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A Path that Starts Here Can Take You Anywhere.

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Lower School

A joyful beginning to a lifetime of learning.

In the Lower School, children discover who they are as learners and community members.

Through hands-on exploration, creative problem-solving, and foundational skill building, students grow with confidence, curiosity, and joy. Our teachers know each child deeply and create a learning environment that reflects their interests, identities, and emerging sense of self. Here, students feel supported, challenged, and celebrated — as they are and will be.

At the Berkeley Carroll Lower School, we embrace the belief that all learning is interconnected—social, emotional, cognitive, and cultural. True learning flourishes when children feel a deep sense of belonging, safety, and care. Our youngest learners thrive in an environment that honors who they are and encourages who they are becoming.

We recognize that for true learning to flourish, our students must feel a sense of belonging, safety, and care. We are dedicated to providing our youngest learners with a joyful and engaging schooling experience

Our approach to education is rooted in research-based practices that foster a love for learning and encourage active exploration. Our curriculum not only focuses on building essential skills but also connects to the big ideas of identity and our shared humanity.

Kelly GrimmettLower School Director

A smiling woman with curly dark hair wearing glasses and a colorful floral-patterned shirt stands against a plain white background.

Kelly Grimmett

A Joyful and Engaging Learning Experience

We are dedicated to providing students with a schooling experience that is joyful, engaging, and rooted in curiosity. Our approach is grounded in research-based practices that foster a love of learning and encourage active exploration. Students build essential foundational skills while engaging with big ideas that help them make sense of themselves, their community, and the world.

explore our curriculum

Belonging, Wellbeing, and Academic Growth

When children feel a genuine sense of belonging and emotional well-being, they are better equipped to take on academic challenges and embrace meaningful risk-taking in their learning journey. In our supportive and nurturing environment, students feel safe expressing themselves, sharing ideas, and learning from both successes and setbacks. This foundation allows each child to grow with confidence and courage.

Identity, Humanity, and Compassionate Thinking

By integrating the concepts of identity and our shared humanity into the curriculum, we encourage students to think beyond themselves. They learn to understand diverse perspectives, practice empathy, and contribute to a culture of compassion and inclusivity. These experiences empower students to imagine a better future for themselves and others—and to step forward as caring, proactive members of their community.

Our supportive and nurturing environment allows students to feel safe to express themselves, share their ideas, and learn from both successes and setbacks.