LOWELL prepares challenges
LOWELL is where progressive education prepares students for high school and challenges them to hold themselves and others to the highest ambitions and ideals throughout life.
HERE for
CHALLENGE
INTENTIONAL, SEQUENTIAL CURRICULUM Graduates from PK–8 schools have higher academic achievement than peers who transition to a separate middle school. American Journal of Education
EVERY CLASS INCORPORATES HANDS-ON PROJECTS Experiential, studentcentered, and collaborative instruction leads to deeper understanding of material. Journal on School Educational Technology
LOW STUDENT-TOFACULTY RATIO
requires some push. At every stage of development, Lowell students are encouraged to explore the highest levels of subject matter as they learn through an inquiry-based, hands-on, and meaningful curriculum led by adept and attentive educators. We measure growth not by single letters, but by thoughtful assessment that reflects the whole child.
Students taught in small classes perform better academically in their lives, measured through metrics including lifetime earnings. University of California, Berkeley
SOCIAL JUSTICE EMBEDDED IN SUBJECT MATTER Learning through a socialjustice lens significantly enhances a child’s ability to differentiate between fact and opinion and deconstruct complex texts. Text & Talk
Academics
THE PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL
CURIOSITY IS COURSEWORK. PLAY IS PURPOSEFUL.
100% of Pre-Primary teachers hold certifications or degrees in early childhood development.
Every discovery is a step toward the confident, capable learner your child is becoming. We know young children need a caring, engaging environment with structure. Creating that environment includes implementing a daily schedule with a clear sequence of activities and intentional programs. Lowell Pre-Primary School students experience joy with each discovery and milestone and thrive in their school routines.
PRE-PRIMARY SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS Before Care: 7:30 am Arrival: 8 am Dismissal: 3:15 pm After Care Until: 6 pm
EVERY DAY Singing and Morning Meetings with the whole class Story time Quiet time
WATCH THEM GROW Assessment at Lowell is as informational as it is thoughtful. Pre-Primary teachers track developmental milestones across academic, social, and emotional growth and share with families through narrativedriven progress reports.
EVERY WEEK, OR MORE Physical education Library time that builds literacy skills and a love for stories
Gratitude Circle
STEAM in the Wonder Lab
Specialist activities, including physical education, music, and dance
Student choice and exploration as part of our emergent curriculum
Spanish instruction Outside exploration Literacy lessons Space to share feelings
Problem-solving lessons Unit studies, with engaging themes that bring all subjects together
Afternoon work time
EMERGENT CURRICULUM
WONDER LAB
EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL LEARNING
This child-centered approach allows students’ interests to become subject matter for curricular exploration, resulting in foundational learning skills and relentless curiosity.
This dedicated hands-on space is where Pre-Primary School students explore science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.
Teachers support children individually and collectively and promote social skill development, multicultural understanding, and community building.
Academics
THE PRIMARY SCHOOL
EVERY SUBJECT CONNECTS. THEIR INSIGHTS AND QUESTIONS SHAPE CURRICULUM.
3
Social-emotional learning approaches are used throughout the Primary School: Responsive Classroom, Learning for Justice, and Changing Perspectives.
PRIMARY SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
Every learning experience builds their cognitive reasoning and curiosity. Primary School students move through a day that balances focused academic blocks with time for choice, movement, and innovation, helping them build the adaptability and self-management skills they’ll need for the years ahead.
BEYOND LETTERS AND NUMBERS In Primary School, we follow each child’s progress in reading, writing, mathematics, and socialemotional growth, so every child’s development is seen, understood, and supported. Families receive detailed narratives and meet with teachers throughout the year.
Before Care: 7:30 am Classes Begin: 8:10 am Dismissal: 3:15 pm After Care Until: 6 pm
EVERY DAY Morning Meetings and class community time Structured literacy instruction Mathematics that prepares all students for advanced middle school math
EVERY WEEK, OR MORE Science and STEAM, with a strong emphasis on sustainability Social studies, focusing on research skills and writing, geography, and culture
Student choice
Movement via physical education, dance, and swim instruction
Library literacy sessions
Music, drama, and visual arts
Intentional time for rest, reflection, and personal sharing
Technology exploration and interface fluency
Conversational Spanish
Field studies on and off campus
FIELD STUDIES
HANDS-ON, COLLABORATIVE LEARNING
MULTIDISCIPLINARY
These vital experiences occur across Lowell’s 8-acre campus and throughout the D.C. metro area and help students apply lessons in context.
Primary School students take on projects that emphasize conceptual understanding, problemsolving, and critical, creative, and analytical thinking.
