What makes our Primary School unique?
• Two full-time highly qualified early childhood educators in every classroom
• Dedicated building designed specifically for children ages 3-6, with every classroom opening directly to the Primary School playground
• Full-time counselor on staff dedicated to the Primary School to support students and teachers and work with families and individual students on social and emotional development
• Orton-Gillingham trained teachers use this approach to teach phonemic awareness, as well as early reading and writing skills
• Mathematics program based on Singapore Math strategies moving from concrete to abstract concepts
• Thoughtfully structured schedule including small group instruction, co-curricular classes, recess and multiple brain breaks throughout the day
• Primary School library filled with carefully curated age-appropriate books
• After-school clubs and activities including dance, karate, tennis, cooking classes, yoga and STEM activities available to all students
• Beginning in Early Learners, students are introduced to the Spanish language and culture
• Coding and robotics programs starting in Pre-Kindergarten
• Early care 7-7:25 a.m. and a robust Extended Day Program (EDP) 2:30-6 p.m.
“At Walker, we focus on the whole child. Primary School is not just about academics but about ensuring students develop the skills they need for a solid foundation that will set them up for success throughout their lives. The Walker Primary School provides a supportive, nurturing environment for students to thrive and a team that truly cares about their students as individuals.”
Jessica Waugh, Head of Primary School
Primary School is a time of exploration. Students are developing the problem-solving and social and emotional skills they need to succeed in life. At Walker, we meet students where they are, fostering independence and curiosity. We provide the tools and space for students to develop a strong academic foundation and the self-confidence they need to begin their lifelong journey of learning and success.
The Primary School is full of exciting “firsts”. In addition to the core academic areas of reading, writing, math and social studies, students are exposed to a wide variety of co-curriculars including Spanish, art, science, Music and Movement, and technology. We place a heavy emphasis on independence, creativity and critical thinking skills while also focusing on what makes each individual student unique. Additionally, all classrooms are directly connected to the Primary School playground, which allows for ample outdoor time.
Students at every level have two full-time teachers in the classroom and the support of a full-time counselor dedicated to the Primary School. Our tight community and small size allow us to focus on individual student needs, providing support specific to different learning profiles.
Even though we are in a separate building, Primary School students are part of the larger Walker community. Students are paired with Reading Buddies in the Lower School, and Senior Buddies help cultivate relationships with older peers.
Early Learners
Students in our Early Learner program (ages 3 and 4) learn about themselves and the world through play, a model that extends throughout all grade levels in the Primary School. Students have time to explore and construct meaning on their own in a nurturing environment with adults they know and trust. Students hone their speaking and listening skills by participating in morning meetings. Early Learners develop a strong number sense through one-to-one correspondence and grouping. Through play, we build fine motor strength and skills. Research-based handwriting instruction begins in Early Learner classrooms and continues through Kindergarten and into the Lower School. Students have a dedicated rest time each day, as well as recess and various brain breaks throughout the day.
Pre-Kindergarten
In Pre-Kindergarten, students continue to develop their academic and social-emotional skills while adding more foundational building blocks. There is an increased focus on number sense and phonemic awareness through our math and literacy programs. Students learn critical pre-writing skills, including how to blend sounds and create rhymes and how to match sounds with specific words. Pre-Kindergarten students also begin working on uppercase and lowercase letter formation and number writing.
Students have a dedicated rest time, recess and brain breaks each day.
Art
Primary School students attend art classes twice each week, experimenting with a wide variety of materials. Projects are designed to foster creativity and develop fine motor skills. The Primary School also has its own kiln, enabling students to experiment with ceramics at every grade level. The famous Primary School Art Show is a highlight of the spring and showcases art created throughout the year.
Library
Time in the Primary School library is spent exploring the world through literature and multimedia. From nursery rhymes to important biographies and folk tales from around the globe, our dedicated Primary School library contains rich children’s literature from all genres, and students enjoy checking out books each week.
Technology, Engineering and Creativity
Students are introduced to the TEC (Technology, Engineering, and Creativity) co-curricular in Pre-Kindergarten, where they participate in various STEM-based activities including an introduction to the engineering design process and simple coding.
Science
Weekly science lessons are another highlight for Primary School students. Students think critically and ask questions like a scientist as they experiment, explore and engage in hands-on activities with a focus on cooperative group learning.
Music and Movement
Students in all grade levels participate in Music and Movement classes four times each week. This curated program enhances physical coordination, rhythm awareness and creative expression. Students explore and replicate rhythms and enjoy playing basic instruments, learning how to express themselves creatively, listening and following instructions.
Spanish
Beginning in our Early Learners class, students are introduced to the Spanish language and culture through the use of songs and children’s literature written by native speakers. Students become skilled at recognizing and labeling colors, numbers, letters and sounds in Spanish. Gradually, their vocabulary grows and they are able to use expressions and phrases to talk about the world around them.
At Walker, we believe in the infinite worth and dignity of the individual, and students are encouraged to develop a perspective that embraces diversity and global awareness.
Kindergarten
In Kindergarten, students further develop their reading, writing, math and social skills. Kindergarteners expand their number sense and further explore geometry, measurement and data, and operations and algebraic thinking.
A multisensory approach to teaching fosters the development of both phonological and phonemic awareness. Explicit handwriting instruction continues as students focus on lowercase letter formation and learn the mechanics of writing sentences with punctuation. Students express themselves and create content as both authors and illustrators!