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Lower School

WELCOME TO BEAUFORT ACADEMY LOWER SCHOOL
The Beaufort Academy Lower School is a nurturing and stimulating environment where small class sizes allow for personal interaction among teachers, students, and parents. Through hands-on collaborative learning experiences, students discover their talents, abilities, and a love of learning. The Lower School challenges students to be independent thinkers and critical problem solvers, as well as fosters diversity and cultivates a sense of belonging. The Lower School utilizes a well rounded academic program that allows teachers to differentiate instruction based on students’ individualized needs. 

LOWER SCHOOL CURRICULUM

  • Math: Teachers implement the Eureka Mathematics Program coupled with other notable math resources in order to build a strong foundation and instill confidence in each student. The Lower School math program connects math concepts to real world situations creating a lasting conceptual competence for students.

  • Language Arts: The Language Arts program includes reading, phonics, spelling, language, and writing activities, taught in an integrated manner. Teachers utilize flexible groupings and differentiated reading instruction in order to build fluent readers and writers. The language arts program focuses on comprehension and decoding, allowing students to move from learning-to-read, toward reading-to-learn. Teachers cultivate engaging units that inspire a love of reading and expose students to diverse subjects, styles of writing, and authors. Writing is woven through all subject areas using the 6+1 Traits of Writing™, and students are given the opportunity to express themselves through a variety of writing assignments. 

  • Science: The Lower School science program is centered on investigation and problem solving skills. The program covers a wide range of content areas, including life, earth, and physical sciences, exposing students to real world subject matters and challenging students to be critical thinkers. Students explore content through hands-on investigations, interactive learning opportunities, science labs that follow the scientific process, and off campus field studies.

  • Social Studies: The Lower School social studies program focuses on personal, social, and civic responsibilities in society.  Through the study of periods of time and historical figures, students are able to learn about government and economics, geography, climate,diversity and cultures. Social studies is also introduced through holidays and celebrations during the calendar year.

LOWER SCHOOL SPECIALS
  • Renaissance/STEAM: The Lower School Renaissance class is a weekly opportunity for students in grades K-5 to participate in activities involving music, science, and drama. Students participate in school-wide plays that encourage self-expression and promote public speaking. Through various experiments and activities, creative thinking, curiosity, and teamwork are encouraged.  Students are able to express themselves and engage with others while making scientific, musical, and artistic connections with the world around them. The Renaissance/STEAM program is designed to encourage collaboration, program solving skills, resilience, and of course fun!

  • Library: The Beaufort Academy library program for the Lower School is a fixed- schedule weekly class covering three different content areas: literature appreciation, library orientation, and information finding and synthesizing. Students have the opportunity to check out a variety of age appropriate books.

  • Technology/Media Skills: The Technology program provides students with weekly instruction in keyboarding, computer care, Google Suite proficiency, research skills, and digital citizenship. Students learn about the school provided Google devices, expand their digital literacy skills, and develop technology skills that will benefit students’ academic futures.

  • Physical Education: The Physical Education program at Beaufort Academy follows the standards that are directed by the National Association for Sport and Physical Education. The students are encouraged to exhibit a physically active lifestyle and maintain a health-enhancing level of physical fitness. Throughout the program the students are taught to understand that physical activity provides opportunities for enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and social interaction. The students are introduced to a variety of sports and encouraged to participate in extracurricular activities that involve physical fitness. The goal of the Physical Education program is to encourage students to enjoy a healthy lifestyle that includes regular physical activity.

  • Art: The Beaufort Academy Lower School art program is a creative process that allows for choice, exploration, and imaginative expression in a pleasant, supportive atmosphere. Students are encouraged to make a personal statement through their art. Students are taught a variety of media, tools and techniques. The art teacher and the classroom teacher work together to create art that relates to what is being studied in the classroom.

  • Spanish: Lower School students are introduced to the use of the Spanish language in a practical sense. Students are engaged in several ways: speaking, listening and looking while using the total physical response method of learning (TPR). They are exposed to different Hispanic cultures and customs that assist in the proper usage of the language. Students are given the opportunity to expand their knowledge of different cultures and develop social interaction with enjoyment and pride.

MAP TESTING
The Lower School implements the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP Growth) assessments twice a year as one of the many tools to assess students' achievement and growth in mathematics, reading, and language usage. The MAP assessments are a form of computerized testing that show individualized  academic student growth throughout the school year. MAP provides teachers with accurate data and feedback to help individualize and modify instruction.

EAGLE’S NEST AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

Beaufort Academy offers an after school program for Lower School students from 2:30pm to 5pm. After school activities include structured play, artwork, puzzles, sciences, outdoor games, playground time and children’s movies. After-care is provided on all regular school days, it is not provided on early dismissal days, when there is no school, or on the day before a break. There are limited spots available and pre-registration is required.

LOWER SCHOOL ENRICHMENT & ACTIVITIES
  • Core Value Awards
  • 9/11 tribute
  • Fall Festival
  • Halloween Parade
  • Veterans’ Day
  • Thanksgiving Family Lunch
  • Holiday Show
  • 100th Day of School
  • Spring Fling Performance & Art Show
  • Field Day
  • Chess Club
  • Earth Day awareness activities
  • PI Day celebration
  • School wide pep rallies
  • SCISA Meet participation: Art Show, Spelling Bee, Literary Meet
  • Support community agencies: Friends of Caroline Hospice’s Festival of Trees, CODA, CAPA, and HELP of Beaufort
  • Little Eagles Cheer
LOWER SCHOOL TEACHERS
LOWER SCHOOL
SPECIAL TEACHERS

LEARNING SERVICES AT BEAUFORT ACADEMY

While all students complete the same rigorous curriculum, we recognize some students with distinctive learning styles may need a few additional services in order to fully engage in a meaningful learning process, effectively utilize the best components of their distinctive learning styles, and productively pursue BA’s curriculum. Such services may be accessed through our learnings services department. 

To learn more about learning services at BA, click here. 

NOTE: Beaufort Academy does not create or accept Individual Educational Plans “IEPs” or other documents mandating special education plans.