There are theme-based projects at every grade level that draw on skills and knowledge from multiple disciplines and cultivate more complex, enduring understanding of STEAM, literacy, and history.
Academics
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL
HIGH EXPECTATIONS ENCOURAGE THEIR APTITUDE AND AMBITION. IDEAS TURN INTO ACTION.
3
extended overnight trips take students outside of the D.C. metro area.
Every challenge is met by scholars and change-makers. By Middle School, students are ready to take more ownership of their day and their learning. The experience reflects that shift, blending core academics with independent research, electives, and community time, so students build the focus and self-direction that will carry them into high school and beyond. COLLABORATIVE AND EMPOWERING ASSESSMENT
MIDDLE SCHOOL SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS Before Care: 7:30 am Classes Begin: 8:05 am Dismissal: 3:30 pm After Care Until: 6 pm
EVERY DAY
EVERY WEEK, OR MORE
Delta Groups: community and advisory time
Physical education
Language arts or humanities Challenge-based math groups Science, featuring inquiry-based units Art and design, digital and media arts, or instrumental music
Two times a year students lead a discussion with their parents/guardians and their Delta coach, sharing their successes and discussing future goals. Students reflect on three assessment areas for each class: practices of an effective learner, engagement in the subject, and application of skills.
Study hall and library literacy sessions Electives, focusing on interest-based endeavors and setting tangible goals Exploratories Executive function skills, digital citizenship, and public speaking STEAM, with grade-level themes and humanities connections Space for authentic student expression Spanish lessons in speaking, grammar, reading, writing, and culture Yearlong seminars on subjects specific to grade level
DELTA GROUPS
ADVANCED ALGEBRA I
FOUNDATIONS OF MIDDLE SCHOOL AND RESEARCH AND PRESENTATION SKILLS
Lowell’s signature advisory homerooms foster academic, social, and emotional growth; strengthen community; and teach everyday leadership skills.
In this course for 8th graders, students solve multi-step equations and inequalities, represent real-life situations with linear functions, and solve quadratic equations.
This dedicated 6th grade course expands on executive function skills, digital citizenship, and public speaking, setting students up for success as learners in an increasingly independent environment.
Academics
Preparation
WINTER, 8TH GRADE Every application goes out with teacher recommendations and a personal cover letter, and our head of school advocates directly with admissions officers.
ONGOING, 7TH–8TH GRADE
FALL, 8TH GRADE
Students and families tour schools and refine their list with support from the high school admissions team along the way.
Teachers and coaches provide writing prep, SSAT support, and interview practice, plus testing accommodations, as needed.
SPRING, 7TH GRADE Families meet with the high school admissions team to map out key dates and begin building a list of high school choices.
THE LOWELL ROADMAP TO HIGH SCHOOL
“We have our eyes on the whole student right now. And, we are thinking about their future. We are both/and—their experience through 8th grade, high school, and beyond, which makes this an elevated academic experience.” Justin McLean, Primary School Director
SPRING, 8TH GRADE Graduates choose their high school. They are ready for challenge and for a lifetime of living authentically and with purpose.
Led by our head of school and Middle School director and supported by a multi-person team, students take a Preparation for High School course that covers academic expectations and healthy relationships, helping to build the skills and confidence that set them up for a strong start on day one.
Class of 2026
HIGH SCHOOL MATRICULATION Banneker Academic High School Edmund Burke School Bullis School DeMatha Catholic High School Field School Georgetown Day School Gonzaga College High School Albert Einstein High School Visual Arts Center Program John F. Kennedy High School Kennedy Leadership Training Institute John F. Kennedy High School International Baccalaureate Program Kimball Union Academy (NH) The Lab School Landon School Maret School National Cathedral School Newman School (MA) Proctor Academy (NH) Sandy Spring Friends School St. John’s College High School Sidwell Friends School St. Andrew’s Episcopal School The School Without Walls Washington International School Wheaton High School, Academy of Biological Sciences & Health Professions
INDOOR POOL Where younger students learn to swim and our Lionfish team practices and competes
THREE LIBRARIES
ROCK CREEK PARK Provides running paths for our cross country team and outdoor education experiences for all students
HERE, beauty purpose meet.
Where every student sees themselves represented in stories and grows a love of literature
THE CITY OF D.C.
PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL PLAYGROUND
Prime NW location with walkable access to on-site history lessons, service opportunities, and activism
Accessible architecture and equipment designed to inspire curiosity, exploration, and independence
BLACK BOX THEATER
KALMIA CREEK
Where every division meets to conduct environmental field studies
Where our ensembles and student musicians come together for 10+ musical and theatrical performances per year plus our annual Lowellpalooza production
“I have always loved the Lowell School community. The way we meet children where they are: nurturing them, challenging them, and inspiring their learning.”
