Academics

Early Childhood Division

Preschool, Prekindergarten, and Kindergarten
Early childhood education emphasizes the development of the whole child. It is based on the assumption that learning is meaningful and long lasting when it focuses on a child’s social, emotional, physical, and intellectual experiences. The programs of the Early Childhood Division of St. Peter’s School are centered on an understanding of the general growth patterns in the early years as well as on the individual development of children. A balance of child-directed activities, teacher-directed activities, and independent play characterizes the day in each class. The children in the Early Childhood Division form friendships, navigate daily social situations, and discover the joy and excitement of learning in a challenging, nurturing environment. While many measurable skills are learned during Preschool, Prekindergarten, and Kindergarten, less tangible achievements of equal value are also acquired. The goals of the Early Childhood Division are to inspire the children to love learning, to foster their independence, and to build their self-confidence.

Preschool and Prekindergarten are five half-day programs that are in session from 8:20 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Preschool is designed for children who are three years old before September 1. The two Preschool classes have no more than nine children in each homeroom. Prekindergarten is designed for children who are four years old before September 1. The two Prekindergarten classes have no more than ten children in each homeroom.

“Lunch Bunch” extends the day from noon to 3:00 p.m. for Preschool and Prekindergarten. During this time, the children are engaged in supervised lunch, rest, and play activities. Enrollment for Lunch Bunch is by the semester with the option of one to five days. Parents may request an occasional afternoon with advance approval from the Early Childhood Division Director.

Kindergarten is the final year in the Early Childhood Division and is a full-day program for children who are five years old before September 1. The Kindergarten day begins at 8:20 and ends at 3:00 p.m. The three Kindergarten classes have no more than nine children in each homeroom.

Lower School

First - Fourth Grades

Lower School students have their homeroom teacher for most academic subjects including reading and the other language skills, math, science, social studies. This affords teachers the opportunity to respond to the whole student. French, art, music, physical education, and computer skills comprise the curriculum for Lower School students and are taught by specialists.

Upper School

Fifth - Eighth Grades

In the Upper School, early adolescents learn to accept responsibility and to live productively in our ever-changing world. Students are given a challenging academic program. The curriculum includes English, mathematics, science, history, French, physical education, art, music, and computer skills, as well as, study, organizational, and social skills. The Upper School disciplines are departmentalized.

Much is asked of the Upper School student to complete the course of study. Communication among School, parent, and student is an important ingredient. Each homeroom teacher is a resource for the academic and social well being of the child in that grade.

Exams are given twice a year in Seventh and Eighth Grade. This period at St. Peter’s School is designed to emphasize the process of learning how to study for an examination. The goals for the exam period are to:

• teach the study skills needed to review for an examination that covers work presented over a five-month period.
• demystify the process of taking exams.
• emphasize the importance of the review process.