Westminster Schools of Augusta
Lower School
Single Hero
The purpose of our Early Childhood and Lower School Program is to infuse a biblical worldview into every aspect of our curriculum, explore the environment through discovery, inquiry, and purposeful play, and build the foundations of reading, writing, math and science for a successful academic journey. Our goal is to develop the whole child by creating an excitement for learning and discovery that comes to life in the classroom. By using a variety of activities, we aim to develop the emotional, social, cognitive and spiritual skills needed to become lifelong learners.
A Note from the Principal (Grades 3-5), Mr. John Petrey
Elementary school is an exciting time of academic, emotional, social, and spiritual growth. As a community of learners, the Lower School at Westminster seeks to place Jesus Christ at the center of everything we do. Each day students are provided opportunities to discover their God-given gifts, think critically, grow together, and serve others while ultimately developing a strong biblical foundation. Our programs provide an authentic and engaging curriculum rooted in Christ and His word. LOWER SCHOOL ROCKS!!!!
John Petrey, Lower School Principal
A Note from the Early Childhood Principal, Dr. Ashley Oleszewski
The early childhood years are among the most important in a child's development, laying the foundation for a lifetime of learning and faith. At Westminster Schools of Augusta, we provide a safe, engaging, and Christ-centered environment where children discover God's world, grow academically, and develop confidence in their identity in Christ. Our goal is to nurture each child's God-given potential while fostering curiosity, joyful learning, and a strong biblical foundation that prepares them for success in school and in life.
Dr. Ashley Oleszewski, Early Childhood Principal
Lower School Traditions
Service Learning
It is our desire to be a light in our community and beyond. School-wide community service projects and outreach opportunities are woven into our curriculum so that students have the privilege to serve our local community and support different mission endeavors.
Leadership Opportunities
Students learn accountability, responsibility, oral communication skills, and teamwork. Leadership opportunities include: chapel teams, daily morning announcement anchors and carline helpers.
Field Day
The most anticipated day of the year! Our Lower School Students participate in events such as relay races, water balloon tosses, tug of war, and more to see which team will win the games! Will it be the Blue team or the White team?
Annual Musical Performance
The Lower School puts on an annual performance, showcasing their musical abilities and dancing skills
Splash Day
After a year of hard work the entire lower school participates in Splash Day. Events include inflatables, lawn games, popsicles, picnic lunch, and tons of bubbles!
Patriot's Day
A highlight of our Lower School, every year 5th graders celebrate Patriot's day by dressing in Revolutionary War era clothing based on a patriot of their choosing. A day full of dancing, reenactment, food and of course, capturing the redcoats!
100th Day of School
Students show they are 100 days smarter by dressing like they are 100 years old, or by decorating clothing with 100 items. PreK students celebrate the following day with 101 Dalmatian themed activities.
President's Day
Each year our 2nd Grade students choose a president to research and reenact a speech in character to parents. A fun day of dress up and special presidential treatment!
Shark Tank
4th Grade students work collaboratively to research a problem and develop a prototype to solve it. They then present their ideas to a panel of Sharks (local business leaders in our community).
Penguin Day
2nd Grade brings Antarctica to the classroom! A fun penguin related day of fun!
Johnny Appleseed Day
Each year, the 1st grade celebrates Johnny Appleseed’s life and mission with frontier games and learning activities!
Ellis Island Day
The 4th grade class are immigrants for the day, while they learn about the importance of immigration in American History!
Biography Day
The 3rd graders select a famous figure to study, dress up as that person, and present a biography they've written to their parents!
Curriculum Highlights
Preschool
Language and Literacy Development
Early literacy skills are intentionally and strategically taught through reading aloud, singing, rhyming, storytelling and purposeful play. Daily phonics activities include age appropriate activities such as recognizing upper and lowercase letters, producing letter sounds, and identifying and manipulating sounds in words. As students develop as readers, high-frequency words and decodable books are used for initial reading experiences. Students experience spoken language through large group, small-group, individual, and center activities. These activities are designed to promote comprehension, discussion, and listening skills. Students will also develop the foundations of writing through fine motor activities and daily writing tasks.
Math Development
Through hands-on activities, problem solving and purposeful play, students develop essential pre-math skills. Such skills as counting, sorting, classifying, identifying patterns, number sense, basic operations, geometry and measurement will be covered before entering first grade.
Spiritual Development
The Bible curriculum emphasizes the characteristics of God and His desire for a relationship with us. Through scripture, memory, songs and Bible stories, students build the foundation for a lifetime of knowing and walking with the Lord.
