Primary School III Program
The last stage of Primary School is a combined 5/6 class, giving students all of the benefits of our combined Primary School programs, as well as a hint of what is to come in the Intermediate School. Because our primary school is modeled after the development of the adolescent brain rather than upon space constraints or district policies, our fifth and sixth graders have room to enjoy being children while still developing an increased level of independence and being given more difficult academic material. At CBA, we believe firmly in allowing our students the cognitive space and emotional support to remain children for an appropriate amount of time, and our fifth and sixth graders are absolutely still given time to play, are exposed to the magic of holidays, are encouraged to experience the excitement of adventures, and given full support to enjoy all of the beauty that comes with still being a "kid" rather than feeling the pressure to prematurely fit yourself into an adolescent world in which you do not belong.
For the majority of their academic day, our grade five and six students will enjoy enormous one-on-one time in a beautiful, sun-drenched room with many manipulatives, a rich classroom library, and in-classroom personal storage, as well as a small quiet space for small group academics. Our service requirement increases to two hours per quarter during Primary School, with one hour satisfied quarterly by school-sponsored events. By these grade levels, students are also engaged in quarterly projects in ELA, math, and a combined activity for the content areas. Geography, history, and more formal instruction in science also become hallmarks of these grades, and students begin explicit instruction in study skills, enjoying their transition from learning to read to reading to learn. French language exposure continues in grade 5, with students continuing their introduction to the language conversationally through educational songs, videos, and interactive digital activities. Grade 5 and 6 students also take the CATs in the spring, allowing teachers and parents to track student progress in a very concrete way and allowing students a bit of exposure to standardized testing in a safe, nurturing environment without any of the pressure of a high-stakes exam. Their arts instruction also becomes more focused at these grade levels, splitting into recreational and preprofessional tracks in certain areas to ensure that children who wish to more seriously pursue an art form have the ability to do so. Their interaction with the other grades also increases during arts courses, allowing for more social interaction with children who have similar goals and passions. As happens with each year of growth, their involvement in CBA-wide events increases. Take a look below at what a day in the life of a CBA 5th or 6th grade student looks like:
For the majority of their academic day, our grade five and six students will enjoy enormous one-on-one time in a beautiful, sun-drenched room with many manipulatives, a rich classroom library, and in-classroom personal storage, as well as a small quiet space for small group academics. Our service requirement increases to two hours per quarter during Primary School, with one hour satisfied quarterly by school-sponsored events. By these grade levels, students are also engaged in quarterly projects in ELA, math, and a combined activity for the content areas. Geography, history, and more formal instruction in science also become hallmarks of these grades, and students begin explicit instruction in study skills, enjoying their transition from learning to read to reading to learn. French language exposure continues in grade 5, with students continuing their introduction to the language conversationally through educational songs, videos, and interactive digital activities. Grade 5 and 6 students also take the CATs in the spring, allowing teachers and parents to track student progress in a very concrete way and allowing students a bit of exposure to standardized testing in a safe, nurturing environment without any of the pressure of a high-stakes exam. Their arts instruction also becomes more focused at these grade levels, splitting into recreational and preprofessional tracks in certain areas to ensure that children who wish to more seriously pursue an art form have the ability to do so. Their interaction with the other grades also increases during arts courses, allowing for more social interaction with children who have similar goals and passions. As happens with each year of growth, their involvement in CBA-wide events increases. Take a look below at what a day in the life of a CBA 5th or 6th grade student looks like:
Daily Schedule
The Primary III Team
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,Mrs. Michelle Daly : Primary School Dean mdaly@canterburybrookhss.com Mrs. Daly received her Bachelors from Hofstra University in both Elementary Education and Psychology. She then went on to earn a Masters Degree in Special Education from Mount Saint Mary College. She feels privileged to have gained teaching experience working with students in a wide variety of K-12 settings, both here in the US as well as internationally in Southeast Asia. She is committed in her passion for learning, and her teaching is rooted in the belief that a holistic education is a child's foundation for success. When she is not at school, she enjoys traveling, yoga, and skiing. She is also passionate about the outdoors, her family, and her two dogs. Mrs. Daly is excited to work with our fifth and sixth graders, as well as with all of the our Primary School students in her role as the Dean of the Primary School. Mrs. Jaimie Roohan : Head of the Domestic Arts Program jroohan@canterburybrookhss.com Mrs. Roohan lived for most of her life in the town of Rockaway Beach, New York, in Queens. While attending Kingsborough Community College, she took a job working for the New York City Board of Education as a paraprofessional. This allowed her the opportunity to gain experience working with handicapped students. After graduating, Mrs. Roohan went on to study Early Childhood Education at Mercy College. For twelve years, she worked in the same grammar school, serving children of many different ages. During this time, Mrs. Roohan got married and started her life as a proud mother of four. After her daughter was born with life-threatening food allergies, she was forced to take a childcare leave from her job teaching and learn to cook in a safe way for her child. Becoming an allergy mom, Mrs. Roohan realized just how many children there were out there struggling like her own child was and how many moms felt desperate for help, just as she had experienced. She threw herself into helping these children and families, becoming an allergy-free baker. Once her daughter started preK, Mrs. Roohan was able to return to her passion in the classroom while still baking to support the allergy community. She was lucky enough to find a position in the same school where her daughter attended, and they enjoyed five happy years there. When Super Storm Sandy hit her hometown, it was destroyed, along with their beloved school. They left their home, moving to Orange County, where she continued her work as an educator and allergy-free baker. Mrs. Roohan is delighted that all of her paths in life so far have lead her to Canterbury Brook Academy of the Arts! Here she has enjoyed working with her own class as well as all others through the Domestic Arts Program, which she founded! The students thoroughly enjoy learning about cooking, business planning, budging, weaving, and more with Mrs Roohan! She looks so forward to working with more parents and students and continuing to grow in this beautiful school. |
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