Lower School

At Calvary Day School, the journey of academic and spiritual growth begins in our Lower School. Serving students from Transitional Kindergarten (TK) through 6th grade, our program lays a strong, Christ-centered foundation that nurtures both the heart and mind.

Our Lower School program is where the foundation for lifelong learning begins. We offer a rigorous curriculum while nurturing our students to reach his or her full potential. Our mission is to partner with parents to equip students to think, learn, and live from a Biblical worldview by integrating God's word into every aspect of life so they can impact the world for Christ.

A Christ-Centered Foundation for Lifelong Learning

Lower School chapels are held weekly on Thursday mornings. All TK-6th grade classes attend chapel and take turns leading in pledges, prayer, and worship. Each week different speakers present a short message on the year’s theme. Speakers include faculty, administration, pastors, community leaders and missionaries. Parents are invited to attend and it is a favorite time of the week for students and teachers.

Core Subjects

English/Language Arts

Teachers use a variety of teaching strategies and styles to reach all learners and challenge them in the areas of writing, reading, grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. Abeka, our English Language Arts program, starts with a strong beginning in TK and Kindergarten of phonemic and phonological awareness. This strong foundation launches our students into emergent readers that develop into fluent readers. Our curriculum utilizes reading textbooks, anthologies of short stories, and novels to gain a deeper understanding of strategies and literary components in order to increase comprehension. We also use the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) as our secondary writing program for grades 3 through 6. This allows students to achieve a deeper understanding of and success in the written language. All of these components of our ELA curriculum center on God's Word in order to know Him personally and make Him known.

Math/Science/Social Studies

BJU Press (Bob Jones University) Curriculum provides content that is rigorous and biblically centered. In math, our students work with full-color pages and hands-on manipulatives to learn a range of math skills from place value and number sense to money skills, double-digit equations, fractions, and long division. In Science and Social Studies, students learn about how God created our world and how we are connected to Him through it daily. We learn about our role in the world He provides for us, and how we are to care for it and contribute to it as citizens.

Bible

Deep Roots Bible is an online curriculum that is accessible through teacher and student portals. It helps students study the Bible in an applicable way with a Biblical worldview and an apologetics perspective, offering evidence for what we believe as Christians. Through Deep Roots, students have the opportunity to learn how to apply Biblical truths to their own lives in practical ways through role-playing, games, and discussions. Students are also encouraged to use critical thinking through intentionally designed discussions.

Specials

Spanish

In Lower School, we are using the Sonrisas Spanish curriculum, which incorporates multiple effective teaching methodologies such as Total Physical Response, the Natural Approach, and the Waldorf World Language Approach. This curriculum integrates a variety of Spanish instructional materials through songs, children's stories, videos, activities, dialogue, dramatizations, and Spanish culture. Being able to share God's Word and the saving message of Jesus Christ in another language is extremely valuable. Therefore, we are using the Spanish Beginner's Bible to learn multiple Bible verses in Spanish so that we can share God's Word in our communities. Our hope is that children come away with a desire for sharing the Good News of the Gospel in Spanish along with an appreciation for other languages and cultures.

Fine Arts

In the Lower School Fine Arts department, we believe each child is made in God’s image. Since we are created in His image, the creativity of God is inside of us. God intended for the arts to bring joy and beauty into our lives, and to bring honor and glory to Him. Through weekly music and visual art courses, students learn vocabulary and skill set related to the arts, as well as 21st-century skills like self-control, self-discipline, listening, and teamwork. Our 6th grade students also participate in band throughout the school year. The Lower School classes provide a solid foundation for students to continue studying the arts in the Upper School. Lower School students have opportunities to showcase their talents in the arts through various musical performances throughout the school year as well as an art show during the school year.

STEM

In Lower School, students learn how to use Google Suite products so that they can efficiently communicate information and ideas. All students spend a quarter learning coding with Code.org. Throughout the year we do hands-on STEM projects in which they use the engineering design process to solve a problem. Our older students do 3D design projects using Tinkercad and our 3D printer.

You can see all that we have been working on via our STEM Website.

https://sites.google.com/calvaryday.school/calvary-stem/home

The Calvary Difference

Transitional Kindergarten

Calvary Day School is committed to meeting the needs of all of our students. In an effort to reach all of our students where they are in their development journey, Calvary identified the need for the addition of a full-day Transitional Kindergarten (TK) program. This program is specifically tailored to provide students with the “gift of time” before entering a formal Kindergarten program.

What is TK? TK is an all-day program that provides an opportunity to ease the transition from Preschool to Kindergarten while experiencing a longer day (8:15 am - 3:00 pm), lunch at school, and designated rest time. While academic objectives are similar in nature to traditional Kindergarten, with small class size and more individualized instruction, TK provides an environment conducive to social and emotional growth and maturity. This allows the “gift of time” without repeating a grade and/or curriculum.

