Lower School

The lower school encompasses Kindergarten through Second Grade, where students benefit from specialized religion instruction and participate in whole school Mass. Enrichment programs in this phase include music, art, physical education, and library sessions. Additionally, 1st and 2nd graders have access to the Innovation Lab, while 2nd graders receive instruction in Spanish and computer skills.

Kindergarten

Kindergarten at Our Lady of Mercy School is the start of Lower School, fostering social, emotional, and academic growth in a supportive setting. In language arts, students explore phonics, sight words, and early reading techniques through various activities and genres. Writing skills develop alongside reading, focusing on letter formation and spacing. In math, they apply skills to real-life problems, using manipulatives and technology to grasp foundational concepts like number sense, addition, subtraction, geometry, and measurement.

First Grade

In first grade, our curriculum focuses on foundational reading and language skills using engaging texts and differentiated instruction. We emphasize fluency, comprehension, phonemic awareness, phonics, grammar, and daily writing practice to foster a love for reading.

Our math curriculum combines self-paced digital lessons with teacher-led groups, aiming to embrace diverse learning styles and cultivate a positive attitude towards math.

For science and social studies, we introduce engaging topics to provide a foundational understanding of the natural environment and human society. These subjects emphasize hands-on learning to nurture curiosity, critical thinking, and a basic comprehension of the world.

Second Grade

In second grade, language arts focuses on advancing reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. It introduces complex concepts like phonics, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary through diverse genres. Grammar, storytelling, and spelling are emphasized using group activities and technology to engage students and nurture their love for reading and writing.

The math curriculum builds upon first-grade knowledge, covering addition, subtraction, place value, measurement, data, shapes, time, and fractions. It aims to solidify basic arithmetic, problem-solving, and foundational math concepts crucial for future education.

Second-grade social studies explores various community types, basic geography, simplified historical events, civics principles, cultural diversity, and economic basics to understand their role in the world.

In second grade science, students learn about plant and animal life cycles, basic Earth elements, matter concepts, and energy sources preparing them for further scientific exploration.