Curriculum overview

Kindergarten through Grade 5

Where Foundations Take Root, Curiosity Blooms, and Confidence Grows

At Laurel Hill School, the primary years are a time of joyful discovery, emerging independence, and purposeful learning. From kindergarten through fifth grade, students are nurtured as individuals and challenged as scholars. Our program balances academic development with character-building, fostering a love of learning that lasts a lifetime.

We believe in honoring each child’s pace, style, and voice. Whether mastering phonics, solving math puzzles, or exploring ecosystems, every student is supported in developing both core competencies and creative confidence.

Whole-Child Approach

The Primary School curriculum reflects our belief in educating the whole child—intellectually, socially, emotionally, and ethically. Each student’s learning journey is guided by:

• A responsive curriculum that adapts to different levels of readiness

• A nurturing classroom environment that fosters responsibility and mutual respect

• A variety of teaching strategies that match diverse learning styles

• Thoughtfully integrated enrichment and real-world application

Our mission is to help children grow not only as learners, but as kind, curious, and capable human beings.

Core Academic Areas

Literacy

Early literacy instruction begins with a strong foundation in phonemic awareness, phonics, and word knowledge, and evolves into rich experiences in reading comprehension, literary analysis, and critical inquiry.

All grades are immersed in a literature-rich environment. Through classic novels, poetry, nonfiction, and contemporary texts, students explore human nature, cultural identity, and storytelling. Programs like the Headmaster’s Book Club and Classic Classics foster a love of literature and invite students into shared reading communities.

Writing

Writing is taught as both an expressive art and an essential tool for communication. Integrated with reading, our writing curriculum guides students through the entire writing process—from brainstorming and drafting to editing, revising, and publishing.

Students compose across genres, including:

• Personal narratives and fiction

• Poetry and drama

• Research reports and nonfiction

• Content-specific writing for science and social studies

Each child maintains journals and writing portfolios, participates in school-wide publication opportunities, and celebrates their voice as a writer.

Mathematics

Math at Laurel Hill is alive with possibility. Moving beyond rote arithmetic, our students:

• Build number fluency and mental math agility

• Develop problem-solving and reasoning skills

• Apply concepts in real-life, hands-on contexts

• Work collaboratively and independently

• Explore math through games, manipulatives, and cross-curricular projects

We use math as a universal language for interpreting, designing, and planning—always adapted to each child’s readiness level and curiosity.

Science

Our science curriculum is rooted in investigation, observation, and experimentation. Students learn how the world works through hands-on exploration, critical thinking, and environmental awareness.

• Lab experiments, STEM challenges, and fieldwork promote scientific inquiry

• Annual events like the Laurel Hill Science Fair and participation in the Brookhaven National Laboratory Fair foster deeper research and presentation skills

• Partnerships with visiting scientists and naturalists expand classroom learning into the real world

Students leave with both scientific knowledge and a sense of stewardship for the planet.

Social Studies

Social studies is a window into self, society, and the world. Through thematic units, interdisciplinary projects, and immersive activities, students explore:

• Communities past and present

• World cultures and traditions

• Geography and map skills

• Civics, citizenship, and democracy

• Economics and global connections

Field trips, guest speakers, cultural celebrations, and cross-grade collaborations bring history and culture to life.

Global Languages

Starting in Kindergarten, students begin their study of Spanish through a lively, immersive approach that emphasizes oral fluency, cultural appreciation, and vocabulary-building. Songs, games, storytelling, and conversation help children build confidence and curiosity in world languages.

A Place to Grow

At Laurel Hill, the primary years are just the beginning of a lifelong journey of inquiry, compassion, and discovery. We cultivate students who are:

• Thoughtful readers

• Curious scientists

• Expressive writers

• Logical mathematicians

• Informed citizens

• Confident communicators

And most importantly—happy, kind, and eager to learn.