A PS1 elementary education develops the skills, tools, and strong sense of self needed to soar in middle school and beyond.
Every day, we build confidence, competence, and joy in early learners, helping them approach their initial educational journey with exuberant, hands-on energy. With their academic experience fueled by these essential life skills, there’s no limit to the impact PS1 graduates have in their communities and on our world.
Welcome to PS1
On the following pages, you’ll learn the many reasons I am so proud to be part of this community, where every day is a step towards limitless possibilities, a sense of purpose, and lifelong success.
Susannah Head of School
We are thrilled that you’re considering PS1. We know that choosing an elementary school is a decision that can have a profound impact on your child’s future and on your family. After all, we’re PS1 alumni parents! We’re here to help guide you on this journey, ensuring that you have the answers you need to make this choice. In fact, we hope your experience in getting to know PS1 mirrors the experience of being a student here–where self-knowledge, purposeful exploration, and enthusiastic participation propels you forward with confidence.
Beth and Evelyn PS1 Admissions
Spotlight on Values
At PS1, we strive for a reality in which many voices build a better world. Our mission is to spark curious and critical thinkers who confidently contribute to their communities. To deliver on this mission, our core values guide our way: Learn with joy; Discover your full self; Honor our lived experiences; and Be part of something bigger. Keep reading to learn how these values will inform your family’s PS1 experience.
Get to know PS1
• K-6th Independent co-ed elementary school in Santa Monica
• Founded in 1971
• Home to the oldest coastal live oak tree in Santa Monica
• Each classroom has 2 lead teachers
• 4:1 student/staff ratio
Learn with Joy
PS1 students learn through unbridled curiosity, abundant questions, and varied opportunities to learn from failure.
So much of what we do at PS1 is about connecting to the joy of learning. As a community, we embrace Imaginative Inquiry and project-based learning and nurture a true love for discovery without grades or standardized tests. Instead, we encourage each other to explore passions and look for ways to connect classroom learning to local, national, and global problem-solving.
From the ground up, PS1 encourages exploration and interaction. Every square inch of PS1’s campus engages children in playful learning. Awardwinning architecture and light-filled spacious classrooms designed to bring learning to life feature their own outdoor areas, shared workrooms and easy flow to Library, Art, P.E., Music, the STEAM Studio, and Spanish classes.
Get to know PS1
• Language Arts at PS1 is designed to prepare students for any reading and writing task, fostering lifelong, confident readers and writers. Our program uses research-based methods tailored to meet the individual needs of each learner. Students learn to speak, listen, read, and write to deepen their own understanding and contribute to others’ knowledge.
• Math programming is designed to foster a positive math identity and empower students with a deep understanding of mathematical concepts. At PS1, all students are known as competent mathematicians, critical and flexible thinkers, and creative problem solvers.
• The Studio, emphasizing STEAM, is where students use technology, woodworking tools, electronics, sewing machines, laser-cutters, and 3-D printers to realize that tomorrow’s great ideas and design solutions live within their minds!
• Art at PS1 is both an independent area of exploration and integrated into other academic subjects like geometry and history. In a unique art studio, students stretch their creative minds, study artists and art history, and learn about artistic expression around the world.
• Community and Environment program incorporates science and social studies through experiments, observations, research, and enactments, taking students to the local wetlands and community gardens to create deeper connections to the natural world.
• Our LEARN Team evaluates and applies the best teaching methods and practices to optimize the incredible potential of our PS1 students.
• The Library is the heart of our school and is open before, during and after the school day, for faculty, children and parents. As a “reading community,” we encourage the acquiring of knowledge both deep and wide.
• Physical Education is as much about play, socializing, sportsmanship, and collaboration as it is about sports and activities. With all the usuals, plus Frisbee, yoga, dance, circus arts, and ropes courses, our P.E. program is fun and valuable for all students.
• Music at PS1 integrates curricular themes through song and genre, and provides all students with regular hands-on experience with elements of pitch and rhythm. The program covers reading, writing, and performing music from a wide range of cultures and historical periods as well as singing, music theory, music appreciation, and basic instrument skills.
• The Spanish World Language Program centers around encouraging students to love languages and cultures. Through songs, play, and cross-curricular connections students are immersed in Spanish from K-6th grade.
As a teacher, what matters most to me is creating an environment where students feel supported and inspired. My goal is to guide kids into curiosity and engagement, making learning a collaborative, dynamic, and fun experience.
Chris Director of The Studio
Honor Our Lived Experiences
At PS1, we believe that understanding and celebrating each other’s stories strengthens our sense of purpose and community impact. The diverse strengths, talents, and experiences of every person are crucial for meaningful discovery and for building community. PS1 students and teachers alike seek to understand how we each show up in the world, knowing we are stronger because of our interactions.
We foster a culture in which every community member is invited to share their story—from students and families bringing their lived
experiences into the classroom setting, to each graduate delivering a speech at graduation reflecting on their journey and growth.