Physical Development
As active learners students use a variety of tools and materials to develop find and gross motor skills. Chalk, paint, play dough, sand, markers, crayons, dance, exercise, nature walks and playground time are all part of this development.
Social Emotional Development
Students will develop important social and emotional skills as they interact with each other, explore the classroom, follow daily routines and expectations, take care of class materials, work cooperatively, express and manage emotions, take turns, problem solve and develop self-confidence.
Co-Curriculars
Music, Physical Education, Art, Library, TILT (Technology Integration Literacy Time for PK4-K)
Science and social studies are also added in Kindergarten.
Service Learning
In order to equip students to live extraordinary lives for Jesus Christ, our students engage in authentic service learning in our school, our community and beyond. Both school-wide community service projects and grade specific outreach opportunities are woven into our curriculum.
TK
TK Core Curriculum
The purpose of our early childhood program is to infuse a biblical worldview into every aspect of our curriculum, explore the environment through discovery, inquiry, and purposeful play, build foundations for reading and writing, and ease the transition to school. Our goal is to develop the whole child by creating an excitement for learning and discovery that comes to life in the classroom. By using a variety of activities, we aim to develop the emotional, social, cognitive and spiritual skills needed to become lifelong learners.
Transitional kindergarten serves young five year old students who demonstrate strong school readiness skills in many areas but may need the benefit of an additional year of social, emotional, and cognitive growth. This class offers an advanced curriculum and enrichment opportunities to appropriately challenge the students at this developmental level.
Language and Literacy Development
In TK, the students explore language through literature, poetry, nursery rhymes, and songs. Students are immersed in a language rich classroom environment as they are introduced to numerous pre-reading skills and concepts. A strong foundation of early literacy skills are intentionally and strategically taught through reading aloud, singing, rhyming, storytelling, and purposeful play. Daily phonics activities focus on recognizing upper and lowercase letters, producing letter sounds, identifying beginning and ending sounds in words, and identifying high-frequency words.
Math Development
To further develop understanding of math and its processes, TK students participate in hands-on activities that explore how numbers fit together. Students use manipulatives to practice sorting, classifying and comparing objects, recognizing and reproducing patterns, and exploring shapes. TK students engage in daily activities to help them recognize and write numbers, count, and solve simple operations such as addition and subtraction.
Spiritual Development
The TK Bible curriculum emphasizes the characteristics of God and His desire for a relationship with us. Through scripture memory, songs, and Bible stories, students build the foundation for a lifetime of knowing and walking with the Lord. In addition, TK students join the entire Lower School for weekly chapel.
Physical Development
As active learners in the classroom, students use a variety of tools and material to develop fine and gross motor skills. Chalk, paint, play dough, sand, markers, crayons, and tongs are used to strengthen muscles in the hands and fingers. Similarly, TK students develop gross motor skills through regular movement throughout the classroom including dancing, exercise, nature walks, and time on the playground.
Social and Emotional Development
As students explore the classroom and interact with each other they develop important social and emotional skills such as how to follow daily routines and expectations, take care of class materials, cooperate with others, express and manage emotions, and problem solve.
Additional Programming and Activities
Recess
TK students participate in recess twice a day.. Recess provides students the opportunity for physical activity and socialization with peers which leads to improved educational outcomes.
Co-Curriculars
TK students participate in the following co-curricular classes.
- Music - once a week for 25 minutes
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Physical Education - once a week for 25 minutes
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Art - once a week for 30 minutes
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Technology Integration Literacy Time (TILT) - once a week for 25 minutes
Service Learning
In order to equip students to live extraordinary lives for Jesus Christ, our students engage in authentic service learning in our school, our community and beyond. Both school-wide community service projects and grade specific outreach opportunities are woven into our curriculum. TK students collect and donate supplies to the local animal shelter.
Field Trips, Projects, Special Events, Activities
Spirit Week, Field Day, Grandparents’ Day, Splash Day, Animal Expo, 101 Days of School, Kids Heart Challenge, Maxwell Theater, Steed’s Dairy, Reed Creek Nature Park, Thanksgiving Program, Easter Program, Art Extravaganza
Kindergarten
Kindergarten Core Curriculum
The purpose of our early childhood program is to infuse a biblical worldview into every aspect of our curriculum, explore the environment through discovery, inquiry, and purposeful play, build foundations for reading and writing, and ease the transition to school. Our goal is to develop the whole child by creating an excitement for learning and discovery that comes to life in the classroom. By using a variety of activities, we aim to develop the emotional, social, cognitive and spiritual skills needed to become lifelong learners.
