Lower School

At Maret we believe that childhood is a time that should be treasured and savored, not accelerated or compressed. Our Lower School (Elementary School) philosophy is that children should enjoy being children, even while acquiring the fundamentals they need to excel as future inquisitive learners and contributing members of the community.

Here is a basic overview of how our Lower School is structured:

  • Average 130 students, kindergarten - fourth grade
  • Kindergarten typically has 18 -20 students working with two full time teachers in the stand-alone Kindergarten Cottage
  • First, second, and third grades each have two sections of 12-14 students; fourth grade has two sections of approximately 18 students
  • The school day runs from 8 am until 3 pm with an early dismissal of 1:30 pm on Wednesday afternoons
  • Our after school program runs daily until 6 pm

Math, reading, writing, and social studies are taught by homeroom teachers. In addition, all Lower School students have classes in:

  • Spanish (4x week in kindergarten and fourth grade; 3x week all other grades)
  • Science, music, art (2x week, each)
  • Library (1x week)
  • Physical education (4x week)

The entire Maret community benefits from having all ages on one campus. For example, fourth grade students enjoy interacting as reading buddies with our kindergarteners. High School students plant on-campus gardens with kindergarten classes; they also grow and release shad in the Anacostia River with our first grade.  The entire School – ages 5-18 – looks forward to annual celebrations, such as the popular Halloween Pumpkin Parade.

We hope the links to the left peak your interest in our Lower School! We encourage you to sign up for a tour and experience Maret firsthand. We look forward to meeting you.