Program Overview

Parents often describe their children’s experience in Pre-Kindergarten as magical. From the shady grove of the play area, to the bright, colorful, and whimsical classroom, Pre-K is infused with the wonder, curiosity, and creativity of our young learners. Their master teachers create an environment rich with opportunity to explore the world through a play-based, developmentally appropriate, Reggio Emilia inspired program infused with academic skill work that prepares our students for a head start in our kindergarten program.

Each joy-filled day includes both structured and unstructured time that builds vocabulary and communication skills; sharpens powers of observation and reasoning; builds mathematical concepts with number, shape, and spatial explorations; and develops the fine motor skills that are necessary for success in school and life. Students are introduced to the letters and their sounds through the animal characters of Zoophonics — a multi-sensory, fun, and engaging program to develop reading readiness.

Throughout this program of discovery and learning, the teachers develop social relationships and foster self-initiated learning strategies. The children learn to work independently and cooperatively and build the skills to become masters of friendship and inclusive problem solvers.

Pre-Kindergarten students thrive with visits to our beautiful garden, library, and Music & Movement where specialist educators enrich their experiences.

Exploding with color and creativity, our first grade classrooms set the scene for a dynamic program of integrated learning. Thematic units of study blend rich explorations of literature, artistic expression, creative fiction and nonfiction writing, and hands-on experiences to promote understanding and concept development. Wilson Fundations® provides research-based materials and strategies for our comprehensive reading, spelling, and handwriting program.

Field trips take our scholars into the world for first-hand experiences with the ideas they are exploring in their classrooms. With a focus on the individual learner’s unique skills and challenges, students are nurtured and supported to grow at their own pace so that the learning stretches them appropriately without creating anxiety or stress. Respect and compassion for and among the children is intrinsic in the environment, and kindness and peaceful conflict resolution are modeled and encouraged daily.

Readers and Writers Workshop engage students at their individual level and pace for literacy and give them tools to explore the world and express their learning and ideas. Real-life problems develop essential reasoning skills while building a deep understanding of the patterns and functions that are the basis of mathematical concepts. Science and social studies often provide the framework through which our language arts and math are interconnected. 

Visits to our beautiful Winters Library, lessons in world language and culture, Music & Movement instruction, projects with our art specialist, exploration in the garden and P.E. round out a first grade program that honors and nurtures the whole child.

Second grade is steeped in the wonder of discovery as children develop their focus beyond themselves to understand more about the bigger world around them. Students grow in their independence and in their responsibility to themselves and to each other, to their classroom community, and to the greater world.

Science explorations bring students into closer connection with their environment. We open their minds wider, but also focus on the small details, as we build observation skills and introduce the scientific method. Social studies allow them to know and appreciate the contributions and impacts of a diverse community of world citizens. Language and reading skills are individually nurtured through Readers and Writers workshop techniques so that children may grow at their own pace to become more independent readers. Our budding mathematicians develop number sense as they look for patterns, connect math to everyday activities like telling time and using money, begin working with larger numbers and play games that build fluency, and read and write story problems that develop their problem-solving skills.

Our art, Music & Movement, world language, garden, P.E., and library specialists work with our second grade teachers to ensure that their programs integrate with the activities in the classroom to deepen and extend the learning.

Our third graders are immersed in a classroom that puts creativity and critical thinking ahead of the simple acquisition of facts, all with a keen sense of developmentally appropriate discourse and activities. They begin to understand the interconnectedness of habitats and inhabitants as well as their own impact on others and their environment. Emphasis is placed on the many different experiences and groups from the Colonial period through modern day immigration. They assume the responsibility of nightly homework and the impact of their own choices and behavior on themselves and others. We encourage them to strengthen their social skills by working in cooperative groups and completing tasks in a given amount of time is part of the process. 

Students develop their reading and writing skills to gather, evaluate, and share information. Reading to learn becomes the new focus, and children practice how to glean deep comprehension from their fiction and non-fiction reading. Quarterly book report projects encourage independent work, research, note-taking, and written responses. Additionally, students enhance their decoding skills, mastering multisyllabic language rules and complex spelling patterns through weekly word study. Students express their thoughts, ideas, and learn through prose, poetry, and creative writing connected to various subjects.

Math concepts deepen as their understanding of patterns and functions are applied to real life situations and basic math facts become more automatic. As they are given more responsibility for their individual work, students become better organized and better managers of their time and materials. Science education focuses on Earth Materials, including caves and minerals, the Digestive System, and light and sound. Students develop scientific thinking skills through experiments, dissections, field trips, and guest speakers.

Enrichment classes in Music & Movement, art, Spanish & French world languages, garden, library and P.E. round out their complete educational program.

The fourth grade curriculum continues the development of independence in a safe environment while children learn to manage organization, study skills, and individual and team projects. The rich natural environment and history of California serve as the central theme of fourth grade studies, encouraging students to connect the literary, historical, and scientific information to make their learning truly meaningful. Many field trips and exceptional guest speakers enrich the students’ firsthand knowledge and opportunities abound for students to express themselves in writing, and public speaking as students research the growth of California. 

Students engage in independent reading across genres, integrating literature with the study of California History to immerse students in the rich tapestry of the past. In addition to reading, fourth graders become proficient writers, honing communication skills for clear writing and speaking. We use the Fundations® guide for word study, exploring sentence structure and supporting ideas in essays.

Mathematics education introduces symbolic aspects and formal algebraic studies, fostering problem-solving and analytical comprehension skills. Social studies emphasizes reading and comprehension of nonfiction sources, chart/graph/map creation, and connects with literature through field trips and research. In science, students explore units on electricity, the desert, sea life, and natural disasters through hands-on investigations, experiments, and observation. Field trips and labs, like those with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, enhance the love for learning and observing the world around us.

Specialists and enrichment classes provide instruction in music, visual art and education, French or Spanish world language and culture, cross-curricular garden studies, P.E., and the outstanding Winters Library.

Our fifth graders are busy making sense of increasingly abstract concepts and building a sophisticated set of tools to express themselves, demonstrate understanding and solve problems. In preparation for middle school, they have two academic teachers- one for math and science, the other for language arts and history. The teachers work closely together to integrate their subjects. Team building activities and discussions help students develop core values and learn to support and appreciate peers. Their development as kind and empathetic people is as important to us as their academic achievement.

Fifth-grade Language Arts promotes diversity and engagement. Students read a variety of modern and classic texts with literacy-focused teachers catering to individual learning styles. We also examine the US government's origins through an anti-racist lens, including indigenous and enslaved perspectives. Primary sources, technology, simulations, guest speakers, and other resources help students understand American history. Current events spark global perspectives, classroom debates, and fact-based analysis. 

Math in Focus teaches computational thinking, numerical fluency and practice in critical thinking for problem solving in real world situations. Fifth-grade science develops scientific thinking through inquiry, modeling, and communication. Students spark curiosity and critical thinking as they investigate mysteries, California ecosystems, water distribution, and celestial patterns. Field trips to Marin Headlands and Sac State University enhance the learning.

Central to the program is the advancement of their enrichment classwork in the arts, language and athletics. A more academic approach to world culture and language in French or Spanish brings them additional responsibility, as does learning an instrument for the band or orchestra. Athletic team opportunities begin this year in addition to P.E. regularly. The safety net of a supportive relationship with caring teachers encourages students to stretch their wings, solve their own problems, and advocate for their own learning.