Lower School
Welcome to Lower School
Lower School is where the journey begins–where boys first step into the rhythm of school life at Saint David’s, guided toward independence and the early shape of character. Through a structured, challenging, and dynamic academic environment, each boy develops a strong sense of confidence in himself as a learner.
Our curriculum draws on the latest research in how boys learn best—balancing structure and movement, routine and wonder. Small group instruction, mathematical investigations, engineering challenges, a Spanish immersion program, and active learning through immersive educational partnerships with institutions such as The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum and New York Historical, provide an ideal learning environment to foster creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration.
The relationships our boys forge here —with teachers and with each other—form the bedrock of their Saint David's experience. Participation in daily sports, musical productions, team-based academic assignments, family-style lunch, and Community Club provide regular opportunities for friendship and leadership. Our "classroom greeters" confidently welcome visitors with friendly handshakes and articulate introductions. When our boys shake Dr. O'Halloran's hand each morning, they are present and engaged, practicing the manners and community-mindedness that will serve them throughout their lives.
At the heart of these interactions is our cherished Golden Rule—teaching our boys to navigate the world with a moral compass tuned to empathy and respect, treating others as they themselves would wish to be treated. It’s a simple principle, but it threads through everything we do, creating a culture of kindness, self-awareness, and mutual regard.
Not long ago, a Kindergarten boy asked me what I love most about my job. I thought of a moment when a group of third graders passed by my office, noticed balloons inside, and popped in to ask about them. We chatted for a few minutes, then they waved goodbye and headed off. A set of visiting parents watched it all unfold. “Does this happen often?” one of them asked. It does.
That’s what I love most. The boys feel free to stop by, to ask a question, to say hello—and experience Saint David’s as their second home.
Building Ideas Together
From the start, boys learn to think together. In Kindergarten, they team up to tackle robotics challenges—testing ideas, adjusting course, and learning through trial and error. By second and third grade, they’re using Scratch, the visual programming language from MIT, to build logic and break big problems into small, solvable parts. Along the way, they sharpen their thinking, strengthen their communication, and discover what’s possible when they work together.
Exploring New Perspectives
Boys in the Lower School learn to think across boundaries. In Omega, they take part in the Global Artists Exchange—a collaboration with peers in Argentina that weaves together language, art, and culture. Through video correspondence, they share insights about artists from their home countries and reflect on daily life, school traditions, and creative expression. In third grade, they enter a no-rules miniature car design competition that blends math and engineering in a fast-paced study of friction, mass, and aerodynamics. These integrated experiences build knowledge and spark curiosity.
Finding Their Voice
From their very first days at Saint David’s boys begin building confidence as communicators. Starting in Pre-Kindergarten, they greet the Headmaster each day with a warm hello, eye contact, and a firm handshake. As they move through Lower School, they are called upon to welcome visitors, introduce themselves, and share what they are learning. Annual stage performances give boys the experience of speaking before an audience, while signature learning experiences culminate in presentations that ask boys to synthesize ideas and express them clearly. These moments, large and small, foster poise, presence, and the ability to speak with confidence.
Core Skills
In the Lower School, boys start to build the skills that help them learn, grow, and connect with others. They practice asking good questions, working as a team, listening closely, and sharing ideas. These early habits—taught across subjects and modeled each day—lay the groundwork for confident, thoughtful learners.
Critical Thinking
Critical Thinking
How do artists use the elements of art (shape, form exaggeration, symmetry, color, contrast, pattern) to engage the viewer and express emotions and ideas?
How has New York City grown and changed over time?
How can we communicate through performance?
Problem Solving & Collaboration
Problem Solving & Collaboration
How does changing single commands within a program affect the way the whole program runs?
What does a successful and productive team look like?
How do we combine knowledge and skills from science, math, engineering, and technology when we solve problems?
Foundational Literacy Skills
Foundational Literacy Skills
What strategies can I use to be a better reader? How can I better understand what I read?
How can I monitor my comprehension of what I read?
How do I select a book that matches my reading goal or interest?
Expository and Narrative Writing
Expository and Narrative Writing
How does a writer use paragraph structure to organize ideas?
What writing strategies will make my story more realistic?
How do writers bring a “small moment” story to life?
Performance and Public Speaking
Performance and Public Speaking
How do performers communicate with their audience?
What did I learn about myself through this performance?
How do we collaborate to create an excellent performance?
Creativity
Creativity
How can we work together to decide what story to tell, how to tell it, and what we need to bring it to life?
How can experimentation, trial and error, and persistence help me to discover novel ways to express ideas and emotions in my art?
How can learning a new language inspire creativity and open new forms of expression?
Mathematical Reasoning
Mathematical Reasoning
How can models be used to support mathematical thinking?
How can patterns and structure be used to understand mathematical relationships?
How can I justify my own mathematical reasoning and respond to others' arguments?
Compassion and Kindness
Compassion and Kindness
What are ways I can respect my classmate's opinion when it is different from mine?
How can I learn to connect with others who experience the world differently than I do?
What does it mean to be a good teammate, win or lose?
Language and Culture
Language and Culture
What can we learn about Spanish-speaking cultures through their art, music, and traditions?
How does learning Spanish connect with and deepen my understanding of what I’m learning in other subjects?
How can I use what I know to figure out what I don’t know?
Signature Learning Experiences
At Saint David’s, learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door. Lower School boys explore the city’s museums, theaters, parks, and gardens—engaging with the wider world in ways that spark curiosity and deepen understanding. In partnership with leading cultural institutions, and guided by their teachers and subject experts, boys take on projects that are active, joyful, and interdisciplinary. These experiences invite them to investigate big questions, solve problems together, and make meaningful connections between what they’re learning and the world around them.
Explore
Academics
Learning that challenges the mind and sparks discovery.
Arts
Stages, studios, and galleries alive with creativity.
Athletics
Where boys build strength, resilience, and camaraderie.
Spirituality
Moments of meaning that shape character and purpose.
The Saint David's Experience
From chapel talks to recess to lunchroom debates, growing up means growing together.
Language Immersion
Opening doors to the world through language.
Wellness
Wellness is woven into every part of a boy’s day, mind, body, and character.
Service
Helping others is essential.
Before and After School
Regardless of the hour, learning is where you find it.