There are many benefits to giving children another year to develop academically, socially, emotionally, and physically as well as increasing their executive functioning skills.

Students in the TK program will also be able to participate in the Calvary After School Care Program, allowing flexibility for their family, if needed. To be eligible for this class, the student must turn 5 by the first day of school and must have completed a four-year-old program.

Kindergarten

At CDS, our philosophy is that children should be allowed the freedom to be children. We allow for them to explore and experience the world in an active, hands on, environment. We believe that 5 year olds should be allowed to be 5 year olds. By having the ability to teach in small groups, we are able to keep a developmentally appropriate component to our kindergarten while accelerating students who are ready for more of an academic push. Since we do not have primary grades engage in standardized testing, we allow the child to develop into a strong reader during these years and provide a stress-free environment for the child to develop their reading comprehension skills.

Calvary, believing that every child is made in the image of God and has their own unique God-given talents, comes alongside parents to support the growth and success of each child.

Extended Care

Calvary provides after-school child care for students TK through sixth grade. This is a service offered to enrolled Calvary students who need child care on a regular basis throughout the year. Fee are $255 per child per month for 5 days per week and $173 per child per month for 3 days per week. Fees are billed at the beginning of the month. Emergency/Drop-in care is available for $20 per day as needed. Extended care is only offered on days that school is in session and is not offered on days that Calvary dismisses at noon.

This program includes snack time, homework time, games, art activities, and time outside on the playground when weather permits.

Testing

Calvary Day School uses The Iowa/CogAT Assessments annually to help determine how students are performing on nationwide standards. Testing is administered toward the end of each academic year in our second through sixth grades. These assessments measure a student’s verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal reasoning ability, as well as, achievement in several important content areas including Vocabulary, Word Analysis, Reading, Listening, Language, Mathematics, Computation, Social Studies, and Science. The exact tests that students take will depend on his or her grade level.

The Iowa/CogAT Assessments help teachers identify a student’s strengths and areas that may need additional emphasis. The Iowa/CogAT Assessments also measure student growth and progress in the content areas assessed from year to year. The assessments produce information that enables sound decision-making and provides a focus for teachers to evaluate instruction.

Based on normative data comparisons, Calvary Day School consistently outperforms other Christian schools in the Southeast and across the nation.

Field Trips

Students attend three to four field trips each year. Field trips are organized and implemented by grade level so that they integrate current curriculum and are considered an integral, hands-on part of the learning process. Some of the students’ favorite field trips include: Dan Nicholas Park, High Point Children’s Museum, Old Salem, NC Transportation Museum, NC Zoo, Charlotte Motor Speedway, Raleigh (museums and government buildings), Tank Museum, Biltmore House, Billy Graham Library, and many more!

FAQs

What about before and after school care?

Calvary Day School operates an extended care program from the end of school in the afternoon until 6:00 pm Monday through Friday for children in Transitional Kindergarten through 6th grades. Fees are $255 per child per month for 5 days per week and $173 per child per month for 3 days per week. Emergency/Drop-in care is available for $20/day as needed. We do not oﬀer before school care.

What is your student to teacher ratio?

The class size is limited to 18-24 students in grades K through 6th. Transitional Kindergarten classes have 14 students per class. Kindergarten through 5th grade have 21 students per class. 6th grade class sizes average 24 per class. Each Kindergarten class has a teacher and assistant. Each 1st & 2nd grade class has an assistant one-half of each day. The 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th grade classes share one part-time teaching assistant per grade.

What curriculum do you use?

ELA - Teachers use a variety of teaching strategies and styles to reach all learners and challenge them in the areas of writing, reading, grammar, spelling, and vocabulary. Abeka, our English Language Arts program, starts with a strong beginning in TK and Kindergarten of phonemic and phonological awareness. This strong foundation launches our students into emergent readers that develop into fluent readers. Our curriculum utilizes reading textbooks, anthologies of short stories, and novels to gain a deeper understanding of strategies and literary components in order to increase comprehension. We also use the Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW) as our secondary writing program for grades 3 through 6. This allows students to achieve a deeper understanding of and success in the written language. All of these components of our ELA curriculum center on God's Word in order to know Him personally and make Him known.

Math/Science/Social Studies - BJU Press (Bob Jones University) Curriculum provides content that is rigorous and biblically centered. In math, our students work with full-color pages and hands-on manipulatives to learn a range of math skills from place value and number sense to money skills, double-digit equations, fractions, and long division. In Science and Social Studies, students learn about how God created our world and how we are connected to Him through it daily. We learn about our role in the world He provides for us, and how we are to care for it and contribute to it as citizens.

