“We are delighted to have a strong and deep applicant pool for next year's sixth grade and to be expanding to two sixth grade sections for the fall of 2011,” said Head of School Ray Broadhead. “Our sixth grade students are going to benefit by having a more diverse class and seeing different students in some of their classes.”

The cap size for one sixth grade class is 16, so adding the second class will allow Webb administrators to divide the total number of sixth graders into two, potentially making each class size smaller than 16. At the same time, adding a second class will allow more qualified students to attend Webb.

“We are very excited about the decision to add another class to our sixth grade,” said Julie Harris, director of admissions. “It has allowed us to accept some students who had been previously wait-listed, which makes me very happy. This decision will also allow us to add more talented young people to our already amazing student body.”

Sixth grade is an ideal time for a student to transition into the private school setting at Webb, which opened its doors for its first sixth grade class in 2000, added Matt Anderson, director of operations in admissions.

“Many of the area elementary schools end in fifth grade so it is a much more natural transition to start middle school in the sixth rather than seventh grade,” Anderson said. “We also know that our students do much better in the upper school when they start Webb in the middle school. Their study skills are stronger and they have benefited from the additional time we spend on writing skills. All of that starts in sixth grade.”

The last time Webb had a second section of the sixth grade was in 2005. That group of students, the class of 2012, has been remarkable, said Linda Williams, middle school director.

“The scope and sequence of our middle school program is designed for grades six through eight, and I think the longer students are at Webb, the better a student’s level of readiness for high school is,” Williams said. “The ones who have been here all through middle school seem to be a little step above the others. We have an excellent sixth grade program, headed by lead teacher Jacquelyn Boyanton.”

Ninety-eight percent of Webb families are satisfied or very satisfied with their child’s experience at Webb, including Murfreesboro parent Claire Tuma, whose daughter Anna Claire began her Webb career as a sixth grader, in 2010.

“I think the sixth grade at Webb is a very good transition opportunity for the students,” said Tuma, whose daughter Caroline also attends Webb. “They find themselves beyond elementary school, yet not quite ready for middle school. This is true not only academically, but also socially. I like the way the students are given opportunity to be part of the middle school, but also are separated so they can be taught what is expected of them at Webb. It was a very good experience for our daughter.”

Parents interested in learning more about the additional sixth grade class should contact Webb’s office of admissions at 1-888-733-9322.

The Webb School is an independent college-preparatory school for grades 6-12. With a strong emphasis on character-development, Webb is the longest continually running school of its kind in the South. For more information visit: www.thewebbschool.com.