Lower School

#onewalker

A TIME OF JOYFUL LEARNING AND GROWTH

Students achieve many cognitive, physical and emotional milestones and begin an individual journey of self-discovery. At Walker, we provide unique opportunities for transformative learning at every stage.

Inquire Apply

Read more
During their time in the Lower School, children grow physically, academically and emotionally. Their growth is guided through purposeful learning activities and emotional opportunities carefully designed to stretch and support their transformative learning.

During their time in the Lower School, children grow physically, academically and emotionally. Their growth is guided through purposeful learning activities and emotional opportunities carefully designed to stretch and support their transformative learning.

Teacher standing with two students at table

#onewalker

OUR COMMITMENT

Walker students leave our Lower School knowing how to be successful students and leaders.

“The Walker Lower School is a place of joyful learning where each child is known and loved. As we encourage our learners to grow and stretch, we support them to try new things and to be free from the fear of failure. Our children learn from their social and academic experiences and gain the critical thinking skills, confidence, and resilience they need to be successful for the rest of their lives.”

– Dr. Kathy Meskell, Head of Lower School

Inquire Apply

#onewalker

CURIOSITY IS CULTIVATED

The Walker Lower School uses the evidence-based Responsive Classroom approach to create a fun and safe classroom where students can do their best learning.

In addition to the core academic areas of reading, writing, spelling, math, science and social studies, students attend co-curricular classes including art, music, technology, library, Spanish and physical education. Students are encouraged to learn through their missteps and peer collaboration, helping them to develop the confidence and social and emotional skills they will use throughout their lives.

Inquire Apply

DISCOVER

WHY WE ARE UNIQUE

Our close-knit community and small class sizes enable us to focus on individual student needs, providing one-on-one and small-group academic support.

Additionally, all Lower School teachers and assistants are Orton-Gillingham trained and able to reinforce students’ reading skills, spelling and vocabulary development. Through collaborative learning, public speaking and performing, community service, leadership opportunities and character education, Walker Lower School students transition to middle school well-prepared to confidently serve and lead.

Learn More

Student hugging parent goodbye at beginning of school day

A WELL-rounded education

DISCOVER YOUR PASSIONS

Use the sections to the right to learn more about athletics, arts and academics at Walker.

ACADEMICS

In grades 1–5, students build strong foundations in reading and writing, learning to decode words one sound at a time with the support of teachers and assistants who are trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach. In math, they develop fluency with numbers while building the skills to tackle increasingly complex problems. In science, students learn to think like scientists by asking questions, testing ideas and exploring how and why things work. In history and the social sciences, they begin to see the connections between people, events and the forces that have shaped our world.

Our program is designed not only to build the academic skills students need for success but also to give them the confidence and habits to keep learning as the world around them changes.

ARTS

In Walker’s Lower School, every student becomes an artist and a musician. In each grade, music classes grow in skill and scale, until fifth-grade students can pick up a ukulele and play it on their own. You will also see student works on display throughout the building. At Walker, the arts aren’t an elective but an ever-present joy to experience and share.

ATHLETICS

Athletics in the Lower School start in PE classes multiple times a week.

Students also have the opportunity to participate in the Junior Wolverine Club, where they stand shoulder to shoulder with Middle and Upper School student-athletes and participate in practices, attend games and form relationships with athletes. Fifth graders can even get a taste of the “big” leagues and test their talents by trying out for Middle School teams.

#onewalker