K-8 Curriculum

Our curriculum is designed to foster academic excellence, practical skills, and moral character in a nurturing, low-tech environment, tailored to individual abilities rather than age.

Our curriculum is based on the Core Knowledge curriculum and that are finding great success as measured both by standardized tests and by the students' enjoyment of learning.

Our K-8 curriculum includes:

In addition to the core subjects, all of our K-8 students learn Spanish and French, and at least one musical instrument (violin and/or piano).

For music, kindergartners learn violin only. First to third graders learn both instruments. Fourth to eighth graders can continue with both instruments or choose piano only. Guitar lessons may be made available if enough interest is shown.

We also stress the healthy child, providing our students with ample time for physical activity and allowing only healthy foods for lunch.

Our elementary is a no-tech school, ensuring more human interaction and eye contact. Our middle school is a low-tech school. Middle schoolers learn Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and typing. They are not allowed internet access while at school.

We easily cover the full curriculum required by the state because of the low student/teacher ratio and the parent involvement. At 8 to 1 you get more done! As for parent involvement, it is one of the best indicators of student success, at any school. At Atlas, our teachers send parents the lesson plans and homework for the following week, every Friday. We consider parents to be our co-teachers!

We integrate project-based learning to foster creativity and confidence. Each year, elementary and middle school students complete at least three projects on science or social studies topics, choosing their specific focus within a teacher-assigned theme. Students present using display boards, live animals, experiments, or models, honing public speaking skills. Even the shyest students gain confidence through these engaging presentations. Starting in grade 3, students write accompanying reports: printed in grade 3, in cursive for grades 4-6, and typed in upper grades.

Our vibrant school events enrich student learning and creativity. These include a Thanksgiving presentation, a wax museum, a school-wide fair, a poetry teahouse, and our cherished Spring and Winter concerts. Our after-school extracurricular activities, which vary annually, enrich student experiences. This year, we’re excited to offer weekly art and PE classes.

Projects and Annual Fair

At Atlas we use a project method as one of our teaching tools. All students in elementary and middle school complete at least 3 classroom projects per year on various science and social studies topics. The teacher provides the general topic but the student can choose the specific subtopic he would like to report on.  Students present their project to their classmates using a science display board or other visuals (live animals, experiments, models, etc.). We stress public speaking skills and even the shiest child comes out of his shell and starts to look forward to giving presentations. In grades 3 and up, students are expected to write a short report to go along with their visuals. These reports are printed in grade 3, written in cursive in grades 4-6, and typed in the upper grades.

All of our students also participate in a science, math or geography fair every year. Enjoy these photos from our last math fair, "Math Makes It Possible". (Photos courtesy of Kim Krause)