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Admission

Middle School

Welcome to Grades 7 & 8

List of 1 items.

  • Explore Our Middle School!

Sage Hill School is proud to be the first 7-12 independent school in Orange County!

On August 17, 2026, we welcomed our inaugural 7th and 8th grade students to campus.

If you are interested in learning more about our middle school offerings for the 2027-2028 school year, please complete the inquiry form on this page or click here. This will get you on the list to receive information about upcoming admission events! 

We’ve assembled an extraordinary group of faculty members and coaches to deliver an experience for grades 7-12 that empowers students to grow personally and academically. The new middle school and Bolen Family Gymnasium building presents a state-of-the-art facility for our entire school community to come together under one roof.
 
We are so proud of how far Sage Hill has come in the last 26 years, and we are excited to grow our school and its impact on students from all backgrounds across the Orange County area.

If you would like to learn more about the $25 million capital campaign that is supporting our school expansion, please click here.


Welcome from Director of Middle School

Dear Families,

It is with great excitement that I welcome you to Sage Hill’s middle school. Middle school is an important time in the educational journey of students. This is a time when students start to discover what makes them unique as they ask important questions like: Who am I? Who do I want to become? Where do I fit in? Where do I want to go in life? 
 
At Sage Hill, we will help our students start to answer some of those questions. Our 7th and 8th grade students will be at the beginning of their Sage Hill journey, which is filled with opportunities for discovery, creativity and excellence. Middle school is not just about academic milestones; it's about finding your voice, discovering passions and developing trusting relationships in a safe environment. 

We prioritize small classes, engaging faculty who want to know our students and support them, and separate facilities for our middle and upper school students. Middle school students will also have opportunities to experience Sage Center programming like Service Learning and Spring at Sage, as well as build their own community through class retreats, clubs and advisory. 

We are committed to creating an environment where each student feels seen and heard. The ideas, opinions and experiences of our students are valuable and contribute to our school culture.

I look forward to building a strong relationship with you and your family on this exciting journey and seeing you soon on our campus.

Warm regards,

Dr. Joseph Moody
Director of Middle School
moodyj@sagehillschool.org

Middle School FAQ

List of 11 frequently asked questions.

  • How many students are enrolled in the middle school?

    We enroll between 65-75 students in both 7th and 8th grades with a total population of 140 students in the middle school. In 9th grade, more than half the students in the class will be new to Sage Hill.
  • What is the academic philosophy of middle school? How is it different from the upper school? 

    Sage Hill’s Academic Vision Statement: Sage Hill’s academic program inspires a love of learning as students actively and collaboratively explore important questions to seek understanding. Students become creative, compassionate and courageous learners through a high-quality and highly supportive program that leverages student curiosity and choice, encourages depth of learning and builds on each student’s passions and abilities.

    Engaging Opportunities. Student-Centered. This is the same philosophy for middle and upper school.
  • What is the average class size for middle school?

    Sage Hill prioritizes small class sizes for all grade levels. Similar to the upper school, we will cap all classes at 20 students. The average middle school class size is 14 students.
  • What electives are offered to middle school students?

    Middle school art electives include: sculpting, dance, visual art, vocal music, digital art, instrumental music and theater. Other electives include computer science, study skills, leadership, Model UN, Junior Classical League, Debate, Robotics and Journalism.
  • Are students required to play sports in middle school? How many seasons?

    The middle school day culminates with an athletics block, emphasizing participation in team sports as a vital component of physical health and personal growth. Each student participates in 3 seasons of sport as part of their school schedule.
  • Which sports will be offered in middle school?

    Fall: girls’ volleyball, boys’ flag football, girls’ lacrosse and boys’ water polo. 

    Winter: girls’ water polo, girls’ basketball, boys’ basketball and baseball. 

    Spring: girls’ soccer, boys’ soccer, boys’ volleyball and girls’ flag football.
  • What athletic league does middle school Lightning Athletics compete in? Which schools do you play against?

    For most sports, Sage Hill will compete in the TriWay League, which includes Pegasus, Calvary Christian, Anneliese Schools, Fairmont, Tarbut V’Torah, New Horizon, Carden Hall, Heritage Oak and Oakridge Private.
  • Do middle school students eat lunch with the upper school students?

