Foundations of knowledge 

begin with the facts….

Lower Elementary

Kindergarten through
Third Grade

SGCA coursework creates a solid base to build on with a strong focus on reading, handwriting, and arithmetic. Our aim is to create excitement and a love of learning while ensuring strong skill development so students are ready for upper elementary coursework.

Children do the core of their academic work in self-contained classrooms during the mornings and rotate through specials in the afternoons.  We employ a reading specialist who assists each day in our K-3rd classrooms, facilitating reading groups for 45 minutes per grade level.

The purpose is to focus on these three areas: 

Reading

Strong phonics program with an exposure to quality books with richness and beauty; including poems.


Writing

We focus on handwriting skills, including cursive.



Arithmetic

We learn early math and  facts through repetition and hands on lessons.

With These Important Skills and Topics in Mind…

Memorization

The students will sharpen their memories through learning songs, chants, rhymes, hymns, Bible verses, academic catechisms, and more.

Afternoon Enrichment Activities

Hands-on activities are provided throughout the afternoon during specials. Your child will get exposure to cooking,  science, music, art, library time, and physical education.

Exposure to History and Literature

Our goal is exposure through embodied experiences, NOT mastery, at this level. These topics will be more formally studied in Fourth grade and beyond.

Getting Outside Into Nature

There will be opportunities to explore the natural world, including field trips, outdoor classroom experiences, and natural sciences exposure.  

Reading Specialist

We recognize that some students need a little extra help to improve their reading skills.  We provide a reading specialist free of charge who helps to screen and place students in their appropriate reading group for the year.  They work with the lowest reading group to shore up skills and identify additional needs, if required, for student success.