Lower School
Our Lower School students are joyful, actively engaged learners who thrive working with experienced teachers.
The curriculum is challenging, flexible, and designed to keep bodies and minds active as students build their skills and broaden their understanding and appreciation of the world, the community, and themselves. Our students understand that learning happens when they go beyond what is comfortable and take risks, and they are fortunate to be able to take those risks in a community built on kindness.
Our Philosophy
Guided by their sense of wonder, children establish the framework for a lifetime of learning with the support of nurturing and experienced educators.
Lower School Traditions
Our grade-level and full Lower School traditions provide endless opportunities to create connections and apply classwork in creative, collaborative ways.
Social & Emotional Learning
Our GSB Core Values of courage, integrity, respect, compassion, and excellence are purposefully modeled and explored.
PE Every Day
The role that PE plays as part of the broader academic curriculum is profound. It actively fosters the physical, social and emotional, and cognitive development of students.
After School
Our after-school programs extend the school day with academic, enrichment, and interest-based activities.
Teacher Spotlight: Lynn Prosen
At GSB, Lynn loves exploring our beautiful campus and sharing its wonders with her inquisitive pupils. She loves the “Aha” moment, when something clicks and connects, like the thrill of a chemical reaction and the excitement of a bug, bird, or worm discovery.
Lower School Director Kyle Armstrong
Kyle Armstrong serves as the Director of Lower & Middle Schools. He holds more than 20 years of experience working in independent schools.
Prior to joining GSB, he was Associate Head for Academics for a K-8 independent school. He also has experience as a history teacher, baseball and basketball coach, and eighth-grade team leader.
Mr. Armstrong holds an M.A. from Lesley College in Massachusetts, and a B.A. in History from Trinity College in Connecticut. Kyle’s wife, Kristen, is GSB’s Upper School Librarian. They have two children at Gill.
Recent Lower School News
![GSB Community]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1695152061/gsbschoolorg/ighv1gfbxvyzsdkdovk8/news-2023-09-19-pa-welcome-breakfast.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1695152061/gsbschoolorg/ighv1gfbxvyzsdkdovk8/news-2023-09-19-pa-welcome-breakfast.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1695152061/gsbschoolorg/ighv1gfbxvyzsdkdovk8/news-2023-09-19-pa-welcome-breakfast.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1695152061/gsbschoolorg/ighv1gfbxvyzsdkdovk8/news-2023-09-19-pa-welcome-breakfast.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1695152061/gsbschoolorg/ighv1gfbxvyzsdkdovk8/news-2023-09-19-pa-welcome-breakfast.jpg","width":1440}])
![Gill St. Bernard’s Celebrates Lower School Closing Exercises]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1686320471/gsbschoolorg/chkquagsrg06esbtoqnj/LSClosingExecisesNewsRotation.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1686320471/gsbschoolorg/chkquagsrg06esbtoqnj/LSClosingExecisesNewsRotation.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1686320471/gsbschoolorg/chkquagsrg06esbtoqnj/LSClosingExecisesNewsRotation.jpg","width":800}])
![GSB Community]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1684519884/gsbschoolorg/hxovgf56des5ir0zhdnz/news-2023-05-19-year-end-breakfast.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1684519884/gsbschoolorg/hxovgf56des5ir0zhdnz/news-2023-05-19-year-end-breakfast.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1684519884/gsbschoolorg/hxovgf56des5ir0zhdnz/news-2023-05-19-year-end-breakfast.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1684519884/gsbschoolorg/hxovgf56des5ir0zhdnz/news-2023-05-19-year-end-breakfast.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_5/v1684519884/gsbschoolorg/hxovgf56des5ir0zhdnz/news-2023-05-19-year-end-breakfast.jpg","width":1600},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_6/v1684519884/gsbschoolorg/hxovgf56des5ir0zhdnz/news-2023-05-19-year-end-breakfast.jpg","width":2200}])
![GSB Students]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1683922022/gsbschoolorg/ovh87s6mzsxocwyeb4ui/news-2023-05-12-fishing-derby.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1683922022/gsbschoolorg/ovh87s6mzsxocwyeb4ui/news-2023-05-12-fishing-derby.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1683922022/gsbschoolorg/ovh87s6mzsxocwyeb4ui/news-2023-05-12-fishing-derby.jpg","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_4/v1683922022/gsbschoolorg/ovh87s6mzsxocwyeb4ui/news-2023-05-12-fishing-derby.jpg","width":1200},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1683922022/gsbschoolorg/ovh87s6mzsxocwyeb4ui/news-2023-05-12-fishing-derby.jpg","width":1327}])
Explore Our Lower School Curriculum
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Biome Museum
This marks the culmination of weeks of cross-curricular research, place-based learning, and exploration focused on a specific campus ecological system, such as pond, stream, wetland, forest, or farm.