Bible - Deep Roots Bible is an online curriculum that is accessible through teacher and student portals. It helps students study the Bible in an applicable way with a Biblical worldview and an apologetics perspective, offering evidence for what we believe as Christians. Through Deep Roots, students have the opportunity to learn how to apply Biblical truths to their own lives in practical ways through role-playing, games, and discussions. Students are also encouraged to use critical thinking through intentionally designed discussions.

What about “Specials”?

What is your discipline plan?

The Lower School has a uniﬁed discipline plan. Under this plan, teachers clearly explain their expectations to students. Positive reinforcements for correct behavior and negative consequences for inappropriate behavior are explained. School-wide discipline is based on 1 Peter 2:17 which commands us to show respect to everyone. Students are expected to adhere to the following biblical principles and each individual teacher has developed speciﬁc classroom expectations based upon these principles:

Respect God - 1 Corinthians 6:19-20; Matthew 15:8-9
Respect yourself - Psalm 119; 1 Corinthians 6:19
Respect Everyone! - Philippians 2:3; Proverbs 18:24
Respect property - Proverbs 3:9
Do your best - Colossians 3:17
Do what is right - Philippians 4:8
Treat others like you want to be treated - 1 Thessalonians 5:15; Matthew 7:12

What about afer school sports and activities?

Calvary Day School oﬀers organized athletic teams starting in grades 5 and 6. Students have opportunities to compete in school-wide, regional, and state competitions in areas such as spelling, math, speech, creative writing, STEM, and art. Lower School chorus is oﬀered to students in 4th through 6th grades. We also offer Enrichment Classes starting in the second quarter. Each class is for 7 weeks and an extra cost is involved.

Do you have a cafeteria?

Do you have a parent organization?

What is the dress code? Do students wear uniforms?

Calvary Day School’s dress code is designed for the school setting. It encompasses modesty and a desire not to offend others. We expect all students to exercise good judgment in their choice of dress. Dress should not distract from the learning process or attract undue attention to one’s appearance but to the inward character of the individual. The school staff and administration believe that dress can influence the learning environment. Student attire should convey respect for oneself, for fellow students, and for teachers to maintain a positive learning environment. Parents are expected to review the dress code and assist the school in its implementation.

The dress code is simple in its clarity. As CDS partners with parents in training up a child, the dress code is one more area for that development. Questions regarding the dress code should be directed to the Upper School Dean of Students, Women’s Dress Code Coordinator, Lower School Principal or Lower School Assistant Principals. It is impossible to list all forms of apparel that would be inappropriate for the classroom setting. Therefore, the administration reserves the right to make decisions on items not specifically listed in this policy.

Parents partner with CDS by assisting with adherence to the dress code policy before school begins each day. Parents of Lower School students in violation of the dress code will be notified on the first offense. On the second offense, parents must bring a change of clothes to correct the violation.

Students MUST wear:

Clothing that is opaque (not transparent or see through)
Tops that cover the entire torso: middle of back, sides, front, and midriff (including all typical daily movements)
Shorts that cover the entire buttocks and extend to the mid-thigh (including all typical daily movements)
Dresses and skirts that extend to the mid-thigh
For Preschool through Kindergarten - ONLY-closed toed shoes

Students MAY wear:

Athletic wear: shorts (mid-thigh), joggers, sweatpants, sweatshirts
Leggings of any length or style (to include flared, cropped, bike, yoga, etc.) can only be worn under dresses, skirts or shorts which extend to mid-thigh
Clothing with CDS logos, colleges, teams, or appropriate graphics
For Preschool through 2nd grade ONLY - may wear leggings

Students MAY NOT wear:

Strapless tops, spaghetti straps, swimsuits, leggings as pants, or pajamas
Clothes that expose any private body parts
Hats or Hoods: (hats and hoods on hoodies are allowed ONLY outdoors)
Pants that have holes above mid-thigh
Clothes that:
- use explicit language or other offensive messages or images
- depict or promote drugs or alcohol
- reference political candidates or slogans
- display hateful language or culturally insensitive messages or images

Within the mission of Calvary Day School is the concept of training. It is within the concept of training that our dress code has been developed. Calvary recognizes that the parent is primarily responsible for training a child and ensuring adherence to the dress code. Calvary’s school culture is one of modesty and a desire not to offend others.

The school expects parents to support the Calvary dress code and the school’s enforcement of the dress code in a non-confrontational and non- defensive manner. Students will not be allowed to cover inappropriate dress with a jacket or other type of outerwear. Students will be excluded from class with an unexcused tardy or absence until the violation is corrected.