Academics
Lower School
Academics are at the heart of the St. Andrew’s Lower School experience. We guide children to self-discovery, teaching the whole child and providing space and time to explore a variety of specialty programming. Students leave the Lower School confident, knowing they are valued and well-prepared for middle school and beyond. We understand that children learn best when they feel valued and seen; that is our daily goal.
Invitations and Goals
These are our invitations and goals for our students throughout their Lower School experience.
Nurturing the Whole Child
It is in their early years that children build their sense of identity, and under the support and guidance of our caring faculty and staff, children at SAS thrive. Our educators are proud facilitators of joyful lifelong learning, and you’ll see that in our commitment to curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking. The successful St. Andrew’s student is one who is intellectually, emotionally, physically, and spiritually balanced -- we nurture the whole child so that each student feels safe, respected, and intellectually stimulated.
Building a Strong Foundation
Literacy and math skills are at the center of our academic foundation alongside comprehensive knowledge in science, foreign language, and social studies through inquiry-based learning. Additional classes during the week include daily Chapel, fine arts, foreign languages, daily physical education, technology and library skills. We use a contained classroom format for grades K-3, and move into departmentalization in grade 4. New knowledge is presented through creative and interactive opportunities, ensuring our students enjoy mastering their new skills. At St. Andrew’s, we teach our students to appreciate the learning process by thinking about, reflecting upon, and articulating what they have learned. This kind of reflection fuels their natural childlike curiosity and aids in knowledge retention.
Tools for Success
Lower School opens up all kinds of unique opportunities that increase student skills in problem-solving, technology, programming, and more. We issue an iPad to each of our K-4th grade students and a Chromebook to each 5th grade student, and all devices are used with teacher supervision. Teachers utilize the interactive program Seesaw, which enables students to demonstrate a new concept they've learned through video or animation, and allows parents the opportunity to view their classroom learning. Teachers also participate in the global initiative “Hour of Code,” where some classroom time is dedicated to guide students through fun, interactive programs that teach programming skills in age-appropriate formats.
Beyond the Classroom
Learning doesn’t stop at the end of the school day at St. Andrew’s. Our Beyond The Classroom (BTC) program, an extended-day program available for students until 5:30 pm, offers free play, study time, and a wide variety of enrichment classes to allow our students to further discover their interests and strengths.
