The kindergarten year is one of wonder, exploration, play, learning, and growth. In our safe, trusting environment, children are encouraged to take risks and to become independent thinkers and problem solvers. Our goal is to instill a lifelong love of learning, as well as an appreciation for friendship, cooperation, kindness, and empathy. No doubt about it, kindergarten is the place where it all starts!
Our daily routine includes a morning meeting, reading — both listening to a story together and guided reading, phonics, math, writing, free centers, and special area classes.
Read more about our Kindergarten program.
Hold the door open for a fellow classmate. Make eye contact as you greet an adult. Tell the truth when it would be easier to remain silent. These behaviors that demonstrate character are so commonplace among our students that it would be easy to take them for granted. However, these traits often set our students apart.
Every adult on this campus is focused on instilling these traits in our students. It is not uncommon to see a Lower School teacher redirect an 8th grader in the hallway. Or, the Director of Finance may remind students of table manners as she sits with them during lunch.
In a formal way, our youngest students discuss character traits as part of their morning meeting. Grades K-5 participate in weekly character lessons taught by our school guidance counselor. Students also participate in a number of in-service projects that benefit local charities throughout the school year.
In a recent survey, parents listed Public Speaking as the number one trait that differentiates the CDS experience from that of other schools.
Whether a student enters Charleston Day in kindergarten or joins our campus community further into their K-8 journey, one thing is certain: he or she will leave and matriculate into the next phase of their scholastic career with public speaking skills that will last a lifetime.
Learn more about our Public Speaking program.
Proficiency in a second language is an essential life skill in our increasingly global world. Charleston Day School’s world language program focuses on developing global citizens who are adept at problem solving and communicating in a constantly evolving society.
Charleston Day kindergarten students are exposed to French and Spanish through stories and songs to create a strong connection. Students celebrate and explore cultures as well as the major French and Spanish holidays. By the time students reach fourth grade, they are comfortable holding basic conversations and have a solid foundation in both French and Spanish. As they move to 5th grade, students choose either French or Spanish on which to focus for the remainder of their CDS experience.
Beginning in Kindergarten, students head off campus for learning opportunities that support the classroom curriculum and enhance social skills. These trips are an essential component of our curriculum and as such, the cost is covered by tuition.
On average, each grade level averages three planned off-campus adventures each year. In addition, teachers may walk students around the block to look for geometric shapes to support a math lesson or walk across the street to sketch in the church garden during art. Charleston is our extended campus and having access to the historic downtown is a unique feature of our programming. Read more about our off-campus learning experiences.
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