Rippowam Cisqua School Cisqua Campus – Grades PreK-4
Critical Thinking Individual Development Personal Excellence
Curiosity‌Exploration‌
Creativity
Rippowam Cisqua School nurtures a passion for learning in each child by creating a foundation upon which each child will build the rest of his or her education. That foundation includes strong skills in reading, writing, mathematical reasoning, science, and technology. We teach young children to look at other cultures without judgment, and help them to understand our own culture and its rich history of settlement and exploration. Our teachers understand that children love to learn, and we use that platform of childhood curiosity to explore and discover as a natural base for a life of learning. Teachers on the Cisqua Campus create a classroom setting that offers children the benefits of community while embracing each student as a unique individual learner. At Cisqua, students run through the door each morning because they know they will be challenged, supported, and understood in an atmosphere of warmth and fun.
Find the sum of the numbers 1 through 10. Write your answer in the box below. Your answer here
1+2+3+4+5+ 6+7+8+9+10=
55
10 + 9 = 19 8 + 7 = 15 6 + 5 = 11 4 +3 =7 2 +1 =3
2+4+6+8+10=30 1+3+5+7+9=25 30+25= 55
55 How did you reach your answer? The lesson of the story? Same answer; different ways to get there. This concept illustrates the academic strategies we use at RCS. Everyone takes a unique path to understanding, so why teach each subject only one way?
Strategies for
lifelong learning Learning at Rippowam Cisqua School centers on the journey to find answers to our questions. Our early childhood and elementary teaching philosophies are influenced by current research on brain science and thought development. This research helps shape our decisions about the most effective ways to facilitate learning. In today’s world, the skills used to resolve problems and arrive at viable conclusions are equally as important as the end results. At Cisqua, children learn a range of problem solving techniques that can be applied to almost any subject. The pace is child-centered and age appropriate. There isn’t a standardized test schedule to follow, and the top concern of everyone involved is the successful development of each young child’s mind.
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When I put a question on the board, I’m not as focused on the students telling me the answer, as I am on teaching them the different ways to get there. – RCS Teacher
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Building strong readers and writers Reading and writing are two of the core building blocks of a Rippowam Cisqua education. The students learn the fundamentals and progress at a steady, developmentally appropriate pace. They use various approaches to communicate what they’ve read and experienced, including expository writing. These approaches, and the resulting skills, develop into tools the children will need to explore and understand new subjects. As children master reading skills, they’re ready to read more independently. A few of the titles that have inspired an “I love that book” reaction: Feathers The Castle Corona Where the Red Fern Grows The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs The Magician’s Nephew The Boxcar Children Books
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Sharing the learning experience Our commitment to productive relationships and strong communication extends well beyond the classroom. Teachers and administrators are actively engaged in earning the trust and respect of parents, and make certain that all questions are answered and all concerns are promptly addressed. We provide many opportunities for parents to stay informed about the curriculum of the School and their child’s individual progress.
Math in a whole new light At Cisqua, we encourage children to visualize the math problem in front of them and then take active steps to solve it. We take out blocks, divide them into groups, subtract some from the rest, and then explore how those steps affect the whole. For children, learning takes place when they make the connection between the steps and the result. It isn’t memorization. It’s an interactive lesson where children understand how they arrived at a solution.
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Teaching at RCS is different. Faculty collaborate from
year to year on the best teaching methods to help a particular student move forward. What worked for that student? What didn’t work? How can the student continue to improve? – RCS Teacher
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5
PreK
Experience the metamorphosis of a butterfly. Fly to outer space to see what lies beyond the Earth among the stars!
P
Gra
r eK
Grade 2
Delve into the culture of the Native American Iroquois tribe and spend time in a real tipi.
de
Head north to the Arctic Circle and explore life in one of the coldest regions of the world. Construct a life-size replica of an Arctic animal and learn how to build an igloo.
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Grade 3 Live the life of an explorer, examining what motivated the Vikings to strike out in new directions. Convert the classroom into a pre-Colonial cargo ship and experience the challenges of Colonial American life on a Puritan trip from England.
and our neighborhoods. We then move on to our towns, our states, our country, and the homes of our fellow citizens of the world. Students experience each aspect through real or simulated journeys.
4
Create a passport and travel to Mexico to explore a Spanish speaking society. Practice Spanish language skills in the marketplace and visit the rainforest.
