Academic Program

Lower School

Philosophy

In Lower School, children's curiosity and sense of wonder find momentum with our teachers’ passions for creating challenging experiences that meet them right where they are.
Children are active learners, and when they learn by doing, they begin to connect one idea to another—a process that continues as they build foundational skills for scholarship and develop into more abstract thinkers and problem solvers. As they pursue more information and deeper understanding, students build a steadily growing sense of themselves and the world around them. We have high ambitions for our students as they discover what it means to be an active member of a learning community and to contribute to their classroom, their school and eventually to the greater world.

—Elizabeth Causey, Head of Lower School

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  • Student-Led Inquiry

    “What do you know? What do you think? What are you curious about and eager to learn?”

    We leave a lot of room for inquiry and cultivating a sense of wonder. Having student-led questioning is important across math, science, and literacy, just as they’re making sense of it all.

  • Embarking on Adventure

    “She thinks she can do anything in the world.”

    As they pursue more information and deeper understanding, students build a steadily growing sense of themselves and the world around them.

  • Exploring Her World

    “So much space for them to create the school they’re going to, day-by-day."

    The safety of feeling known and appreciated creates magic inside our school. Every student is known and valued for her unique perspectives, questions, and contributions.

Essentials for Deep Understanding

Community of Learning

Being a Spence student means being an essential and celebrated member of a learning community. 
Every individual has important perspectives to share, and each student learns to take responsibility for herself, for her community, and for the learning we all do together.

Explore Our Curriculum

Curriculum Highlights

Explore Spence

271

LS Students

18

Median Class Size

15 Homerooms

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  • and dedicated learning spaces for Arts, Dance, Science, STEAM, and Music

37

After-School Second Act Classes

Middle & Upper School

22 East 91st Street
New York, NY 10128

Lower School

56 East 93rd Street
New York, NY 10128

Athletic & Educational Facility

412 East 90th Street
New York, NY 10128
A K-12 independent school in New York City, The Spence School prepares a diverse community of girls and young women for the demands of academic excellence and responsible citizenship.

212-289-5940


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