In the Lower School community of 6 to 12 year olds, the school day is 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The individual child is given as much freedom as he can manage and as much structure as he requires. The Montessori uninterrupted 3 hour morning work cycle is, as in the Primary class, critical to the success of this dynamic learning environment. A sunny, 2400 square foot room with space for floor work as well as table work, soft music, and busy minds is intriguing to all who visit. French, music, drama, visual arts, and organic gardens add to the rich, math and language intensive academic curriculum. The 6 to 12 year old moves, in her own time, from concrete to abstraction and satisfies an inherent interest in life's "big picture" through work with botany, zoology, geology, and physical and cultural geography. Student voice is encouraged through weekly community meetings, teamwork skills are developed through projects, and character is strengthened through athletics that emphasize sportsmanship over competition. Time management, academic choices, and accountability are integral to learning at this level. Children who successfully balance these freedoms and responsibilities are well prepared for the challenges of Upper School. [->]