Welcome to the Lower School

Children form lifelong habits of learning during their earliest school years, and it is for this reason that we are committed to ensuring that our students feel enthusiastic, capable, and successful by providing a respectful and nurturing lower school community. We celebrate the rich diversity we have amongst our student body and professional community and work to foster inclusion and equity as a means to set a solid foundation for the future of our students.



Meet Lea Van Ness, Lower School Head

Beginning in kindergarten, students learn the importance of civic purpose and the responsibility for one’s own behavior. Through guided practice students work to develop skills of collaboration, independence, and the fundamentals for a strong work ethic. The social emotional well-being of our students is central in our focus. It is fostered through skillful community building behaviors modeled and explicitly taught by our qualified teachers and professional community leaders. We understand the importance of promoting the development of social skills and the values of respect and responsibility for ourselves, for others, and for the environment. Mixed grade level “families” meet regularly to extend this work throughout the greater Head-Royce community.

 

The Lower School academic program provides a strong foundation of concepts and skills in the areas of reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, science, art, world language, library/media, music, physical education, and technology. In all curricular areas, concepts are introduced at the concrete level and become more complex and detailed as the student’s knowledge and reasoning abilities advance. Teachers provide dynamic and innovative lessons through hands-on activities, simulations, field trips, community engagement, and multimedia projects. We differentiate our instruction to meet the needs of all students. With the addition of a learning specialist and counselor we strive to meet the needs of the whole child.

 

Lower School Mandarin

Lower School Curriculum