These traditions highlight the significance of each person’s contribution. And, because we’re small, all members of our community are known, valued, and connected to each other. At PS1, our foundational principle of Pluralism empowers students to understand themselves and their roles within larger communities.
Spotlight on Pluralism Get to know PS1
So what is Pluralism? We’re so glad you asked!
Pluralism is both our goal and our method. The word “pluralism” is a nod to the United States’ motto, E pluribus unum: Out of many, one, which is the founding and enduring purpose of PS1. Pluralism is the belief that a community is enriched when individual differences are understood, respected, and welcomed.
• 51% students of color; 47% faculty/staff of color
• Families from over 36 zip codes
• Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging is integrated into the curriculum
• Over 35% of the community participate in our robust Tuition Assistance program
Discover Your Full Self
The early years of education are critical to building skills of selfawareness, responsibility, and connection. At PS1, we cultivate open minds and hearts so every learner can embrace challenges as opportunities, lead with empathy, and thrive in a complex world.
Our smaller classes, comprising multi-age groupings and staffed with two lead teachers and Specialists, provide ample time for individualized attention. This means that teachers truly know each child and that the children really know each other. By being on a first-name basis, we establish an atmosphere of equality and mutual respect
where teachers become not only instructors, but also guides, mentors, and friends.
Moreover, at PS1, student voices are not just heard but elevated and empowered. We provide a space where students can freely express their opinions, concerns, and ideas. This openness encourages students to engage actively in their learning journey, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility. By creating an environment where every voice matters, we help students develop the confidence and skills they need to thrive as individuals and as members of their communities.
Spotlight on Graduates
One of my favorite things at graduation is to listen to the reflections and aspirations that the teachers share about each graduate, written by their peers. It is also incredibly fulfilling and inspiring to hear graduates speak at their own graduation.
Deirdre Director of Teaching and Learning
Get to know PS1
• Every year, PS1 graduates attend an average of 12 different local independent middle schools.
• Each fall, PS1 alumni in grades 9–12 come back to mentor PS1 students about this transition to middle school and high school.
• At age 12, PS1 graduates are selfaware, expressive, inquisitive, prepared, and respectful learners ready to thrive in middle school and beyond.
Be Part of Something Bigger
Our community requires us to see each other as parts of a whole, whether that is our school community, our hometown, or the world beyond. To do so encourages each of us to learn from everyone we meet.
At PS1, we celebrate and understand the value of each individual while also thinking deeply about the role and responsibility we each have to each other and the value we bring to the whole. And that’s not just about students.
PS1 is for families, too! As partners in their child’s education, parents and guardians are often on campus volunteering and modeling what it means to be part of a community. Whether as a volunteer, a Parentin-Residence sharing expertise and talent, or by serving on the Parents
Guild Executive Board or Board of Trustees, every parent can find a comfortable way to contribute to our school and to support our children. And along the way, parents and children make friendships that last a lifetime!
Learning is not limited to campus. At PS1, our students include much of Southern California as part of their learning environment. Students at all grade levels frequently use the city of Los Angeles as their extended campus, linking concepts and ideas from the classroom to the community. Field trips include visits to the Santa Monica Library, Ishihara Park Learning Garden, Watts Tower, Olvera Street’s Dia de los Muertos altars, Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook, and our annual all-school camping trip to Leo Carrillo State Park.
Spotlight on Community Get to know PS1
A strong community is vital for social-emotional learning and the development of a child. Not only will your children feel safe, valued, and connected, but families can expect to feel that same deep sense of belonging and community. We all support each other in our social emotional growth because we know how important that is for academic growth.
At PS1, we model and teach responsibility to and celebration of community. Here are a few ways:
• All-school community building events and clubs like PS Run, Math Mornings, pajama day, class color day and staff vs grads soccer and volleyball games
• Circle Time, a weekly communitywide event where everyone (including parents!) gets a big dose of PS1 spirit!
• Over 20 parent-led committees, as well as Parents Guild Executive Board; parent education, town halls, happy hours and social events, and partnerships with other schools
• A commitment to ongoing and deepening sustainable practices, resulting in Green Business Certification and two Grand Prize Sustainable Quality Awards by the City of Santa Monica
• Service-learning partnerships with organizations including The People Concern, Step Up on Second, PAL gift drive, Salvation Army, and the Santa Monica Animal Shelter
Genevieve Child Development Specialist
PS1 and You
With our values at the heart of all that we do, PS1 students emerge as confident, passionate learners who seek deeper connections with what they learn and the people they learn alongside.
Come visit PS1 for a tour, and you’ll see it in action.
Through our purposeful programs, leadership opportunities, and a supportive environment, your child (and you!) will start an educational journey unlike any other, where joyful learning, diverse experiences, self-discovery, and a vibrant community set the stage for a brighter future.
