ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, KINDERGARTEN through GRADE 5

Kindergarten & Grade 1 – Building a Strong Foundation

Kindergarten and Grade 1 are a bridge from our early learning program to a purposely more formal academic experience. Students build solid early reading and math skills along with a better understanding of their physical and social environment. They continue to learn storytelling, block play, learning centers and the arts. Our curriculum also includes phonemic awareness, reading, math computation, social studies and science. By the end of the Kindergarten year, students are reading fluently and mastering first grade texts with ease. Our Grade 1 curriculum includes introduction to Spanish, studio art, dance, clubs and writer’s workshop.

In these formative years, students begin to write creatively and become the authors and illustrators of their own texts. As they explore weather and learn about the characteristics of living things, growing knowledge expands their viewpoints and broadens ideas about the physical world. Classroom jobs teach citizenship as students help in their school community. Phyl’s Academy students leave their early elementary years with strong foundational skills and a growing confidence, well prepared to handle the academic road that lies ahead.

Grades 2 & 3 – Defining Excellence

What does it mean to be an avid reader, a life-long learner, a self-motivated student? What does it mean to be a concerned citizen, a thoughtful neighbor? In Grades 2 & 3, students are encouraged to think about themselves as well-rounded people, good students and thoughtful peers, functioning as unique individuals within our school community. They have more autonomy choosing projects and extra curricular activities, and enjoy collaborative work. With literacy remaining a strong focus, our students develop excellent comprehension and analytical skills, and can speak about an author’s intentions or a character’s thought process.

Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, Physical Education, Studio Art, and Spanish continue and club choices expand to include Crafts, STEAM, Coding & Robotics, and Maker Space. As students begin to find their own voices and opinions, we teach them that learning is beyond the moment and a valuable pursuit of it’s own. We introduce our young learners to early test-prep skills, and finish their days with study hall where they can ask questions about homework assignments and get assistance with projects and tasks.

Phyl’s Academy students develop a sense of responsibility for their own academic progress that lasts well beyond their elementary years.

Grades 4 & 5: Advancing Abstract Thought and Skill Mastery

We know that excellence is a path that students must choose to pursue. In Grades 4 & 5 students are encouraged to think more deeply about the kind of student and person they want to be. They are asked to discover and work on their interests and talents, and set personal goals. Students approach more informational texts, explore novels, poetry and other literary works.

Evidence of advanced comprehension and critical thinking are apparent in writer’s workshops where students, often writing on post high school levels, can demonstrate their understanding of genre, character analysis, voice and perspective. They support their opinions with researched facts and make connections between texts and their own writing. As intellects grow, ideas become more sophisticated and students more pointedly observe and question life.

Field trips and projects encourage them to work cooperatively with their peers, enhancing the learning experience. As they reach beyond their homes and classrooms, our students begin to notice the connections between seemingly abstract subjects and the world at large. This lends itself well to advanced mathematical thinking, scientific experimentation, and the exploration of cultures, history, politics and current events.

At Phyl’s Academy, students develop the ability to think independently, to solve problems, and the confidence to utilize these skills in life.