Lower School Student Life

Adaptive Expertise (AE) Days are designed to further enhance the Habits of Mind and Habits of Spirit that are fundamental to Adaptive Expertise. AE Days are allotted times throughout the school year where the normal school day schedule is dismissed and students are involved in interdisciplinary, experiential learning opportunities during the course of the day that will lead to deeper learning on various topics. They present an opportunity for students to learn, explore and internalize sometimes new, often times known, information in new and enterprising ways. AE Days are chock-full of fun, innovating and ‘out of the box’ experiences that our students will recall long after their Lower School days have ended.

In 2020-2021, AE days focus on “Explore the Unknown”. Each AE day, students take a deep dive into one of our Cannon Core Values with hands-on experiences and lessons learned to share with their families. Students also get to choose a passion class to take during part of the day. These passion classes include topics like astronomy, cooking, woodworking, making survival bracelets, painting, and much more. AE days are truly magical!

Our Junior Kindergarten/Senior Buddy program is an established tradition that gets right to the heart of our School’s Mission Statement: Nurturing Relationships.  We pair our youngest students with our oldest to create a program that develops lifelong relationships and instills a bond within our Cannon Family.

The JrK student's Senior Buddy meets with your child and your family over the summer to make a personal connection, greets your child the first week of school with a welcoming poster, and walks your child to class. This is just the beginning of monthly activities that include pizza lunches, Teddy Bear Picnic, Fall Celebration Party, Project Wrap In, Valentine’s Day Party, and Spring Celebration.

At the end of the school year, the JrK Buddies celebrate their Seniors by making posters representing the colleges that their Buddies will be attending. When the Senior’s dismiss from their Senior Pictures, they proceed through a line of their JrK buddies holding the posters. Pictures are taken to celebrate the Seniors ready to fly and the JrK students just beginning their journey of learning at Cannon School. This program is truly one of the most memorable in the life of a Cannon School Student “Lifer” and represents how we engage, begin, and celebrate the continuation of our students on their journey of growth.

The Lower School Student Council facilitates connectivity for students at school and in the community.  It provides leadership opportunities, personal growth, and encourages students to think beyond themselves. Elected representatives and officers are held to a high standard of accountability, and agree to demonstrate academic integrity and exemplary conduct. 

Responsibilities of the Lower School Student Council include:

• Brainstorming ideas to incorporate our core values into our year together
• Contributing to community service efforts
• Contributing and putting into action ideas that energize our Cannon School Spirit
• Collaborating with the Middle School and High School to create a feeling of community and unity
• Helping to update and maintain the Student Council Bulletin Board
• Maintaining a positive Cannon Cougar Spirit

The focus of community service in the Lower School is to build a relationship with one organization that offers opportunities for meaningful and developmentally appropriate service from junior kindergarten to fourth grade. Each year, the goal is to enrich the commitment students have with the organization as they grow and develop. Teacher-led reflection is an integral piece of the program.