Lower School

Grade 1 to Grade 4

Growing with Purpose and Joy

At Nantucket New School, the Lower School years (Grades 1–4) are a time of joyful discovery, growing independence, and steady progress toward academic, social, and emotional maturity. These are the years when children begin to build the habits that support lifelong learning—starting homework routines, taking on responsibility, and developing confidence in themselves as thinkers, friends, and community members. Rooted in our Approach to Learning, the Lower School provides children with both the space to wonder and the space to wander as they explore new ideas and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

Memories that Inspire Learning

Each year in the Lower School is thoughtfully designed to provide incremental challenge within a supportive, child-centered framework. From beloved classroom traditions to signature field experiences, students look forward to annual benchmarks that mark their growth: celebrating the 100th Day of School, baking Brenda’s special “Thundercake,” collecting weather data with older peers, enjoying a class sleepover at school, field trips to study Wampanoag history, and spending the night at the Whaling Museum as part of their whaling project.

From Goals to Growth

Our faculty begins with clear learning outcomes and works backward to design projects, assessments, and experiences that bring those goals to life. Whether building reading stamina, tackling multi-step math problems, collaborating on science investigations, or leading a Morning Meeting, students are supported to grow at their own pace. The result is a Lower School experience that fosters curiosity, creativity, community, and a readiness for the exciting challenges of Upper School.

These memorable milestones help students feel grounded and inspired, connecting their learning to meaningful experiences.