Lower School

Students work 1:1 or 2:1 with an Orton-Gillingham tutor focusing on decoding, spelling, handwriting, phonological awareness, reading comprehension, reading fluency, vocabulary, and written expression. Students work in-depth with tutors to remediate their greatest areas of need. Each student’s tutorial curriculum is unique and individualized.

Science classes use Next Gen Science Standards (NGSS) which support students in making the shift from -learning about- to -figuring out- scientific concepts. Opportunities are integrated into each unit for students to take on the role of scientist or engineer as they gather evidence, think critically, solve problems, and develop then defend their claims.

Social Studies class utilizes South Carolina standards and teaches students to analyze, evaluate, and demonstrate understanding of historical evidence, economics, geography, civics, and government. Students practice locating salient information in textbooks and learn skills necessary for taking notes and creating study guides. 

Math classes follow a concrete, representational, abstract approach which allows for a deeper understanding of concepts. The language of math is reinforced as students verbalize each process. In middle school, the curriculum progresses from an abundance of white space to more visual density. All lessons use state standards as a guide and contain reinforcement of new concepts plus review of previously taught skills.

Literature class follows South Carolina standards by introducing students to a variety of literary genres. Critical thinking skills, vocabulary development, and literary devices are introduced and practiced with class novels and/or short stories. Cross-curricular integration occurs frequently between Literature, Social Studies, Art, and Drama.

English language arts classes deliver language instruction via keyboarding, computer, and research writing skills. Lower school students focus on the structure of grammar and writing high-quality sentences in basic and expanded paragraphs. Middle school students learn advanced writing techniques to apply to basic paragraphs, expanded paragraphs, five-paragraph essays, and research papers. 

Art/Drama/STEM classes are rotated on a per trimester basis. 

• Art: Cultivates an appreciation of the visual arts through exploration and use of various mediums.
• Drama: Fosters self-confidence in students by growing their capacity to observe, communicate, and work together creatively.
• STEM: Utilizes the engineering design process to help students gain experience in problem-solving and data analysis.  

Math lab, a daily class for Am and Star Group students, addresses the underlying cognitive abilities which relate to fluency and automaticity. Flexible scheduling allows for targeted exercises to address areas of working memory and rapid automatized naming through repetition with math facts.

This class period occurs at the beginning and end of each day. It provides structured time for students to take ownership of their daily schedule and establish routines and systems that promote executive functioning and critical organizational skills. All classes have color-coded notebooks schoolwide with sectioned tabs for clarity. Each paper requires the same heading featuring “name, date, and day” so that filing paperwork becomes simple and automated. Homeroom teachers help students organize and begin homework each afternoon, and organize and file completed homework each morning.