DREW SPRIGGS PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER AND ART AND STORYTELLING PROGRAM FOUNDER Master of Arts, Curriculum and Teaching
HERE for
EXPERTISE
IRIS VARGAS PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHER Master of Education, Early Childhood Education
“Driven by my deep commitment to emergent, play-based learning, I wanted to bridge the gap between research-based literacy practices and the joyful, hands-on nature of our classroom.” In collaboration with her colleagues, Iris developed “Literacy and Numeracy Mornings,” which turn foundational skills into engaging discovery. “It has been such a joy to watch our students thrive as they explore these vital skills through meaningful, collaborative play.”
Children develop a for learning from experts who understand and respect them— and who love to teach. As Lowell faculty design and guide innovative, interdisciplinary lessons, they show up for each student and all of their intellectual, social, and emotional needs. Our teachers can navigate reflective conversations in one moment, and then dive into the quadratic formula during the next, modeling the adaptability, focus, and drive it takes to be a thriving member of society.
108
Full-time teaching and nonteaching staff
100%
of faculty participate in project-based learning training
15
average years of teaching experience
Faculty
“Last year, students tested and retrofitted an insulated lunch box. Along the way, they learned about energy transfer, experimental design, data analysis, and how to effectively communicate results.”
ADRIENNE VAN DEN BEEMT 4TH–6TH GRADE TEACHER, 6TH GRADE TEAM LEAD Master of Education, K–8 Science Education
9/10
Middle School staff and faculty have over 10 years of experience in their field
The Lowell Middle School division head is president of the Progressive Education Network
CHRISSIE SERAFIN
REIGEL REID
PRE-PRIMARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOL COUNSELOR
DIRECTOR OF AQUATICS AND COACH OF THE LIONFISH SWIM TEAM
Master of Education, International School Counseling
USA Swimming University Training
Fourteen years into her career, Chrissie has a clear philosophy on social-emotional learning: teach it alongside all other academic skills. Her lessons on conflict resolution and apology structures plant seeds early, so that when a real moment hits—a disagreement, a tough feeling— students know where to turn and how to work through it. She’s also built a counseling practice where students can request their own smallgroup or 1:1 time, a small act of autonomy she sees as central to growth. “Kids are integrating skills that help them and they are doing so with peers who are also eager and willing to problem solve together.”
Over the years, Reigel has built Lowell’s aquatics program to be a progression-based system that takes students from their hesitant first strokes through the water to competing as part of a team. Certified as an American Red Cross instructor trainer, lifeguarding instructor trainer, and pool operator, he brings the same dedication to teaching confidence and water safety as he does to coaching. “These experiences have reinforced something I believe strongly as an educator: teaching is not just about helping someone learn a skill. It is about creating an environment where students feel safe enough to take risks, make mistakes, ask questions, and keep working toward something they may not have thought they could accomplish.”
TRICIA GRIFFIN
CARLOS OMAÑA
MIDDLE SCHOOL LEARNING SPECIALIST
MIDDLE SCHOOL ACADEMIC TECHNOLOGIST AND MEDIA ARTS TEACHER
Master of Education, Learning Disabilities
Master of Science, Education and Special Education
Tricia built a free weeklong Summer Test Prep course for rising 8th graders, covering test strategy and a full practice exam with feedback, to help them go into the SSAT and HSPT feeling confident. In its inaugural year, two-thirds of the 8th grade signed up. It’s one of several programs she’s helped launch at Lowell, alongside a semester-long Speech and Debate elective.
“For our annual capstone trip, 7th graders travel to Atlanta, GA, to visit civil rights monuments and museums—the culmination of a year’s worth of projects and lessons. To prepare them, I walk students through tutorials on operating cameras and using composition to take captivating photos with minimal editing. I am so proud seeing our students put these skills to the test, and enjoyed reading through their photo essays at the end of the year.”
Est. 1965 Just one year after Congress passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Lowell’s founders created this institution to disrupt the existing norms. In their hearts and vision: “a school that is as inclusive and heterogeneous as possible.”
HERE for
US ALL
SERVICE PROJECTS, SELF-PORTRAIT EXERCISES, CLASS DISCUSSIONS Identity and self-awareness are key components of each child’s learning journey at Lowell. This allows for expansive perspectives, wide capacity for growth and responsibility, and a confident and kind sense of self.
