Frequently Asked Questions

Lower School students should be at school by 8 a.m., and they are dismissed at 3 p.m.

Students in Kindergarten may have a few minutes of homework once or twice a week, generally practicing printing or doing some C-rod work. Generally, Grade 1 has 10-15 minutes per day, Grade 2 has 15-30 minutes per day, Grade 3 has 30-45 minutes per day, and Grade 4 has 30-60 minutes per day.

Beginning in Grade 2, there may also be long-term projects during the year. All children are also expected to complete independent reading outside of class on a regular basis.

Students in Lower School do not receive letter grades. Four times per year students receive progress reports from their teachers, consisting of a checklist of skills accomplished and a written narrative describing student progress. Checklists use a scale of “meets expectations,” “exceeds expectations,” or “improvement needed,” as a method of informing parents of their children’s progress.

The involvement of parents in the daily life of Lower School is expected and welcomed. Each teacher and grade level has different ways in which parents can participate in the classroom. Assisting with field trips, helping with class parties and special events, listening to students read, and helping with special projects and activities are a few ways that parents become involved in the classroom. In addition, parent volunteers help in the library, cafeteria, with morning arrival, and with a wide variety of special events sponsored by the Parent Association.

Yes. All students in Kindergarten-Prep through Grade 4 are expected to wear a school uniform. You can check out uniform requirements here.

Students are expected to be respectful and cooperative at all times and to accept the consequences of their actions. Students should follow the Lower School Self-Control Guidelines, remembering to Stop, Think, and Go with a Good Choice at all times.

Most disciplinary situations are handled by the student’s classroom teacher. Students who do not follow the discipline expectations will be removed from certain activities such as recess or special events, may be sent to the director for further action, and the director or the teacher may contact parents regarding the situation. On a rare occasion, a student might be sent home from school if the student’s behavior is repeatedly disruptive or disrespectful or he or she is behaving as a bully and other methods of discipline have been unsuccessful.

Lower School has a Chapel gathering four days each week: three days with all of Lower School and one day with K-8 (held in the Middle School Auditorium). Each class in Lower School presents Chapel for their peers two or three times per year. This may be through a short skit, songs, poems, or other means of communicating a particular aspect of character or spiritual development.

Faculty and administrators also present Chapel talks. These short stories or talks generally have a specific theme tied to the Lower School Virtue of the Month (honesty, respect, compassion). Chapel time generally ends with the Lord’s Prayer and weekly reciting of the Pledge of Allegiance.

There are regularly scheduled conferences at the end of each of the first three terms of the school year. In addition, parents or teachers may request conferences as needed. Frequently, information is shared via e-mail, but specific questions or concerns regarding individual students are best handled in person or through a phone call to the teacher.

All students have Physical Education classes on a regular basis. Times vary from three times per week for 30 minutes at a time in Kindergarten to twice per week for 45 minutes at a time in fourth grade. All students also have at least two and sometimes three recess periods per day. In addition, special activities such as ice skating, cross-country skiing, and Jump Rope for Heart promote the physical health and well-being of students in Lower School.

Field trips are a fundamental part of a student’s educational experience at Canterbury. Trips vary considerably in their duration, destination, and design; however, they are all important components of the curriculum at each grade level. We consider each trip an opportunity to expand learning, broaden horizons, and enrich the overall educational experience a student receives at Canterbury.

Starting in Junior Kindergarten, bus service is an option. This is handled on an individual basis, and parents should work with the Lower School Director and Transportation Director to make necessary arrangements.

We offer several bus routes throughout Allen County, as well as several outlying communities. Student pick up is not door-to-door, but is generally at a common pick-up and drop-off point in close proximity to a child’s neighborhood. Learn more about transportation services here.

Yes! We have a registered nurse on staff, Monday to Friday, from 8:15 a.m. to 2:45 p.m.