Elementary SCHOOL AT ISI
The ISI Lower School nurtures and develops young students as caring, active participants in a lifelong journey of learning.
Our Lower School follows the IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) in grades 1 to 5.
This is a time when students begin taking an even more significant role in directing their own hands-on learning and finding answers to their questions. We believe in encouraging our students to be curious, critical thinkers, inquirers and reflect on what they have learned. Our teachers, all of whom are native speakers of the target language as well as English-proficient, aim to build on the attitudes and skills that students began developing in pre-elementary.
Through our program, students not only learn to speak an additional language, but they also learn how to successfully navigate change, develop the intercultural competence to easily flow between different cultures, and embrace perspectives other than their own.
Curriculum
Using a structured inquiry-based approach, the PYP gives children a strong foundation in languages, mathematics, social studies, science and technology, visual arts, music, physical education, and personal and social education. The Units of Inquiry are transdisciplinary themes that include and transcend subject areas and are used to learn about the world. Each grade level follows a unique Program of Inquiry, with six transdisciplinary units of inquiry.
School Day
The Lower School starts classes each morning at 8:15 a.m. and the school day ends each day at 3:00 p.m. All students have morning and lunch recesses. The student-faculty ratio for the elementary grades is 8:1. Classes can vary in size from very small to 18 students. The average class size is 12-15 students.
Beyond the Classroom
Learning and exploring goes beyond the classroom, and it’s through these activities that students connect what they’re learning in class to the real world. Elementary students attend overnight camps and go on field trips that support the elementary curriculum.
Areas of Study
School News
ISI Staff
The Varsity Track & Field Team had a season defined by a willingness to try new things and a supportive atmosphere among teammates. Between integrating new team members and dealing with injuries, many athletes stepped up throughout the season to find success in new events.
ISI Staff
The Girls Varsity Tennis Team entered the season ready to take advantage of the knowledge and skill of returning players. Senior leadership helped the team stay competitive all season and win many key matches, like the Senior Night victory against close competitor Western Boone.