October 1, 2022

Dear Lower School Families,

The Lower School is excited to offer three Parent Education programs this fall. Descriptions of the events are shared below, and we ask that you use this form to sign up (for one, two or all three). Coffee and scones will be available at all three forums, which will take place in our dining hall (fireside) from 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Math Journals

Thursday, October 13

This year, a new lower school initiative is math journals. Every student in PreK-Grade 5 will use this learning tool. Each math class begins with an open-ended math anchor task that allows students to develop problem-solving skills. In math journals, students explore multiple ways to solve problems, record their strategies, and explain and reflect on their thought processes. Math journals build in differentiation by allowing students to work at their individual level of thinking and allow for students to justify their reasoning and evaluate the reasoning of other strategies they see from their peers. Please join Director of Academic Programs Gabriel Paynter along with classroom teachers Kara Haustovich, Donna Saide and Lauren Shuneson as they discuss the utilization of math journals and explore how they are being used in different grade levels in our Lower School.

Executive Function

Tuesday, November 8

What are executive functioning skills and why are they so important? Members of the Student Support Services Team will present information on executive functioning, the cognitive processes that help students with decision-making, behavior-regulation, goal-setting and achievement. Please join Heather Levingston, Sarah Wolff and Alyssa Thiele as they share an overview of executive functions, common executive-function challenges in school-aged children and ways to support executive-function challenges at home. There will be time for questions and answers as well.

Fly Five

Wednesday, December 7

Another new lower school initiative is Fly Five, a social-emotional curriculum from the Center for Responsive Schools. It is a standards-aligned social and emotional learning curriculum designed on the belief that in order for students to be academically and socially successful, they need to learn a set of social-emotional competencies. Each grade level has five units with four themes based on these competencies: cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy and self-control (C.A.R.E.S). Teachers align the Fly Five curriculum to meet the needs of their specific students and integrate skills taught throughout the day, including during morning meeting and closing circle. Please join Director of Academic Programs Gabriel Paynter along with classroom teachers Beth Klug and Elizabeth Sinclair to hear more about the curriculum and how it is integrated into the school day and beyond.

Please join us!

Mark L. Hansen

Head of Lower School