NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY
LOWER SCHOOL
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You Belong NYA’s Lower School welcomes children from 18 months to fourth grade. Our program is designed to cultivate and encourage a sense of curiosity and wonder, and serves as a natural foundation as children develop into students with a deep understanding and respect for learning and knowledge. 3
NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY
Lower School
T
he North Yarmouth Academy Lower School cultivates values that connect all of our students—integrity, character, and intellect—to help children become adults who will be learners and innovators throughout their lives.
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The Lower School embraces Montessori methods through kindergarten. Montessori education nurtures the intrinsic desire of children to learn and work collaboratively across age groups as they develop a wide range of intellectual, social, and emotional skills. In the first and second grades, the program provides an active and engaging learning experience built on the Montessori foundation. In the third and fourth grades, students’ curiosity and motivation to learn continue to be encouraged, while they are prepared for a smooth transition to our Middle School. Throughout the Lower School, students develop skills through academics, athletics, and the arts that are closely aligned with NYA’s values of respect, compassion, perseverance, and honesty. Teachers throughout the Academy work closely with one another to prepare students as they move from one part of the school to the next. 4
Marissa Markonish is Head of both the Lower and Middle Schools to ensure the quality of the programs and the ease of transition for students and their families. Lower School students have full access to NYA’s 25-acre campus, which includes
rrill Lower School playing fields, a gymnasium, ice arena, a music building, academic buildings, and more. Experiential learning and frequent field trips are offered in addition to traditional classroom instruction.
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NYA feels whole and complete in a way no other school has for me.” — Delphine, Yarmouth
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Our co-curricular programming includes classes in Creative Movement, Physical Education, Spanish, Visual Arts, Library, Music, and Theater. Children learn to play the ukulele and the violin, and our elementary students even take skating lessons in our ice rink.
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We welcome our youngest students, 18 months to age three, to the Toddler House, a warm and inviting space located next door to the Merrill Lower School building. NYA offers a nurturing environment through use of the Montessori Method, promoting independence, creativity, and a desire to learn and explore.
NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY
Toddler Program The Toddler Program provides a warm, inviting setting for our youngest students, age 18 months to three years, and welcomes them to the Montessori classroom. The nurturing environment supports the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of each child as they continue their growth toward independence. Learning is childdirected and focuses on social-emotional learning. All areas of the Montessori classroom are present including Practical Life, Sensorial, Math, Language, Cultural, Geography, Science, and Peace. The Montessori materials, which are slowly introduced to the children in small group lessons, are on shelves in their respective locations for the children to choose at will. Working with these materials fosters concentration, independence, and the development of gross and fine motor skills. Circle time, which builds a sense of community, includes songs and finger plays that support emerging language and math skills. Additionally, the children enjoy Creative Movement, Music, Art, and Spanish.
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NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY
Primary Program The Primary Program embraces Montessori methods of teaching and welcomes children ages three and four. Embedded within the heart of this approach is the daily Great Period, a block of time dedicated to independent work and individual or small group lessons on a wide variety of topics from environmental science to writing or storytelling. Teachers gently guide children, who are free to work at their own pace, as the overarching educational goal remains to inspire rather than instruct. Children learn by exploring and manipulating materials designed to provide the opportunity to think, feel, and learn. These activities help lay the foundation for increased abstract thinking, all within the context of connecting with teachers and other students. Weekly, students in the Primary Program also pursue enrichment courses including Music, Visual Arts, Spanish, and Creative Movement.
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The small class sizes enable our teachers to know each student well and comfortably work with the children one-on-one and in small groups.
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NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY
Kindergarten Program In our full-day Kindergarten Program, Montessori philosophy meets formal group instruction in a welcoming environment to lay a strong foundation in literacy and numeracy skills.
