Lower School

Welcome to Central Park School for Children Lower School! I’m Raenel, the Director of the Lower School.

Our children’s learning is individualized in core learning subjects (math, literacy, social studies and science) and our learning methods seek to better bring to life our children’s passions and interests.    Starting in Kindergarten we teach our students to reflect on not just what they are learning but, more importantly, how they learn. Our students become confident and courageous advocates for their own learning and give voice to what they need to bring joy and relevance to their growth and learning.

Our classes are small with 16 per class and our community is connected with approximately 256 students in our Lower School building in 2025-26. We construct teams of teachers to guide and be amazed by our children.  Every grade level collaborates with art, music, movement and library teachers as well as occupational, speech and learning specialists to nurture the whole child. Our Lower School program challenges our students to discover their power and full potential as a learner, friend and community member as they take off in their academic journey.

We rely on relevant and current research about how young children learn. We value building relationships and using our relationships to leverage our ability to see, hear and honor our community. We think and act outside of the box when it comes to providing what our students and families need and we have thrown out the “cookie cutter” lesson plans! We know students learn in different and unique ways and we appreciate their uniqueness.

One size does NOT fit all! We understand that our learners are diverse and unique in their learning styles and needs. We know some of our students may need remediation, intervention, or enrichment.

We provide:

• Differentiated instruction in classrooms which provides more individualized attention to learning
• Intervention (support) throughout the day in class and outside of class with a Learning Specialist when extra help is needed
• Our Student Assistance Team accepts referrals from teachers and families
• Student voice and choice in project work through collaboration