Elementary School Curriculum

The ASH elementary curriculum provides a strong foundation for students' academic, social, and emotional growth. At the heart of this curriculum is the focus on building relationships among teachers, students, and families that form a vibrant, inclusive school community. Our strong ASH community starts with a classroom environment where student well-being is a cornerstone of success and joyful learning. We take the wellbeing of our students to heart and promote the emotional, social and academic growth of all learners. ASH students feel safe, valued, and supported as they use our core values of empathy, integrity, communication, responsibility and respect.

ASH is accredited by NEASC (New England Association of Schools and Colleges), founded on the principle that self-reflection and candid feedback are essential to ongoing educational success.

All classroom teachers explicitly teach the core academic subjects of language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Our curriculum is guided by the Common Core Standards to ensure transferability for our students and their families, as well as to provide a K-12 framework for learning outcomes. ASH elementary students also study Dutch, art, library, music, and physical education.

We care about our students’ growth as learners and recognize that each student has unique needs, skills and interests. Personalized learning opportunities are an essential part of the ASH elementary curriculum. Teachers follow our standards to explicitly teach necessary skills and use a variety of strategies to tailor instruction to each student's learning style and abilities. This ensures that students are challenged and engaged in their learning.

Inquiry is an integral component of our instruction. Teachers encourage students to ask questions, investigate problems, and explore new ideas. ASH elementary students experience curiosity, critical thinking, and creativity during their school days. They are provided with opportunities to make choices, take risks, and learn from their mistakes while developing confidence and resilience.

We believe in the benefits of outdoor learning for both academic, personal, and social development. We incorporate outdoor learning experiences for students to connect with the natural world, including daily outdoor play. Wherever you stand in our buildings, you will be able to see nature.

For a more detailed overview of our Curriculum by grade level, please log onto the Parent Portal.

ELEMENTARY
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Elementary Stories

core Academic subjects

Language Arts

For our non-native English speakers, it is our goal to develop their social language skills to integrate successfully into life at ASH and the academic language skills necessary for each student to access the mainstream curriculum in all content areas. It is important to us that students have the language skills they need to both enjoy making friends and be successful in the classroom.

As an international community, we believe in the importance of maintaining home language(s) and cultural identity, which is what makes our learning environment so unique. We encourage students and families to maintain high levels of reading, writing and speaking in their home language(s) as research shows that literacy in the home language greatly helps proficiency in additional languages, and boosts personal and cultural confidence.

Mathematics

Our youngest learners begin learning foundational mathematical skills by using practical objects and classroom situations. Teachers use creative ways to introduce basic number concepts and operations, they explore spatial relationships and basic geometric shapes and begin demonstrating knowledge of patterns. As our students progress through elementary school they move into more formalized programs where they develop conceptual understanding and become adept at problem-solving.

Science

An early foundation in science is essential for our learners. Through the careful balance of content, inquiry and engineering design challenges, our elementary school students develop critical scientific skill sets and thinking. In science, we wonder and ask questions. We make plans and carry them out. We observe closely and describe what we see. We make connections. We reason with evidence and make claims. We consider different viewpoints and adjust our thinking. We make and use models. We communicate and collaborate, and we make mistakes and try again.

Social Studies

Our social studies program has been designed to prepare our young learners to become compassionate, responsible, and effective citizens of their local and global communities. We believe it is essential to strengthening the ASH core values of respect, responsibility, communication, integrity, and empathy as students explore their individual roles within their classrooms, families, communities, and the world.

Additional subjects

Library

At ASH, we emphasize developing a lifelong love of reading and of the literary world. Our libraries are dynamic spaces filled with dreams and wonder, and welcome students during break to read, research, play board games, chess or play with the puppets.

Our librarians and teachers collaborate on research lessons to integrate content with information literacy. During their time at the library, our students also hear and tell stories, and learn early reading techniques through picture books and about the various genres.

Our libraries are open to the ASH community. Parents are an integral part of their children's education and we encourage them to check out books and materials to read with their ASH student and their siblings.

