Progress & Communications
At PS1, our purpose is to help students develop with a sense of intrinsic motivation—to know that they are doing their best work because they are interested in learning ... and what they are learning has meaning for them.
PS1 students strive to exceed standards and expectations.
At every level, our teachers craft lessons to fulfill widely
To that end, we use a variety of formative assessment
Growing up with these rigorous, comprehensive, and
Information about student progress is provided to parents through a rubric and narrative report cards two times a year and family-teacher conferences twice a year. Students join their parents and teachers for the second conference to share their progress and goals. Faculty engage in a year-long dialogue with parents, actively maintaining the necessary parent partnership to best support each student.
Homework
PS1 assigns homework that is meaningful and developmentally appropriate. Teachers at all grade levels assign homework in literacy and math. Students above second grade typically have specialized subject-specific homework throughout each week that includes literacy, math, social studies, science, and spelling.
Students in Olders (5th/6th) typically have an hour of homework each night, involving activities that reinforce learning from the school day as well as ongoing projects that help students build time-management skills in preparation for middle school. At this level, teachers use Google Classroom to organize and communicate assignments, helping students develop independence and responsibility.
Class Placement
In our multi-age classrooms, every child has the opportunity to be a younger student one year and an older student the next. This natural progression supports healthy self-esteem, leadership development, and empathy — and ensures that each child experiences the benefits of both roles during their time at PS1.
Class placement is thoughtfully determined by faculty and administration, with input from classroom and specialist teachers. We look at the whole child — academic, social, emotional, physical, artistic, personal, and interpersonal — to create balanced, responsive class groupings each year. This approach allows us to honor each child’s developmental timing, learning style, and individuality.
Across seven years in our multi-age system, students grow into whole, capable learners: confident in themselves, connected to their community, and ready for what comes next.