Daily Life

A Day in the Life of K – 4 Students

Watch: Lower School Academics

Special Events

Each year, the St. Anne's-Belfield School Lower School plays host to myriad unique events that encourage and expand our students’ experiences as members of our community.

Note that these events may be modified or temporarily on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regular assemblies feature speakers on age-appropriate topics including animal experts, storytellers, authors, illustrators, historical interpreters and more. Field trips to sites of historic, cultural, and academic interest around the region bring to life topics about which students may have previously only read.

Many of our special events have become so beloved that they are now considered School traditions. Favorites in Grades K - 4 include:

Ancient Pueblo Dig
During their study of the Ancient Pueblo people, first grade students dig for artifacts in School sandboxes. Each year they unearth new treasures that are used to reconstruct the lives of this ancient culture.

Dinosaur Dig
This culminating event of the Kindergarten’s dinosaur unit sees students take on the role of amateur archeologists digging for bones in the sandbox. St. Anne's-Belfield School was obviously a dinosaur graveyard millions of years ago, judging by the number of bones that are unearthed every year!

Field Day
Students from Kindergarten through twelfth grade take part in the School’s annual Field Day, divided into maroon and white teams. Each grade engages in age-appropriate challenges, with the Senior – Kindergarten Piggy Back relay as the traditional final event.

Grandparents’ & Special Friends' Day
This wonderful April tradition enables grandparents to see their grandchildren in the School setting, and enjoy a class performance as well as classroom visit with each child. This special day falls close to Virginia Garden Week, and many grandparents travel great distances to join us. If a grandparents is unable to attend, another adults ("special friends") are very welcome to join us for this day.

Kids for Kids
In this annual fundraiser, our students are sponsored for a February morning of jump roping, hula-hopping, and dancing.

Moon Party
Kindergartners and their families come to school one evening wearing pajamas to celebrate the end of their study of the moon. Games, activities, snacks, and a special performance by the Kindergarten are all on the program of events for this special evening.

Mozart’s Birthday
Each January we celebrate Mozart's birthday with live musical performances and talks from teachers, parents, and special guests about pieces of serious music that are special to them. Of course we also sing “Happy Birthday” to Mozart!

Mummification
After studying ancient Egypt, first grade students become high priests and priestesses. Using their new knowledge and skills, they mummify the Head of the Lower School.

Poetry Festivals
Two poetry festivals each year allow each Kindergarten through fourth grade students to participate individually or as part of a group, and guest presenters have included parents, grandparents, older School students, teachers, staff, and administrators.

Themed Days
After finishing units of study, many grade levels engage in a themed day complete with activities, dress, and meals that correspond to the topic they have just studied. The second grade participates in Ancient Greek Day, the third grade engages in Ancient Roman Day and Colonial Day, and the fourth grade enjoys Ancient China Day.