Nesbitt, Ralston and Sandpiper describe curricula, schedules, electives and extracurriculars

Principals from the Belmont-Redwood Shores School District’s three middle schools described program differences and commonalities, emphasizing that all sites follow California standards-aligned curricula and offer academic and extracurricular options.

Why it matters: Families deciding where to enroll incoming sixth-graders need to weigh program emphases — Nesbitt’s International Baccalaureate framework, Ralston’s comprehensive electives and math pathways, and Sandpiper’s block schedule and design-thinking focus — which district leaders said lead to different daily experiences though all meet core standards.

Nesbitt School Nesbitt is the district’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Middle Years Programme site. Ryan Hansen, principal, and Christina Spicker, assistant principal, said the school teaches Spanish as a core language-acquisition class and embeds art across content areas to meet IB requirements. Nesbitt uses a readers-writers workshop model in English language arts; math instruction can include Algebra 1 in eighth grade, supported by CMP3 or Desmos; history uses the Teachers Curriculum Institute (TCI); science uses STEMScopes; and the district’s Wayfinder curriculum supports social-emotional learning. Nesbitt runs a rotating schedule, holds homeroom gatherings on Wednesdays for SEL work and high-school preparation, and offers one trimester-long elective per term (examples: leadership, graphic design, STEM, financial literacy). The site also hosts band and strings during seventh period and monthly art lessons via the district LEAP program.

Ralston Sabrina Adler, principal, and assistant principals Patrick Wilson and Kelly Jorgensen said Ralston operates as a comprehensive middle school with a rotating schedule and a new embedded 23-minute SEL block for Wayfinder. Ralston’s ELA uses StudySync; math pathways include grade-level and accelerated tracks with opportunities to advance to Geometry or Algebra 2/Trig in eighth grade. Ralston has three counselors (one per grade) and assigns one counselor paired with an administrator to each grade. Electives include a “wheel” rotation for sixth graders, band, orchestra and choir year-long options, and multiple semester- or year-long art courses. The school reported roughly 375 sixth graders and noted students typically have six teachers in sixth grade and seven in seventh and eighth.

Sandpiper Gloria Higgins, principal, described a double-block schedule at Sandpiper that meets each class twice per week for extended periods; a credentialed PE coach provides fitness, nutrition and goal-setting instruction; and the school has specific signature practices around metacognition, design thinking and student voice. Sandpiper also offers the Wayfinder SEL curriculum, a before-school strings or band option, and intersession experiences twice a year. Electives rotate by trimester and include digital arts, cultural arts and culinary arts; offerings vary by staffing and credentialing.

All sites noted extracurriculars and athletics vary by season and coach availability. Sports cited include flag football, cross country, basketball, volleyball, golf, tennis, soccer and track and field; if a sport is not offered at a student’s home site, students may try out at other district middle schools. Principals emphasized that schedules and elective menus are designed so students “move around and get to know a lot of different people,” a feature they said supports social development.

No policy changes were announced; the presentation was informational and aimed at families preparing for middle-school transition.