Lower Schools
Love and obey God. Be a peacemaker and a caretaker.
Elementary school is a time of exploration, wonder, and growth. At AACS we surround our students in a dynamic Christ-centered community. Our children are encouraged to grow academically, socially, and emotionally, learning to build relationships with their teachers and fellow students in a safe environment. In lessons, chapel, activities, and recess, we front-load our students with strong Christian values and a love of the Lord that will prepare them as they grow into middle and high schoolers.
Annapolis Lower
The Annapolis Lower School campus provides a clean and safe academic environment for your child. On a spacious campus, with large classrooms, a playground area, and a modern worship space, students can explore and grow.
Principal Karyn Baines
Severn Lower
Severn Lower School is a modern and safe academic environment for your child. On a spacious campus, students will use large classrooms, a full gymnasium, a beautiful stage and worship space, and a large play area.
Principal Jenny Elkins
Excellence in Education
The Lower School curriculum is designed to provide students with a thorough and cohesive program of learning based on a Christian framework. Teachers assist students in developing necessary skills and knowledge, while fueling the natural curiosity of young children. They work to help students establish a commitment to excellence. Through scheduled curriculum review and evaluation, teachers update and refine teaching material and instructional techniques in an effort to help students reach essential grade-level proficiency. The scope of learning in each subject area is designed to build on the previous year’s instruction and to prepare students for success in the next grade level. Through well-planned assignments increasing in complexity and essential independence, students leaving our lower school are well prepared to meet the middle school years with confidence.
Standards-Based Curriculum
Each and every day, lessons are taught within a supportive, Christ-centered learning environment where students are encouraged to use their God-given abilities to explore, discover, and grow as confident learners.
Lower School Curriculum
1st graders are eager to read and write. Students in 1st grade build on a foundation of letter sounds, sight words, and decoding abilities. A significant portion of the day is devoted to the development of these skills, taking students from a variety of starting points to ever increasing independence in the language arts. Handwriting skills are developed for consistency in size, slant, and legibility, and spelling lessons begin. Students have many opportunities to put their thoughts into writing. 
Students in 2nd grade become more independent as they start to apply previously learned basic skills. They discover reading for enjoyment and develop writing skills as a form of communication. Instruction in phonics continues, while increasing the amount of time on reading comprehension and reading fluency. 
Students in the 3rd grade are ready to develop more as independent readers. Students fine tune their reading comprehension skills and learn to analyze a text by summarizing, comparing, and contrasting characters and events. The reading program is novel-based, with plenty of non-fiction reading as well. Emphasis is placed on writing for different purposes, such as narrating, informing, describing, and researching. The development of skills in reading, research, and writing culminate in the presentation of a state report.
4th grade is the year when kids turn a corner and are expected to take greater personal responsibility for their work. Good organizational skills are emphasized across the curriculum. Children begin using the daily planner to record and check off daily assignments. Being responsible and keeping everything together is an challenge, and teachers work with students to develop ways to tackle this important new skill.
The focus in our 5th grade classrooms is to develop competence in organizational and study skills as well as to provide the academic preparation students will need for success in Middle School. While presenting several research assignments, kids learn more effective written and spoken communication. Mastered reading empowers students to acquire knowledge independently. Students ascertain truth about God’s world through discovery and investigation in science and math. They learn to see Jesus Christ throughout the Bible, beginning with pictures and prophecies in the Old Testament and through studying the life of Christ in the Gospels.Benefits of a Christian Education
Our school offers a robust curriculum with many opportunities for academic advancement. A Christian education offers added value for multiple reasons:
- Biblical Worldview: Since we incorporate our faith into the academic curriculum, our students will develop a Christian worldview through the course of the year. They will have the opportunity to grow in their faith through discussion with their peers and faculty.
- Character Development: We instill Christian values every day through our academics, athletics, and extracurricular options. Students will learn faith, discipline, and other excellent attributes.
- Role Models: Our qualified and experienced staff comprises exemplary role models from whom your child can learn a wide range of life lessons. We believe in surrounding every child with guiding figures to help them grow into their potential.
- Smaller Class Sizes: Since Christian lower schools tend to be more exclusive, we can offer smaller class sizes and more individualized attention for each student, helping your child succeed academically and socially.
- Bible Class: Bible classes aim to develop basic biblical literacy in children. Children learn that they are made in the image of God, are loved by Him, and are made for a purpose. They begin to understand the meaning of “biblical framework.”
If you want to learn more about how our Christian lower school can benefit your child, reach out to our office today!
Dedicated Faculty who are Experts in their Field
One of the primary goals at the Lower School is teaching kids how to be students of God's word, God's world, and each other. Christian schooling allows us to front-load our children's faith. Seven hours a day, more than 1,000 hours a year, our children learn in a Christian environment. They study the Bible. They learn about Jesus. They see God's handiwork in science and history. They see God's order in math and his creativity and beauty in art and music. Ultimately, they learn to think and live in a way that honors Him. Each day, each month, each year, they learn from the godly teachers and staff, and they become better equipped to make a difference for Christ.
