Teacher/student ratio of 1:9 or less.
All lessons customized to be stimulating and thought-provoking.
Project-based work is highly experiential and hands-on.
Minimal homework and limited in-class repetition.
Diversified reading and math curriculum up to four grade levels ahead.
A diverse range of after school programs to further enrich your child’s education.
For current availability, please contact our Admissions Office.
At the Nysmith School, we believe that students learn best when they enjoy it. Math is a vital part of that positive learning experience. Many schools hire teachers who can teach multiple subjects or who can also coach sports; we hire only math teachers to teach math. Each one specializes in math and is passionate about inspiring your child to love learning math as much as they love teaching it.
We realize that each student has a different aptitude for learning and working with numbers, and our program is designed to address the level that your child is prepared for. Two teachers in a classroom allow for a wide range of abilities levels, and allows us to instruct students who are up to four grade levels ahead.
Some children manifest an early mastery of reading while others exhibit advanced writing skills. Not all students start at the same beginning. One child may be a voracious reader and reluctant writer or vice versa. We acknowledge and appreciate those differences and are able to adjust to accommodate them. Our curriculum is designed to engage and motivate students of all different readiness levels, and challenge them to improve their vocabulary, writing, and reading regardless of where they started.
Hands-on, interactive activities are an integral part of a positive learning experience at Nysmith. Through the use of labs and experiments, individual/group projects students are introduced to concepts and material many years before most other schools. They are introduced to units in Earth Sciences, Chemistry, Biology and Physics. These concepts they have learned are put into practice by participating in grade-specific Science Fairs beginning in the third grade. We believe that nurturing your child’s interest in science will not only help them prepare for high school, but will provide a opportunity for students to begin a STEM career.
Our teachers bring history to life through a hands-on, living history perspective. They employ a variety of instructional methods to help your child understand the complexities of human history. Student’s debate, create maps and timelines, perform skits and take an average of 10 field trips per class per year beginning in Kindergarten. Starting in second grade, students venture to further historic locations with overnight field trips. Our school is located in perfect location surrounded by museums and historic sites that help us bring history to life.
When families think of the Nysmith School, many immediately think of technology–and with good reason. It has always been our belief that technology offers a profound set of tools. We do not simply expose children to technology; they learn how technology can be implemented. Students as early as 1st grade are introduced to programming & robotics in a nurturing and non-competitive environment that facilitates their success.
Your child will not just memorize code, but will learn and become proficient at logical sequencing. There is a reason why the Nysmith robotics teams have been so successful in national competitions. The classes are taught through the application of technology to problem solve through project-based learning.
The goal of our Foreign Language program is to promote the joy of learning new dialects. Students possess different proficiencies; some Nysmith children are native speakers with an innate aptitude for foreign languages while others have just started learning the language. An early start is helpful; thus, our curriculum begins in preschool and continues through sixth grade when they choose their classes.
Our rationale for introducing students to three of the Romance languages (Spanish, French and Latin) is that we can begin instruction with the baseline of a familiar vocabulary. We are able to keep the content stimulating and fresh, without it feeling repetitious. It also allows us to delve into the depth of the languages and provide older students with a high school level course that requires only a fraction of the homework associated with a high school class.
Starting at age three, children begin enjoying music class twice a week. Our objective is to begin building the students’ love of music, create a level of confidence, teach musical note recognition and help develop an interest in the performing arts.
The children manifest a wide range of musical abilities. We have students who have performed at Carnegie Hall and at Strathmore as well as children with no interest in music at all. Each grade presents a performance each year.
In addition to the music classes that are part of the curriculum, Nysmith offers before- and after-school programs including beginning band, orchestra, chorus along with advanced band orchestra and jazz band.
The P.E. curriculum is based on building your child’s cardiovascular conditioning and features both flexibility and strength building activities. We also introduce students to a variety of sports in a friendly, non-competitive environment. Much like in academics, some children have advanced skill sets in a particular sport while others have never been exposed to it. We do not offer sports teams at Nysmith, however many of our students do continue their passions.
Throughout our PreK-8th grade curriculum, Art classes use a variety of different mediums to build on subjects the students are learning in their different classes. Our kindergarten art classes tie-in with the study of Native Americans in Social Studies with the children making pinch pots and learning several forms of weaving. In their study of China, the students create a scroll and a bamboo painting.
As the children move through the grades, the mediums in which they work with these thematic units change. The constant is the passion of the teachers and the creativity they use in making art an ever-changing but always engaging class.
“Nysmith is not a decision we took lightly when looking to enroll our daughter in second grader. We are so pleased with her experience at Nysmith – the education is top notch (your kids will be comfortable doing work at least a year ahead their current grade, maybe several years ahead in some cases), the administration and the faculty are very engaged and responsive to any issues, and there are many opportunities for parents to participate and interact with other parents. The children are challenged from early grades with interesting projects they have to present to their class, and the teacher to student ratios ensure that students are not left behind. We could not be more pleased with our choice of Nysmith.”
– Parent, June 5, 2024
While this page offers a detailed look at our K-3 elementary program in Herndon, VA, the best way to learn about us is to schedule a visit. Have questions? Our FAQ page is a great place to start, and our Admissions team is always happy to help. We can’t wait to show you how we can ignite your child’s passion for learning!
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