The Elementary School program focuses on the educational and emotional growth of children in a classroom setting up to grade 5. Students are taught patience, collaboration with peers, social skills within the classroom, and navigating the school setting. Instruction, materials, and work production are modified for each student on a continuing basis. Through engaging activities students work on skill development, strategies to support continuation of learning, and social interactions within small and large group settings.

 

One favorite project-based, multisensory activity held annually in the economics unit of study is “Market Day.” Students become entrepreneurs by creating a product to sell. They take a financial loan to purchase the resources, create the product, market their item by creating commercials with music and slogans, and finally sell their goods. Parents are invited to come in and be the customers along with students and staff. At the conclusion of Market Day, students pay back their loans and calculate their final profits.

 

Utilizing a rewards-based behavior system, elementary students learn to take ownership of both their academic and behavioral responsibilities, preparing them for middle school.

 

Within our elementary school learning studio environment, students are able to work in smaller classroom groups, larger group settings, or individually one-on-one with a staff member when necessary. These options allow students to be successful with more direct and individualized instruction while still learning how to work within larger group settings to build that skill set for when they may transition back to a larger school setting.