PECONIC COMMUNITY SCHOOL
The Lower School: Kindergarten-Grade 5
Fostering resilient, reflective and compassionate learners
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AT PCS
The Lower School at PCS prepares students for our complex world by empowering them to think critically and creatively, to make wise and compassionate choices, to connect with their community through service, and to initiate positive change at every opportunity.
The curriculum path in the Lower School is fluid and dynamic, designed with flexibility to respond to individual learning styles, emergent student interests and evolving lines of inquiry. Child-centered and project-based learning unfolds authentically at PCS as students and facilitators interact with relevant materials, currents events, and experts in our community.
The Integrated Unit – a trimester-long unit of study shared by all classes from Early Childhood through Grade 8 – is a cornerstone of the PCS curriculum and encourages students to incorporate elements of History, Science, Social Studies, Art and Design to tackle real-world issues and concerns. PCS acknowledges the importance of high academic standards and refers to nationally recognized benchmarks for skill and concept development in Reading, Writing, and Math. Skills and concepts in these domains are both woven into the fabric of the thematic Integrated Unit and honed with explicit, small group instruction.
Peconic Community School is committed to educating and honoring the whole child, recognizing that social emotional health and engagement is vital to authentic, meaningful learning. Throughout their Lower School experience, PCS students: develop mindfulness practices to promote individual well-being; work with our shared PCS Community Values to build strong relational skills; engage in the PCS Service/Action program to benefit their communities; and work actively with PCS’s Social Justice/Anti-Racism initiative.
Sample Day: K-5
Arrival & Morning Provocation
Morning Meeting
Snack
Inquiry Block (Literacy or Math focus)
Fresh Air Break/Movement
Inquiry Block (Literacy or Math focus)
Lunch & Recess
Quiet Activity/Independent Reading/Mindfulness
Project-based Learning (Integrated Unit Study)
Integrated Special (Music, Art, Spanish, or Wellness)
Closing Meeting / Reflections
Dismissal
A word about Kindergarten at PCS:
PCS recognizes and respects Kindergarten as a uniquely transitional and important developmental stage for young learners, and we offer a specialized Kindergarten program that honors children’s social, emotional, and academic needs. Learning opportunities (academic and social-emotional) are both individualized to celebrate each child’s unique entry point to their educational journey and collaborative to foster community and compassion.
While play is still central to the curriculum, Kindergarten is a time to label, sort, compare, and organize. Play becomes more intentional and deliberate: children discover they can build, create, and represent; belief in magic morphs into an understanding of cause and effect and the difference between fact and fiction; patterns begin to emerge for Kindergarten students and form the underpinnings of early Literacy and Math competencies.
Facilitation in Kindergarten balances open-ended, play-based opportunities to discover, make connections, and build relationships with explicit and authentic learning experiences in Math, Literacy, Science, and the Arts.
Learn More
We appreciate your interest in PCS! Please complete the inquiry form linked below to connect with our Co-Director and Admissions Lead, Liz Casey, and learn more about what a PCS education can mean for your child!
