The Lower School program is designed to meet the needs of gifted students ages 3 through 11. The program's content and structure are responsive to developmental stages in the lives of children. Learning experiences are designed to help students find depth and personal meaning in their studies. Fundamentally, Roeper teachers respect and facilitate the individual abilities, needs, and interests of young learners.

At each of the four Lower School Stages, developmentally appropriate opportunities for choice, decision making and problem solving assist the students' developing sense of empowerment and personal responsibility for their own learning. Each Stage brings opportunities for greater levels of abstraction in language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, foreign language, visual and performing arts, technology, and physical education.

Small student-teacher ratios make it possible for teachers to be close to each student's learning experience. Individual learning styles can be understood so that strengths are nurtured and strategies developed between teacher and student to most effectively meet that student's needs.

Welcome from Lower School Director – JJ Morrow

I am thrilled to join The Roeper School community this year as the new Lower School Director. I invite you to take the time to get to know our unique school and division. The Lower School is a place that helps children learn to love learning, treats them as individuals, helps them develop their natural gifts and discover their passions.

There is a sense of dedication and loyalty to the school’s philosophy and mission that is lived out in the day-to-day on our campus. I work with an amazing team of professionals that are focused on the potential of each individual, as well as a level of mutual respect needed to foster a vibrant learning community. Our Lower School team values self-expression and freedom while nurturing a strong sense of social responsibility.

The Roeper School has been a paragon of progressive education since its founding by Annemarie and George Roeper. In Alfie Kohn’s recent article, Progressive Education: Why It’s Hard to Beat, But Also Hard to Find¹, Kohn argues that progressive education is shaped by eight categories: attending to the whole child; community, collaboration, social justice, intrinsic motivation, deep understanding, active learning, taking kids seriously. In our Lower School, we don’t just talk about these ideals; we live them daily. Students, teachers and parents are driven by a deep sense of purpose at Roeper. Our diverse and unique population of gifted students looks forward to coming to school. This is a place where they can be themselves. This is a place they call home.

Sincerely,
JJ Morrow
Lower School Director
The Roeper School

¹Independent School Magazine, Spring 2008