Anthony Brown, Ph.D. is a professor of education and a former classroom teacher. He has two children enrolled at Trinity, one in Lower School and another in Middle School. Dr. Brown says his family is at Trinity because of its balanced, holistic curriculum and an ability to go beyond test scores to provide parents with a rich and comprehensive picture of each student's growth.
Trinity parents Morgan and John Burnham share their thoughts on our Extensions program, an extra period that enables us to meet the unique needs of each child.
Extra Attention Where It's Needed It Most
"Each Child, Each Day" is more than a motto. It's the foundation of our entire philosophy and approach to education. One of the best examples of this philosophy is Extensions, our program of differentiated and blended learning built on a Response-to-Intervention (RTI) framework. Students can stretch themselves in areas where they excel, or they can focus on areas where they need a little help, which builds confidence and a love of learning. Students learn and progress at a level that's just right for them, even if it means stepping back to grade-level content from previous years, or ahead to advanced years.
Our Teachers Make the Difference
Twentieth-century philosopher Sidney Hook said, "Everyone who remembers his own education remembers teachers, not methods and techniques. The teacher is the heart of the educational system." We wouldn't be who we are without our incredible faculty, so we do all we can to support them — like keeping class size low, providing a support network of learning specialists, and funding and encouraging faculty professional development.
Third-grade math teacher Marrisa Brody explains how Trinity uses the 'constructivist approach' to make education more exploratory and student-centered.
Kindergarten at Trinity
See yearly highlights, meet the teachers, and learn how we create right mix of rigor and play.
On the second day of a two-day lesson, Technology Integration Specialist Matthieu Spindler brings D-Lab supplies to the classroom, showing students how to program robots while applying the math concepts they learned the day before.
Design & Engineering
We weave 'design-thinking' into many subjects, but it's the central focus in our D‑Lab, an innovation maker-space outfitted for hands-on, creative problem solving. Whether sewing fabrics or soldering circuits, programming drones or composing soundtracks, woodworking or 3D printing, students can bring their ideas to life. D-Lab is a fun and interactive way to get kids excited for S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics).
Our teachers collaborate across subjects for a more enriched academic experience, like this art lesson that incorporates concepts from both science and English. Lower School art teacher Meg Renwick guides students as they explore concepts like atmospheric perspective, color blending, narrative, and the science behind the Northern Lights.
There are many ways to solve a problem, learn a concept or express an idea, and Trinity celebrates that. Perhaps the most obvious example is art class. Lower School art teacher Meg Renwick encourages her students to build on the techniques and concepts of the lesson, make the idea their own and venture in unexpected directions. “Kids love seeing that they are capable of making beautiful, complex works of art,” Ms. Renwick said. “They love trying new materials and figuring out how to make something that either matches what’s in their mind’s eye or becomes something completely new and different.”
In one project, second graders created pastel drawings of the Aurora Borealis, also known as the Northern Lights. As a natural wonder, this makes for a fun and beautiful art project, but it's also an opportunity to weave science and art together. Trinity's curriculum strategically integrates subject areas to make the learning experience more holistic. “I learned that the Northern Lights don't go very fast, so you have time to really see how beautiful it is,” said Melania M., a second grader at Trinity.
The collaboration between art and science goes both ways, and it sometimes can lead to more ambitious projects. In spring of 2019, science teacher Bill Earley led his classes to construct a shelter for chimney swifts, a bird that nests vertically, often in human-built structures like chimneys. After the construction was completed, Ms. Renwick and Middle School art teacher Linda Heron guided their students in painting the cinder-block tower. The paintings make the tower more beautiful, but they also are designed to educate the community and generate interest in conservation efforts. Trinity dedicated the tower to Anne Donovan, Trinity grandmother and bird conservationist, who inspired the idea for the project.
We offer lacrosse as young as first grade. Our 'no-cut' policy ensures all kids have a chance to play, no matter their level of interest or experience.
Lower School Athletics
Team sports are a wonderful way for Lower School students to develop their athleticism, experience competition with others of the same age and ability, and enjoy the school spirit that comes with being a part of a school sports team. Our program is no-cut, and we group students based on grade and skill-level, making our teams inclusive yet competitive. We offer basketball for grades 3‑4 and lacrosse for grades 1‑4.
The early years of a child's development are critically important when it comes to learning a second language. That's why we offer world languages as early as kindergarten. In this lesson, Ms. Lu uses flash cards to help first graders spot similarities between words and phrases. Activities include a matching game, singing, and conversation.
Lower School Mandarin teacher Xiaobo Lu uses flash cards to help students spot similarities between words and phrases. Activities include a matching game, singing, and conversation.
"Recently [my kids] asked me to not book any more doctor appointments during school, because they don't want to miss school, and I can't say that's the way it was when I was growing up!"
Katy Dennison, Trinity Parent
Katy Dennison says she was very surprised after her first parent-teacher conference in kindergarten when she learned how much Trinity focuses on social-emotional learning and a love of learning. Katy also talks about the strength of the community, our focus on social-emotional learning, and how she got involved with Parent Council.
Partnering with Parents
Building strong partnerships with parents is one of our four core values and crucial for our mission. We can't nurture the whole child and deliver personalized instruction without parent involvement. We depend volunteers to help us manage community initiatives and meet each child where they are. That's why every parent is automatically a member of our Parent Council.
Trinity is much more than a school. It's a community where friends and family come together. There are so many ways to plug in, either as a volunteer or just as an attendee, and there's a place for everyone. Each year, we host school-wide events that let us build friendships and show off our Trinity spirit.
Trinity Olympics — One favorite tradition is Trinity Olympics, our version of field day, which brings teachers and students across all grade levels together for a day of outdoor fun.
More Events
Select an event below to see photos, or browse our entire 2021-2022 gallery.
Book Festival
Our librarians and parents organize a weeklong celebration of literacy, authors, and fictional characters.
Christmas
We deck the halls in December, and wrap up the calendar year with our annual pageant.
Diwali
We often celebrate different cultures, but one of our bigger events is the Hindu festival of lights.
Spirit Day
Go, Tornado! We show off our school spirit with a pep rally, activities, and sports.
