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www.FredParent.NET • 17 Sponsored Material Join us April 14 for the live conversation on Do you have questions for Fredericksburg Academy? Ask live on our Facebook page during Ask The Expert April 14 from 8 - 9pm. facebook.com/FredericksburgParent a sk t h e e x p e rt • Does my child initiate activities and ideas on his or her own, and does he or she choose materials and engage with them productively? • Does my child follow directions, and is he or she able to stay safe in relation to a group? • Does he or she attend to personal needs? • Does my child ask for help when he or she needs help? • Is my child ready to enter kindergarten with joy and confidence that school is a fun, fair and good place to learn? At Fredericksburg Academy, each child applying for kindergarten visits the classroom for a portion of a school day. In this way, our experienced teachers can spend time with your child in the school setting and make an informed recommendation. Q: At what grade does recess stop and how long are the kids allowed to play outside? I could talk for days about the need for recess or outdoor play! At Fredericksburg Academy, recess does not stop at any grade. We value its importance and are commit- ted to providing time for a break from the academic challenges of the school day. In addition, we under- stand that outdoor play offers cognitive, emotional, social and physical benefits. Classes are outside at least twice a day almost every day of the school year, usually spending at least 20 to 30 minutes at a time. We recently completed the first phase of our natu- ral play-scape. This outdoor play space includes a tree stump classroom, sand pile, dirt hill for digging and creating, a mud-pie kitchen, trike path, vegetable garden and host-to-butterfly garden. The children can explore, create, imagine and problem solve either independently or as directed by their teachers. The second phase will add, among other things, a giant weaving loom, seating clusters and a slackline for balancing. In addition to the play-scape, we have two traditional playgrounds on our campus. In Middle School, students go outside after their lunch period and can be found tossing the football or lacrosse ball on the activity field, playing Four Square, participating in a kickball game, or just hanging out with friends or teachers. Upper School students may choose to participate in a pickup Frisbee toss, practice their soccer skills or walk and talk during their unscheduled period. Students are often seen gathered on the activity field, or at outdoor tables eating a snack or enjoying the company of classmates or teachers. Q: What is the curriculum like for the Lower School at Fredericksburg Academy? We have a rich, student-centered curriculum in the Lower School that meets the children where they are and moves them forward as far as they can go. We want the children to be challenged, but not frustrated. We are not locked into the standards that other schools must meet. We do look at the Standards and the Common Core, as well as the Frameworks of a few international programs. We review these frequently to be certain that we offer children a first-class education. Our curriculum takes an integrated approach to learning by weaving STEM, art, music, language arts and history together for a meaningful educational experience. We constantly look for new ways to engage students in learning. As an example, we are excited to be creating a STEM lab in the Lower School that will be ready for the 2016-17 school year. We will have a STEM specialist who will coordinate, collaborate and teach with our classroom teachers and special area teachers to provide more opportunities for children to explore the natural world both outdoors and indoors. Q: Which extracurricular activities are available to children in the Lower School? Our third through fifth graders can attend after-school Gardening Club where stu- dents work in the outdoor gardens and learn about environmen- tal stewardship. Our Lower School French and Spanish teachers offer International Club for children in grades 3-5. Our after-school care program also offers a variety of enrich- ment experiences. These have included swimming lessons in our indoor pool, mindfulness classes, knitting, chorus, First Lego League, Sea Perch, a running club, a Chinese culture class, Lego Mindstorm Robotics, an Exploration of Electricity class, and a wheel throwing pottery class. Each year offers a different set of after-school enrichment opportunities. Our teachers are dedicated to the success of every child.