We recently interviewed our Dean of Lower School, Tabitha Campbell, to get a look at how our Kindergarten through 5th grade program is setting students up for success.

Question: When looking at online schools for students in elementary grades, a large concern is how will those students socialize. How does Laurel Springs’ Elementary program address those concerns?

Mrs. Campbell: We have a group of wonderful teachers who are readily available to assist students with any need or issue that arises.  While parents can schedule appointments for students to talk to their teachers, we also teach our students how to make appointments on their own, which teaches them self-advocacy.  But we get that students need to socialize with other students! So we’ve developed all kinds of activities that allow students to be as involved as they would like to be. These activities are great for providing fun, learning, and social interactions all in one.  Our live grade-level learning experiences, which are new this year, are a perfect example of a great way to develop socialization. Groups of grade-level students meet with their teacher via Zoom at a designated time and work together to deepen Math or English skills that are essential for that grade level. Just like in a physical classroom, students learn to raise their hand, wait their turn, ask for help, and collaborate with classmates.   From these live learning experiences to teacher appointments to K-5 Clubs to in-person field trips, LSS provides ample opportunity for social interaction – all families need to do is lean in!

Question: How does the Elementary program at Laurel Springs balance screen time, fine motor skills, hands-on experiences and the other life skills that younger learners need to refine during their K-5 years?

Mrs. Campbell: Even though we are a fully asynchronous online program (students do school on their own time, no set schedule), we don’t want our elementary students on screen all the time. Our rigorous academic program utilizes screen time when necessary, but also offers students the opportunity to take their learning beyond the screen and into workbooks, science experiments, and hands-on projects. Our Physical Education activities ensure students get up and move.  Our teachers also work directly with families on how to set up schedules and work spaces to make sure that little learners get brain breaks and time away from the computer. Our elementary school students learn how to hold a pencil, how to use scissors, and how to hold and read books. They learn manuscript in kindergarten and cursive in third grade using real paper and pencils. We offer our daily Book Nook for our younger students to be able to listen to a faculty member read aloud and novel studies for our older students as they begin venturing into the world of reading on their own. We want to instill a love of reading to learn, so we encourage them to grab a good book and go out and lay on the hammock, or sit on the porch, or snuggle up in a blanket by the fireplace.

Question: How do the elementary teachers and staff partner with parents to ensure that the students are getting the support they need? What other resources are available to help make parents that choose Laurel Springs feel like they have the tools for success without becoming a teacher themselves?

Mrs. Campbell: Obviously, all learners need high quality support, but for our littles, it’s especially important that they have someone to assist them at home. So our Elementary school students are required to have a Learning Coach (an adult — mom or dad, grandma, grandpa, a tutor, or a family friend) who will be there while the student is working. A Learning Coach does not have to teach their student – that’s why we have teachers! But the Learning Coach helps their student set up their workspace and schedule, assists them with reading directions and submitting assignments, and overall helps keep the child focused and on task as needed. We never want a family or Learning Coach to feel alone! Teachers and Learning Coaches are partners – our teachers, counselors, and administrators have a plethora of tips and tricks that we can pass on to families to help set every student up for success. There is always someone ready and willing to jump in and help them get over any hurdle they might face.

Question: How does Laurel Springs allow those students in grades K-5 to explore their passions and interests through the curriculum? 

Mrs. Campbell: We know that when families come to us, they’re looking for a rigorous educational experience. We work really hard to make sure that our core courses (reading, math, science, and social studies) cover essential foundational knowledge and skills. But we also believe that a well-rounded education for our elementary school students entails much more than just those core subjects. Exercising that creative part of the brain is also really important. To help students explore their passions, we offer wonderful K-5 electives courses and clubs/activities. Our grade-level courses in art and music not only familiarize the students with some famous artists but also allow our students to then dip into their creative side and begin to make their own artwork. Our music courses expose our students to things like beat and rhythm and famous composers – and yes, they get the quintessential elementary school experience of learning how to play the recorder! We also offer electives in coding, Spanish, and Mandarin.

Question: How does Laurel Springs elementary curriculum fluctuate to accommodate both those looking for a more rigorous curriculum vs. those looking to match their more flexible schedule? How does the program help prepare students for the next step in their education, their life?

Mrs. Campbell: Everything we do is based on two things: Our mission statement and our Profile of a Laurel Springs Student. We use these as a guide in all we do –  from the feedback that teachers leave on assignments to the curriculum changes and choices that we make. We want to ensure that we are creating a program that is developing life-long learners who will be successful no matter where their journey takes them. We aren’t bound by those norms that you might find in a traditional classroom, so we can much more easily meet the needs of all kinds of learners. If a student needs to do school work only in the mornings or only in the afternoons, or even on the weekends, that’s okay. If a student wants to work while laying on the floor, or under a pillow fort in the living room, no problem – they’re not required to sit at a desk. Whether they need frequent wiggle breaks or long stretches of deep learning time, our program can meet their needs.We always encourage families to be very honest and open with the teacher because the more we know about students, the more suggestions and the more help we can offer them is the best way to set them – and their families – up for success.

Want to learn more?

Learn more about our private online school and how our flexible program transforms students into lifelong learners by attending an upcoming open house.

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