Lower School

Elementary education is a memorable time for students where learning is fun, hands-on, and interactive. As students progress through lower school, they are taught how to learn and given the tools to be successful in future grades.

Kindergarten
The world is full of stories that show us how to live our lives and develop character. Students learn through sharing their experiences both in their schoolwork and daily lives. Forming a steward’s heart in PCA’s youngest students is a part of their learning experience as they are exposed to bible stories every day, worshipping God in Chapel, and participating in the school’s Spiritual Emphasis Days.

Kindergarten teachers seek to build the supporting pillars for learning during these formative years. Students explore math concepts using concrete manipulatives as they learn to identify and write numbers as well as understand one-to-one correspondence. Students develop phonemic awareness, decoding and end-coding skills, and become familiar with sight words – the most commonly used words in the English language. Age-appropriate reading comprehension skills and vocabulary skills taught in the classroom reinforce the concepts that build on the foundations of reading. Kindergarten students attend auxiliary classes in Spanish, Art, and Music. Structured physical education classes and recesses serve to develop physical agility and strength. 

Early Elementary: Grades 1-3
As students learn to embrace their God-given strengths and talents, PCA’s Christian teachers provide research-proven techniques to lead students in learning to read, write, calculate, and explore nature with plenty of time to sing, dance, draw, play and laugh. Lower school classes are small enough to allow students to build meaningful relationships with teachers and receive individualized attention. 

Technology is utilized to enhance learning in the classroom and provide students with a world of educational tools and experiences through iPads and Chromebooks. Lower school students attend auxiliary classes in Spanish, Art, and Music. Structured physical education classes and recesses serve to develop physical agility and strength while promoting fun. 

Elementary: Grades 4-5
As students continue to grow in maturity and their walk with Christ, they are encouraged to discover truths about themselves and the world around them. Daily Bible classes and bi-weekly Chapels, led by local youth ministers and PCA’s faculty members, guide them through this process.

A balanced curriculum and changing of classes to rotate between teachers provide students with an increased level of responsibility as they prepare for middle school. Language arts, math, science, and social studies are the core classes offered in addition to auxiliary classes in Spanish, Art, Music, and IDEA Lab. Classes are small enough to allow for differentiation and collaboration between classmates and teachers. Hands-on technology and learning the proper use of devices build on academic foundations. Structured physical education classes and recesses serve to develop physical agility and strength while promoting fun.

Elementary Organizations and Clubs
National Honor Society; an average score of 90 is required from previous year’s grades
School Ambassadors
Annual Art and Drama Presentation

Elementary Academic Competitions
Scripps National Spelling Bee
Zane Blozer National Handwriting Contest
Science Olympiad
National Geographic Geography Bee