G r a
Build a castle and live in a medieval village to learn about feudal societies.
It’s a concept that challenges our understanding of who we are and how we interact with other people and our environment. Beginning in Junior PreKindergarten and continuing through Grade Four, we explore ourselves, our families,
ad e
Grade 1
World?
d e 1
How long does it take to hatch a chicken? Each spring, students incubate chicken eggs until they hatch. And when the big day arrives, older students return to Kindergarten to reminisce about the day their own chicks hatched!
is the
Big
Gr
Experience what it is like to be nocturnal by returning to school in the dark for the Kindergarten Night Party.
How
G ra de 3
Kindergarten
K i nd e r ga r te n
Explore the world through a three-dimensional curriculum
Grade 4
Set up camp at Ashokan, a woodland preserve in the Catskill Mountains, for three days and two nights to experience firsthand America’s industrialization in the 18th century.
Travel through the American West expansion and simulate what it was like to journey on the Oregon Trail. Take on the role of a family member with a name, age, and occupation.
Creativity and imagination spark the
learning process
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The arts offer students a way of communicating ideas
that come from deep inside. They touch a part of the brain that math or science may not explore, but ultimately help
The Arts are an integral part of our classrooms because they allow our teaching to come alive. At Cisqua, teachers incorporate artistic elements into each and every subject. Visual arts, music, and performance encourage students to use their imaginations and express their ideas in different ways. Whether it’s creating a life-size three-dimensional replica of an Arctic animal, constructing a real tipi, or painting a butterfly, each child is an active participant in his or her lessons.
students better understand math and science. – RCS Teacher
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Appreciating music The appreciation of music is a lively pursuit. We listen to melody, seek out rhythms, and learn to identify tone and pitch. We convey learning through song in our classroom lessons with the introduction of mini-plays, skits, and musicals. In Grade Two, recorder instruction begins to teach note-reading skills and musical theory. In Grade Three and Grade Four, students participate weekly in Chorus to expand their music education. From the earliest years on the Cisqua Campus, we espouse a love of music and encourage students to find pieces or genres that speak to them.
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Nurturing creativity through visual art
The art of performing
RCS strives to teach children how to express their thoughts and feelings through art. It’s a curriculum that grows in sophistication with each grade level. We help children enjoy the process of creating art themselves, and we study well-known artists to convey the ways in which art is a reflection of life experiences and personal interests. We foster each student’s creativity along with an appreciation for the effect that art has on our day-to-day lives.
Comfort with public speaking is an essential life skill. Beginning in Junior PreKindergarten, student performances are integrated into the classroom – this is one way teachers bring subject matter to life. Students start off with skits in classrooms and then progress to wider audiences within the campus. Whether it’s living as a Viking explorer or simulating life on the Oregon Trail, students immerse themselves in different roles as a way of understanding their studies. This culminates in performances for parents and the entire school community. The confidence students build through these activities will benefit them throughout their lives.
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Building energy
Teaching synergy At Rippowam Cisqua, physical education nourishes strong, healthy bodies. The lessons to be learned go beyond fundamentals and friendly competition to include teamwork, perseverance, and the inner strength children build as they develop their individual potential. Teaching centers on increasing self-confidence and awareness of the body.
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We want kids to have the requisite skills they’ll need later in life. We want them to develop the habits and awareness that lead to a healthy life approach. – RCS Teacher
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Field Day is a great day for our kids. It’s about measuring yourself and aiming for personal excellence. And that’s a skill we hope they take home from the Cisqua Campus. – RCS Teacher
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Sports Include: Fall Soccer Field Hockey Flag Football Aerobics
Winter Basketball Volleyball Floor hockey Wrestling Aerobics and fitness Stunts and tumbling Outdoor games
Spring Track & Field
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Jumpstarting a healthy attitude Beginning in PreK and all the way through Grade Four, Cisqua students are immersed in an instructional sports program with classes two to four times each week. We teach fundamental skills and discuss other aspects of interscholastic competition. We also foster positive attitudes toward physical activity, so that students will be able to maintain a healthy lifestyle in the years to come.
Where we are on the map Rippowam Cisqua School consists of two campuses – the Cisqua Campus in Mount Kisco for Grades PreK through Four and the Rippowam Campus for Grades Five through Nine in Bedford. Our students come from over 45 towns surrounding Bedford, New York.