Dutch Language

The goal of elementary school dutch classes are to enable the students to communicate and interact with the community around them. Attention is given to all language skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Our youngest elementary school students learn Dutch through collaborative storytelling, readying short everyday phrases and writing simple sentences. Older elementary school students continue to build listening, writing, speaking and reading skills with the goal for fluent coherency and clear self expression in the Dutch language. In addition to language development, the Dutch program introduces students to the culture of the Netherlands, paying special attention to important cultural events and celebrations.

Art

In our art classes, our learners collaborate and delve deeply into the creative process. In art, we engage in drawing, painting, printmaking, and use textiles and clay to help boost our creative expression. They create their own art work, stretching their skills and stimulating their imaginations by exploring different mediums, textures, color awareness and basic elements of design.

Music

In music, our learners collaborate and delve deeply into the creative process. We explore singing, dancing, composition, and improvising. Students learn how to sing in tune, keep a steady beat, and move expressively to music. They explore basic music concepts like rhythm and melody, with a variety of tools like scarves, ribbons, or band instruments to peak their curiosity.

Information Technology

At ASH, we support our students in cultivating a positive disposition towards using technology responsibly and in developing the skills they need to be successful in our increasingly digital world.

Our students start using technology in kindergarten with classroom sets of iPads. Starting in grade 1, we use 1:1 iPads to support teaching and learning. During class, we use beamers and interactive smart boards and Mac mini workstations. We offer a creative computing class in grades 2, 3, and 4.

Physical Education

Our goal is for students to begin developing active and healthy lifestyles as soon as they enter elementary school. In our physical education program, our students learn skills through a fun, varied and experiential range of activities.

We offer well-equipped gymnasiums and outdoor facilities, providing incredible spaces for our students to get the most out of their ASH physical education experience.

We are guided by the SHAPE National Standards (USA).

EAL (English as an Additional Language)

At ASH, we believe that learning a language is a lifelong journey that includes listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The EAL Program at ASH is student-centered and uses supportive instructional strategies to foster language learning in a warm, caring, and engaging environment.

Support is differentiated and offered to students of all language levels; from beginners to advanced. Beginner students may receive small-group instruction based on the functional language required for listening and speaking. These lessons include exposing the children to the basic features, functions, structure and vocabulary for foundational communication purposes (social language). Beginner and Intermediate learners receive differentiated in-class, ‘integrated’ support during reading and writing lessons (academic language). In consultation with the classroom teacher, advanced students of whom have reached grade level expectations are transitioned from the program. Transitioned students are monitored for two years, and additional support is provided, if required.

Elementary School Signature Programs

Extravaganza

Since 1987, this signature musical performance brings our students together, across all divisions and musical disciplines, for an extraordinary evening where the student talent shines.

Field Trips

Learning beyond the classroom is made easy in the Netherlands with the vast amount of cultural and educational riches in the neighborhood and further afar. From picking apples at the local orchard to exploring medieval castles, our field trips peak the interests of all our young learners.

Passion Journeys

All our learners are nurtured to search for, develop and grow their unique and individual passions. Whether it is an activity organized within the school, or an outside opportunity, passion journeys are an important part of each #ASHexperience.

Swimming

Our young competitive swimmers can join the ASH Swim team once they reach grades 3 and 4. Early morning practices are held at the local pool with swim meets held both in-school and away; the perfect way to get a taste for the ASH Athletic programs.

Service Learning

From the youngest students in Elementary School to the oldest in the High School, our students take concepts learned in the classroom and apply them to real-life problems, solving local and global issues through community service, volunteerism, and activism. International trips take place every year to facilitate our Global Service Learning program.

A sample of Activities and Co-curriculars

ASH offers a wide range of activities. From daytime activities to after-school clubs and an extensive athletics program. Some after-school activities include the Maker's Club, Literature and Writing, Drama, Strings, Scouting, Science, etc. For Elementary School students there are some athletics offered like swimming, for more information visit the Activities & Clubs page or contact athletics@ash.nl or afterschoolactivity @ash.nl.

ADMISSIONS

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