Southfield's after school program for Lower School students involves children in fun activities (crafts, board games, outside play) and provides a quiet time for homework.

The After Care Program begins at 3 p.m. each day. The program is located in the downstairs commons area (other than outside play), but this may change on rainy or very cold days. An afternoon snack will be provided each day followed by supervised activities.

The After School Program will be available most days of the school year. Please check the Southfield calendar for exceptions (such as noon dismissal days, school holidays, parent/teacher conference days, etc.), and/or they will be posted in the after school program area. Parents must select a pick up time of 3:45 p.m., 4:30 p.m., or 5:30 p.m. for one to five days a week. Please remember that by signing the contract you are financially committed to those days. Drop-in service is not available.

Southfield currently offers French as its foreign language curriculum for students in preschool through sixth grade. The main objective of the French curriculum at Southfield is oral comprehension and expression. Beginning in Preschool and continuing through Kindergarten and First Grade, students concentrate on learning spoken French basics. This is accomplished through activities such as songs, games and repetition exercises to reinforce French vocabulary. A strong foundation is laid these first three years. In Second and Third Grade students begin to read, write and speak French. Topics covered include vocabulary for numbers, clothing, food, family members, animals, colors and salutations. By the Fourth grade, students begin to write and spell simple words.

Regular homework is assigned in the lower and middle grades to reinforce and compliment classroom learning. The length of the homework assignment varies appropriately according to grade level. The formula for measuring appropriate homework time is the student's grade times 15 minutes. This formula applies to the approximate length of time for the total homework. (A first grade student should expect 1 x 15 = 15 minutes homework per night; a fourth grade student should expect 4 x 15 = 1 hr. homework per night.) Parents should contact their child's teacher immediately if their child is spending an inordinate amount of time on homework assignments.

If a child is ill and parents would like homework assignments, please call the front office before 9:00a.m. to request assignments through the Administrative Assistant. The teacher will have what the child needs, (books, materials and assignments) ready to be picked up at 2.00 p.m. in the front office. Please do not go to the classroom teacher directly, since this interferes with the instructional process. If a parent would like the schoolwork for the child before going on a trip, the lower school faculty members are happy to provide assignments as long as sufficient notice is given. A week's notice is requested for work to be missed due to trips. As a general rule, the student has the same number of days to make up work as were missed due to illness.

Southfield School provides a cafeteria-style lunch program for our students. Lunch menu information and order forms will be sent home around the middle of each month, to be returned to the front office in time for the order forms to be processed. The lunch program is being directed and operated by Southfield parents. The lunches are reasonably priced and there is a varied menu from which to choose. Each lunch cycle starts on the first day of each month and ends at the end of each month. The lunch program is optional: children may bring their own lunches, and microwave ovens are available to students in grades two through eight.

Lower school classes eat in the cafeteria each day. Parents who wish to eat with their children at lunchtime should check in at the front office and note the lunch schedule below:

Students in grades one through seven take Stanford Standardized Achievement Tests and second, fifth and seventh graders take the Otis Lennon School Achievement Tests in March each year. These tests measure student performance using national norms and indicate the progress of individuals in areas such as language arts, reading comprehension and mathematics.

Parents are notified well in advance of the upcoming tests so that they can make sure their child gets a restful night's sleep and eats a healthy breakfast. The results of the SAT's are mailed with report cards to parents in early June.

There are several opportunities for students to engage in sporting activities through programs associated with Southfield School. For younger students, Southfield coaches may help parents to form teams made up primarily of Southfield students to play in the citywide leagues and offer our facility for practices. Additionally, the School sponsors a Junior level tennis team for Lower School student each Spring. Students are expected to abide by the school's code of conduct when participating in athletic activities.

In recent years, Southfield has also sponsored academic challenge teams for our third and fourth grade students. Most recently, Destination Imagination teams have been organized to help interested students develop their creative thinking and problem solving skills.

Report cards are sent home four times a year at the end of each nine-week grading period. Grades 1-3 use the following grading key:

1. Exemplary progress and performance
2. Developing appropriately, progressing well
3. Requiring additional support, experiencing difficulty

Grade 4 uses letter grades A, B, C, D, and F. Letter grades are explained to the students and their parents at the beginning of the year.

Finished Work Folder
Students bring home a folder with graded work on a weekly basis.

There are several opportunities for students to engage in sporting activities through programs associated with Southfield School. For younger students, Southfield coaches may help parents to form teams made up primarily of Southfield students to play in the citywide leagues and offer our facility for practices. Additionally, the School sponsors a Junior level tennis team for Lower School student each Spring. Students are expected to abide by the school's code of conduct when participating in athletic activities.

In recent years, Southfield has also sponsored academic challenge teams for our third and fourth grade students. Most recently, Destination Imagination teams have been organized to help interested students develop their creative thinking and problem solving skills.

Scheduled conferences are held for all students at the end of the first and third quarters. Students do not attend school on these days. It is a time for parents and teachers to discuss their child's progress. Parents are discouraged from taking family vacations/trips on conference dates. Open communication is welcome and encouraged between parents and teachers about home and school child rearing policies. Additional conferences may be scheduled at any time, and informal contacts via notes, teacher voice mail, or by phone are always welcome.

In order for a student to be promoted to the next grade, he must have satisfactorily completed and fulfilled all the requirements for his current grade level. Southfield reserves the right to recommend retaining a student in a specific grade level if individual circumstances indicate that retention would be beneficial to the overall and long term growth of the student.

Southfield endorses the theory that the home and the school share responsibility for educating each student. Additionally, all parents of students enrolled in Southfield school are members of the Parents Association. The Parents Association exists to assist the administration and faculty with many activities throughout the school year. The many committees are made up of parents volunteering their time, talent and knowledge to Southfield School. The rewards of involvement are many and our children greatly benefit from a strong and unified parent body.