MIDDLE SCHOOL AT COTTONWOOD (5th - 8th grades)

GREENPOINT, BROOKLYN

There are many ways to slice a cake and there are many ways to approach the middle school years. No matter how to you do it, middle school should be awesome. At Cottonwood it is.

  • Virtual Enrollment

  • Full-Time and Part-Time Enrollment

  • Weekly Field Trips in NYC

  • Domestic and Global Travel Experiences

During the middle school years, young people go through more changes than at any other point in their lives.  Cottonwood is a welcoming, supportive community that meets the needs and interests of each young person.  Balancing work that focuses on academic growth, personal and social needs, and individual interests, Cottonwood holds space for young people to find their own voice and to remain curious and engaged while working on things that matter to them.  Most importantly, facilitators support and guide learners through discussions and collaborative projects where agency and interpersonal communication forge a culture of ownership and commitment to their own learning and the world beyond.

There are many points of entry for young people in grades 5 - 8 to join our growing community of learners. Email team@cottonwoodnyc.org to learn more and enroll.

Virtual Enrollment

Each day, learners from Cottonwood are joined by learners from other microschools around the United States in our virtual campus. These virtual classes are led by a Cottonwood facilitator and supplemented by in-person experiences throughout the year. Our virtual classes are one way we challenge our middle schoolers and support academic growth. Virtual enrollment is also ideal for New York City based learners who may not be able to commute to our Greenpoint space on a regular basis, but want coursework and social opportunities grounded in a physical community. We also welcome learners from around the world to join our virtual campus.

Science and Humanities Unit Study : Mondays and Tuesdays 2:00 - 3:00 EST

Each week, we examine a topic through a humanities lens and a scientific lens. Each semester, the topics are unified under a common theme. For example, our unifying topic this past autumn was ‘rivers of the world.’ We examined river systems around the world, their roles in the development of civilizations, their wildlife, human interaction with river systems causing harm to those systems, songs about rivers and art about rivers. Students acted out the water cycle, read aboriginal Australian stories about the Rainbow Serpent, and learned about indigenous communities collaborating with scientists to preserve the Amazon. The students read, think about fundamental questions, and creatively collaborate. 

Big History Project : Wednesdays 2:00 - 3:00 EST

Ask the big questions about our Universe, our planet, life, and humanity. Explore 13.8 billion years of the past, but don’t stop there. How does Big History help us understand our present and inform our future?

Book Club : Tuesdays 11:45 - 12:30 EST

Newbery award winning novels are selected and read independently by the learners on their own time. Weekly facilitated discussions ground and engage these offerings. Number the Stars, The Last Cuentista, and New Kid are among the books we read this year.

Learn more about our virtual campus here or email team@cottonwoodco.org to get involved!

Full and Part Time Enrollment

Cottonwood operates Monday through Friday from 9am to 3pm in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Our middle school cohort is a dynamic, empathetic group of 5th - 8th graders who meet daily at our learning center. Learners center their days with a work period for mastery-based academics in core subject areas. They explore personal interests and passions through independent and group project-based work. An important supplement to these components are our culture building activities which empower and give voice to each young person and examine the intentions with which we are operating as a community.

To learn more about the program, visit the education page.

Daily activities are complemented by weekly Friday Field Trips and travel experiences each semester.

*In-person enrollment includes all offerings included in Virtual Enrollment.

Travel and Field Experiences

At Cottonwood, we believe getting out of your comfort zone is a great way to learn! Each Friday we explore the city and all that is has to offer. Learners often plan these field days.

Throughout the year, middle school aged learners also embark on longer travel experiences; strengthening bonds with each other and connecting with other learners from the virtual campus. This year’s travels were to:

2024 - 2025 Trips

New York, NY - Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island tour and The Outsiders on Broadway

St. Louis, Missouri - Visiting the Arch, City Museum, and Casco Learning Center

Olympic National Park, Washington - Learners spent a week at the NatureBridge campus for an immersive, environmental science program.

2025 - 2026 Trips

Fall - Washington D.C.

Spring - California Coast - Marine Biology Studies

Email team@cottonwoodco.org to learn more and get involved!