Sixth Grade at BSM

Benilde-St. Margaret’s will officially welcome the first class of sixth graders in August 2025 for the 2025-2026 school year.

With the growing demand for Catholic education in the Twin Cities and the natural transition point between fifth and sixth grades for many families, BSM felt the time was right to provide interested families with an opportunity to join Benilde-St. Margaret’s in sixth grade.

The addition of a sixth grade ensures BSM’s ability to provide a holistic middle school experience with the academic and cocurricular benefits that come in a 6-12 environment.

Additionally, sixth grade students are encouraged to become members of the Red Knight Volunteer Corps, which helps connect students with community service opportunities.

BSM’s team of faculty and administrators understand that every student is unique in their learning journey, and families must make the decision that is best for their child.

Because BSM welcomes students from many different schools across the Twin Cities, there are multiple “natural entry points” to our community. For students transitioning from public schools, sixth grade will be a typical entry point at BSM. For students attending a Catholic PK-6 or PK-8 school, we encourage them to complete their full educational experience where they are and join the BSM community in 7th or 9th grade. BSM is committed to ensuring sufficient space for students from local Catholic elementary schools who apply by the priority deadline and meet admissions requirements.

BSM anticipates that 6th, 7th, and 9th grades will be the times when the most significant population growth occurs in any given class.

There will be one tuition rate for BSM’s middle school program (grades 6-8) and a separate tuition rate for BSM’s high school program (grades 9-12). The exact tuition rates will be determined and announced annually in the spring.

The addition of a sixth grade at BSM will likely increase total enrollment. However, BSM anticipates that middle school enrollment will be roughly the same as typical junior high enrollment, and that the high school enrollment will remain relatively consistent with historical senior high enrollment.

Space is typically available for those families who want to apply and enroll their student in seventh, eighth or ninth grades, and BSM recommends an early application in January to ensure your family has priority for acceptance and enrollment at the year that is a natural transition point for your student.

BSM always encourages students to complete their journey at their local Catholic PK-6 or PK-8. BSM is committed to ensuring sufficient space for students from local Catholic elementary schools who apply by the priority deadline and meet admissions requirements.

The admission process for BSM’s sixth grade will be the same as for prospective families applying for seventh grade at BSM. Learn more about the BSM enrollment process.

Applications for enrollment in the sixth grade at BSM will open in October 2024. The priority application deadline will be in early January 2025.

BSM is committed to its partnership with local Catholic schools, both for their own flourishing and as a reflection of our important relationship as Catholic schools within a shared archdiocese. BSM strongly encourages families at local Catholic schools who are interested in joining the Benilde-St. Margaret’s community to complete the full educational journey where they are currently enrolled and enroll at BSM for the following school year.

BSM's “Intent to Enroll” process will open on October 1 and close on December 31. BSM encourages 5th grade families at local PK-6 and 7th grade families at PK-8 school to complete this process to reserve their spot in our 7th and 9th grade classes at the point of natural entry. More information about this process can be found here. Interested families should complete the "Request More Information" form, and our admissions team will be in touch about next steps.

The BSM Middle School day runs from 8 a.m. to 2:35 p.m.

Currently, we run on a hybrid block schedule, meaning that on a normal five-day school week we have four block days and one eight-period day. Every block day will have four, 80-minute classes with lunch and homeroom/advisory.

Every student schedule is unique. We strive for our students to be placed into the “best fit” class for them in English, math, literature, and world language. All our students take the same level of religion, history, and science.

In 6th grade, electives are offered in world languages, music, and art.

Yes, most of the teachers in the middle school are dedicated middle school teachers, meaning that they only teach middle school students.

Yes, all students in grades 6-12 will be given a school owned device. The laptops are to be used for school work purposes.

We have content filters and management software to oversee all devices, ensuring that students have access to age appropriate material. In addition, students will be provided with a school managed Google account.

Not on a regular basis. All middle schoolers will have lockers, homerooms, and classes within the middle school wing. As students walk to physical education, art, or music, they will walk through the hallways with high school students.

Most students will be in classrooms with other grade level students. However, if a student is taking advanced high school classes he/she would be in a classroom with mostly senior high students. Additionally, some after school clubs and extracurricular activities are middle school specific and others are open to students in middle and high school.

No, middle school students have their own dedicated lunch time.

The building is open at 6:00 a.m. If students arrive early to school, they can be in our Commons/Cafeteria, Moore Library, or another supervised area to work on homework, read, or socialize until school starts.

Teachers are available to meet with after 7:30 a.m. Students can set up appointments with their teacher before school.

After school, students are allowed to be in a supervised area (Moore Library, Haben lobby, etc.) until 5 p.m. Students can work with teachers in their classrooms after school by appointment. While the building closes at 10 p.m., student supervision ends at 5 p.m.

Yes! BSM will offer sports that are sanctioned by the SSYO to our sixth graders. Per the Minnesota State High School League, sixth grade students will not be allowed to participate in highler levels of MSHSL sports.

Each student in the middle school is known by her/his teachers and administrators; all middle school faculty are trained to work with this particular age group. Teachers in the BSM middle school strive to provide an engaging, challenging curriculum while still providing a nurturing environment.

Additionally, the middle school has a counselor on site each day, who is devoted specifically to working with middle school students.

There are over 60 different clubs, organizations, and teams in which students can participate at BSM that are outside the main academic offerings. At the start of each school year, we provide a time where all students can walk around and see the many opportunities BSM offers outside of the school day.

No, middle school students do not have recess. Students do have a specified Wellness time embedded into certain days of the week, allowing the opportunity to participate in more organized leisure activities.

During the Fall and Spring months, these activities take place outside; during the Winter months, middle school teachers organize and lead different indoor activities for the students.

BSM is conscious of the community impact for drop-offs and pick-ups of students at our campus.

Our facilities team is confident that the addition of a sixth grade can be done safely and with minimal disruption to the existing morning and afternoon routines for parents who bring their students to BSM.

BSM cannot guarantee that a space will be available for students whose families do not complete the Intent to Enroll process.

Families are able to work through the admissions process without completing the Intent to Enroll process, however space will not be guaranteed.

Applications submitted outside of the Intent to Enroll process will be reviewed on a rolling basis as space is available.

Yes. Because funds will be collected as part of the Intent to Enroll process, BSM will ask families to sign a contract as part of the process.

The fee collected will be applied to tuition obligations upon enrollment at BSM. This is a non-refundable fee collected through the Intent to Enroll process. It will not be returned if a family chooses not to apply and enroll at BSM.