot as any student who meets our admission standard will be admitted in 7th grade.
  • Who is the target market for Milken’s 6th Grade?

    Adding a 6th grade will allow us to attract students who are not currently enrolled in Jewish Day School, thereby to grow our reach and our ability to achieve our mission.  While we cannot exclude any families from applying, admission priority will go to students currently enrolled in public school and secular private school. To achieve this goal, we will limit our enrollment to 1-2 sections at least for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school year. 
  • What is tuition for the 6th grade?

    Milken Community School’s tuition for the 2021-2022 school  year will be published in early 2021. The current tuition, which is the same across all grades, is $46,500. In addition, there is a one-time new student fee of $2,000 per student and an annual security fee of $1,750 per student. A non-refundable deposit is required upon enrollment.
  • What is the admission timeline?

    Milken adheres to the CSSAD (Consortium of Secondary School Admission Directors) timeline, which agreed to a notification date of March 12, 2021. Applications are due by January 4, 2021.
  • Can families apply for tuition assistance?

    Families are encouraged to apply for tuition assistance if there is a financial need as we embrace diversity in our community, and want to offer the possibility of a Jewish day school experience to all qualified students. Our mission is to educate our children so they surpass us, and it is important for us to give as many students the opportunity to fulfill our mission. To that end, a little more than 35% of families receive some percentage of tuition assistance. 
  • Will there be merit scholarships available?

    At this time, there are no merit scholarships available for Milken applicants.
  • Who is Milken’s 6th grade leadership team?

    Milken’s new 6th grade is part of our Middle School Division, and it will fall under the current Middle School leadership team:
    Dr. Leigh Fauber, Division Head
    Rabbi Aaron Finkelstein, Division Rabbi
    Tatianna Massaro, Division Academic Support Director
    Margot Parker, Division Counselor

     
    In addition, we have curriculum coordinator, Leora Smith, who has extensive experience in both Middle School instruction and curriculum development. We also have a Division Dean, Steve Parmlee, who has deep experience in school leadership and student life.  
     
    To read more about our Middle School leadership team, please click here.
  • Where can I learn more about Milken’s 6th Grade?

    Please call Milken’s Admission Office at 310.440.3500 or email Lindy Kadouri, Director of Admission and Enrollment Management, at lkadouri@milkenschool.org. You can learn more about the admission process at milkenschool.org/admission.

 

Office of Admission

List of 5 members.

  • Photo of Lindy Kadouri

    Lindy Kadouri 

    Director of Admission & Enrollment Management
    310.903.4821
  • Photo of Alexis Newman

    Alexis Newman 

    Associate Director of Admission
    310.440.3572
  • Photo of Mele Liss

    Mele Liss 

    Admission Associate
    310.440.3790
  • Photo of Elana Banafsheha

    Elana Banafsheha 

    Admission Associate
    310.440.3782
  • Photo of Shelly Meyers

    Shelly Meyers 

    Admission Coordinator
    310.440.3553

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At Milken Community School, we think education is more than what you know. Our School, founded on Jewish values, is about who our children can become and how they can help others become who they might be. Because the world our children will create tomorrow is born in the School we build today, our mission is to educate our children so they can surpass us.
Non-discrimination Policy: Milken Community School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national and ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid, athletic, and other school-administered programs.