|
|
 |
Class Size:
Small classes (actually a small adult to student ratio) maximize personal growth and develop a mentoring
relationship between the teacher, the assistant and the student. The Lower School class enjoys an average
of 16-18 students. Teaching assistants work alongside teachers at various times during the day to maximize
student learning and to enhance the teacher’s effectiveness.
School Day:
- The school day for Pre-Kindergarten begins at 8:20 and dismisses at 1:05.
- The school day for Kindergarten begins at 8:05 and dismisses at 2:05.
- The school day for grades 1 - 5 begins at 8:05 and dismisses at 3:05.
|
Club Cub (Before and After School Program):
For students who need care before and after school, a supervised program is provided.
For more information on Club Cub, click here.
Lunch:
Sage Dining Services provides a hot lunch daily, served in the gym. Lunch is an added cost paid at the
same time tuition is paid.
Chapel:
Chapel, a worship experience for our Lower School students, usually occurs weekly. Students use their
growing gifts and talents to lead their peers in a worship experience. One of the additional benefits
of chapel participation is the opportunity for our students to practice leadership skills, apply speaking
and performance skills, develop platform poise, and serve in a ministry capacity. Chapel develops a
sense of unity in the Lower School student body.
Typical Daily Schedule:
The classroom teacher determines the best schedule to achieve the maximum benefit for the students’
instruction. Each teacher will provide a more specific schedule as the school year begins. The schedule
includes Phonics, Literature, Writing, Math, Spelling, Vocabulary, Speaking, Science, Social Studies
and the specials: Spanish, Art, PE, Music, Library, and Computer Lab. For the Kindergarten class a rest
period will be scheduled in the afternoon at during the first part of the year. There are some regularly
scheduled activities such as a mid-morning break, which includes a nutritional snack (provided by Sage
Dining Services), Lunch and recess. Recesses will be outside the classroom when weather permits.
Parents in the Classroom:
Research indicates that children whose parents get involved in their child’s school achieve at a more
advanced level. Parents are invited and encouraged to arrange to assist in the classroom and get involved
with the Whitefield Parents Association (WPA).
Exploring Faith
Students explore their faith as they learn scripture passages and the Bible stories (using the NIV translation).
These passages and stories provide a common foundation for the Christian faith The evangelical foundations
of Whitefield Academy provide a basis for our students to explore their faith without the emphasis on
denominational distinctives. Those distinctives are left to the choices of each family and their church
tradition.
Field Trips:
Field trips enhance the Lower School curriculum. Each student experiences enriching areas which are
being studied in the classroom. Field trips are tied to the curriculum and involve pre-field trip preparation
activities, learning activities on the field trip and closure activities after the field trip.
Campus Security: The safety and security of your students is first and foremost in our consideration.
Many measures are in place to provide a secure campus.
Library:
The library housed in the Lower School is a collection of fiction and non-fiction books, reference works,
periodicals, multi-media materials, and Internet sites appropriate to Lower School scholars. Additionally,
classroom libraries enhance the rich literature and units studied there.
A Nurturing Environment:
One of the distinctions of Whitefield Academy is the nurturing environment students and parents enjoy.
The Lower School staff is committed to caring for students in all areas of their life. Being sensitive
to a child’s emotional needs, physical needs, social struggles, developing intellect, and growing faith
is a part of our educational program. We ask our students to work hard and achieve progress that will
stretch their abilities. It is our job as a school to insure that the students have a sense of success.
Behavior management is best described as a discipling and mentoring process that helps students develop
character, integrity and self-management skills.
Curriculum:
Whitefield’s Lower School curriculum is a distinctive program balancing the development of foundational
skills and the adventure of learning with hands-on exploration and enrichment elements. It is both traditional
and responsive to current research in teaching and learning. For more information about the curriculum
materials used click here.
Faculty and Staff:
To read about the Lower School Staff and see their photos click
here.
Report Cards:
With the emphasis on learning and authentic demonstration of that learning, students are given
feedback continually. Graded weekly work is sent home in Thursday folders. Parents will not only see
how their student compares to grade level expectations in the traditional sense but will also have anecdotal
evidence of their accomplishments and shortcomings. Report cards are issued quarterly.
Conferences:
All parents attend conferences with their child’s teacher. Parent or teacher initiated conferences can
occur at any time. Our goal is to keep communication frequent and effective.
Community Service:
Each classroom is involved in a community service project appropriate to the development level of the
students. Some classes may develop connection with senior adults, work on clean-up projects, or get
involved with a children’s mission.
Homework:
Every one knows that good schools give homework. It is no different at the Lower School. Good work habits
need to be established, but if we are achieving our goal of helping students see the adventure and motivation
of learning, homework will not be an issue. Our teachers are sensitive to the needs of the family and
realize that other activities, besides schoolwork, are valuable to the growth and development of children
|
|
|
|