Language and Literacy Development
The kindergarten reading curriculum reinforces essential skills such as introduction to language through literature, print awareness, phonemic awareness, blends, and reading fluency. High-frequency words and decodable books are used for initial reading experiences. Students experience spoken language through large group, small-group, individual, and center activities. These activities are designed to promote comprehension, discussion, and listening skills. Students also engage in daily writing tasks.
Math Development
This research-based math curriculum builds a conceptual understanding of mathematics. Hands-on approaches and concrete manipulatives are used to build foundational concepts. These engaging lessons teach the following concepts throughout the year: shapes, counting, 2D and 3D shapes, comparison, addition, subtraction, place value, patterns, and number bonds.
Spiritual Development
The Bible curriculum teaches who God is and His desire for a relationship with us. In addition, kindergarten students learn the timeline of the old and new testament. Through scripture memory, songs, and Bible stories, students build the foundation for a lifetime of knowing and walking with the Lord.
Physical Development
As active learners in the classroom, students use a variety of tools and material to develop fine and gross motor skills. Chalk, paint, play dough, sand, markers, crayons, and other tools are used to strengthen muscles in the hands and fingers. Similarly, kindergarten students develop gross movement through regular movement throughout the classroom including dancing, exercise, and time on the playground.
Social and Emotional Development
As students explore the classroom and interact with each other they develop important social and emotional skills such as how to follow daily routines and expectations, take care of class materials, cooperate with others, problem solve, attend to a task, develop self-confidence, and exhibit self-control.
Science Development
The science curriculum strategically integrates discovery and inquiry in science while building a strong biblical foundation. Through discovery and literature, kindergarten students study the life cycle of plants and animals, the water cycle, and the five senses from a Christian worldview.
Social Studies Development
The social studies curriculum includes authentic learning experiences that are integrated across the curriculum. Students engage in multiple hands-on activities in the study of the following key concepts: community, historic holidays and figures, and the US government.
Additional Programming and Activities
Recess
Kindergarten students participate in recess twice a day. Recess provides students the opportunity for physical activity and socialization with peers which leads to improved educational outcomes.
Co-Curriculars
TK students participate in the following co-curriculars classes:
-
Music - twice a week for 30 minutes
- Physical Education - once a week for 30 minutes
- Art - once a week for 50 minutes
- Technology Integration Literacy Time (TILT) - once a week for 60 minutes
Service Learning
In order to equip students to live extraordinary lives for Jesus Christ, our students engage in authentic service learning in our school, our community and beyond. Both school-wide community service projects and grade specific outreach opportunities are woven into our curriculum. Kindergarten students collect donations for Operation Christmas Child.
Field Trips, Projects, Special Events, Activities
Spirit Week, Field Day, Grandparents’ Day, Splash Day, 100th Day of School, Pumpkin Parable, Thanksgiving Program and Feast, Polar Express Pancake and Pajamas, zoo field trip, Passover Feast, Mother’s Day in the garden, Art Extravaganza, End of Year Celebration
1st Grade
First Grade Core Curriculum
Bible - Deep Roots
Deep Roots lays the foundation for a biblical worldview education. First grade students study biblical accounts from Creation through the life of Jesus.
Math - Eureka Math Squared
Through engaging lessons, students in first grade learn number sense, place value, addition, subtraction, data analysis, problem-solving, measurement and geometry. Students also begin using Reflex Math to build fact fluency.
Language Arts/Reading
McGraw Hill Open Court, Guided Reading, VOWAC, Orton-Gillingham Methodology. First graders learn to read using phonics-based instruction. Teachers utilize an explicit and systematic approach to teach reading in small groups at various ability levels. Phonics rules are integrated to enhance word-decoding skills, increase sight word vocabulary, and promote phonics-based spelling skills.
Handwriting - D'Nealian handwriting
This continuous stroke method supports early literacy and the development of fine motor skills with a focus on proper letter slant, size and spacing.
Science - Purposeful Design
First grade students engage in the engineering and design process as they study life science, physical science, earth science and the human body from a Christian worldview.
Social Studies - Thematic Units
The social studies curriculum includes authentic learning experiences that are integrated across the curriculum. Students engage in multiple hands-on, cross-curricular projects to include the following units: landforms, community, and culture.
2nd Grade
Second Grade Core Curriculum
Bible - Deep Roots
Second grade students learn biblical truth while studying the life of Jesus and the beginning of the early church. In addition, students memorize a Bible verse each week that relates to the unit of study.
Math - Eureka Math Squared
Students develop an understanding of number sense as they learn multiple strategies to solve problems and engage in real life problem solving. Reflex Math is used to build fact fluency.
