Information about Lower School
Lower School
The first few years of education should give children the right start—a solid grasp of the basics, a love of learning, and a genuine curiosity about the world around them.
Getting started with a positive attitude about the whole learning experience is vital. At the Lower School, our students are just beginning their formal education so we focus on creating an environment that achieves this in two ways: the care of our teachers for each student and a highly effective basics program integrated into a rich curriculum.
Our students receive plenty of personal attention while our curriculum opens a wide world for them to explore. Each day is a new adventure.
Forms vs. Grades
Delphi utilizes the concept of “Forms” rather than grade levels as a way of getting excellent results without forcing all students to move at exactly the same pace. We realize each student is an individual and needs to be addressed as such in his or her education. Thus, every Delphi student has an individualized program and may enroll in a Form at any time during the school year (space permitting). A student completes a Form upon accomplishing the requirements for graduation from that Form. Though forms can be roughly equivalent to grade levels, it is possible for a younger student to move on to a higher Form once all requirements for the earlier Forms have been met. In this way, each student can get the full benefits from the curriculum and keep advancing as rapidly as he or she is maturing.
Lower School includes Beginner 1 through Form 2, roughly equivalent to kindergarten through third grade.
Forms vs. Grades
Delphi utilizes the concept of “Forms” rather than grade levels as a way of getting excellent results without forcing all students to move at exactly the same pace. We realize each student is an individual and needs to be addressed as such in his or her education. Thus, every Delphi student has an individualized program and may enroll in a Form at any time during the school year (space permitting). A student completes a Form upon accomplishing the requirements for graduation from that Form. Though forms can be roughly equivalent to grade levels, it is possible for a younger student to move on to a higher Form once all requirements for the earlier Forms have been met. In this way, each student can get the full benefits from the curriculum and keep advancing as rapidly as he or she is maturing.
Lower School includes Beginner 1 through Form 2, roughly equivalent to kindergarten through third grade.
Lower School Academics
The first few years of formal education have the wonderful potential of expanding a child’s natural thirst for learning. Delphi’s Lower School academics provide a rich program that teaches basic skills, keeping that thirst alive and growing. The curriculum’s greatest emphasis is placed on reading, writing, and mathematics, surrounded by a broad experiential program.
Beyond the focus on competence in basics, Delphi introduces students to a wide variety of academic subjects. Designed with an integrated approach, the Lower School curriculum includes the study of geography, history, science, music, art, poetry, and even communication skills. In addition, our teaching methods engage students in creative activities which encourage the exploration of their surroundings and help them relate what they learn to real life.
Learning How To Learn
A unique aspect of the Delphi Program is that all students develop good study habits. They literally learn how to learn. These are not study or memory tricks. They have to do with really understanding and using what is studied. From the very beginning of their Delphi education, students become alert to the various signs of learning barriers and gradually gain the ability to overcome them as they move through the program—at first with considerable teacher assistance and then with increasing independence.
Pre-Kindergarten
Our youngest students, with all their joy and love of life, have a future shaped by every passing moment. Their tomorrow begins today.
Starting at age 4, our Pre-K includes reading and hands-on math activities. You will see their communication level enhanced by way of basic handwriting and simple language skills. Their wondrous imaginations and playful attitudes are enriched with daily art and physical education – not to mention exciting and adventurous field trips.
Our faculty provides a nurturing, caring, and friendly environment allowing your child to grow and expand at their own rate. They are safe to be themselves while they learn living skills from sharing with others to zipping their own coat and keeping their body clean.
The emphasis on social skills including manners, kindness, and group activities will shine through in your child’s beautiful smile as they interact with their new best friends.
Our Pre-K runs from 8:30 am-5:00 pm Monday through Friday with a nap period after lunch. Students do have the option to leave at 3:00 pm.
Hands-On Approach
Young children learn a great deal by observing the world around them. We encourage this by getting students involved in activities both inside and outside the classroom. Students in the Lower School spend well over half their day involved in some kind of hands-on activities or creative projects. Walk into a classroom at this level, and you’ll generally find a beehive of motion.
“Research” is a concept that helps a child to observe activities or phenomena in the environment, thereby learning first-hand about basic concepts in physics, biology, or chemistry. Students through the Elementary School engage in a variety of research projects as part of their regular curriculum.
Field Trips
Field trips are a key element of the Lower School experience. Emphasis on hands-on learning gets the Lower School students out to a variety of destinations. Typical trips might include touring a museum, visiting a fire department or public library, touring the Boston Aquarium or zoo, or exploring a nature center. Focus is always on exploring the world around.
The Arts
Delphi Academy has an active art program for all ages. Students learn to create art in a variety of mediums including watercolor, pencil, charcoal, and more, as well as gain experience in several types of crafts.
In the Lower School, students get their first introduction to the world of music, beginning with Pre-K. The students learn fun songs, musical skits, and how to play basic rhythm instruments.
Physical Education
Delphi Academy provides daily physical education for all ages, allowing children to gain important skills and also balance academic time with movement and exercise.
Students participate in some form of physical exercise and/or game every day. The emphasis is on balance, strength, coordination, speed, good sportsmanship, and having fun.
Weather permitting, students get outside every day. In addition to daily physical education, our youngest students have imaginative playtime on one of our two playgrounds.