Parent Portal
By Sarah Miller, Latin Teacher
The return of Latin to our middle school program reflects Willow’s deep commitment to intellectual inquiry, joyful learning, and academic excellence. Starting in January, small groups of seventh and eighth graders embarked upon a light introduction to Latin, offering a glimpse into the richness of the language and its enduring relevance. Beginning in the fall of 2026, all middle school students will study Latin alongside French or Spanish, adding to our enriching World Language program.
Why Latin?
Latin empowers students to be better communicators by offering them a foundation for understanding language itself. With over 60% of English words derived from Latin, the study of roots, prefixes, and suffixes expands vocabulary with precision and clarity. As students recognize patterns and relationships among words, they move beyond memorization toward genuine understanding, strengthening their ability to read, write, and communicate with confidence and responsibility.
Students experience the joy of learning through stories of Roman life, history, and mythology, encountering themes that remain timeless and deeply human. Using the Cambridge Latin Course, which emphasizes a reading-based approach, students develop methodical translation skills, logical thinking, and analytical reasoning: habits of mind and character that will help them to solve complex problems in other contexts.
Latin invites students into a world that is both intellectually rigorous and genuinely engaging. The study of Latin strengthens verbal fluency and disciplined thinking while fostering meaningful connections across English, French, and Spanish. Whether students continue Latin in high school or pursue another language, our graduates carry with them a deeper understanding of language, an appreciation for the enduring relevance of the ancient world, and a stronger voice with which to effect positive change.
Seventh grade students study their Latin text
About Sarah Miller
Sarah Miller is delighted to be returning to Willow as our Latin teacher. From 2014–2020, Sarah served as Willow’s Middle School Latin teacher, where she built a joyful and rigorous program rooted in curiosity, storytelling, and student excellence. Her work emphasized deep thinking, linguistic connection, and the development of accomplished Latin scholars. A lover of words, art, music, and Latin, she began her professional life as a classical singer before turning her focus to education.
