The Lower School provides a structured, challenging, and dynamic academic environment in which each boy develops a strong sense of confidence in himself as a learner. In the pre-primary grades, the curriculum introduces a vast array of topics and disciplines that aim to foster a love of discovery while cultivating the skills necessary for continued academic achievement. By following the Golden Rule, boys learn to work and play together while taking their first steps toward independence.
Language arts and mathematics form the core of the academic curriculum. Taught in small instructional groups that progress at an appropriate pace, reading classes balance direct instruction with group and individualized work. Each boy is challenged to master carefully sequenced concepts and skills at every level. The reading program is enhanced by stimulating projects such as the third grade monthly book celebrations, in which boys produce book jackets, movie posters, or “book floats” to illustrate the books they have enjoyed. Written composition is integral to the program and developing writers learn to express themselves in clear, well-organized sentences and paragraphs.
Incorporating formal listening and speaking instruction, language arts in the Lower School is a comprehensive approach to early literacy development. Homeroom teachers read aloud daily, sharing with the boys the beauty and excitement of classic children’s literature. Poetry recitation is a long-standing tradition at Saint David’s School. Each week, first through third graders recite classic and beloved poems in front of their classmates and teachers.
A small-group format in mathematics allows each boy to proceed at a pace appropriate for his level. Teachers emphasize the four basic operations, as well as computation skills and the automatic recall of math facts. Along with math lab manipulatives, fundamental math skills and concepts are introduced, reinforced, and mastered. Hands-on activities like the first grade school store, second grade math mountain, and third grade surveys enrich the program, bringing math to life and ensuring boys practice and apply skills in novel problem-solving situations.
Several times each week, Lower School boys are fully immersed in the Spanish language and experience cultures of the Spanish-speaking world. Students acquire Spanish speaking and listening skills through interactive language activities that parallel what the boys are learning in other subjects, deepening their understanding of multiple disciplines.
Weekly classes in science, social studies, music, art, pottery, woodworking, and technology augment the core curriculum, introducing the boys to new areas in which they may experiment, reason, learn, create, and excel. Beginning in pre-kindergarten, boys take field trips to explore the surrounding community and learn from the wealth of resources in our city. Lower School boys enjoy a dedicated library – a cozy and inviting space with an exceptional collection of classic works and newly published volumes. Boys participate in a daily sports period where they exercise and have fun while developing physical skills, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. Throughout the year, special events connect the Lower School boys with their older schoolmates as well as with their peers from neighboring schools.
Serving the extended community begins early at Saint David’s. Lower School boys participate in a variety of charitable activities. In addition to bringing the school’s Judeo-Christian values to life, reaching out helps the boys begin to appreciate the differences and unique needs of others.
Partnership with families is a prized component of our community approach to learning. Lower School parents feel connected to school life through Parent Nights, class coffees, Parents Association meetings, topical discussion groups, and parent-teacher conferences. Teachers aim to be proactive and respond promptly to parent questions or concerns.
The strength of the Lower School program lies in its teachers. Lower School teachers are dedicated to developing the competence, critical thinking, self-esteem, creativity, and moral compass of each boy. The ethical and moral dimension is addressed through chapel, which begins in the first grade. As a result of their teachers’ devotion, Saint David’s boys treasure the school experience and are well on their way to becoming enthusiastic lifelong learners.
By the end of the third grade, the last year of Lower School, Saint David’s boys have mastered fundamental skills. They can read for comprehension and identify the main idea, make inferences, and track character development. They can write a strong descriptive paragraph and a beginning research paper. They can add, subtract, multiply, and divide and understand concepts of time, money, and measurement. They have strong study skills and are comfortable using our academic planner. They have interacted with neighborhood schools, and have developed a sense of themselves as members of a wider community who share responsibility for its strength. Over the course of their Lower School years, they have discovered the foundations of what it means to be good men.