    Although lunch occurs at the same time for all students, middle school students have their own cafe and dining areas that are separate from the upper school.
  • Are there Service Learning and Spring at Sage opportunities for middle school students?

    Yes, all middle school students participate in both of these signature programs housed under the Hamoui Family Sage Center. 

    Service Learning: Beginning in 7th grade, students are introduced to the Foundations of Service through a series of on- and off-campus experiences. In 8th grade, students build on the year’s theme, Roots of Stewardship, through rotations that explore various science disciplines. 

    Spring at Sage: In 7th grade, students participate in seminar-style programs led by our teachers, exploring a range of topics such as the arts, science, culture and the outdoors. These on-campus and local experiences allow students to begin developing the skills and curiosity that will prepare them for future global learning. In 8th grade, students can choose between a seminar or a travel experience somewhere in California.
  • Do middle school students participate in grade level retreats?

    Yes! Our 7th grade students head to Camp Stevens in Julian, CA for a three-day, two-night adventure. Our 8th grade students fly to Washington, D.C. for five days and four nights. The cost of these retreats is included in middle school tuition.
  • Are there student leadership opportunities in middle school?

    Middle school students have their own elected Student Council. They can also sign up to be Middle School Shadow Day Hosts for the Admission Office.

Meet Our Middle School Team

List of 23 members.

  • Photo of Joseph Moody

    Joseph Moody 

    Director of Middle School
  • Photo of B.J. Crabtree

    B.J. Crabtree 

    Middle School Dean of School Life/Assistant Director of Middle School Athletics, Football Head Coach
  • Photo of Anjali Sheth

    Anjali Sheth 

    Middle School Counselor, Learning Specialist, Study Skills Teacher
  • Photo of Jolynn Atkins

    Jolynn Atkins 

    Administrative Assistant for Middle School
  • Photo of Remy Carl

    Remy Carl 

    Middle School Math Teacher
  • Photo of Nicolas Kelly

    Nicolas Kelly 

    Middle School Math Teacher
  • Photo of Anjelyka Brown

    Anjelyka Brown 

    Middle School Science Teacher
  • Photo of Christina Kim

    Christina Kim 

    Middle School Science Teacher
  • Photo of Kassandra Hawkins

    Kassandra Hawkins 

    Middle School History Teacher
  • Photo of Conor Jordan

    Conor Jordan 

    Middle School History Teacher
  • Photo of Massimo Navarretta

    Massimo Navarretta 

    Assistant Director of Global Education & Inclusion, Model United Nations Middle School Teacher
  • Photo of Estefania Davidow Castellanos

    Estefania Davidow Castellanos 

    Middle School English Teacher
  • Photo of Kathryn Jubak

    Kathryn Jubak 

    Middle School English Teacher
  • Photo of Rafael Albelo

    Rafael Albelo 

    Spanish Teacher
  • Photo of Tom Cirillo

    Tom Cirillo 

    Middle School Latin Teacher, Debate Teacher
  • Photo of Pablo Giustorobelo

    Pablo Giustorobelo 

    Middle School Spanish Teacher, Theatre Teacher
  • Photo of Daniel Langhorne

    Daniel Langhorne 

    Associate Director of Communications, Leadership Teacher
  • Photo of Matthew Vadeboncoeur

    Matthew Vadeboncoeur 

    Educational Technology Specialist, Middle School Computer Science Teacher
  • Photo of Kavita Baliga

    Kavita Baliga 

    Choral Teacher
  • Photo of Amy Bergener

    Amy Bergener 

    Visual Arts Teacher
  • Photo of Brent Dodson

    Brent Dodson 

    Instrumental Music Teacher
  • Photo of Sydney Smith

    Sydney Smith 

    Dance Teacher, Middle School Theatre Teacher
  • Photo of Beatta Tuominen

    Beatta Tuominen 

    Sculpture and Digital Art Teacher

Take the Next Steps

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  • Your Journey Starts Here

Sage Hill School

A college preparatory independent day school for grades 7-12.

20402 Newport Coast Drive, Newport Coast, CA 92657
Phone: 949.219.0100  |  Fax: 949.219.1399
Sage Hill School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the School. The School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship programs, and athletic and other School administered programs.