Bold. Distinctive. Biblical.
A Principle-Approach® Pre-K–12 Christian School in Lancaster County, PA
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Fast Facts About Lower School

✓ Who: 1st-5th Grades

✓ When: 5 Days/Week, End of August – Beginning of June

✓ Location: Conveniently located just 1 minute from the Mountville exit of Route 30 in Lancaster County, PA

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Educational Philosophy

Unlike many other elementary schools in the Lancaster area, the teachers at Dayspring Christian Academy’s Lower School educate with the whole child in mind. While others prepare elementary-aged students to simply improve their memorization and test-taking abilities, Dayspring teaches students how to reason through the content that is presented to them to reach a logical, biblical conclusion and application.

A teacher holding a sea shell out to a student at Dayspring Christian Academy

General Information

  • Number of Classes Per Grade: 2
  • Student to Adult Ratio: 12:1 for grades 1-3 as these grades have classroom aides
  • After School: Programs are available
  • Programs for gifted or students with special needs? Yes. Please check our Learning Services page for details.
  • School Security/Safety protocols, etc. Dayspring’s elementary school classrooms are bright, welcoming, and friendly. Appropriate security measures are in place to ensure that our families feel confident that their precious children are safe, loved and well-cared for.
  • Tuition: $13,122 for Grades 1-5
  • Financial Aid Info: Financial aid is available. Call John Riddell at 717-285-2000 for details.

 

 

A boy and girl lower school student from Dayspring Christian Academy posing for a picture

Dayspring Lower School Curriculum

  • Core subjects include Math, Science, Bible, Language, Literature, Reading, History, and Geography
  • History is learned through Ephesians 1:9-10 which concludes: “All human history is culminated in Christ.” We teach students that God is sovereign as He governs in the affairs of men and nations, because He sees the past, present, and future—He orchestrates events to accomplish His plan (that all men may know God the Father through Christ the Son.)
  • With a Providential View of History in mind, each grade level focuses on a different point on the timeline of History. It begins with Creation and includes the chain of Christianity moving westward. From Moses and the Law to Jesus Christ, from Paul to the Bible in English, from Columbus to the Pilgrims, from the Patriots to the Pioneers, and concludes with the restoration of America. Students are taught this to understand the truth of history and for Whom our nation was built.
  • Two Dayspring lower school girl students solving a class problem togetherMath: Hybrid Learning is a system that rotates students through three learning stations within the math class to enable personalized learning. Students engage in the learning process through the use of direct instruction, which has a small group interacting directly with the teacher for more individualized teaching with each student. Another station includes collaborative activities, where students work in a group on real-world problems that relate to the material covered in class. The final station is independent learning, which takes place on a computer. It helps students to master each step in the problem and give immediate feedback to the teacher to let them know where each student may need further direction. The Hybrid Learning method enables students to have multiple ways of learning a lesson to enable mastery and to meet students’ varied learning styles.
  • Students begin Spanish in first grade and Latin in fourth.
  • In-depth field studies are taken at every grade level, including a four-day study in Plymouth, MA, for third-grade students. Fifth grade experiences a two-day study of ocean life in New Jersey. Field studies can be viewed for each grade level on our Field Studies page.
  • Public speaking is an important focus of our curriculum, so students participate in speech meet in Pre-KindergartenKindergarten and up through fifth grade.
  • Orations: To develop the ability to research, write, and defend their work, students begin writing orations in second grade and presenting in third grade.
  • STEM Director, Mary Stauffer, teaches robotics and computer coding using robots to students in grades K-5. These same classes will also use the Engineering is Elementary program to teach students to solve engineering challenges like designing a container to safely ship live plants to a store, clean up an oil spill and assess the environmental impact, and design a production line to make potato chips.
  • View our complete Course Catalogs for elementary school
  • Art, Music, Physical Education are incorporated into our elementary school schedule
  • Elective activities including our annual Lower School Musical, Lower School Athletics Clinics, and other opportunities exist for elementary-aged students. Visit our Student Life page to learn more.
  • Average class size is 24. Grades 1, 2, and 3 have teachers aides to assist with learning.
  • View our Course Catalog and Grading Scale here!
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Lower School Distinctives

