Introducing oneself to a visitor, speaking as a docent for the family museum, and performing puppet shows are ways Pre-Kindergarteners develop their cognitive language skills. Students learn to recognize all capital letters and their sounds, and to make them with a variety of materials including playdough, chalk, and sponges. Ample exposure to books and environmental print materials help build word recognition, expressive language, and conceptual understanding.
Curriculum Guide
A Look Inside Our Curriculum
Epiphany School’s well-rounded academic and social-emotional learning program feeds young minds—enriching students with a one-of-a-kind, interactive elementary education. This rich and varied program guides all our students to continuously grow in curiosity, courage, confidence, respect, responsibility, and resourcefulness.
Our Curriculum Progression
- Mathematics
- Language Arts
- Social Studies
- Science, Technology, and Library
- World Languages
- The Arts
- Health and Fitness
- Social-Emotional Learning
Mathematics
Classroom teachers and Math Specialists work together to guide Epiphany School students to develop a love for math. Pre-Kindergarten students play with numbers, shapes, and measurement. Older students learn foundational concepts and strategies, then apply them to novel situations.
In and out of the classroom, students learn by doing, which helps them to develop confidence in their skills. They practice solving complex problems and are expected to articulate their thinking. We utilize Math in Focus and ST Math as our primary mathematics curriculum.
By graduation, students have in-depth experience using multiplication, division, fractions, decimals, percentages, geometry, and have completed an introduction to pre-algebra. Additionally, Upper Division students have the opportunity to join the Math Olympiad team each year to enrich their math experience.
Language Arts
Solid foundational skills and rich integrated lessons equip your child with strong reading, writing, and public speaking skills—and lots of practice! Epiphany School is known for developing young orators.
Students work in reading groups, writing workshops, and individually to develop a strong foundation of vocabulary, phonics, grammar, comprehension, fluency, and expression.
Our Upper and Lower Division Literacy Specialists offer expertise in differentiated instruction that supports our grade-level teachers’ highly experiential curriculum. Every student receives focused and individually tailored instruction, including extra support from Learning Skills specialists as needed. Close collaboration between specialists and classroom teachers ensures continuity of learning from grade to grade.
Social Studies
At Epiphany School, we strive to look beyond ourselves. We explore the world – locally and internationally.
Students feel free to investigate new ideas, try on differing perspectives, and walk in others’ shoes.
By looking at how societies work, we learn to research and develop harmonious relationships. We study geography and ancient and native civilizations. We think critically. We explore government, conflict, and change. Students actively share their opinions and unique points of view in oral presentations. And as they grow in maturity, students interact with international sister schools.
Science, Technology, and Library
Science, Technology, and Library studies equip curious adventurers with tools to explore the world around them. From day one, students gain hands-on experience via beach walks, lab dissections, and field trips that help environmental and marine science come to life. Students analyze weather, engineer buildings, program robots, and explore topics like polar science, circuit design, astronomy, evolution, and climate change.
Our beautiful and spacious Science Lab is the perfect space to investigate, explore, and apply the scientific method. In our gardens, hallways, classrooms, and media center, students engage with technology at every age—learning to courageously create, code, and be responsible digital citizens.
The library program provides access to our collection of more than 8,500 volumes and encourages students in their developing passion for recreational reading. Students hear stories read aloud, examine critical thinking strategies, and participate in author studies and schoolwide reading challenges. The library supports students in the goal of being efficient, effective, and ethical users of information by exploring library organization and electronic resources and collaborating with homeroom teachers in the development of age-appropriate research skills.
World Languages
At Epiphany School, we incorporate the study of classical languages for a complete and cohesive approach to Language Arts. By discovering connections and vocabulary shared between three languages as part of our daily study, students gain deeper understanding and heightened acquisition of each language. When they graduate, Epiphany School students are prepared to continue making ‘foreign’ languages part of their developing lexicon.
French begins in the youngest grades for early exposure through songs, games, and stories. Student vocabulary increases as our French Specialist helps students converse with each other. In higher grades, students explore language, Roman culture, mythology, and history with our Latin Specialist.
The Arts
Throughout each grade level at Epiphany School, students explore the formal elements and components of music, fine art, and various styles of performance. Both our Art Specialist and our Music, Performance, and Drama Specialist collaborate with classroom teachers to enrich each grade level's curriculum, introduce skills and exploration, and inspire creativity. Visiting artists expose students to additional mediums and collaborate on in-depth projects. Much anticipated grade-level performances and showcases give children an opportunity to express themselves through dance, drama, singing, and public speaking at all-school assemblies and Grandparents and Special Friends performances.
Learn more about School Performances
Health and Fitness
These popular and active classes are taught to every grade. Fitness Specialists guide students to build endurance, foster self-esteem, and spark a desire for lifelong healthy living.
