Lower School

Second Grade is marked by students’ mastery of fundamentals and by their transition into independent, engaged learners.

As second-grade teachers, it is our role to strengthen students’ foundational knowledge and skill in anticipation of the rigorous expectations of third grade and beyond. By the end of the school year, GSES students are well-equipped to apply their experiences to future learning. 

In this year of transition, second-graders begin to discover their own agency. Within the structure and accountability of the classroom, they not only learn their place but also start to consider the greater community. Although they are prone to perfectionism and prefer the safety of what they know, they surprise us with their ability to take risks and move outside their comfort zones.

We nurture students’ social and emotional development through experiential learning — presenting opportunities through which they learn to respect each other’s ideas and work together to reach common goals. We introduce the concept of compromise, challenging students to look beyond their own wants and ideas. 

At the same time, we encourage independence. So, as students become aware of their likes and dislikes, they become more empowered to make choices without the influence of others and become responsible for their own learning.

Third Grade is a pivotal year in the development of the whole child — and the bridge between foundational learning and critical thinking.

Third-graders take on more complex issues and learn strategies for persevering when a concept is difficult. We want students to understand that mistakes are an integral part of the learning process, and we provide a safe space in which they can take risks. Rather than teaching them the correct answers, we celebrate creativity, resourcefulness, and their ability to explain their thinking. 

Collaboration is essential to problem-solving, and we help students with the communication skills they need to excel academically and socially. 

As they become less reliant on their teachers for self-management, we actively teach students responsibility and encourage parents to support their children’s budding independence. 

Through small-group instruction and a hands-on approach to learning, we can easily address each learner’s skills and needs so that everyone can keep up and move ahead. 

Fourth Grade is a year of exploration in which students become more independent and learn to be exemplary leaders.

Our curriculum meets each fourth-grader at their developmental level, helping them grow by learning more about themselves and by communicating and collaborating with their peers. 

Because the Lower School is departmentalized, instructors get to truly know and connect with each student and their family — and facilitate relationships among all fourth-graders.

Fitness is a personal endeavor. We show students how to make healthy choices and develop healthy habits in everyday life. 

To promote personal fitness, students participate in quarterly challenges designed to help them set their fitness goals. Each child aims is motivated to achieve a personal best—and we help them stay focused and dedicated along the way.

The Physical Education department has built its scope and sequence around the SHAPE America physical education standards. Throughout the year, we teach necessary skills based on expected outcomes for each grade level.

Students who learn a foreign language can develop broader cultural perspectives and appreciation for others. Language acquisition also involves cortical elasticity and promotes critical and creative thinking that would be otherwise inaccessible.

The Spanish program is an essential part of academic life at GSES. Spanish is the second most widely spoken language worldwide, and it can be used right here, right now. Spanish is a phonetic language with a common alphabet and many similar words (cognates). Because it is rooted in Latin, Spanish supports overall language development. 

Students begin their Spanish journey focusing on oral and listening skills, progressing toward more complex grammatical structures in middle school. The curriculum follows the American Council for the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) standards, which focus on community, culture, comparisons, communication, and connections. 

An immersive program based on a single language helps deepen students’ acquisition and understanding—allowing them to interact meaningfully in both English and their second language.

When they get to high school, GSES students are typically placed in advanced Spanish classes.

The fine arts teach students to see what they look at, to hear what they listen to, and feel what they touch.

When children experience the world through the eyes, ears, and hands of artists, they gain personal insights that inspire their own creativity and self-expression. That’s why our approach to art at Good Shepherd engages and nurtures the whole child.

Students learn “a remarkable array of mental habits” in the art classroom—including visual-spatial perception, reflection, healthy self-evaluation, and the willingness to experiment and learn from mistakes (Daniel Pink, A Whole New Mind). In a culture that views mistakes negatively, art teaches children to use feedback as inspiration for improvement and an opportunity to see their work from different perspectives. The arts free the mind from rigid conclusions and allow for discovery. 

Students who participate in art programs three hours per week within a 5-day rotation are four times more likely to have academic success (Americans for the Arts Report). Performing and visual arts help with the development of fine motor skills, self-expression, and self-confidence along with higher-order critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

We believe that children who practice creative thinking grow into well-balanced teens who readily interpret, critique, and apply visual information to make sound decisions throughout adulthood.

"Music begins inside human beings, and so must any instruction." - Carl Orff

Every human being can appreciate and participate in music. The Good Shepherd approach helps students take ownership of their musical learning early—when the majority of brain development occurs.

Our youngest learners practice multiple repetitions of patterns designed to help them internalize rhythms and melodies. Through the Kodály method of teaching, they are introduced to traditional music theory and skills. At the same time, students are encouraged to apply what they learn to composition and improvisation within the Orff Schulwerk framework. Together, these models promote self-expression and confidence that can foster positive leadership skills—and also remind us of our shared humanity.   

As their knowledge and skills continue to develop, students rely on their previous experiences and their natural curiosity to explore original ideas. All the while, their brains are being wired for a lifetime of music-making and appreciation.

A library is a place full of mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors. Each book is a mirror that shows the reader a reflection of themself, a window into their imagination, and a doorway to new and exciting worlds. 

We want students to have as much access as possible to books and reading opportunities throughout the school day. This commitment shows up in a wide variety of check-out options and other resources. Of course, the librarian is available each day and can help students find just the right book. When the librarian is out, we offer self-checkout through the Follett Destiny app loaded onto iPads around the school. Last but not least, parents can check out books for reading at home using their own school library accounts. 

To extend the library beyond the physical space, the librarian can bring a book cart to any classroom or grade as needed—and can check out books using a smartphone app.