Lower School
The Chapin Lower School strives to be a vibrant and supportive community where all are encouraged to be their fullest, most confident, and most authentic selves. We believe that our students are extraordinarily capable and eager to learn. We are dedicated to meeting each student's needs by providing an academically engaging curriculum, and an inclusive, affirming and joyful space where all students can grow as citizens, scholars, and caring community members. In the Lower School, we aim to cultivate in each girl empathy, courageous curiosity and a deep understanding of the value of an equitable community.
In a dynamic and supportive environment, students are empowered to take risks and to challenge themselves.
Our students acquire the building blocks of literacy through listening, speaking, reading and writing; they develop an understanding of numerical patterns and relationships through hands-on experiences and problem solving; they test scientific methods through experiments that put them in touch with our living and physical world; and they gain insights into our local and global communities. Their vivid imaginations and creativity are nurtured in the art room, the dance studio, and in drama and music classes. And in physical education classes, the girls develop physical, cognitive and social competencies through movement exploration, skill development and cooperative game play both in our gyms, on the roof, and the conveniently located Carl Schurz Park. Collaborative teaching and differentiated instruction enable each student to actively and intentionally engage with the concepts presented to them in independently meaningful ways.