Lower School

When students arrive, they are greeted warmly, and teachers help them get organized for the day. Children reconnect with friends and do a warm-up activity that is waiting for them on their desk until the morning announcements.

Through Tefillah, students find a moment of connection with something greater than themselves, fostering a sense of belonging and community and nurturing the soul. By starting their day in the sacred space of prayer, students learn the power of both introspection and collective worship.

On Mondays and Thursdays, 2nd graders join students in Grades 3-8 in the Ulam Sport (gym) for a Torah service led by Tefillah Council. If a student is celebrating a B'nai Mitzvah, their family joins for Tefillah; the student reads from the Torah and is celebrated by their classmates and teachers.

On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, students have more focused Tefillah experiences within their classrooms, with deeper learning about prayers and rituals.

Friday's highlight is full-school Kabbalat Shabbat or cross-grade Shabbat activities within our Shevatim (Tribes). 

In alignment with the Responsive Classroom approach, the 2nd Grade Morning Meeting takes place in a circle in four parts:

1. Greeting - to make each person feel welcome and included in the classroom community
2. Sharing - building connections by talking about something that has happened or coming up or favorite things
3. Movement Activity - can be academically related or just fun
4. Morning Message - provides an overview of the day ahead and shares a big idea or asks an essential question

The Language Arts block in 2nd Grade has three components:

1. Interactive read-aloud - based around a big idea or theme
2. IMSE phonics curriculum - a systematic and explicit sequence to teach students how to make letter-sound connections
3. Small-group reading - students work on reading fluency and decoding and receive support and enrichment in small groups

2nd Grade writers learn the entire writing process while moving through different genres including: narrative writing (small-moment stories), nonfiction, and chapter book writing. Every unit ends with the creation of a published piece of writing to share proudly with friends, teachers, and family.

Through their “Specials” time block (Art, Music, Technology, and Physical Education), students build confidence, express themselves, put their creativity into action—and of course, have fun.

These classes occur on a rotating cycle, and they play an important role in developing the intellectual, spiritual, and personal potential of every child.

Lunchtime at our Jewish day school is more than just a meal; it's a time for nourishment, camaraderie, and connection. Students come together in the Ulam K'lalee or outside at the picnic tables to enjoy food from our hot kosher lunch program or from home and good conversation. We also encourage students to express gratitude through blessings and mindful eating practices. 

Lower School recess is not just a break; it's an essential part of the day where students can unwind and recharge their energy with a focus on creating a positive and inclusive social environment. Our campus buzzes with laughter and the excitement of games, open play, and activities on our playgrounds.

After a class meeting to go over daily routines, the weather, and the calendar in Hebrew, 2nd graders continue building their Hebrew vocabulary about the classroom and home  environments through the hands-on iTalAm curriculum. Students also begin to learn Hebrew cursive writing, enjoy their study of the Jewish holidays, and the Parashot Hashavuah (Portion of the Week) in the Torah cycle.  

Through the MyMath curriculum, students learn about place value, three-digit addition and subtraction, data collection, graphing, 2D and 3D shapes, and so much more! Hands-on lessons and games with manipulatives help reinforce new math concepts. 

Education at Community Day School extends well beyond the classroom through an enriching variety of arts, sports, service learning, and extracurricular activities available after school.