Lower School Activities

The Graded Activities program offers its students the opportunity to participate in a wealth of activities that complement but are not part of the regular curriculum. Through the activities program, students can pursue an area of personal interest in a collaborative setting, while building intercultural competence and the opportunity to become engaged, ethical citizens. We believe that:

Activities are an integral part of Graded’s overall curricular program.
Every student should have the opportunity to become involved to some extent.
Sponsors and students should, at all levels, develop and exhibit accepted attitudes of cooperation, citizenship, good sportsmanship and dedication.

Some of the Lower School activities are listed below. Please refer to the Graded Lower School Activities Handbook for the most up-to-date activities list, as well as for details such as times, location, requirements, and the best ways to join. Keep in mind that activities may vary from semester to semester.

2024-25 LOWER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES HANDBOOK - Semester 1

Academics

Research has shown participation in academic-related activities enhances the intellectual, social, and personal growth of students. Increasing academic achievement, interpersonal skills, and self-esteem. Graded offers many opportunities for students to participate in a variety of academic and leadership activities during school and after school hours. These opportunities encourage and allow students to interact and build relationships within the school community and outside of the academic setting.

	Grade Level
Chinese Portuguese Support Mad Science Science and Technology Coding Games & Development Student Council STEM Building/Engineering	K5 - 5 2 - 5 K5 - 3 K5 - 5 1 - 5 3 - 5 3 - 5 K5 - 5 K5 - 5

Arts

The Graded Arts Department offers a comprehensive education in the arts from Pre-K through 12. Whether the area of interest is music, visual arts, or drama, there is a place for students to explore and develop advanced skills and gain a lifelong appreciation of the fine arts. Throughout the year, the campus comes alive as our students of all ages perform in concerts, musicals, and stage productions, local, regional, and international arts festivals, as well as exhibit outstanding student art in our frequent art shows. We believe the fine arts are essential to the development of the whole child and involvement in the arts is a catalyst for skill development in all areas of their learning.

	Grade Level
Arts & Crafts Painting & Creative Writing Theater Ensemble Art & Creativity Scrapbooking Digital Photogaphy Ballet Jazz Dance Hip Hop Dance Woodworking LS Choir LS Musical (first semester)	2 - 5 3 - 5 1 - 5 K5 - 2 3 - 5 4 - 5 K5 - 3 K5 - 3 K5 - 5 2 - 5 3 - 5 3 - 5

Service Learning

The Community Service Program strives to engage the Graded community in thoughtful collective action, enrich the educational experience of students, and assist the community at-large in searching for meaningful solutions to various social problems. In doing so, it is our mission to create awareness, stimulate reflection, and motivate students to practice citizenship. This program reflects the Graded philosophy that education extends beyond the walls of the classroom and into the community. The program seeks to allow students to test their abilities of effecting changes. Students in the three divisions are engaged in Community Service activities. Teachers and program advisors think and plan activities according to students' age and maturity level.

Athletics

Graded provides a competitive interscholastic athletic program intended to enrich and enhance the educational experience of our students. As one of the pillars of our institution, we believe athletics are an integral part of a well-rounded education. Our athletic community values teamwork, school spirit, and the development of individual skills and self-esteem through training and competition. At Graded, emphasis is placed not on winning and losing, but on meeting the challenges of competition to the best of our ability. We believe coaches are both teachers and role models for our athletes and should, therefore, foster positive attitudes, respect for fair play, and a commitment to lifelong fitness. Learn more about our Athletics program here.

	Grade Level
Soccer Basketball Track & Field Swimming Tennis Yoga Artistic Gymnastics Judo	K5 - 5 4 - 5 3 - 5 2 - 5 K5 - 5 K5 - 5 K5 - 5 K5 - 5

Registration Guidelines

Registration opens on Saturday, August 17, at 9:00 am and will close at 12:00 pm on Tuesday, August 20.
Registration for activities will be done directly in PowerSchool (in the same place you find your child’s schedule).
Detailed instructions on how to navigate the new registration platform can be found here.
Please make sure that you test your PowerSchool login before registration opens so you have access to the registration platform.
Some activities have limited spots available, so they are available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Sports teams will have tryouts to determine the best placement. Places are not guaranteed, but there is no limit on how many students can try out.