Academics
How We Teach (Classical)
At the center of classical education is an emphasis on the Good, the True, and the Beautiful. These universal values serve as the building blocks of classical learning. The classical arts are timeless and proven, and they have produced many eloquent confessors and wise leaders.
Our communities today are in dire need of just these sorts of men and women. In an endless pursuit of the latest educational dogma, many schools no longer have the capacity to judge what is Good, True and Beautiful, much less teach it. In forsaking the soul for the mind, they have forgotten how to educate both. Classical Education is a holistic approach to education, and a return to excellence in instruction, curriculum and standards.
This rich heritage of classical Lutheran education has not been lost. Immanuel Lutheran School is dedicated to continuing in this great tradition.
Our students study Latin, history, literature, rhetoric, logic, mathematics, and science. They broaden their minds and bodies with courses in music, theology, and physical education, as well as a myriad of guest speakers from around the greater DC area and the world. We have an emphasis on outdoor time throughout the school day, including multiple recesses for all grades. The school and church communities worship together in the ancient service of Matins each week, and students of all ages enjoy the rich liturgical traditions of the Christian church. ILS takes a research-backed low-technology approach to teaching, with students completing their work using paper, pencil, and physical texts. There is a concerted focus on discussion skills, group projects, oral presentations and speeches, and using memorization to fill our students with what is Good, True, and Beautiful.
To learn more about the whys and hows of classical education, read “What is Classical Education?” by Jackquelyn Veith.
Junior Kindergarten
Jesus invited the little children to come to him (Matthew 19:14), and so do we! Our junior kindergarten program fosters burgeoning independence in your precious children while enjoying their God-given creativity and wonder.
Christ-centered - we begin the day in prayer and play, and prayer and God’s Word are woven throughout the day
Screen-free hands-on learning
Jingles, songs, poems, and chants provide daily rhythm
Movement - play and sign language throughout the day
Creativity - art and imaginative play
Family-focused - family members are invited in to read to students and come to chapel and recess*; older students help throughout the week
Junior kindergarteners must be 4 years old on or before September 1st of the year in which they are enrolling. The class is composed of 4- and 5-year-olds with a lead teacher and a classroom aide. Our Monday-Friday program begins at 8:15 am and finishes at 1 pm. There is an enrichment learning option from 1-3 pm to align with lower and upper school pickup times, as well as before- and after-school care available.
*All adults in the building will complete a mandatory background check.
Lower School
Christ at the Center
Beginning with our youngest junior kindergarteners up through our fourth graders, students practice the School Standards of Truth, Love, Honor, Faithfulness and Excellence. In the tradition of Lutheran education, they are each simul iustus et peccator—inner and Saint—inherently flawed but forgiven and loved by God. They are also taught from their first year how they have a responsibility to serve God and love others.
Lower School Academics
Lower School classrooms are filled with joyful chants and songs, bright with the work and wonder of our students. We rejoice in the curiosity of our students’ minds and the love they express to their families, their teachers, and one another. In the Grammar stage, our classrooms are abuzz with the recitation of scripture and catechism, studious chanting of Math and Grammar rules, and expressive reading of great Literature. While the active study of Latin begins in third grade, all discipuli—students—hear the language throughout the week from their teachers and pastors. Students begin the day together on the playground, and have multiple opportunities for recess and outdoor time during the day.
Family Connections
The Parent Teacher League is active in creating opportunities to support and connect families and faculty. Classroom parents host social opportunities for families to get to know one another. PTL coordinates volunteers to read to students in the classroom and assist with lunchtime, recess, or accompany field trips.* Teachers also enjoy treats and meals provided by the PTL adults and often student volunteers.
Many of our families also are members of Immanuel Lutheran Church, and enjoy studying theology and participate in the many musical and community outreach opportunities within Immanuel’s congregation. Families cite the tight-knit community as one of the reasons they love ILS.
*all adults in the building will complete a mandatory background check
During your visit to ILS, you may see:
Students singing hymns on their way to recess or to transition to another activity
First graders having a dance party with kindergarteners
JK-4th grades beginning their morning on the playground with play, prayer, and pledges
Older students sitting with the kindergarteners during chapel, using ASL for the hymns
Third graders quizzing each other on their Latin vocabulary
Parents volunteering throughout the building
Upper School
Four Houses, Endless Camaraderie
The first week of school, upper school students and families gather for one of the most exciting events of the fall: house sorting.
Each fifth grader or new upper school student is placed into one of four houses named in honor of church fathers—House Iraneus, House Athanasius, House Augustine, and House Ambrose—in addition to their normal grade level academics. They are welcomed by current members and entrusted with their house’s ballad, colors, and rich history to build a spirit of friendly competition for the year’s house cup. Students have opportunities to win points for their house through academic success, showcasing ILS values, and friendly competition throughout the year.
The ISL house system connects students to each other in their own grades, other year groups, alumni, and the greater history of our role in the Western world.
Rigor and Depth of Liberal Arts
Our philosophy embraces a truly classical liberal arts approach, full of reading, writing, and discussion. Our students study the Socratic model of learning as they prepare for and enter the dialectic stage of their development. This trains our students in speaking, thinking, and writing so that they can become expressive, clear, and organized.
By studying subjects increasingly unique to modern students—such as Latin, logic, and the scope of world history—Upper School students at ILS are taught to look beyond themselves, their own times, and their own culture as they learn about the world around them. They study multiple fields of knowledge in an integrated way. Yet knowledge alone is not enough—A fully formed person will have wisdom and charity in addition to academic training. Our school seeks to support parents in guiding the student on this path to virtue and wisdom.
Christ at the Center
The Word of God is a constant presence in our school; as a regular and daily feature of the life of the school, prayer, worship, and the proclamation of the Gospel will frame classroom instruction and discussion. Our prayer is that each and every one of our students lives out their various vocations, with love and service to their neighbor, in response to the love and mercy God shows each of us.
During your visit to Upper School, you may see:
Faculty who are experts in their fields and passionate for their craft
Students delivering presentations and orations with poise
Group discussions and projects filled with inquiry and depth
Older students serving younger ones