Middle School
WELCOME TO
Middle School
At the Community School of Naples, Middle School is where curiosity grows into confidence. Small classes encourage students to take academic risks, explore new interests, and discover their strengths - all with the support of teachers who know just when to guide and when to challenge.
From the Head of Middle School
At CSN, citizenship, leadership, scholarship, and stewardship don’t just guide our Middle School - they shape it. When students are deeply known, encouraged, and challenged, learning becomes the catalyst for confidence and character.
Mr. Jordan Rooks
Assistant Head of Middle School - Students
Before transitioning to school leadership, Mr. Rooks spent seven years at St. Johns Country Day School in Orange Park, FL, where he taught seventh and eighth grade social studies, served as an eighth-grade advisor, and led extracurricular programs including Chess Club, Middle School Model UN, and multiple cross-country trips. He also served as the Director of the Middle School Winterim Program, creating experiential learning opportunities for students. Prior to that, he spent two years teaching Middle School Social Studies in the Clay County School District, where he was nominated for Rookie Teacher of the Year in 2018. He spent 11 years as an assistant Varsity baseball coach at St. Johns Country Day School, helping lead the team to multiple district and regional titles, culminating in a state championship in 2024.
Mrs. Leigh Stasik
Assistant Head of Middle School - Academics
Mrs. Leigh Stasik is a native of Northwest Indiana, having relocated to Florida in 2016. Mrs. Stasik attended undergraduate school at Lawrence University, graduating cum laude with a B.A. in History with a teaching certificate for secondary education. She completed her student teaching at Appleton East High School, teaching 9th grade Civics and 10th grade World History.
Upon completing her training, the district hired her to teach the ELL Civics course. Mrs. Stasik taught 6th grade Social Studies for eight years at one of the top school districts in the state of Indiana, School Town of Munster.
During her eight years with this district, she coordinated the Peer Tutoring Program, served as the coach for the Math and Social Studies Academic Super Bowl Teams, and volunteered to help with multiple sports activities and school committees. She obtained her M.S. in Education Administration through Purdue University in 2013. Mrs. Stasik has been with CSN since 2017, acting as the 6th-grade History teacher and Model United Nations coach, and teaching various electives, including Psychology of Personality and DIY Crafting. Additionally, she is a Scuba Gang sponsor and a member of the Earth Day Committee and the Environmental Club.
Mrs. Stasik has been the recipient of the Distinguished Teacher Award twice. In 2022, Mrs. Stasik began moving in the direction of administration by becoming the Dean of Faculty Development, and in 2023 she assumed the role of Assistant Head of the Middle School for Academics.
Mrs. Rachael Klaas
Dean of Academic Advancement
Originally from Tampa, Mrs. Rachael Klaas moved to Naples after graduating from The University of Florida with a B.A. in History. She taught preschool for a number of years locally while completing her M. Ed. in Exceptional Student Education at Florida Gulf Coast University. Prior to coming to CSN, Mrs. Klaas served for four years as the Head of The Learning Center at The Village School of Naples, where she created a successful program to meet the needs of the individual learner. In addition to serving as the Head of The Learning Center, Mrs. Klaas also taught Middle School Language Arts. In 2017, she was a Golden Halo nominee.
Mrs. Anne Katz
Middle School Administrative Assistant
Ms. Annie received a B.S. in Education of those with Specific Learning Disabilities from the University of South Florida. After working as an elementary school SLD Resource teacher and a Hospital Homebound teacher for children ages 1-16, Annie joined Sylvan Learning Center. She began as a tutor and left after 13 years as an Assistant Director of Education. Her duties included everything from teaching and testing to scheduling, staff development, and appointment setting. Annie was one of the first volunteers at the Holocaust Museum of Southwest Florida, performing as a docent for school students, researching artifacts, and assisting in training docents and teachers before the birth of her son Gabriel '22.
Where You’re Known and Challenged
CSN Middle School is more than a set of classes - it’s a personal journey shaped by opportunity, choice, and meaningful growth. Through a blend of required and self-selected experiences, each student builds a three-year path that is distinctly their own, supported by the people and programs that make CSN exceptional. Middle School at CSN is a place where vibrant electives, meaningful advisory, and real-world experiences deepen learning every day.
Program Hallmarks
English
Middle School English courses encourage students to discover their own tastes and strengths as readers and writers, to acquire new vocabulary, and to voice their opinions as critical thinkers. Key reading, writing, communication, and grammar skills are introduced, developed, and secured at each grade level. Students mindfully use these skills to intensify their understanding of what they read, communicate this understanding both in writing and in classroom discourse, and ultimately transfer their learning to new situations.
History
The History Department offers a wide range of courses, encompassing the social, political, economic, cultural, religious, and intellectual tradition of humankind. The department seeks to inspire students to think critically and creatively by asking students to compare historical knowledge to situations they encounter in their lives today. Two key skills taught through history are analyzing sources and committing that analysis to the written word. Through the study of history, students are introduced to expository and analytical writing starting in the sixth grade, then growing in both length and depth through seventh and eighth grades. Both primary and secondary source documents are used.
Mathematics
The study of mathematics at Community School of Naples comprises four key components: mastery of traditional mathematical concepts that prepare all students for success in future mathematics courses, effectively communicating mathematics both in written and oral form, building creativity and confidence in problem-solving, and providing challenging opportunities for individual growth through competition and classroom environments.
Students are assessed annually by the mathematics faculty to determine appropriate mathematics placement.
Physical Education & Wellness
Physical Education and Wellness is a required programmatic component for students in grades 6-8. Both team sports, personal fitness, and health classes are taken during the middle school years. Over the three-year period, students work through a developmentally-aligned health curriculum. Each area of health – physical, mental, emotional, and social – is examined. Students are continually encouraged to reflect upon daily choices and analyze how these decisions can impact their overall level of health and wellness.
Science
The Science Department course offerings are designed to provide students with an introduction to the sciences, to acquire knowledge of and appreciation for the natural world, and to understand how scientific topics relate to their lives and the well being of our planet. Students in Middle School science will practice the skills of thinking, reading and writing critically from a scientific perspective. Students actively participate in testing hypotheses, conducting experiments, analyzing data and solving problems. Well-equipped classrooms and willing teachers ensure that our students have numerous and applicable hands-on experiences.
World Languages
In philosophy, the Department of World Languages believes that direct acquaintance, through language, with the varied cultures and peoples of this world provides students an understanding of human interconnection. At CSN not only is language the focus of study in foreign language courses, but additionally the history, literature, civilization, and contemporary mores of the peoples speaking these languages.
Currently the Middle School offers programs of modern language study in Spanish (three levels) and French (three levels). Students are expected to take at least one language course in every year of Middle School. Additionally, eighth grade students have an option to take Chinese or Latin I Honors in the Upper School.
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