Program Overview

Young children are the perfect learners: eager, playful and full of questions and ideas. They are naturally curious – and easily sparked by new materials and experiences.

At MPA, Lower School is colorful, lively and inviting. It’s also calm and safe so that young learners feel free to explore, ask questions and develop a sense of who they are.

At MPA, our teachers are closely attuned to the gifts and challenges of each child in the classroom and they know how to bring out the best in everyone. Each child gets the attention they deserve.

In Lower School at MPA, we foster the development of the whole child by embracing and accomplishing these goals:

introduce children to myriad experiences
help students understand that all subjects relate to each other – and that everything they learn relates to themselves
prepare students for continued academic success
give them opportunities to learn how to work well with others
kindle their delight in learning

Each morning, students gather in a homeroom where they begin their journey of learning. Units are written around themes and often integrate a number of subject areas so children learn to graph on the computer when they are measuring their plants or learn to use research engines when they are writing a research paper. Students take world language, physical education, music, art, drama, library and computer courses to expand their interests and learning. As students master skills and grow in intellectual sophistication, the curriculum becomes more complex. MPA faculty (PreK-12) carefully plan all facets of study to interconnect and build upon each other, year by year.

Click here for more information about MPA's Lower School Curriculum.