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 he Lower School years are formative years in a student's life. It is the Lower School that has the responsibility of laying the solid foundation upon which increasingly sophisticated academic and personal experiences can be built. The Lower School faculty firmly believe that education is a cooperative effort among the school, child, and home. One of the primary goals of the Lower School is to provide students with an excellent academic program in an environment of love, respect, support, caring, and trust. In addition, we strive to help the students develop poise and self-confidence by providing a variety of opportunities to present before groups of all sizes. Students are encouraged to express themselves in oral and written communications and in visual and performing arts. Walker students are encouraged to think for themselves and to make intelligent judgments and decisions within the Walker environment.
The Lower School at Walker is always an exciting place! In addition to the basic academic offerings, students study foreign language, drama, art, physical education, computer, library skills, and music. Students also have the oppportunity to experience learning first hand through many exciting field trips.
Walker students develop poise and self-confidence through involvement in chorus, weekly assembly programs, daily devotionals, oral book reports, seasonal productions, and the annual spring play.
Because of our belief that education is more than the study of basic academic subjects, cultural activities such as opera, dance, theatre, symphony, and visiting authors and artists are offered to our students.
Fast Facts about the Lower School
- 20-22 students per classroom with an average of 21
- 3 sections of each grade level
- An approximate 11:1 student/teacher ratio overall
- Full time teacher assistant in each classroom
- Teacher assistants in art, computer, library, and science
- Basal reading series for grades 1 -3 enriched with children's chapter books
- Literature based reading program for 4th and 5th grades
- Additional phonics program in grade 1
- Vocabulary program in grades 3-5
- Spelling program including a basal, enrichment words from reading and core subjects, and a large segment of the most commonly used and misspelled words
- Language Arts/English program emphasizing grammar and its proper oral and written use
- Strong program of writing across the curriculum that includes elements of several well respected programs
- D'Nealian handwriting program; begin cursive in grade 2
- University of Chicago's Everyday Math program which is based on reasoning, manipulatives, and problem solving techniques
- FOSS (Full Option Science Systems), a hands on, activity based science program in grades 1-3; text and activity based program for 4th and 5th grades
- Integrated Social Studies units with a variety of topics at each level
Faculty
The teachers selected for the Lower School faculty are a special group of educational professionals who are well versed in child development, educational pedagogy, and methods of teaching. The majority of the Lower School faculty either have a Masters degree or are in the process of earning one. In addition to the strong training credentials, the teachers are experienced in their fields, and they balance those all-important Walker characteristics of being firm and demanding while being caring and supportive of the students.
Special Areas
The Special Areas are vital pieces of the curriculum that contribute to the growth and development of a well rounded, confident student and that support the mainstream curriculum. The time that a student spends in a special area during the week is dependent upon her/his grade level. All students attend classes with teachers who specialize in the following areas: art in the art lab, computer in the computer lab, library in the Winship Library, music in the music room, physical education in the Coles Athletic Center, science for grades 1 -3 in the science lab (fourth and fifth grades are departmentalized and one of their teachers presents their lessons), Spanish with a teacher who comes to the classroom, and guidance with a counselor who conducts regularly scheduled classes in the homerooms and works with small groups of students and individuals as needed.
Character Education
Character Education in the Lower School is a highly visible and cooperative program which is integrated across the curriculum at each grade level and throughout the special areas. Classroom activities and group meetings, bulletin board displays, assembly performances, and closed-circuit video productions are all designed to highlight a special virtue each month. Additionally, student participation in various service projects throughout the school year is a vital component of this program.
Service Projects
Students of the Lower School participate in several service projects during the school year. Examples are food drive for the Salvation Army, Cobb Christmas for Children, a project to help children in Nicaragua, assistance for MUST Ministries, Humane Society, Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and recycling of paper. There are also service projects that benefit an organization on a one time basis as would be the case with a catastrophe such as a hurricane or flood.
Activities
The co-curricular activities offered on campus for students in grades 1-5 include field trips, Scribe (literary publication), Primary Chorus for grades 2 and 3, Advanced Chorus for grades 4 and 5, and Student Council. Additionally, there are after school activities that are available for students at the School such as Brownies, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Chess Club.
Special and Support Programs
The following are among the special programs offered for the students: The Extended Day Program for students who stay after school, assemblies presented by the homerooms for fellow students, Spring Play which involves every Lower School student, Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day every other year, In Pursuit of the Arts every February, Fifth Grade Safety Patrols who assist other students at carpool, Field Day, Parents' Night, and Lunch and Learn presentations for adults of the Walker community. In addition, parents may contract with selected tutors to come to the school to work with their child if there is a need. Finally, there are summer camps and workshops available to students for nominal fees.
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