Beginnings matter in education,
and the Lower School at St. Andrew’s takes pride in the exceptional way our teachers bring learning to life. From gardens to barrier islands, baking bread to reader’s theater, the youngest students at St. Andrew’s are engaged daily in adventurous exploration.
Enrichment Beyond Traditional Academics
One of the hallmarks of Independent School education is the unique flexibility to enrich the curriculum in ways that help children grow to be well rounded learners. Enrichment classes begin in our Pre-K3 classroom, and include exposure to Spanish, Music, PE, Art, STEAM, Library, and Technology. Beginning in grade 3, our students have the opportunity to select between a band or a strings instrument to foster a deeper level of music appreciation. Fine Arts performances like our annual Lower School Rising Stars Musical, athletic opportunities, and robust after school offerings ensure all students are able to explore a variety of opportunities and celebrate their unique gifts and talents.
Nurturing the Whole Child
Children develop best when they have secure relationships. Fostering those relationships is a job our gifted and experienced teachers value and recognize as the first step in building a solid foundation for learning. Capturing your child’s heart leads inevitably to opening their mind, and our small class sizes and personalized approach to instruction inspire confidence in our students.
Fostering the Innovators of Tomorrow
A home for thinkers, creators, and problem solvers – the Lower School at St. Andrew’s is teaching tomorrow’s leaders. Our teachers recognize the 21st Century skills our students will need as the foundation for their future, and appreciate that those skills are rooted in the early development of curiosity, flexibility, and collaboration.
Get to know St. Andrew’s | Lower School
When we say Lions, you say Go!
Our Lion Cubs added a lot of pep to this morning’s Lower School assembly. Thanks to coach Jenn Schwalbe and assistant coach Jana Atmanto for leading this excellent group of cheerleaders. Go Lions!
In the room where it happens
Throughout the year, we will be taking a peek into one of our fine arts classrooms to see the great work of our artists across campus! This week, we feature our Lower School Music classroom and their director, Ms. Bethany Lonce. Students have learned to play Orff instruments with good mallet technique, worked together to find a steady beat, and sang folk songs while moving around the room in pairs! We love hearing you grow as young musicians!
Children Inspiring Hope
These 2nd graders created one-of-a-kind works of art to be delivered to their friends in Ghana, West Africa through the non-profit organization, Children Inspiring Hope. A volunteer team, led by Amy Nedriga ’91 (pictured center), is headed to Ghana to share the artwork and bridge cultures 5,000 miles apart. They will then return with artwork and letters from the students in Ghana to share with our students.
Quiet time helps students recharge
New to the Lower School this year, QUIET TIME is a component of our responsive classroom approach to learning. Students are given 10-15 minutes a day to read, draw, begin homework, work on classwork they need to catch up on or just refocus their attention for an afternoon of learning. When used effectively, students and teachers alike look forward to this oasis of peace and quiet in the midst of a busy and energetic school day.
“Fourth grade uses quiet time as a natural transition before switching class in the middle of the day and it has become one of our favorite times,” said 4th grade teacher Nicole Wong.