The Lower School years are formative years in a student's life. It is the Lower School that has the responsibility of laying the solid foundation upon which increasingly sophisticated academic and personal experiences can be built. The Lower School faculty firmly believe that education is a cooperative effort among the school, child, and home. One of the primary goals of the Lower School is to provide students with an excellent academic program in an environment of love, respect, support, caring, and trust. In addition, we strive to help the students develop poise and self-confidence by providing a variety of opportunities to present before groups of all sizes. Students are encouraged to express themselves in oral and written communications and in visual and performing arts. Walker students are encouraged to think for themselves and to make intelligent judgments and decisions within the Walker environment.
The Lower School at Walker is always an exciting place! In addition to the basic academic offerings, students study foreign language, drama, art, physical education, computer, library skills, and music. Students also have the opportunity to experience learning first hand through many exciting field trips.
Walker students develop poise and self-confidence through involvement in chorus, weekly assembly programs, daily devotionals, oral book reports, seasonal productions, and the annual spring play.
Because of our belief that education is more than the study of basic academic subjects, cultural activities such as opera, dance, theatre, symphony, and visiting authors and artists are offered to our students.
Special Areas
The Special Areas are vital pieces of the curriculum that contribute to the growth and development of a well rounded, confident student and that support the mainstream curriculum. The time that a student spends in a special area during the week is dependent upon her/his grade level. All students attend classes with teachers who specialize in the following areas: art in the art lab, computer in the computer lab, library in the Winship Library, music in the music room, physical education in the Coles Athletic Center, science for grades 1 -3 in the science lab (fourth and fifth grades are departmentalized and one of their teachers presents their lessons), Spanish with a teacher who comes to the classroom, and guidance with a counselor who conducts regularly scheduled classes in the homerooms and works with small groups of students and individuals as needed.
Activities
The co-curricular activities offered on campus for students in grades 1-5 include field trips, Scribe (literary publication), Boys Chorus, Girls Chorus and Student Council. Additionally, there are after school activities that are available for students at the school such as Lab Rats, Brownies, Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Chess Club.
Special and Support Programs
The following are among the special programs offered for the students: The Extended Day Program for students who stay after school, assemblies presented by the homerooms for fellow students, Spring Play which involves every Lower School student, Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day every other year, In Pursuit of the Arts every February, Fifth Grade Safety Patrols who assist other students at carpool, Field Day, Parents' Night, Fifth Grade Morning Announcements and Lunch and Learn presentations for adults of the Walker community. In addition, parents may contract with selected tutors to come to the school to work with their child if there is a need. Finally, there are summer camps and workshops available to students for nominal fees.