The Lower School: Kindergarten-Grade 4
The Lower School at Ashley Hall features a vibrant elementary education program and includes kindergarten through fourth grade. The Lower School provides a nurturing environment where girls establish a strong foundation for rigorous and meaningful study and where there is a firm belief that self-advocacy and the building of self-esteem are critical to long-term academic success.
Our integrated curriculum is taught by experienced faculty who know how girls think, feel, and learn. Daily leadership opportunities give our girls the tools and self-confidence they need to successfully navigate the Intermediate and Upper School years.
Building a Foundation of Success
Lower School Curriculum
The Lower School nurtures students who are inquisitive, engaged, and on-the-go! Highlights include the following:
- The Lower School offers a dedicated science laboratory with weekly hands-on instruction and field trips held throughout the year.
- A full-time guidance counselor serves on the faculty and offers individualized attention to the physical and emotional needs of each girl.
- Encouraging young female engineers, the Lower School features their own Lego team. Lego activities introduce students to real-world engineering challenges by having them build Lego-based robots that are coded to complete specified tasks.
- Everyday Math is a key component of our curriculum. Developed by The University of Chicago, Everyday Math emphasizes the application of math to real world situations.
- The Lower School literacy program uses the Units of Study, developed at the Teacher’s College at Columbia University, to foster a love of the written word and support students as they become independent, confident readers and writers.
- Every kindergartener takes violin or cello, and all students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of music lessons, including strings, piano, and guitar.
International Baccalaureate World School Primary Years Programme (Candidate)
Ashley Hall is a candidate school* for the Primary Years Programme (PYP). The School is pursuing authorization an International Baccalaureate (IB) World School. IB World Schools share a common philosophy — a commitment to high-quality, challenging, international education — that we believe is important for our students.
*Only schools authorized by the IB Organization can offer any of its four academic programmes: the Primary Years Programme (PYP); the Middle Years Programme (MYP); the Diploma Programme (DP); or the Career-related Programme (CP). Candidate status gives no guarantee that authorization will be granted. For further information about the IB and its programmes visit http://www.ibo.org.
An All-Girls' Education
The Power of An All Girls’ Education
Ashley Hall’s exceptional program is intentionally tailored to the way girls learn best—through collaboration, discussion, and individualized attention. The results are remarkable. Our graduates continue to impress with more than $14 million in merit scholarships garnered over the last five years, including three University of North Carolina Morehead Cain Scholars, one of the most prestigious scholarships extended.
Research about Girls’ Schools:
Why Girls’ Schools? by the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools
The Girls’ School Advantage at Ashley Hall
Quick Facts about Girls’ Schools by the National Coalition of Girls’ Schools