On-site Learning in Lower School

Scripture says, “Come and see the works of the Lord,” (Ps. 66.5). In grades 1-5, teachers take students out of the classroom for on-site learning through exciting and rich field studies. First-grade students discover what life was like around our state’s founding at Landis Valley Museum and experience maple syrup-making. Second grade experience life at the Daniel Boone Homestead as they delve into history and explore Indian Echo Caverns as they study geology. Third grade uncovers the Pilgrims’ past as they read about life in Holland and go ice skating, then visit the Plymouth town and plantation discovering how our nation came to be on a 5-day study to Massachusetts. Fourth grade studies Lancaster’s rich history through a walking tour, then they track our founder’s footsteps through a trip to Philadelphia’s Independence Hall and other historical sites. Fifth grade learns of our nation’s struggle for independence and the meaning of our national anthem at Fort McHenry. Later, fifth grade will travel to the New Jersey coast to study oceanography on a 2-day trip.

About Hybrid Learning

Hybrid Learning is a system that rotates students through three learning stations within the math class to enable personalized learning. Students engage in the learning process through the use of direct instruction, which has a small group interacting directly with the teacher for more individualized teaching with each student. Another station includes collaborative activities, where students work in a group on real-world problems that relate to the material covered in class. The final station is independent learning, which takes place on a computer. It helps students to master each step in the problem and give immediate feedback to the teacher to let them know where each student may need further direction. The Hybrid Learning method enables students to have multiple ways of learning a lesson to enable mastery and to meet students varied learning styles.

Dayspring Lower School students visiting Plymouth, MA

FAQ

Are programs available for gifted or students with special needs?
At Dayspring, we see each child as a unique individual, created by a loving Creator, and valued as such. It is because of this that Dayspring has created the P139 program, named for Psalm 139:14, and designed to teach students at all levels who require alternative or differentiated methods of instruction, so they may work to their potential.
What school safety/security measures are in place?

Dayspring’s elementary school classrooms are large, bright, welcoming, and friendly. Appropriate security measures are in place to ensure that our families feel confident that their precious children are safe, loved, and well-cared for.

Click here to learn more

Are before and after school programs available?
After-school programs are available to elementary school students.
Will my child use the same textbook as government schools or other Christian schools?

Dayspring’s elementary students do use textbooks for skill-oriented subjects, by and large, though, textbooks are used as resource tools. Students and teachers alike develop highly specialized notebooks that become the primary teaching-learning tools that enhance internalization of the material. All textbooks are selected with care in alignment with biblical truth and rooted in primary sources.

Learn more about the Dayspring’s approach here

Why should I seek Christian elementary school education for my child?
The Bible clearly teaches that the responsibility of education belongs to parents, not the State. Proverbs states that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Only by teaching our children the Truth as seen in God’s Word, will we ensure that they can adequately meet the challenges of a secular world and affect that world dynamically for the cause of Christ.
Can I see the school and meet the teachers?

Yes! Visiting Dayspring is a great way to get your questions answered, learn more about the school, meet the elementary school teachers and faculty, and see how we can meet your child's individual educational needs.

Schedule your tour today

What is the school year like for elementary school students at Dayspring Christian Academy?
Elementary school is held 5 Days/Week, from the end of August to the beginning of June.
What is the elementary school student to teacher ratio?
Dayspring’s first, second, and third grade classrooms have an aide to assist the teacher. Teacher to student ratio is 12:1 for these grades. Teacher to student ratio is 24:1 for grades four and five.

Take a tour of Dayspring!

Private tours for you and your child are available. Additionally, middle and high school students are able to experience a day of school at Dayspring through our visitation program. Call Karol Hasting at 717-285-2000 or use the button below to register.

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