Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School

Second grade is a year of amazing growth in Beauvoir students. Second graders are curious and industrious. They want to figure out how things work, explore concepts of time, space and quantity, create new ways to make things work, and collaborate to see a project through. “Let’s put on a show!” is an example of a phrase overheard in second grade. Rapid growth means that at times, second grade students may work hard and work fast for short spurts, then need time to regroup. Second grade students benefit from the support and guidance of adults in working to achieve their courageous hopes and dreams.

As in first grade, the development of social skills is an integral component of the second grade curriculum. Each day begins with a Morning Meeting, at which teachers and students get to know one another through greetings, sharing and games. During the first six weeks of school, students learn routines and create their hopes and dreams for the year ahead, and from these hopes and dreams, craft a classroom contract outlining how they want their classroom to function in order for all hopes and dreams to be accomplished. Second grade students practice being kind and responsible classmates who work and play cooperatively and resolve social conflicts. Beauvoir teachers provide a multitude of hands-on opportunities for second grade students to learn and grow together.

In second grade, children are eager to learn as many new words as possible and teach them to others, and Beauvoir's Language Arts program builds confidence in students' reading and writing abilities, fosters an appreciation of literature and allows students to take pride in their achievements. Teachers use a guided reading approach that includes exposure to fiction and non-fiction and makes intentional connections to topics explored in social studies. Second graders work on decoding multisyllabic words, understanding character development and more. By reading "just-right" texts, students apply their strategies and gain the confidence in reading that leads to continued success. Writing units taught in second grade include, for example, writing about small moments and expressing one's opinion, with students keeping journals to share ideas, respond to reading, reflect on field trips and describe their experiences. second grade teachers use Fountas and Pinnell’s Guided Reading as a primary strategy to teach reading, alongside Lucy Calkins’ Reading as another key component of the reading curriculum.

Mathematics in the second grade expands children’s number sense as their understanding of operations, data, geometry and spatial orientation deepens. Students move toward more symbolic representations of mathematics, and they record their observations and computations. Second graders learn from each other and cooperative projects help students appreciate the various strategies that may be used to arrive at a solution.

Through the study of water and rivers, Beauvoir second graders investigate the origins of rivers, the movement and power of water, and the various ways in which people and communities rely on the natural resource. This focus subsequently leads to questions from students that help guide further projects, research, and discussions. Through Beauvoir's school-wide Global Studies program, for instance, second grade students often connect and build upon their knowledge of water by studying a river system in another city or country. Beauvoir's interdisciplinary approach routinely connects math, language arts, social studies, and additional subject matter, and second grade minds are well-suited for making these connections.

Second grade students also participate in meaningful service to others, including a project connecting with the St. Albans Active Wellness Program for senior citizens on the Cathedral Close. Children also engage in classes including art, science, library and technology, music, movement and drama, social studies, Spanish, and physical education, where a traditional highlight of the second grade curriculum remains the annual Second Grade Gym Show.

Our Second Grade Team

List of 10 members.

Ariella Bennett

Partner Teacher, Second Grade

202-537-2246
Megan "Megan" Chounoune

Head of Upper Years, Second and Third Grades

202-537-2329
Kaneia Crumlin

Partner Teacher, Second Grade
Sherilyn Cummings

Partner Teacher, Second Grade

202-537-5225
Maria Kurt

Partner Teacher, Second Grade
Hannah LaBella

Partner Teacher, Second Grade
Melanie Lago

2nd Grade Partner Teacher

202-537-5266
Meredith McAbee

Partner Teacher, Second Grade
Courteney Simchak

Assistant Head of School for Student and Academic Affairs

202-537-6588
Rachel Tanner

Partner Teacher, Second Grade

202-537-5254

Our Mission

At Beauvoir, the National Cathedral Elementary School, we provide an extraordinary early childhood education in a diverse community that values every individual. Beauvoir’s program encourages creative, courageous learners and builds an enduring foundation for a lifelong spirit of inquiry and joy in learning.