Programs & Curriculum
Our Approach
At Levey, learning is organized around thematic units of study. Our
hands-on, integrated approach is high-interest and challenging and
allows our faculty the room to be creative. Our program places great
emphasis on developing the skills students need in a rigorous
academic environment. We also emphasize social and emotional
development through the teaching of Jewish values, and our curriculum
conforms to the Maine Learning Results. Teachers work to establish a
community of learners in their classrooms, and each child is treated as
an important part of the community with responsibilities and privileges.
We pay careful attention to the individual developmental needs and
learning styles of our students. Our program captures the enthusiasm
of our students as they embark on new adventures in the world of
learning.
At Levey, we seek to find the balance between choice and structure that
will allow our students to develop their boundless curiosity and natural
love of learning. The Judaic and secular teachers work closely to
develop a learning plan that makes sense for each student. Learning
occurs in large groups, small groups, and one-on-one.
Hebrew Studies
Levey Day School offers an academic program centered on language
development: both Hebrew and English. Studies have shown that
second language learning is not only easier, but more successful if
taught in the early grades. Early foreign language study also has a
positive effect on a child's ability to acquire basic skills in other subjects
and produces positive attitudes about other cultures. At Levey Day
School, Hebrew is introduced in pre-kindergarten and is continued
through fifth grade. Our students average about an hour each day
immersed in the Hebrew language. Our graduates have learned a
second language and also gain a heightened understanding of the
grammar and structure of English. In addition, they are better prepared
to learn a third language during their middle, high school, and college
years.
Secular Studies
In language arts, our goal is to develop our students’ love of books and
reading. Teachers use a multi-sensory approach to teaching language
arts, incorporating reading with listening, speaking, writing, art, and
drama. Our balanced literacy program includes phonics, guided
reading, independent reading, shared reading, and process writing.
Students write every day in a variety of forms including, journal, stories,
poems, reports, and letters.
Levey’s mathematics program is based on the work of Marilyn Burns,
one of the pioneers of inquiry-based mathematics. Students are most
often introduced to new concepts through experiences with concrete
materials and games. Helping children see connections between their
work in mathematics and real-life situations is an essential component
of our program. Our mathematics curriculum includes experiences in
number sense, problem solving, computation, pattern, money,
geometry, calendar work, estimation, measurement, graphing, and
probability. Children engage in partner and cooperative group
discovery, individual tasks, and whole-group discussions, in which they
share their thinking about mathematical ideas and strategies for
solving problems. Through these discussions, children develop an
understanding of the many diverse ways to solve a problem.
Our thematic studies in social studies and science capitalize on areas
of cognitive growth. In each unit, students develop and practice the
skills of categorizing, finding relationships, exploring multiple sources
of information, and expressing their understanding through math, art,
writing, drama, and oral presentation. In first and second grade, for
example, students study Portland as a community as well as the
natural environments in Maine. They also discover our maritime
heritage through field trips to the Maine Maritime Museum and Portland
Head Light and guest speakers, including the President of the
American Lighthouse Foundation. Other units of study include
butterflies, trees, mystery powders, and buoyancy. Where applicable,
these thematic studies are integrated with Judaic and Hebrew studies.
Our Approach
At Levey, learning is organized around thematic units of study. Our
hands-on, integrated approach is high-interest and challenging and
allows our faculty the room to be creative. Our program places great
emphasis on developing the skills students need in a rigorous
academic environment. We also emphasize social and emotional
development through the teaching of Jewish values, and our curriculum
conforms to the Maine Learning Results. Teachers work to establish a
community of learners in their classrooms, and each child is treated as
an important part of the community with responsibilities and privileges.
We pay careful attention to the individual developmental needs and
learning styles of our students. Our program captures the enthusiasm
of our students as they embark on new adventures in the world of
learning.
At Levey, we seek to find the balance between choice and structure that
will allow our students to develop their boundless curiosity and natural
love of learning. The Judaic and secular teachers work closely to
develop a learning plan that makes sense for each student. Learning
occurs in large groups, small groups, and one-on-one.
Hebrew Studies
Levey Day School offers an academic program centered on language
development: both Hebrew and English. Studies have shown that
second language learning is not only easier, but more successful if
taught in the early grades. Early foreign language study also has a
positive effect on a child's ability to acquire basic skills in other subjects
and produces positive attitudes about other cultures. At Levey Day
School, Hebrew is introduced in pre-kindergarten and is continued
through fifth grade. Our students average about an hour each day
immersed in the Hebrew language. Our graduates have learned a
second language and also gain a heightened understanding of the
grammar and structure of English. In addition, they are better prepared
to learn a third language during their middle, high school, and college
years.
Secular Studies
In language arts, our goal is to develop our students’ love of books and
reading. Teachers use a multi-sensory approach to teaching language
arts, incorporating reading with listening, speaking, writing, art, and
drama. Our balanced literacy program includes phonics, guided
reading, independent reading, shared reading, and process writing.
Students write every day in a variety of forms including, journal, stories,
poems, reports, and letters.
Levey’s mathematics program is based on the work of Marilyn Burns,
one of the pioneers of inquiry-based mathematics. Students are most
often introduced to new concepts through experiences with concrete
materials and games. Helping children see connections between their
work in mathematics and real-life situations is an essential component
of our program. Our mathematics curriculum includes experiences in
number sense, problem solving, computation, pattern, money,
geometry, calendar work, estimation, measurement, graphing, and
probability. Children engage in partner and cooperative group
discovery, individual tasks, and whole-group discussions, in which they
share their thinking about mathematical ideas and strategies for
solving problems. Through these discussions, children develop an
understanding of the many diverse ways to solve a problem.
Our thematic studies in social studies and science capitalize on areas
of cognitive growth. In each unit, students develop and practice the
skills of categorizing, finding relationships, exploring multiple sources
of information, and expressing their understanding through math, art,
writing, drama, and oral presentation. In first and second grade, for
example, students study Portland as a community as well as the
natural environments in Maine. They also discover our maritime
heritage through field trips to the Maine Maritime Museum and Portland
Head Light and guest speakers, including the President of the
American Lighthouse Foundation. Other units of study include
butterflies, trees, mystery powders, and buoyancy. Where applicable,
these thematic studies are integrated with Judaic and Hebrew studies.
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Levey Day School
A Community Jewish Day School
