Outside of the Classroom

In addition to our core and specialists curriculum we spend time outside of the classroom engaging in and exploring the world around us. Here are just a few of the ways we extend our learning:

Field Trips

Each class goes on several field trips to local venues each year. These include performances, museums, parks and education centers throughout the Atlanta area. Teachers are encouraged to take advantage of the myriad cultural, environmental and historical opportunities that abound.

We're Going GREEN

Our Green Committee is raising our awareness to make us more environmentally-friendly. We recycle campus-wide and encourage everyone to use cloth napkins and reusable containers and utensils for lunches. We have reduced our energy costs significantly over the last few years since we programmed our thermostats to reduce energy use, got in the habit of turning out lights when we leave a room and outfitted our sinks with low-flow aerators so we don't waste water. As we replace equipment, fixtures and finishes throughout the school, we purchase those that will function efficiently with minimum energy consumption. We encourage families to carpool with each other and to reduce their idling time during carpool. Throughout the campus, we plant native and drought-tolerant plants and collect water in rain barrels. Last year students got involved in the action by taking part in the Southeastern Green Cup Challenge and even produced a video that was posted on YouTube.

Organic Edible Garden

New this year on our campus is our organic garden. Through the support of our Parents' Association, each grade has a gardening plot, where we are growing seasonal vegetables. We are looking forward to enjoying "salad days" together as a school. Gardening gives our students the opportunity to observe and care for plants as they grow, all in an ecologically mindful manner. It's amazing how good something tastes when you grow it yourself!

Day School Electives

Students enrolled in grades three through six have the opportunity to participate weekly in chorus, band and TCS Players after school. Students in chorus and band learn to sing and play instruments together. Twice each year, these young musicians hold an evening performance for families and friends. Students in Players begin auditions and rehearse all fall and winter in preparation for a theatrical performance in the early spring.

Sixth Grade Special Events

Sixth grade is a special year for our oldest students. We have departmentalized our sixth grade so that students learn to change classes and be responsible to different teachers for their academic subjects, in preparation for their transition to middle school in seventh grade. Several times during the year, the teachers plan "sixth grade socials" after school for the students, such as bowling, lunch out and a movie in a theater or laser tag. Each spring, students visit the Ritz-Carlton dining room for afternoon tea. Students practice their manners ahead of time and dress up for this event. The day before graduation, teachers plan a "skip day" for students, where they might spend the day riding go-carts or visiting an amusement park. Graduation itself is all about our graduating sixth graders. Each class prepares a musical presentation for the graduating students and each graduate gives a one-minute speech to families and friends attending the ceremony.