Early Childhood Library
Students visit the library for story time each week, introducing them to a wide variety of children’s literature.
Early Childhood Physical Education
Activities support the development of healthy social and emotional skills, fine and gross-motor skills, balance, and coordination.
Early Childhood Social Studies
The program begins by helping children understand their place in the world from the perspective of the self within a community.
Grade 1-4 Physical Education
The program provides structured, large-group activities and games that develop cognitive, physical, and social skills.
Grade 1 Language Arts
First grade continues to be a time of exponential growth in literacy.
Grade 1 Library and Technology
In library, students begin the year by reorienting themselves in the library through a scavenger hunt.
Grade 1 Mathematics
The curriculum builds on addition and subtraction skills, as students work with two-digit numbers and place value.
Grade 1 Science
Students are introduced to many of the fundamental skills that scientists use.
Grade 1 Social Studies
The curriculum explores the building blocks of community and how different communities are structured.
Grade 1 Spanish
In first grade, the students will start to write words in Spanish.
Grade 1 Visual Art
Building on the introduction of art elements in kindergarten, first-grade students continue to identify and describe concepts through various lessons.
Grade 2 Language Arts
Second-grade students continue to become more independent as readers, exploring their interests through reading, building reading stamina, and applying reading strategies to maintain reading fluency.
Grade 2 Library and Technology
In library, students begin the year by reorienting themselves in the library through a scavenger hunt.
Grade 2 Mathematics
Students gain increasing mastery with addition and subtraction skills, working with numbers up to 1,000, using mental math strategies, and solving word problems.
Grade 2 Science
Students practice scientific investigations of butterfly and plant systems throughout the year.
Grade 2 Social Studies
The curriculum builds on the concept of community, exploring the essential elements of a successful and thriving community.
Grade 2 Spanish
In second grade, students will start reading words, phrases, and sentences in Spanish.
Grade 2 Visual Art
Students continue to incorporate elements of art and principles of design into each project, allowing them to develop more purpose within their artwork.
Grade 3 Language Arts
Students continue exploring fiction and nonfiction genres, including narratives, informational texts, fairy tales, and poetry, as they become increasingly more independent as readers.
Grade 3 Library and Technology
In library, students begin the year by reorienting themselves in the library through a scavenger hunt.
Grade 3 Mathematics
Students continue to practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division with larger and more complex numbers.
Grade 3 Music
Third-grade exploration of music includes singing, games, and movement.
Grade 3 Science
Beginning with observations of the sky and weather, third graders become meteorologists using weather measurement tools to predict the weather.
Grade 3 Social Studies
The course of study begins with a unit on Native Americans and continues to European explorers and the British colonization of North America.
Grade 3 Spanish
In third grade, students begin to read Spanish stories with a more enhanced level of understanding.
Grade 3 Visual Art
Students begin to work independently on projects in the third grade.
Grade 4 Language Arts
Students begin the Accelerated Reader program, which encourages independent reading and the further development of comprehension skills.
Grade 4 Library and Technology
In library, students continue to focus on research methods and strategies, learning to navigate the library spaces, and using a variety of sources.
