Lower School News

As part of creating a beloved community, students in lower school classes begin the year by creating sets of class agreements and sharing things about themselves with their peers. In the second grade, students participate in an identity project, reflecting on who they are and what is important to them before creating their own self-portraits. 

How do our cultures shape the stories we tell? This was the starting question first graders in Emily Mitchell’s class explored when they read and dissected eighteen interpretations of the fairytale Cinderella from across the globe. 

The study of culture is deeply embedded in the third grade curriculum. As part of this exploration, third graders learn about two distinct civilizations: the Mali Empire and ancient Egypt. It was through these two studies that Erin and Priscilla initially recognized the need to include a study of religion to help students better understand their cultures. The religious studies unit has blossomed into an exploration of the foundations of the five major world religions: Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, and Buddhism.

PreK teacher David Robinson joined the Nueva community in 2019. In this Q&A, David shares the benefits of emergent curriculum, how he consulted on an Emmy-award winning show, and his approach to anti-bias education in the pre-kindergarten setting.

Last Friday, third graders hosted a service learning fair, where they presented their research and solution statements on topics of interest, including public health, environmental issues, and the criminal justice system. 

For their recent poetry slam, fourth graders took on a challenge: make the ordinary extraordinary. Enjoy highlights from their performances!

For the lower school community meeting on Feb. 17, members of the Black Student Union and BSU advisors Rashida Blade and Shelby Divan shared what Black history means to them with lower school students. We invite you to hear what they said! 

As lower school PE teacher Zubin Mobedshahi ’03 reflects on the nature that surrounds us at Nueva and his approach to teaching, he shares anecdotes that highlight why Nueva continues to play an important role in his life. Zubin was a student at Nueva for nine years, and he is now in his ninth year teaching at Nueva…talk about being a lifer!

To learn more about and celebrate the people on whose land we learn, second graders did a deep dive into the past and present lives of the Ohlone people.