Language Arts/Reading
Guided Reading, VOWAC, Orton-Gillingham Methodology. Second grade students learn and practice strategies to develop fluency, comprehension and critical thinking of both fiction and nonfiction texts. Students continue to master foundational phonics skills through direct, explicit, multisensory instruction using the VOWAC program. Spelling words are based on the phonics rule or pattern that is being studied that week. Small group instruction and special activities provide opportunities to apply the skills and strategies in authentic ways.
Handwriting - D'Nealian manuscript
Students continue to practice D'Nealian manuscript leading to cursive in the second half of the year.
Science - Purposeful Design
Second grade students engage in the engineering and design process as they study life science, physical science, earth science and the human body from a Christian worldview.
Social Studies - Thematic Units
Focus on multiple hands-on, cross-curricular projects to include the study of cultures and customs of various countries and geography.
3rd Grade
Third Grade Core Curriculum
Bible - Deep Roots
Third grade students learn biblical truth with a focus on the Old Testament. In addition, students memorize a Bible verse each week that relates to the unit of study.
Math - Eureka Math Squared
Students become proficient in key math concepts such as multiplication, division, fractions, geometry and measurement while engaging in authentic problem solving. Reflex Math is used to build fact fluency.
Language Arts/Reading - Guided Reading, Orton-Gillingham Methodology
Third grade students use authentic texts to develop fluency, comprehension and critical thinking skills through the study of both fiction and nonfiction texts. In addition, students receive a systematic and well-balanced approach to writing through the use of modeling and small group instruction. The reading units are used as mentor texts as the students learn to write fiction and nonfiction. Spelling words are based on specific phonics rules and patterns.
Science - Purposeful Design
Third grade students engage in the engineering and design process culminating with a STEM Day project. They also engage in the scientific process as they study life science, physical science, and earth science from a Christian worldview.
Social Studies - Thematic Units
In third grade students focus on community and culture specifically studying ancient civilizations and how they impact modern civilization. A biblical worldview is integrated as real world connections are made to the Bible curriculum.
4th Grade
Fourth Grade Core Curriculum
Bible - Deep Roots
Fourth grade students learn Biblical truth with a focus on Paul's ministry. In addition, students memorize a Bible verse each week that relates to the unit of study.
Math - Eureka Math Squared
Students deepen their grasp on number sense and become proficient in key math concepts such as multi-digital multiplication and division, operations with fractions, decimals and geometry. Fourth graders use 99 Math to build fact fluency.
Language Arts/Reading
Guided Reading, Orton-Gillingham Methodology. Students study various novels to develop critical thinking, composition and comprehension skills. Reading and writing instruction is taught through the use of modeling and small group instruction. Vocabulary, spelling and grammar are embedded into the ELA curriculum.
Science - Purposeful Design
Fourth grade students engage in the engineering and design process as they study life science, earth science and the human body from a Christian worldview.
Social Studies - Thematic Units
In fourth grade students focus on geography, mastery of the 50 states and their regions. Students also develop research skills as they study topics such as the Industrial Revolution, Ellis Island and National Parks.
5th Grade
Fifth Grade Core Curriculum
Bible - Deep Roots
Fifth grade students learn Biblical truth with a focus on Old Testament prophets. In addition, students memorize a Bible verse each week that relates to the unit of study.
Math - Eureka Math Squared
Students deepen their grasp on number sense and become proficient in key math concepts such as multi-digital multiplication and division, operations with decimals and coordinate planes, while also engaging in authentic problem solving.
Language Arts/Reading - Guided Reading, Orton-Gillingham Methodology
Students study various novels to develop critical thinking, composition and comprehension skills. Reading and writing instruction is taught through the use of modeling and small group instruction. Vocabulary, spelling and grammar are embedded into the ELA curriculum.
Science - Purposeful Design
Fifth grade students engage in the engineering and design process as they study life science, earth science and the human body from a Christian worldview. In addition, they perform multiple experiments throughout the year to illustrate the concepts that are learned in class.
Social Studies - Thematic Units
In fifth grade students focus on early American History including the founding of the United States of America. Students also develop research skills as they develop interactive presentations and projects.
Additional Programming
Chapel
Lower School students attend chapel once a week for worship, prayer and teaching. This age appropriate fellowship enables students to learn biblical teaching and apply it to their daily lives.
Co-Curriculars
Music, Physical Education, Art, Technology Integration Literacy Time (TILT)
Service Learning
In order to equip students to live extraordinary lives for Jesus Christ, our students engage in authentic service learning in our school, our community and beyond. Both school-wide community service projects and grade specific outreach opportunities are woven into our curriculum.
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