Our Campus

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

Specials (PE, Dance, Yoga, Art, Media, Music, Spanish)

To present a balanced education to our students, we offer weekly electives or specials. Our movement classes include dance, yoga and physical education through cooperative games. As much and as often as possible, our classroom and elective teachers collaborate to create rich integrated experiences through art, music and media.

Lower School Recess

Each day, our students have a 40 minute recess. All of our students are encouraged to play and are offered choices like using stationary playground equipment, playing a multiage game of soccer, building with blocks or just moving their bodies in the fresh outdoor air. Lower School recess is a daily part of our schedule and helps to reinforce our love for nature, mindfulness, and moving our bodies in a healthy way.

In addition to scheduled Lower School recess, our students have multiple opportunities to be outdoors throughout the day. Some classes enjoy daily walks around our community, some take inside learning activities outside and others take time to care for our school gardens.

Assessment & Feedback

Students progress is measured in various ways, including rubrics, self-assessments, conferences, unit assessments and common assessments administered by grade level.

We believe in a holistic approach to sharing feedback about our students and their development. After the first and third quarters, teachers share narrative reports that detail five areas of development: Social Emotional, Physical, Mathematics, Literacy (Reading, Writing, Word Work), and Project Work.

During the second and fourth quarters, teachers complete checklists (called Milestones) which are aligned with NC State Standards and are shared with families. For our Milestones, we use the following indicators to share progress:

I = Independent/Proficient (reliably demonstrates)

P= Making Progress (demonstrates skills intermittently)

S= Needs Support

NP= Not Yet Presented

Families have the option to request conferences with our teachers at any time during the school year, but we have mandatory conferences built into our schedules following the first and third quarters of the school year. During conferences, we expect 100% participation from our families, as we value the benefits from partnering and making connections between home and school for our students.