Lower School - St. Mary's School

Lower School (LS): Kindergarten–Grade 5

At St. Mary’s, Lower School is a place where students explore, create and grow, developing both the skills and the confidence to thrive academically and personally. Our program blends IB transdisciplinary learning with a strong foundation in traditional subjects, giving students the tools they need to succeed in school and in life.

Kindergarten in the Sillers Center

All Kindergarten classrooms are located in the brand-new Sillers Center, specifically in the Thompson Family Early Education Center. These thoughtfully designed spaces provide an inspiring environment for young learners, with bright, flexible classrooms, access to innovative learning resources, and easy connections to outdoor exploration. Students also enjoy play and discovery on the Liu Family Playground, which features climbing structures, slides, and other activities that promote gross motor development, collaboration, and imaginative play.

Our Programs

Lower School At A Glance

Reading

One of the greatest gifts children can give themselves is a love of reading. Starting in the early years, we introduce students to a variety of authors and genres. As they explore their identities as readers, they begin to understand that reading extends their world, both real and imagined.

In order to become skilled readers, students must first become automatic in their decoding and build their language comprehension (vocabulary, background knowledge, etc). As these areas become stronger and begin to intertwine, it results in skilled, accurate and fluent reading with strong comprehension. Students in the primary grades receive explicit instruction in the foundational phonics skills necessary for proficient reading. During literacy instruction, students in all grades have opportunities to build language comprehension as they reflect on rich, content-specific texts modeled through teacher read-alouds and in small groups. In addition to the skills and strategies taught at each grade level, all students receive differentiated literacy instruction to meet their needs.

Using a structured literacy approach, students are provided: explicit, systematic and sequential teaching of literacy at multiple levels - phonemes, letter-sound relationships, syllable patterns, morphemes, vocabulary, sentence structure, paragraph structure and text structure.

Writing

At St. Mary’s we teach the writer, not writing. Writing Workshop begins in Kindergarten, and students in Lower School write often, for extended periods of time, on topics of their own choosing, and for real-world purposes. Building on the shoulders of the work completed the year before, the students learn and practice the techniques authors use in information, narrative and persuasive pieces.

Writing Workshop sessions begin with a mini-lesson, in which teachers use explicit instruction to model a strategy that can be used in the students’ writing now and in the future. Group and individual conferences follow, and teachers meet with our young authors to offer specific tips meant to lift the level of each child’s writing. During Workshop, students build their writing stamina with a goal of forty-five minutes of sustained writing by the end of grade 5.

Grammar skills are embedded into every lesson, connecting it to the unit vocabulary and word study features of the week. Students analyze spelling patterns and apply it to their authentic writing tasks.

Mathematics

The Lower School math program aligns with both the PYP Mathematics Scope and Sequence and the California State Standards. Our primary resource is Carnegie Learning Math, a program that emphasizes the development of critical thinking, deep conceptual understanding, and real-world problem-solving skills. Combined with the use of Reflex Math for rote memorization and fact fluency, our approach creates a balanced foundation. Research has shown that both a strong conceptual understanding and procedural fluency are essential in developing confident mathematical thinkers.

Mathematics is taught through five content strands: Number, Shape and Space, Pattern and Function, Measurement, and Data Handling. Concepts and skills are integrated within units of inquiry whenever possible to highlight the real-world application of mathematics.

Building a strong number sense is central to our program. Students learn to think and reason flexibly with numbers, to see connections among operations, and to develop mental strategies. Manipulatives and visual models are used to deepen understanding, and students learn to explain and justify their mathematical thinking, identify problem-solving strategies, and reflect on the most efficient approaches. Recognizing multiple paths to a solution is as valuable as the answer itself.

Students also build automaticity with addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts through conceptual learning, fact strategies, and memorization. This balance ensures they can recall facts quickly while understanding the "why" behind the mathematics. With this strong foundation, students are well-prepared for continued success as they encounter more complex mathematical concepts in the years ahead.

Daily math instruction is differentiated to meet the needs of all learners and is taught through whole-group lessons, small-group instruction, and independent practice.

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Dining Program: Nourishing the Body and Community

Our Dining Program is an important part of the Lower School experience. In partnership with FLIK Independent School Dining, students enjoy fresh, healthy, and delicious meals prepared with local and sustainable ingredients.

Students gather daily in the Green Family Commons, creating a sense of community while sharing meals. Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are designed to fuel learning, support healthy growth, and encourage social connection, helping children develop habits for lifelong wellness.

Units Of InquiryIn Kindergarten through Grade 5, students explore six transdisciplinary units of inquiry each year, each lasting six to eight weeks. These investigations encourage curiosity, critical thinking, and deep engagement. Units revolve around these themes:

Who we are
Where we are in place and time
How we express ourselves
How the world works
How we organize ourselves
Sharing the planet

Alongside these units, students learn the skills necessary to communicate their understanding effectively. Reading, writing, mathematics, and information skills are embedded throughout the program. Lower School students also enjoy exploratory classes in music, Spanish, physical education, art, technology, and Christian Enrichment, ensuring a well-rounded educational experience.

Explore our Lower School Programme of Inquiry below to see how each grade level brings this ambitious vision to life. Learn more about our IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) on our IB pages.

Lower School Programme of inquiry (POI) Lower School Sample schedulE

Experiential Learning: Field StudiesLearning at St. Mary’s extends beyond the classroom. Lower School students have the opportunity to participate in hands-on, immersive field studies that complement classroom learning:

Grade 4: Sacramento — students and parents explore California’s history, government and cultural heritage together
Grade 5: Astro Camp — students investigate astronomy, science, and the natural world through engaging, experiential activities

These trips foster curiosity, collaboration, and a sense of adventure, helping students connect what they learn in the classroom to real-world experiences. Click here to learn more about each Field Study offered.

Extracurricular OpportunitiesLower School is also a time to explore passions beyond the classroom. Students at St. Mary’s can engage in a variety of clubs, sports, performing arts and service activities, giving them the chance to develop leadership, teamwork, creativity and self-confidence.

Options include:

Athletics: Soccer, basketball, cross-country and more
Performing Arts: Choir, band, theater, including opportunities to participate in the winter play and spring musical as part of the cast or tech crew
Clubs: Robotics, debate, art, chess and other interest-based programs
Service Learning: Opportunities to give back to the school and local community
Special Projects: Opportunities to design, create and collaborate on hands-on challenges

These activities allow students to pursue passions, take risks and build friendships in a supportive, fun environment.

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Preparing for What's Next

By blending IB learning, traditional skills instruction, experiential field studies, rich co-curricular experiences, and state-of-the-art facilities, St. Mary’s Lower School students are well-prepared to transition into Middle School with confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning.

Come Visit Us

Seeing is believing. Meet our teachers. Explore our classrooms where children are busy learning through doing. Witness the play, joy, and responsiveness. We’d love to show you how your child could flourish at St. Mary’s. Take a tour of our stunning new campus spaces! Click here to register for one of our Admission Information Sessions.