Lower School
Establish a life-long love of learning through an experiential and artistic education approach in elementary school.
Nurturing curious learners through experiential, developmentally tuned education
Designed to meet children at each stage of their natural cognitive, emotional, and physical development, the lower school curriculum delivers academics through an approach that aligns with how elementary students experience the world. Rather than pushing premature abstract concepts or standardized testing benchmarks, learning is woven through vivid storytelling, artistic creation, rhythmic movement, and direct sensory exploration. Core disciplines—including mathematics, language arts, natural sciences, and world languages—are introduced concretely: mathematical operations are discovered through rhythm and movement, letters and vocabulary emerge organically from stories and form drawing, and scientific understanding begins with observation and active engagement in nature. Because a primary class teacher typically accompanies the same group of students through their elementary years, educators build deep, lasting relationships that allow them to adapt instruction to individual needs while fostering a supportive classroom community. By honoring the rich imagination and changing developmental milestones of early and middle childhood, this holistic program transforms foundational skill-building into an engaging, meaningful journey.
Guiding your child's natural journey from story and rhythm to deep critical thinking
First Grade
Your child enters a world of wonder where coming to school is the highlight of their day. Through rich world folktales and storytelling, students build healthy learning habits and master foundational reading and arithmetic within a warm, supportive classroom community.
Second Grade
Your child explores human qualities through classic fables and stories of historical figures. Guided by language arts, class plays, expanded reading, and math operations, students strengthen focus, arithmetic skills, and social confidence within a supportive community.
Third Grade
Your child channels growing independence through hands-on farming, building, and crafts. Guided by global stories, grammar, and cursive, students apply reading and math to real-world tasks like measuring and weighing—building practical skill and confidence within a supportive community.
Fourth Grade
Your child channels emerging self-confidence into new academic challenges. Guided by Norse mythology, advanced grammar, and zoology, students tackle fractions and life sciences—building analytical skills, curiosity, and resilience within a supportive community.
Fifth Grade
Your child explores symmetry and balance through ancient history, botany, and geometry. Guided by world civilizations, decimals, and freehand drawing, students build social confidence, critical thinking, and academic poise within a supportive community.
Specialty subjects & enrichment programs
In addition to the core curriculum, every student actively engages in our full range of specialty programming—from music and handwork to world languages and movement. Rather than viewing these subjects as optional electives, we integrate them as essential pillars of daily learning to nurture the whole child. By balancing physical craft, artistic expression, and intellectual discovery, this holistic approach builds strong academic foundations alongside deep emotional resilience, creative problem-solving, and social confidence.
Click to learn more about each program across the grades
The full curriculum arc across the lower school