A carefully planned curriculum, close connections between teachers and students, and thorough academic preparation provide students with the confidence they need to progress as learners and as citizens of a caring community.” Nicole Johnson, Lower Division Director, Faculty Since 2015, Alumna 2005
Organization, inspiration, and kindness are hallmarks of the lower school at St. Hilda’s & St. Hugh’s. Beginning in first grade and continuing each year, the program helps students to form the habits of good scholarship and citizenship.
As learners, students grow in their ability to internalize routines and study habits. We introduce homework in first grade; age-appropriate assignments during the week are intended to gradually teach good study habits and reinforce what is learned in the classroom.
Throughout the day, students enjoy special subjects such as science, greenhouse, secondary language (French, Spanish, or Mandarin Chinese), technology (which begins in second grade), library, and music. Daily physical education class, outdoor recess, and Chapel ensure that body, mind, and spirit are nurtured and cared for each and every day.
Serving the global and local community continues to be a part of the curriculum as does practicing kindness in the classroom community. Field trips outside the school are planned to enhance the children's knowledge and curiosity. We believe that New York City and its surrounding communities provide unique resources for our students, and we utilize historic, cultural, and environmental sites on a frequent basis.
Uniforms are required in first through eighth grades as a way of emphasizing our traditional curriculum and to assist children in developing the organizational skills necessary for successful learning.
As teachers of young children ages 3 to 9, language teachers Deb Jordan-Levy (French), Elizabeth Ortega (Spanish), and Peng Zeng (Mandarin-Chinese) are unified in their mission to provide a contemporary, immersive, and age-appropriate learning environment for their students.
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