Welcome to The Elementary School

Dear Families,

Welcome to the Cushman Elementary School, a special place to be.  At Cushman, character development, the keystone of our philosophy, is at the heart of every endeavor.  Teachers incorporate industry, courtesy and responsibility into all aspects of the curriculum.  The consistency of our Cushman traditions, such as shaking hands in the morning and afternoon, the twice daily flag gathering, and earning a place on the Student Council by consistently demonstrating good character, gives students a sense of stability and trust in the school. 

Our Elementary School encompasses second through sixth grade.  The general education program has two sections at each grade level with approximately 20 students per class.  Many of the Elementary School classes have partner classes from the Laura Cushman Academy.  The core curriculum includes language arts, literature, math, science, social studies.  Beginning in third grade, and with increasing frequency in fifth and sixth grade, students rotate among teachers for core subjects.  Spanish is taught three times per week to students in grades 2, 3 and 4 and four times per week to students in grades 5 and 6; Mandarin Chinese is taught weekly.  Enriching the core curriculum are daily physical education plus technology lab/Apple cart (gr. 2, 3, 4), art, music, library, math lab and science lab.  Fifth and sixth graders are taught art history monthly. Our virtues program and Lesson One habits are taught in an ongoing manner both by classroom teachers and by the guidance counselor, who meets with each class weekly.

The curriculum is presented in a hands-on, project based manner.  Students in grades 5 through 8 are required to bring their own laptops to school and use many technology applications to demonstrate their knowledge of the curriculum.  Students are assessed in a variety of ways and receive a report card, which consists of either percentage based letter grades (gr. 4, 5, 6) or qualitative assessments (gr. 2, 3.)  A monitored study skills program, the Enhanced Learning Program, is available to students in grades 5 and 6 at an extra charge. 

The philosophy of the school, Character First, is paramount and is supported by the faculty in their actions and lessons.  The rotation of students among teachers exposes students to various teaching styles and augments organizational skills, increasing student flexibility and affording students exposure to faculty expertise in diverse subject areas.  The needs of the whole child are met.  A synergy is created through the melding of the virtues program, the academic curriculum, the physical education program and the fine arts program.

Thank you for taking the time to learn more about The Cushman School’s Elementary School.  Please call or email so we can show you our school and tell you about its philosophy, curriculum and campus life. You will understand why your child and your family belong at Cushman!