Elementary School Curriculum
Grades 1 - 4

Academic Excellence
At St. Luke’s, we believe that education is a quest for intellectual development, for personal growth, and for the fulfillment of the potential inherent in each student. Along this educational path, we strive to provide optimal opportunities for growth and discovery, a supportive atmosphere, and skilled teachers to facilitate each child’s learning.

A whole array of enrichment classes, such as art, music, Spanish, computer, P.E., and library provide our students with experiences that give them a complete view of the world. It has been said that St. Luke’s creates Renaissance children – children who have been introduced to the arts and sciences and are conversant in a wide variety of subject areas.

St. Luke’s uses the The Shurley Method of Writing and Grammar, Open Court reading program and Spalding phonics, enhanced by the study of literature in both fiction and nonfiction genres. The Accelerated Reader Program supports the school’s reading curriculum by providing self-paced comprehension assessment through computer testing. Accelerated Reader is also designed to encourage enthusiasm and interest for independent reading.

Math instruction at St. Luke’s employs a continuous learning approach in which concepts are taught and reinforced throughout the year. Children are given the skills to understand mathematical concepts, to set up problems with appropriate operations, to use a variety of techniques to solve them, to work cooperatively with others, and to apply math to real situations.

Core Knowledge in the Elementary Grades
The goal of Core Knowledge is to produce culturally literate students who are able to understand and make real world application of what they learn in school. The Core Knowledge Sequence details specific content and knowledge in all curricular areas at all grade levels. The curriculum at the elementary level is a shared, specific, sequenced, and solid outline of significant information to be taught in language arts, history, geography, mathematics, science, and the fine arts. The Core Knowledge Sequence at St. Luke’s Episcopal school is a program that methodically builds a knowledge base that students are able to apply to all future learning.

Everyday Mathematics
The Everyday Mathematics program was developed by the University of Chicago to significantly improve mathematics curriculum and instruction for students in the United States. The Everyday Mathematics curriculum in the elementary school emphasizes understanding of mathematics rather than memorization of facts and procedures. Students are introduced to a full range of mathematical content strands and not just basic arithmetic. These strands include number sense, algebra, measurement, geometry, data analysis and probability. Carefully planned and sequenced instruction is designed to accommodate student interest and learning style. There is repeated exposure to concepts and skills moving student understanding from the concrete to the symbolic and abstract. The goal of the Everyday Mathematics program in the elementary grades at St. Luke’s Episcopal School is to develop students who are flexible thinkers and informed mathematical problem solvers well prepared for success in an ever-changing world.

Physical Well-Being
A healthy body is integral to peak performance in all aspects of one’s life. At St. Luke’s, many opportunities are provided for students to become more physically fit through physical education classes and a wide variety of after school sports.