FRIENDSHIP, CARE FOR OTHERS, SELF-CONTROL, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION Beginning in Pre-Primary School and carried through Middle School, students learn to “take care of yourself, of others, and of this place”—a guiding philosophy that fosters mutual respect among students and teachers.
ACTION AND COLLABORATION Annual Peace March
It’s the power of
Student and Family Affinity Groups Capstone Trips to the Chesapeake Bay, the American South, and Costa Rica Annual SEED Training
And it’s here to stay. The people who are drawn to Lowell School— students, teachers, parents, grandparents, guardians, school leaders, staff, and alumni— share a relentless spirit of responsibility: do good for each other, do good for the world. Our community keeps expectations high and civic purpose alive, welcomes all, and fuses critical thinking with compassion as we take action in classrooms, the city, and beyond.
Student Government And More
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND SCHOOL TRADITIONS Back-to-School Celebration Lowellapalooza Grandparents and Special Friends Day STEAMfest Kindergarten Food Feast Pre-Primary School Winter Wonderland Celebration And More
Belonging
LOWELL FÊTE Our annual school auction is a celebration with a purpose. Staff, parents, and families unite for an unforgettable evening, and every dollar raised supports financial assistance, helping make a Lowell education accessible to more families.
LOWELL’S ANNUAL SOCIAL JUSTICE DAY This tradition started years ago as a way to celebrate, take action, and learn during Black History Month. Our classrooms spend the day diving into different documentaries and exploring a social justice theme, such as environmentalism and sustainability, racial equity and justice, and gender equality.
SINGING MEETING
BUDDIES
This beloved event brings Pre-Primary School students, teachers, and families together to sing, celebrate birthdays, and learn new Spanish words, a joyful way to build community and appreciate different cultures.
On Buddy Day, students are paired across grade levels and from there, deep friendships bloom. The buddies meet for monthly gatherings, projectbased learning collaborations, and classroom visits. These connections last for years, with buddies showing up for each other’s birthdays, graduations, and midday hugs and high-fives.
“I’ve watched students find their voice in a classroom discussion, or a teacher rethink a lesson to make sure every student feels seen— and that’s inclusion and belonging in action. It’s a daily practice, a verb, not a noun, and it’s central to what an education here means: understanding where each student is coming from, what they need to be successful, and then delivering it.” Donna Lindner, Head of School
COLLEGES AND CALLINGS EVIE PILLER ’22
LAILA OKO ’21
American University Business Entrepreneurship, Physics, Chemistry
Skidmore College Education Studies CARMEN GITCHELL ’18
LEO GEHMAN ’22 Boston University Ecology
Bryn Mawr College and University of Maryland Chemistry
ASHLI JOHNSON ’22
AINSLEY HARTKE-CROTTY ’18
Drexel University Architecture
New York University Theater
ZURI JOHNSON ’22
ISABEL ALBORES ’15
Towson University Sports Medicine and Exercise Science; DI Soccer Athlete
Massachusetts Institution of Technology Ph.D. Candidate, Civil and Environmental Engineering
EVA ROSENBERG ’21 Yale University Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
SAM KWAIT-SPITZER ’13 Carleton College History Speech Writer for U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar
FOR
Graduates
LOWELL SCHOOL is the origin story for countless industry innovators, creative visionaries, and community mobilizers. That’s because our proven, widely adopted progressive practices equip students with strong analytical reasoning and broad perspectives.
Since 2020, Lowell graduates have attended U.S. News & World Report “Best High Schools in District of Columbia,” including Duke Ellington School of the Arts, Benjamin Banneker Academy High School, McKinley Technology High School, and Jackson-Reed High School.
Sam Greenspan ’20
READY TO BETTER THE FUTURE FOR everyone.
Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations Competes as a Division I football athlete
Nick Penniman ’18 Middlebury College Featured in Rolling Stone
Lowell graduates enter high school and approach life as intelligent, community-driven citizens.
Here for a reason. Drawn to the spirit of intellectual growth, To seek the academic preparation that progressive education delivers, To stand up for progress and justice. For all and for all kind. For good and goodness and goodwill. LOWELL SCHOOL IS HERE. HERE FOR YOU.
Our Mission Lowell School equips children to think critically, engage purposefully, and live authentically.
Lowell is here for the
CHALLENGE.
PROGRESS. EXPERTISE. AMBITIONS. APPLY TODAY
An excellent progressive education for preschool–8th grade students in Northwest Washington, D.C.
1640 Kalmia Road NW Washington, D.C. 20012 202-577-2000
lowellschool.org