NURSERY SCHOOL
Our Nursery school or program curriculum embodies our mission and lays the foundation for critical academic skills. The program is founded on the belief that children must have meaningful experiences to learn deeply. Lessons incorporate multiple modalities and are frequently cross-disciplinary.
…Learning happens through joyful exploration, creativity, and hands-on discovery.
With an average of 20 pupils per grade, small classes allow GCS teachers to truly know their pupils. Each head teacher collaborates with a team of specialty instructors as well as learning services staff to provide a supportive environment for students’ academic, creative, and social-emotional development. Developmental stages and individual learning styles are embraced to provide a holistic approach for each child.
The Grace Citadel Schools’ core curriculum is thoughtfully designed to build on foundations laid in pre-Nursery school and progress as pupils move through the years to 8th grade. In addition to the nine core subjects detailed in the Curriculum Snapshot, the Nursery School Program incorporates the following fundamental tenets.
Pupils’ Centered Teaching
Research shows that Pupils have choice in what they work on are more motivated to learn. Teachers base learning on topics that are meaningful to each pupils and challenge them appropriately. Whether it’s a 1st grade dinosaur unit inspiring young archaeologists by digging for bones in the Adventure Playground, or a collaborative 2nd grade unit inspiring children to be ornithologists in local habitats, the learning experience at GCS aims to get pupils engaged and challenged.
Social Justice and Cultural Competency
Our pupils develop a respectful awareness of difference, an inclusive attitude, and the skills to build understanding between people. This begins early in Nursery School as pupils explore our multicultural world and their own identity through literature, classroom studies, music, art, field trips, and language.
In the kindergarten activist unit, students identify an issue that they care about, create signs, and participate in a march through campus. In their study of identity and differences, students also learn about marginalized groups and practice being upstanders. Community is a major focus in early Nursery school, where pupils think about creating a kind, respectful, and fair world; compose a set of community guidelines; and learn about social justice on a larger scale, e.g., in the context of the colonization of Nigeria and current affairs such as global refugees. This immersive education program places pupils in diverse groups within a neutral setting and directly addresses issues of difference while building self-esteem and community.
Cross Grade Collaboration
Our intimate school size enables regular cross-grade interactions which allow students to learn from one another and foster a sense of community. Grade levels meet biweekly with students in a “buddy class” and pupils meet weekly with mixed-grade family groups. Younger students develop social skills and build positive relationships with role models and mentors, while older pupils develop compassion, responsibility, and leadership skills. Nursery School pupils sing together daily, play together during recess, and come together weekly for Lower School Meeting.
There are numerous opportunities and traditions throughout the school year that bring students from different grades together — kindergarteners write and illustrate hero stories with their 6th grade co-authors; 5th graders lead lunchtime interest-based clubs for younger pupils during the year; and lower and middle school buddies engage in extracurricular programs together at the annual K-8th Talent Hunt excursion on the last day of the First Term.
Outdoor Education
The School’s emphasis on outdoor education offers unique opportunities for STEAM experiences, campus stewardship, care for animals, and a love of nature. The Field Station in the Adventure Playground frequently serves as an outdoor classroom with its solar battery providing power, wifi, and running water. Many lessons about ecology are taught in the natural garden, and pupils are delighted to learn about the flora and fauna (including our on site bee hives, barnyard animals, and wild birds). Whether it’s climbing trees, foraging for berries and fruits, or reading quietly in a secluded nook, our city kids on an urban campus have a deep appreciation for nature.
Additionally, pupils regularly venture off campus to deepen their studies. GCS is fortunate to be located in a natural background; where pupils come face-to-face with nature. They also venture to Outdoor Discovery through excursions. Our 5th grade blends local history with honing their wildlife skills on a four day camping trip to the zoo.
Public Speaking and Performance
GCS pupils develop confidence in public speaking and performing. This ability is crucial for developing communication skills, confidence, and critical thinking which allows them to develop leadership skills, make social connections, and enjoy better academic performance.
This is integrated into daily routines and in special performances, for peers and teachers as well as friends, families, and others. Each morning, pairs of kindergarten students ask the kitchen chefs about the day’s menu; they write it down and then present it to their classmates. All lower school pupils attend a weekly meeting where they frequently make announcements or give presentations. There are frequent performances in daily K-5th Singing Time as well as all-school heritage and holiday celebrations.
Through the vibrant Music and Performing Arts curriculum, pupils are involved in developing scripts, rehearsing, and participating in rich, multicultural, joyful plays. In all core subjects, pupils present their work to classmates, at Nursery School Meeting, or to their families in celebrations such as publishing parties, poetry readings, or science exhibitions. Through these activities and more, GCS pupils find their voice and learn to advocate for themselves and on the behalf of others.
Basic Digital Literacy
With Strategic Plan 2017-2022: Living Our Humanitarian Promise and its “Empathy in the Age of Acceleration” initiative, STEAM programs have reflected the School’s core values. The instruction of technology and engineering frequently intersects with the arts, humanities, current events, and social justice. Digital Literacy skills are essential for navigating an increasingly digital world and participating in it responsibly. Building on their empathy and interpersonal skills, pupils understand the connection between real life social relationships and their online behavior. They consider responsible and respectful use of tech with intermittent use of devices in class. Age appropriate topics such as online safety, cyberbullying, privacy, digital footprints, news, and media literacy are taught.
In addition to being ethical consumers of technology, GCS pupils are tech creators, becoming facile in meaningful design, editing, graphic arts, 3D design, animation, podcasting, and musical composition. In the youngest grades, the focus is on human coding and the creations of basic algorithms (e.g., following instructions such as recipes), and iPads are thoughtfully introduced as learning tools for projects as needed. A 1st grader learns to use an iPad to take a photograph of their work and record their thoughts about it, creating a digital portfolio. Older pupils are assigned iPads with keyboards for in-school use, learning to type, research, and access to select learning apps (e.g., Dreambox) to provide differentiated learning by allowing pupils to work at their own pace and receive individualized assignments. As tech creators, they use drag-and-drop coding, explore robotics, and more.
Sample Schedule
| 7:30-8:00 am | Morning Extended Day (optional) |
| 8:00-8:30 am | Regular Drop-off. Outdoor Play |
| 8:30-9:00 am | Morning Meeting |
| 9:00-9:45 am | Core Academics: Math |
| 9:45-10:30 am | Core Academics: STEAM |
| 10:30-10:55 am | Snack & Outdoor Recess |
| 10:55-11:40 am | Core Academics: Spanish |
| 11:40-12:25 pm | Core Academics: Music |
| 12:25-12:50 pm | Lunch |
| 12:50-1:15pm | Outdoor Recess |
| 1:15-2:00 pm | Core Academics: Social Studies |
| 2:00-2:45 pm | Core Academics: Art |
| 2:50-3:15 pm | Lower School Singing Time |
| 3:15-3:30 pm | Regular Pick-up |
| 3:30-6:00 pm | Afternoon Extended Day (optional) |
