Preparing Boys for Life.

Lower School

In Haverford's Lower School, A Pre-Kindergarten-grade 5 Elementary School, your family will be part of a community that strives each and every day to understand your son’s abilities, strengths, and areas of development.

Our extraordinary educators engage and challenge boys to achieve their greatest potential, focusing on developing reading and writing skills, expressive language competency, fine motor abilities, and social and emotional intelligence. Our talented science, music, art, library, and physical education specialists build upon the strong academic foundation laid by the boys’ classroom teachers.

Meet Fisher, fourth grade

41%

41% of students who enroll in Haverford's Lower School attend Top 50 colleges and universities (Classes of 2014-2018). The national admit rate is 14%.

 

85 points

Students who enroll in Haverford's Lower School achieve SAT scores 85 points higher than those who enroll later (Classes of 2014-2018).

32

Of 480 entries across nine schools, our boys won 32 of 64 Gladwyne Library League writing awards in 2016-17.

100%

100% of our students engage in service learning, with pre-k-12 boys completing about 100 projects annually.

75%

of Lower School students perform at least two years above grade level in math by fifth grade.

71%

of Lower Schools students perform at least two years above in reading by fifth grade.

From Guided Reading, Writer’s Workshop, and Decision Education to the Lower School orchestra, band, and choirs, our boys have unparalleled opportunities for self-expression and collaboration.

Our best for boys approach to learning, including sensory-rich lessons, open classroom spaces, and twice-daily recesses, celebrates boys’ innate need for movement and activity, resulting in more focused and engaged learning. Through an emphasis on expressive language, reading and writing, fine motor development, and physical, social, and emotional growth, a Haverford boy becomes his best self.

Explore our Lower School programs in the slideshow below:

 

Lower School Happenings

Brendon Jobs teaching Modern World History

By Brendon Jobs, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, for the Inquirer

Growing up, I remember how disconnected home and school seemed to be when it came to discussions about race. My parents, both Trinidadian immigrants, often talked about race to help me and my siblings understand what school rarely acknowledged in the 1990s and early 2000s: that racially stressful moments occurred frequently, and had significant impact. But we often didn’t feel comfortable bringing up these issues at school, where our concerns were often met with silence, denial, or even in some cases discipline. Read the Opinion piece >

Read More about How to talk to kids about race: Brendon Jobs in the Philadelphia Inquirer
kids-sorting-plastic

Cheryl Joloza’s fifth-grade science class is entering the National Geographic 2018-19 GeoChallenge. This year’s theme is “Tackling Plastic!.” Teams of students are creating maps, developing models, and producing videos as part of their investigation into the issue of plastic in our world’s waterways. The students will submit their ideas to National Geographic by Jan. 15; the organization will then invite select teams to participate in a regional competition on March 29.

Read More about Students tackle plastic in the National Geographic GeoChallenge
Toys-for-Tots-toy-drive

Boys at The Haverford School performed a variety of service projects throughout the month of December. The service projects support many area organizations, including local military members serving overseas, Life Centers of Delaware County, Project HOME, Toys for Tots, the Palm Senior Center, and Eldernet. The winter service projects are part of Haverford’s Service Learning Program, and led by students of all ages. 

Read More about Students lead winter service projects in support of the community