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MDMagistra DLatin Classroom
Students & Parents

For parents of 7th & 8th graders

The path into high school Latin

These two years decide where your student lands in the high school sequence. This page lays out the placement pathway step by step — when things happen, what earns a higher placement, and how to bridge the summer.
Tabula I · The placement pathway

What happens, and when

Placement isn't a single test in May — it's a year-long handoff. Here's the timeline we follow together.

  1. Fall of 8th grade — start the conversation

    We contact the receiving high school's Latin department and share what your student has read and can do. Early contact means no surprises in spring.

  2. Winter — confirm the placement target

    Most students who complete this program place into Latin II; strong readers may aim higher. We identify the right target together based on the student's reading, not just seat time.

  3. Spring — placement check or articulation

    If the high school uses a placement check, we prepare for it by reviewing familiar texts. If they honor articulation, I write a recommendation documenting the level reached.

  4. Summer — bridge, don't cram

    A short summer reading plan keeps the ear sharp. Fifteen minutes of comprehensible Latin a few times a week is plenty to walk in ready on day one.
Tabula II · Readiness

Where they'll land — and how to aim higher

Placement follows demonstrated reading level. These are the markers high schools look for.

By the end of 8th grade, students can…

  • Read unadapted-style passages with confidence
  • Follow a spoken-Latin conversation at a steady pace
  • Recognize grammar in context without translating
  • Enjoy reading Latin for its own sake

What earns a higher placement

  • Sustained independent reading, not just class work
  • Comfort with narrative past tenses and subordinate clauses
  • A portfolio of texts read, which I help assemble
  • A recommendation tied to demonstrated reading level
Tabula III · Summer bridge

A light plan for the summer before 9th grade

The aim is momentum, not review. Small and steady beats an August cram every time.

  1. Keep one familiar novella going all summer — re-reading is the goal, not new grammar.
  2. Listen to ten minutes of spoken Latin a few times a week (see the Resources page).
  3. Send me your high school's Latin teacher's name so I can hand off directly.
  4. Bring your reading portfolio to your first week of high school Latin.
Get the summer reading & listening list

Students who learn to read Latin — really read it — walk into high school Latin with a confidence that lasts.

Magistra D

Ready to plan placement?

Send me your high school's name and we'll map out the handoff together, step by step.

Start the conversation