In Our Lower School We Believe:
Every Child Has Unlimited Potential
Learning is a Partnership
Classrooms Should Be Safe, Focused, and Inclusive
Letter From the Lower School Head
Welcome to the Lower School at St. Elizabeth’s! We’re so glad you’re here.
At St. E’s, we believe every child should feel seen, known, and valued. Learning is a personal journey, and we meet students where they are—nurturing their curiosity, encouraging their growth, and celebrating their unique strengths.
Our classrooms are built on connection and belonging. Using the Responsive Classroom approach, we create an environment that is engaging, inclusive, and rooted in strong relationships. Our core values—Curiosity, Compassion, Courage, and Connection—guide everything we do, shaping the way we build community and approach learning.
I hope this gives you a glimpse into what makes our Lower School special. If you’d like to learn more, I’d love to connect!
Warmly,
Amber Hornbacher
Lower School Head
General Curriculum Information
At St. Elizabeth’s, we believe that strong reading and language skills are the foundation for a lifetime of learning. Our approach makes literacy fun, engaging, and hands-on, ensuring that every student grows as a confident and curious communicator.
Building Strong Readers
In the early grades, students develop essential reading skills, including phonemic awareness, letter-sound relationships, and word recognition. As they grow, they build fluency and comprehension strategies, helping them become confident readers who not only understand a variety of texts but also find joy in reading.
Language Arts: Writing, Speaking & Listening
Language arts at St. E’s goes beyond reading—it’s about expressing ideas, thinking critically, and communicating clearly. Students explore different types of writing, engage in thoughtful discussions, and collaborate on group projects to strengthen their speaking and listening skills.
At St. Elizabeth’s, we foster a love for reading and writing, empowering students to become strong, creative, and confident communicators who are ready to share their voices with the world.
At St. Elizabeth’s, we believe that math is more than numbers—it’s about curiosity, discovery, and problem-solving. Our K–5 math curriculum is designed to build a deep understanding of mathematical concepts, strengthen problem-solving skills, and develop confidence in math. Through engaging, open-ended tasks and visual models, students explore, question, and make connections, fostering a positive math identity along the way.
Key Components of the Bridges Math Curriculum
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Daily Math Instruction: Learning comes to life through hands-on activities and collaborative problem-solving, helping students connect math concepts to real-world applications.
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Number Corner: This skill-building component is woven into daily lessons, using calendar-based activities and interactive workouts to reinforce and extend learning in a fun, engaging way.
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Concept Quests: Designed to challenge and enrich, these lessons deepen students’ understanding through advanced problem-solving and creative thinking, ensuring every child is supported and inspired to reach their full potential.
By making math accessible, engaging, and flexible, we empower students to think critically, explore with confidence, and see themselves as capable mathematicians.
At St. Elizabeth’s, social justice learning begins in kindergarten and grows with our students. While formal social justice classes start in 4th grade, our youngest learners explore big ideas like families, communities, and identity in ways that feel natural and engaging. These topics are woven into daily lessons, classroom discussions, and activities, allowing students to ask questions, build understanding, and develop empathy in age-appropriate ways.
By the time students begin dedicated social justice classes, they already have a foundation of curiosity, compassion, and critical thinking, helping them engage with the world around them with thoughtfulness and care.
