The Wellness and Life Skills program contains three core areas of focus. The first is teaching students to identify emotions, perceive and recognize others’ perspectives, solve problems and manage emotions. The second focuses on mindfulness. Using a research-based curriculum, students are taught skills which build resilience to stress and anxiety, and develop a positive mindset…

Lively classes conducted in the target language provide students with ample opportunities to practice listening and speaking skills and to develop and expand their knowledge of familiar topics in Spanish. Students begin to use the language creatively and interact with one another by asking questions and recording brief interviews. They learn to create menus and…

Students expand their skill base and apply these skills by participating in lead-up and small-sided games. Rules, tactics and positions for sports, including handball, are discussed and applied to the activities. With the occasional use of their iPads, students assess their performance to learn or improve a skill or strategy. Students continue to study heart…

Music classes are taught using the Orff approach, involving listening, movement, singing and other creative activities. Students develop skills in music theory and instrumental music, playing instruments such as the xylophone and other percussion instruments. Students perform at weekly Inspirations and at holiday and spring concerts, showcasing the curriculum. Students also are introduced to movement…

We have two main goals in Library: to help students become successful seekers, users and integrators of information from many sources, and to promote reading as a lifelong skill and pleasure. Skills to seek, evaluate and synthesize information are implemented across the grades at developmentally appropriate levels. Each class also includes a read-aloud story and…

From coding with Scratch Jr. on the iPad and Scratch on the MacBook, to building circuits and beginner robots, students apply basic understanding of programming concepts by creating their own coded programs and learn about ethical issues of technology. Students also create multimedia communication elements to share what they have learned about their year-long study…

Projects are designed to emphasize exposure to new concepts, expansion of known concepts, integration of grade level information and the joy of self-expression. In drawing and painting, students review formatting and composition choices related to their subject matter, and learn to include design elements such as value, color, texture and emphasis. By combining materials in…

Science in the Lower School is designed to tap into young students’ natural curiosity about their environment and how the world works. We help students, through inquiry, to continually build on their abilities and revise their knowledge. The goals of the program are to provide students with engaging hands-on opportunities and experiences to guide them…

Social Studies incorporates the study of the social sciences and humanities to promote civic competence. Within the Lower School program, Social Studies provides a coordinated, systematic study drawing upon geography, history, economics and political science and relevant content from language arts, mathematics and the sciences. The primary purpose of social studies is to help our…

At this level, students describe, analyze and compare strategies for adding and subtracting, while working on accuracy and efficiency. They also develop an understanding of factors and multiples through work with array models of multiplication and practice multiplication combinations through 12 x 12. They develop strategies for solving multiplication and division problems based on looking…