Lower School Principal Letter

a message from the LOWER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

Much of our students' success involves the engagement and dedication of parents and caregivers who have always played an important role in their child’s education here. Their role became paramount during this school year, and we are grateful for the partnerships with our faculty to provide a normal year amidst Covid-19 for our students. Thank you!

I wanted to take a moment and share with you highlights from the 2020-2021 school year and updates for the year to come:

• We implemented our new math curriculum in the second half of the school year to ensure we met new standards. We look forward to starting the year with this new, rigorous program! • We had our first Easter Program to celebrate the season, using biblical hymns and telling of the resurrection of Christ! Multiple programs allowed all students PreK-6th grade to participate. • Our students in PreK-6th grade were given 1:1 access to ipads in an effort to educate during COVID and follow safety protocols. • The media center is in the next phase of updates to provide more seating, additional resources, more technology with smartboard access, and a new flow for our lower school students. • We continued our on-going professional development and data meetings for teachers using

Professional Learning Communities and vertical teams, all helping to better individualize for student needs. • We hosted several camps for our students this summer that included Imaginarium Camp (Science & Math), art , soccer, baseball, basketball and football camps. • Summer maintenance included carpets cleaned, floors waxed, several air conditioner units replaced, fresh paint in several areas and preparing for a new theme centered around Joshua 1:9 to start the year ahead! • We were determined to continue some of the traditions that we have even through COVID and revisions to meet safety guidelines. Meet the Teacher, parent conferences, Curriculum Nights were all pulled off with options for virtual experiences. We maintained Chapel (rotating attendance and having virtual option for all students), Mother Goose Parade, birthday celebrations with PTO treats at recess, virtual programs - Christmas, Easter, Engineering Night,

Veterans’ Day and Awards’ Day, book fairs, Living

Nativity, Mother’s Day Event and All Pro Dads. • We continued activities and events to help our community at large - Toy Drive, Canned Food Drive, collections for local assisted living, First Responders

Breakfast (Drive through) • We partnered with the US for events celebrating school spirit, Be Kind Week and Christmas donations. • Many of our grade levels maintained their special events for students in a revised format, pulling off everything from Easter egg hunts, adapted rotations, centers and small groups. • We started a new Equestrian Club and look forward to adding to the club options in the LS for 2021-22!

I look forward to another successful year in the lower school!

Dr. Mary Anna Martin-Smith Lower School Principal