Lower School

1st - 5th Grade

Children in the Lower School are eager to explore, question, and seek to define the world around them. With each year of growth, they develop higher level thinking, problem-solving ability, engage in complex academic content, and experience more meaningful social relationships. Taking advantage of their enthusiasm, teachers create an enriched environment with a differentiated curriculum that challenges all children in meaningful and productive ways. Children spend time developing formal proficiencies in reading, language arts, math, science, foreign language, sports, wellness, and the arts.

Core values and life skills are an important focus in daily chapel and all aspects of school life. Children are encouraged to become independent learners and be responsible for their own behavior, mistakes, and successes.

Lower School Students:

  • Gather for daily chapel services
  • Join in the school-wide focus on life skills and social/emotional wellness
  • Enjoy Buddy Program activities in upper and lower grades
  • Attend weekly art, music, Spanish, and physical education classes
  • Share in service projects and treasured holiday traditions

Core Curriculum

Lower School curriculum is founded in authentic real-life problems, scenarios, and challenges. Teachers design daily learning around student curiosities, games, and group discussion to maximize engagement. In these primary grades, students develop strategic thinking skills, learn to collaborate with their peers, and explore their role as an upstanding citizen.

Lower School students work together and have fun during a literature lesson.

Lower School students work together and have fun during a literature lesson.

A pair of 1st grade students work on an art project together.

A pair of 1st grade students work on an art project together.

Lower school students learned about aerodynamics from an Air Force pilot.

Lower school students learned about aerodynamics from an Air Force pilot.

Lower school students work on an engineering activity in the school's Maker Space.

Lower school students work on a coding activity in the school's Maker Space.

2nd grade students created problem-solving robots and displayed them in a Robot Museum.

2nd grade students created problem-solving robots and displayed them in a Robot Museum.

Lower school students learned about aerodynamics from an Air Force pilot.

Lower school students learned about aerodynamics from an Air Force pilot.

Lower school students complete a STEM activity about the DNA of a strawberry,

Lower school students complete a STEM activity about the DNA of a strawberry,

Lower School Highlights

In Lower School, students start to take on more responsibility in the St. Paul's community through chapel and the Buddy Program. In addition, they begin to develop their leadership skills while exploring their interests and passions.