It’s normal to have mixed feelings about the middle school years.
You know that this will be a season of tremendous growth and change for your child. As they become more curious, seek answers to life’s big questions, and reach for independence, you want to be sure that they’re in the right place — a place where Christ is at the center.
Our distinctly Christian middle school program provides a supportive environment where students can experience a strong sense of belonging as they grow and mature. By Teaching Jesus, our faculty shows students the meaning of grace and how to live out God’s purpose for their lives.
Below, you’ll learn what makes Grace Community School unique, as well as how we partner with parents to help their students thrive. Keep reading to learn about our:
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A Strong Community
As middle school students navigate more challenging academics, evolving friendships, and greater autonomy over their choices, they need a strong foundation and support. At Grace Community School, students are reminded daily that their identity and worth are rooted in Christ. This informs our approach to fostering academic excellence, healthy social skills, and character development. The result is competent and confident students who are ready for high school.
Intentional structure.
Our fifth and sixth graders share one building and seventh and eighth graders have their own building. This approach aligns with students’ maturity and provides kids with additional time and space to be themselves.
Teachers who mentor.
Middle school students flourish when they feel seen and heard. Grace educators are not just here to teach subject matter; they are here to invest in students’ lives.
Small groups.
Students are involved in Life Groups (same gender/mixed age) and Legacy Groups (mixed gender/same age) at Grace. Led by an invested faculty advisor, these groups provide incredible mentoring opportunities.
Chapels.
Middle school chapels provide students an opportunity to worship, hear from influential speakers, and make their faith their own. It’s a time of learning who Jesus is and how we are to live in His grace, beyond what is experienced in class.
Our children have thrived at GCS! They have made close friends and grown through art and music, athletics, and academics. They’ve heard God’s word consistently and have been encouraged to study it and treasure it. They’ve had truth and Godly character spoken into their lives by their teachers and coaches.
BRITTNEY HOOD, MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT
Experiential Learning
Our “Teaching for Transformation” program provides middle school students with formational learning experiences. These projects promote communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and practical designing — 21st century skills necessary to be influential in any culture or era.
Leadership Opportunities
Middle school is the prime time to develop leadership skills. Students are encouraged to lead in areas they feel passionate about, whether that be on an athletic team, in a fine arts group, or as Legacy group captains.
Exciting Extras
We encourage middle school students to consider their strengths and passions and how those might be used to fulfill God’s calling on their lives. This is accomplished through elective classes, interest-based clubs, STEM offerings, sports, performing arts, and other extracurricular programming.
Equipping them for the next step.
By the time the middle school students leave for their high school years, they have been prepared academically, spiritually, physically, socially, and emotionally. Our dedicated faculty and staff accomplish this by:
Building Personal Responsibility
We prepare our students to be in the driver’s seat of their own learning journey so they are ready to excel in high school and college. This is accomplished through clear expectations, boundaries, and accountability.
Providing Freedom
Middle school students are excited about increased independence and autonomy. We provide a safe place for them to develop these skills through community groups, special events, service projects, and trips.
Intentional Mentorship
Students begin receiving formal official college guidance in ninth grade, but they receive plenty of mentorship around future opportunities throughout middle school. Whether provided by their teachers, coaches, or Life Group leaders, students are encouraged to think ahead and make wise choices to achieve their goals.
Supporting Academic Growth
Our Academic Success Center is a highly utilized resource for students who need tutoring or more focused help to master certain academic topics.
Meet a Teacher
Meet Our Principals
Karla Flournoy
Middle School Principal 5th & 6th and Grace University Principal
Karla Flournoy
Middle School Principal 5th & 6th and Grace University Principal
M.Ed. Texas A&M University
Karla has been in Christian education since 2006 and has served at GCS since 2019. She has an undergraduate degree from Louisiana Tech University in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Educational Psychology from Texas A&M. After serving as the principal at Grace University, she began serving as the principal at the 5th/6th campus in 2021. She and her husband, Dan, are the parents of Christopher and Leslie, Carter and Kelley Grace and Caeden. They are very excited to welcome their first grandbaby in the summer of 2023! They attend Mobberly Baptist Church in Longview.
David Robinson
Middle School Principal 7th & 8th
David Robinson
Middle School Principal 7th & 8th
M.S. Organizational Leadership, Clarks Summit University & B.A. Bible, Bible Baptist College
David Robinson is the Middle School Principal 7th & 8th for Grace Community School. David returns to Grace after a tenure as Head of School at Washington Christian Academy in Olney, Maryland. Prior to his appointment at Washington Christian Academy, he served as the Director of Equity and Inclusion and Men’s Head Basketball Coach for Grace Community School. David holds a bachelor’s degree in Bible and a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Clarks Summit University. Over the course of his career, David has taught at the elementary, middle, and high school levels while also serving as a varsity basketball and football coach. Having spent his entire professional career working in Christian education, he has a passion for cultivating an environment in which each student can experience the truth, beauty, and goodness that come from a life rooted in Christ. In his free time, David enjoys watching movies, reading books on leadership, coaching and skill acquisition, and listening to music. David and Erica have two daughters, Nya and Raven, who are students at Grace.
A Safe Place to Learn and Grow
Grace Community School’s K-12 campus is set in the quiet, residential area of Tyler, TX. Our middle school has its own section of campus where students attend core classes and fellowship with peers around their age, providing a sense of community. Safety is a top priority at Grace; we take perimeter security, background checks, and preparedness drills seriously, and personal protection officers serve on each campus. But we also care about your middle schooler’s emotional safety, which is why we’ve fostered a positive, Christ-centered culture where pre-teens are surrounded by people who care.
We look forward to meeting you and your middle schooler!
Schedule an on-campus or virtual tour and see first-hand why families choose Grace Community School for their kids.