Grade 4 Mathematics
More advanced work is introduced with decimals, fractions, algebraic reasoning, and basic geometry, while also stressing mastery of skills that will enable students to thrive in later math courses: proficiency with the four operations; quick recall of math facts; and facility with estimating, rounding and judging the reasonableness of an answer.
Grade 4 Music
Students have already explored note and rhythm reading, form, pitch, dynamics, and tempo, and they are ready for an exploration of timbre and texture.
Grade 4 Science and the STREAMS Program
In fourth grade, students begin our STREAMS program, an acronym for sustainability, technology, research, engineering, agriculture, math, and service.
Grade 4 Social Studies
The curriculum includes an in-depth study of the American Revolution, the United States government, westward expansion, and immigration.
Grade 4 Spanish
In Fourth Grade, students will continue to expand their Spanish vocabulary and reading level.
Grade 4 Visual Art
By fourth grade, students are better able to present their decision-making while working on projects.
Grades 1-2 Music
A rich repertoire of rhymes, folk songs, music games, and movement are explored using varied music styles.
Health and Wellness
As part of physical education, students in grades three and four have health and wellness instruction on a variety of topics, including healthy eating, the importance of physical fitness, healthy strategies for working through differences with friends, hygiene, and other developmentally appropriate topics.
Health & Wellness
Third- and fourth-grade students are introduced to formal health and wellness classes.
Importance of Movement and Exploration
Research shows that for children to function at their best, they need to move and be in physical contact with their surroundings.
Kindergarten Language Arts
Kindergarten is a special time when emergent readers can make tremendous progress.
Kindergarten Mathematics
The curriculum emphasizes the concepts and foundational skills needed to solidify a strong number sense.
Kindergarten Music
Students attend music class twice each week.
Kindergarten Science
The curriculum encourages the natural curiosity of young learners while introducing them to the science skills and tools to investigate the world around them.
Kindergarten Visual Art
Students are introduced to the elements of art (line, shape, space, value, color, texture, and form) and learn about well-known artists and the unique styles they use to emphasize elements.
Outdoor Play, Recess, and Physical Education
Our teachers understand the vital importance of play for young learners.
Personalized Reading Instruction
Homeroom teachers incorporate a range of instructional techniques for reading, including on-level guided reading and elements of the Orton-Gillingham approach.
Prekindergarten Language Arts
Prekindergarten students continue to develop skills for reading through listening and retelling stories and poems.
Prekindergarten Mathematics
Young learners continue to explore fundamental mathematical concepts and relationships.
Preschool and Prekindergarten Music
Students learn music through singing, creative movement, and listening and playing classroom instruments.
Preschool and Prekindergarten Science
Science explorations for our youngest learners introduce them to what scientists do and how they learn about the world around us.
Preschool and Prekindergarten Spanish
The Spanish program begins with our youngest students by introducing vocabulary and expressions.
Preschool and Prekindergarten Visual Art
By creating art, young learners engage in discovery and develop creativity, independence, and problem-solving skills.
Preschool Language Arts
Our Early Childhood teachers nurture a deep love of reading and writing in students as they help them develop strong fundamental skills.
Preschool Mathematics
Hands-on activities introduce young learners to numbers and foundational mathematical concepts, including less versus more, part versus whole, and same versus different.
Related Arts
Specialized teachers in art, library, music, science, technology, and Spanish comprise the Related Arts faculty.
Singapore Math
Our math curriculum, based on the Singapore Math approach, begins in early childhood, and extends through the second year of Middle School.
Social and Emotional Learning/Character Education
Research indicates that guided social and emotional learning helps students thrive in school and throughout their lives.
Social-Emotional Learning and Character Education
Research indicates that social and emotional skills help students thrive in school and throughout their lives.
The Nutcracker
All Early Childhood students appear in The Nutcracker during the holiday concert performance.
Tinker Space
Tinkering and design-thinking are vehicles for innovations and invention.
Apply
GSB welcomes applications from students who demonstrate academic potential and who are deemed likely to benefit from and contribute to the GSB community.
Tuition
We are committed to building a community of talented, passionate, creative, and thoughtful students from a diverse range of backgrounds independent of financial circumstances.
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