Elementary Programs

Students are encouraged to pursue a topic of personal interest as it relates to the overall curriculum theme. 

Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3)

Beginning in 1st grade, students in our Arbor class are ready for complex subject matter and learn about the evolution of life on Earth and the animal and plant kingdoms. In reading, writing, spelling, math, and foreign language lessons, students are grouped according to ability level, while science, geography, and history classes are taught on a 3-year cycle of themes to the entire classroom, with assignments adjusted for ability level. Lower Elementary students begin to develop internal organizational skills by making daily work plans in consultation with teachers that include lessons they need to attend, independent assignments, and special projects chosen for personal academic interest.

Upper Elementary (Grades 4-5)

Building on this foundation, students in the Academy class study and contemplate the origins of the universe, early human history and beliefs, and basic scientific principles governing life on Earth. In math, literature, spelling-vocabulary, writing, and foreign languages, students are grouped according to skill level, with no limit to how fast they can progress. History, geography, and science themes at the Academy level include ancient civilizations, matter and molecules, electromagnetism, the characteristics of sound and light, and human body systems. Wherever possible, students are encouraged to pursue a topic of personal interest as it relates to the overall curriculum theme.

The high quality of learning in the Lower Elementary program is founded on the depth of understanding the teachers have about the holistic development of each student. Academically, students are grouped according to ability level in language and math, regardless of age or grade. Each student is assessed regularly by demonstrating knowledge directly to teachers; the teachers’ ongoing observation and documentation of progress; and regular quizzes and tests.

Personal Assessment

There are three Progress Reports and three Parent-Teacher Conferences each year, which review both academic progress and social-emotional development. Each student keeps a portfolio of the year’s best work. They engage in self-assessments and peer assessments of academic progress and personal growth. Overall, student assessment focuses on reinforcing central tenets of Oneness-Family School: to value learning; to become an ethical person, and to recognize that every person has unique gifts. At our school, the goal is for everyone to be successful and to be able to demonstrate that success.

Standardized Testing

Our third, fourth, and fifth graders consistently score at the 90th percentile and above in the Stanford 10 Achievement Test administered annually. The Stanford 10 is a comprehensive, standardized achievement test used across the U.S. and in American schools abroad.

Elementary school years span a major period of social development in children, one tended carefully by teachers and staff to foster each student's unique sense of belonging in the classroom, school, and wider communities of city, nation, and the world.

Students' social-emotional skills are strengthened and their perspectives enhanced during nature studies, museum and outdoor trips, and academic and arts presentations, which also help them develop self-confidence and an appreciation for the lives and talents of others.

All elementary students participate in the Friday all-school community meeting and the special birthday ceremony for all ages that occurs each month at the meeting. First grade marks the beginning of each student's full participation in the annual Science Fair where students up through Middle School choose and conduct an age-appropriate experiment and present the findings to student and adult audiences.

Field trips enhance current classroom studies and familiarize students with public centers of knowledge and their roles in the civic life of society. Music, art, and drama connect to study topics, and students prepare artistic works to present on United Nations Day and at the Festival of Lights. Camping trips and outdoor adventure programs deepen bonds of trust among students and teachers and cultivate experiences of personal growth for everyone.

Our fitness and athletic program is centered around the goals of wellness, physical conditioning, and sportsmanship.

Activity offerings include weekly yoga, basic team sports, and creative movement.

At the Lower Elementary level, sports are introduced with a special emphasis on developing strength, flexibility, and coordination. Students learn the basic skills of kickball, volleyball, basketball, soccer, and other sports, and use the social-emotional skills learned in the Self-Discovery aspect of the school's curriculum to practice good sportsmanship in victory and defeat. They develop mind-body awareness and personal well-being through yoga and movement classes.

After-school sports programs include basketball, soccer, tennis, squash, and running, offered in mixed-gender groups according to age level.

Knowledge, understanding, and action are foundations of global citizenship and our life as an international peace academy. 

Students look after the life of the classroom and learn to act on their care for the school, their community, and the world. Daily “jobs” include caring for class pets and keeping the classroom materials clean and organized. Students participate in community service projects to help victims of natural disasters, support local homeless shelters, and raise funds to build wells in the drought-stricken Azawak region of Niger, among other projects.

Lower Elementary (Grades 1-3)

The Grades 1-3 curriculum focuses on a different country each year, enabling the students to learn widely about its people, history, geography, flora and fauna, and gifts and challenges as a whole. These years of study build a basic understanding of different societies' contributions to the world and instill a sense of connection between the students and the places they study, highlighted by the diverse international representation within the OFS student body.

Governance is an important dimension of citizenship represented by the OFS Student Government. Third-grade students qualify to join the Student Government and help shape the participatory life of the school, suggesting ways to create a stronger community through celebrations and acting on shared concerns.

First through third-grade students learn about the United Nations and world religions as part of their three year curriculum. They visit embassies and diverse places of worship in conjunction with these studies. These areas of the Elementary curriculum build the global awareness that is one of the school’s key objectives.