Games, shared reading, and demonstrations on phonological awareness, the alphabet, and phonetics are a large part of each day as literacy is a major focus in the program. Through this, students build reading and listening comprehension skills, learn author and illustrator tasks, and analyze book concepts. They also learn to discover patterns, make predictions, and learn new reading strategies. Another major focus, mathematics, allows children the unique opportunity to see and feel numbers. They initially use concrete materials to work with mathematical concepts and then transition towards abstraction. By connecting the concrete objects to abstract pictures, diagrams, and models, they then learn to model the concepts with symbols on paper. In addition to mathematics and literacy, students learn science and culture through interdisciplinary projects, activities, and games. They also team up with older elementary students for weekly Book Buddy visits to practice and share reading skills. Kindergarten students begin our ice skating program at NYA’s Travis Roy Ice Arena as part of Physical Education and also enjoy weekly enrichment in Music, Visual Arts, and Spanish. 15
NORTH YARMOUTH ACADEMY
Elementary Program The Elementary Program at NYA employs multiage classrooms where students can teach to and learn from their peers. The curriculum emphasizes social and academic growth, while promoting a sense of community within the classroom and campus. The First Grade Program provides a smooth transition for students from the Montessori classroom, building on that strong foundation and preparing students for the second grade. The teachers guide students through an exploration of culture, language, mathematics, and science, as well as concepts that shape social learning. The classroom offers a rich and open learning environment incorporating class meetings, individual and group work, full-class instruction, and varied learning and discovery centers. The classes are structured to meet the needs of each individual, as the students are given the opportunity to work at their own level and at their own pace. Elementary Program students participate in frequent field trips and classroom projects that are integrated into the curriculum. Enrichment classes include Music, Visual Arts, Spanish, and Physical Education with ice skating at NYA’s Travis Roy Ice Arena. First and second graders learn to play the ukulele, while third and fourth graders receive instruction in the violin.
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One of the benefits of the Lower School at NYA is our students take advantage of the specialized facilities and programs on campus. Here, elementary students look at slides under the microscope in the Mertz Science Center.
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Teachers in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools work closely with one another on curriculum to prepare students as they move from one area of the school to the next.
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N
orth Yarmouth Academy is an independent, college preparatory, coeducational school. The Academy offers a structured program that establishes clear standards and high expectations in an environment that emphasizes values of mutual respect, trust, and community. North Yarmouth Academy is dedicated to fostering integrity, character, and intellect in its students.
You Listen Question Voice Grow Belong
u o y o h W t n a t r o i mp m o c e b wi l l
Self-confidence and self-respect through a breadth of experiences that extend beyond the classroom.
Appreciation for the importance of athletic activity, teamwork, and cooperation.
Problem-solving skills based on sound analytical and creative thought.
Sophistication in writing, speaking, and artistic expression.
Desire to continue the process of lifelong learning.
Concern for the larger community and an appreciation for the natural environment. 20
s a t s u j s i w o n a re u o y o h t as w me 21
AUGUST 2020 THROUGH MAY 2021
Program Options Visit NYA.org for information on transportation to and from school, north to Edgecomb and south to Scarborough, for children in kindergarten and older.
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GRADE LEVEL TUITION PER YEAR Toddler 2 Mornings (T/Th) $7,975 Toddler 2 Full Days (T/Th) $10,875 Toddler 3 Mornings (M/W/F) $9,835 Toddler 3 Full Days (M/W/F) $13,400 Toddler 5 Mornings $13,450 Toddler 5 Full Days $17,900 Primary 5 Mornings $12,275 Primary 5 Full Days $17,425 Kindergarten $18,125 First to Fourth $18,475 Additional Expenses Activity Fee (5 Full Days) $85 Activity Fee (Part-time) $60 Books and Supplies $20–$30 Optional Expenses Extended Care (Toddler–Grade 4) Transportation (K–Grade 12) Dining Services (Grades 1–4)
Details below $585-$2,350 A la carte
Before Care Monday–Friday Mornings (7:15–7:45 a.m.)
$1,600
After Care Until 3:00 p.m. (5 Days/Week) For One Hour (5 Days/Week) Until 5:00 p.m. (1–2 Days/Week) Until 5:00 p.m. (3–5 Days/Week)
$1,330 $2,660 $2,660 $3,865
Lunch Bunch (Primary 5 Half Days) Daily 11:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m.
$1,550
NYA offers Summer Programs for children ages 2 to 15. Go to NYA.org/summer for details.
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Belong to something special.
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148 Main Street, Yarmouth, ME 04096 | 207.846.2376 | NYA.org