Crossing the finish line… and breaking your personal record! The culmination of a yearlong physical education program on the Cisqua Campus is the traditional Field Day, which features twelve track and field events ranging from the 50-yard dash and a modified javelin throw, to a modified marathon. As the children practice during the weeks leading up to Field Day, teachers help them measure their results and track their efforts. On Field Day, students are encouraged to try and improve upon their personal records. Their prize for the day is the satisfaction they get from marking their accomplishments in their “My Personal Records” book.
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Exploration with Cisqua After School Time (CAT)
Cisqua Builders The Lego club for future architects
Mad Science Club
Chess Club
Kid-sized experimentation in chemistry and physics
Lessons in the logic and strategy of chess
Cisqua Drama Troupe Acting and improvisation for young thespians
Curiosity, creativity, and
independent action On the Cisqua Campus, teachers and peers spark intellectual curiosity. Students are eager to explore new interests, and they are invited to broaden their sense of independence. Through the Cisqua After-school Time (CAT) program and community service opportunities, we give our students the chance to experience many wonderful facets of our collective society.
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Learning to be aware of the needs of others
The Cisqua community makes it safe for kids to explore different parts of their personality – academically, socially, artistically, and athletically - and that’s one of the things we, as parents, love about the School. – RCS Alumni Parent
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Using simple terms of “giving” and “sharing” that children can understand, we collect canned foods or cereal boxes for those who make do with less. We begin to build an expectation that service is part of who we are and part of who we should be. At each grade level, the service efforts become increasingly more significant as we strengthen a culture that fosters a lifetime commitment to service.
Violin lessons Violin lessons taught in the Suzuki method
Cisqua Scoop Interviewing, reporting, and publishing the news and events of the Cisqua Campus
Traditions Each year, our students eagerly await their chance to participate in the time-honored traditions of the classes before them. These steps forward are an integral part of a child’s natural development. Our students revel in their rites of passage and feel a sense of achievement and connection with older students. The entire school community celebrates these milestones with our students; they are the common threads woven throughout the RCS curriculum.
Move to Ripp Day
Earth Day
Moving from the Cisqua Campus to the Rippowam Campus is one of the most significant rites of passage at Rippowam Cisqua School. The independence, responsibilities, and challenges that come with being a Rippowam student are eagerly anticipated. In the spring, Grade Four students particularly look forward to spending an entire day on the Rippowam Campus with the current Grade Five to experience the next level of academics they’ll soon undertake.
The annual Earth Day events promote understanding of, and sensitivity to, the needs of the world in which we live. From wetlands to woodlands, and rainforests to vernal pools, students in each grade closely examine the characteristics of a designated habitat. A performance on Earth Day ties together the lessons about the earth and the underlying importance of respecting the environment.
Explore our Cisqua Campus… Come and see what the Rippowam Cisqua experience is all about. Our small community, where each child is nurtured, encouraged, and celebrated, offers an exceptional and challenging education marked by its focus on individual development and personal success. Our creative, advanced teaching strategies are grounded in a body of significant research, and our highly trained faculty members are committed to fostering a love of learning in each student. More importantly, when you visit you will sense joy and confidence in the atmosphere. You can’t miss it: it comes from the faces of the children and teachers in the hallways and the classrooms. The work on the walls speaks volumes about the level of thinking we expect of children. Our students meet those expectations because they are confident in their abilities and eager to share their thoughts with the world. We are raising the leaders of tomorrow. They’ll be ready!
Camping
Partner Program
The fourth grade camping trip to Ashokan brings the students at this level together for an experience that takes learning out of the classroom and into a beautiful, serene landscape. It’s a memorable culmination of study at the Cisqua Campus, and it prepares students for transition to the Rippowam Campus where camping is an important annual tradition.
Older students partner with younger students and meet monthly to work on a variety of activities. Students and teachers eagerly anticipate ‘partner time’ because it presents fun opportunities to learn, to teach, and to share. Younger children catch a glimpse of what’s ahead for them, while older students look back and revisit favorite classroom memories from earlier years.
Contact Us To set up an appointment to visit with us and experience Cisqua in person, please contact the Admissions Office at 914-244-1205, or visit www.rcsny.org.
Design: © Peapod Design, New Canaan, CT Photography: Tim Coffey, Stamford, CT