Physical Education focuses on building students’ sports skills and developing sportsmanship. Students at every grade level participate in team and individual sports, cooperative and recreational activities, and fitness and endurance tasks.
Fit for Life educates students on health and fitness—from basic human anatomy and physiology to nutrition and goal-setting. Students self-assess individual and team performance to know whether they are engaging in activities at their best effort.
Social-Emotional Learning
Emphasis on our shared school values teaches students to be inclusive leaders and team players. Responsive Classroom, a highly regarded, evidence-based program, is our school-wide social-emotional learning (SEL) framework. The program focuses on developing five core competencies: cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy, and self-control.
A dedicated School Counselor supports faculty and staff in helping all students navigate friendships, learn problem-solving skills, identify and manage strong emotions, and build strategies for conflict resolution. Working closely with teachers, our counselor develops and leads social-emotional learning lessons, works one-on-one and with small groups, and helps students become respectful and confident advocates who are unafraid to express themselves and speak up for others.
Curriculum by Grade
Math is integrated through games, daily calendar activities, and in curricular units throughout the year. From observing the growth of a caterpillar to weighing an apple from the garden, students use numbers, shapes, patterns, and measurement. Picture graphs showing the class’s favorite version of a story, or measuring their baby weight in potatoes, encourages the creation and interpretation of data.
Students learn about themselves and others in relation to their families, classmates, school, community, and the wider world. Through “science talks” and hands-on investigation that include beach walks and squid dissection, students observe, question, predict, share ideas, disagree, and learn. Students are introduced to digital tools in play.
In Pre-K, art and music lessons foster creativity through the development of elemental skills and techniques. Students are introduced to a variety of artists and media, with an emphasis on their own self-expression. They learn nursery rhymes and poems, play with instruments, and experiment with movement. Students experience their first performance at Grandparents and Special Friends Day.
In a storybook classroom overlooking the campus, French is introduced through songs, games, and stories. Movement and interaction are key to learning simple phrases and vocabulary including colors, animals, foods, and numbers.
Supported in a safe and nurturing environment, students learn how to be caring friends and responsible members of the classroom. Students practice following directions and focusing their attention through easy-to-understand concepts like whole body listening, thinking with your eyes, and following the group plan.
Through two complementary programs, Physical Education and Fit for Life, movement education begins for our youngest students. They learn through creative, exploratory activities that challenge them to take risks and learn about their bodies in motion. A focus on maximizing participation and success allows Pre-K students to build self-esteem and lays the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle.
Building foundational skills in reading, writing, and speaking defines Language Arts in Kindergarten. Students develop knowledge of letters and sounds, acquire vocabulary, and begin reading. They practice letter formation and handwriting, write words and sentences, and learn grammatical rules and patterns.
Curriculum by Subject
Introducing oneself to a visitor, speaking as a docent for the family museum, and performing puppet shows are ways Pre-Kindergarteners develop their cognitive language skills. Students learn to recognize all capital letters and their sounds, and to make them with a variety of materials including playdough, chalk, and sponges. Ample exposure to books and environmental print materials help build word recognition, expressive language, and conceptual understanding.
Math is integrated through games, daily calendar activities, and in curricular units throughout the year. From observing the growth of a caterpillar to weighing an apple from the garden, students use numbers, shapes, patterns, and measurement. Picture graphs showing the class’s favorite version of a story, or measuring their baby weight in potatoes, encourages the creation and interpretation of data.
Students learn about themselves and others in relation to their families, classmates, school, community, and the wider world. Through “science talks” and hands-on investigation that include beach walks and squid dissection, students observe, question, predict, share ideas, disagree, and learn. Students are introduced to digital tools in play.
In Pre-K, art and music lessons foster creativity through the development of elemental skills and techniques. Students are introduced to a variety of artists and media, with an emphasis on their own self-expression. They learn nursery rhymes and poems, play with instruments, and experiment with movement. Students experience their first performance at Grandparents and Special Friends Day.
In a storybook classroom overlooking the campus, French is introduced through songs, games, and stories. Movement and interaction are key to learning simple phrases and vocabulary including colors, animals, foods, and numbers.
Supported in a safe and nurturing environment, students learn how to be caring friends and responsible members of the classroom. Students practice following directions and focusing their attention through easy-to-understand concepts like whole body listening, thinking with your eyes, and following the group plan.
Through two complementary programs, Physical Education and Fit for Life, movement education begins for our youngest students. They learn through creative, exploratory activities that challenge them to take risks and learn about their bodies in motion. A focus on maximizing participation and success allows Pre-K students to build self-esteem and lays the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle.
Building foundational skills in reading, writing, and speaking defines Language Arts in Kindergarten. Students develop knowledge of letters and sounds, acquire vocabulary, and begin reading. They practice letter formation and handwriting, write words and sentences, and learn grammatical rules and patterns.