Lower School

WELCOME TO

Lower School

At the Community School of Naples Lower School, we believe that every child is a capable and unique learner, deserving of both challenge and care. Our philosophy is rooted in the belief that high expectations, paired with high support, lead to high achievement. We are committed to cultivating a joyful, rigorous, and nurturing environment where students are empowered to realize their fullest potential as scholars and as individuals.

From the Head of Lower School

In the Lower School, we are dedicated to creating a child-centered environment where every student feels they belong. With high expectations and high support, our teachers nurture curiosity, resilience, and confidence while building strong foundations in literacy, mathematics, and the arts - helping each child achieve at the highest levels.

Handbook

Mrs. Jacqueline McCormick

Head of Lower School

Meet Mrs. McCormick for Mrs. Jacqueline McCormick

Mrs. Diane Golden

Assistant Head of Lower School

Diane Golden earned her B.A. in English from Fairfield University in Connecticut, and her M.A. in English and Education from Florida Atlantic University. She taught in Boca Raton, FL at Olympic Heights High School and at Miami Country Day School in Miami, FL. She was a tutor, a 4th grade language arts specialist, and a substitute teacher at CSN for five years. While her daughters were enrolled at CSN, she served as PA Co-President, chaired major fundraisers at her children's schools and for the YMCA, and volunteered as a teacher at the Guadalupe Summer Camp. Since August 2010, Diane has taught various grades in CSN’s Lower School, and was the Literacy Coordinator before becoming Assistant Head of Lower School.

Mrs. Rachael Klaas

Dean of Academic Advancement

Originally from Tampa, Mrs. Rachael Klaas moved to Naples after graduating from The University of Florida with a B.A. in History. She taught preschool for a number of years locally while completing her M. Ed. in Exceptional Student Education at Florida Gulf Coast University. Prior to coming to CSN, Mrs. Klaas served for four years as the Head of The Learning Center at The Village School of Naples, where she created a successful program to meet the needs of the individual learner. In addition to serving as the Head of The Learning Center, Mrs. Klaas also taught Middle School Language Arts. In 2017, she was a Golden Halo nominee.

Mrs. Candace Johnson

Lower School Guidance Counselor

Candace Johnson earned a B.S. in Early Childhood Education from Bowling Green State University. She taught for seven years in Collier County Public Schools before becoming a School Counselor. In 2010, Ms. Johnson earned her M.Ed. in School Counseling from Florida Gulf Coast University and has been working with students in grades PreK-5 as a school counselor since 2011. She has also worked as an Adjunct Professor for FGCU where she supervised graduate students during their school counseling internships. Additionally, she is a member of the Florida School Counselor Association and the American School Counselor Association.

Mrs. Alison Haidle

Lower School Admin. Assistant

Alison Haidle was born and raised in Naples. She studied English at University of Florida in Gainesville, and has worked at various positions including three years at the nursery at Trinity-By-The-Cove. Her daughter Ava ’29 attends CSN.

Begin Your Educational Journey Here

Our academically rigorous curriculum builds sequentially from year to year, ensuring students master essential skills in literacy and mathematics while progressing toward key developmental benchmarks. Instruction is personalized and differentiated, allowing each child to grow from their unique starting point. Beyond core academics, students engage in a robust program of art, music, physical education, library, technology, innovation and design, and world language.. Our curriculum builds confident learners by combining rigorous academics with opportunities to explore, create, and discover.

Program Hallmarks

Experiential Learning

Learning at Community School of Naples extends far beyond the classroom walls. Through thoughtfully planned field trips and hands-on experiences, Lower School students connect classroom learning to the world around them. Each excursion is intentionally designed to support units of study, deepen understanding, and inspire curiosity through real-world exploration.

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Responsive Classroom

At CSN Lower School, we implement Responsive Classroom®, a nationally recognized, evidence-based program that blends engaging academics with social-emotional learning to support the whole child. This approach aligns beautifully with our four core values:

Scholarship – Morning Meetings begin each day with purposeful activities that set a positive tone for learning, helping students develop focus, curiosity, and confidence in their academic journey.
Leadership – Students practice sharing ideas, taking risks, and guiding discussions, building the skills to lead with integrity and empathy.
Citizenship – Daily routines foster respect, responsibility, and kindness, teaching children how to work together and solve problems in a supportive community.
Stewardship – By reflecting on their choices and actions, students learn accountability and how their contributions can strengthen both their classroom and the larger CSN community.

Neuronet

From Early Learning through Kindergarten, CSN students participate in NeuroNet, a movement-based, research-backed program designed to strengthen the foundations of learning. Through StepUp to Learn activities, children combine rhythm, repetition, and coordinated movement with academic practice - helping them develop motor, auditory, and visual processing skills that directly support reading, math, and handwriting. Students build coordination of hands, feet, eyes, ears, and voice while also practicing sustained attention, perseverance, and independent learning. By engaging both body and mind, NeuroNet equips our youngest learners with the focus, resilience, and confidence they need to thrive in the classroom and beyond.

English & Language Arts

At CSN Lower School, literacy instruction grows with our students, using research-based programs at each stage to build confident readers and writers. From Pre-K through grade 5, students develop fine motor skills, correct letter and number formation, and handwriting fluency through Handwriting Without Tears. In Kindergarten through second grade, Wonders and the Orton-Gillingham approach provide explicit, sequential, and multisensory instruction in foundational reading skills - phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. In grades three through five, the Read Side by Side curriculum deepens comprehension and analysis through teacher read-alouds, small-group book clubs, and writing units that connect directly to the texts. Along the way, instruction in grammar, conventions, and morphology - prefixes, suffixes, and root words - further expands vocabulary and supports comprehension. Together, these programs and more, ensure students not only master essential skills but also develop a lifelong love of reading and writing.

Two young students are sitting at a desk, focused on their work. The background suggests a classroom or educational setting.

Mathematics

At CSN Lower School, mathematics instruction introduces Singapore Math, a research-based program built on the Concrete → Pictorial → Abstract (CPA) approach. Through carefully sequenced lessons, students explore number sense, operations, patterns, shapes, and measurement while learning not only how math works, but also why. Rather than relying on rote memorization, students encounter varied problems, practice multiple strategies, and develop a 360-degree understanding of concepts. This emphasis on conceptual depth and creative problem solving instills confidence, resilience, and resourcefulness - preparing students to thrive in advanced mathematics and beyond.

Science

CSN’s Lower School science program sparks curiosity and builds strong problem-solving skills through a hands-on, inquiry-based approach beginning in Pre-K. Students explore scientific concepts by observing, predicting, measuring, recording, and experimenting, with science integrated into math and language arts and supported by weekly STEM lessons in the Innovation Lab. Across the grades, students study topics such as plants and animals, seeds and soil, forces and motion, sound and light, weather patterns, electricity and magnetism, matter and energy, engineering, and LEGO robotics. As they progress, students move from guided exploration to more independent investigation, helping them understand how the natural world works while gaining confidence as young scientists.

Social Studies

At CSN Lower School, Social Studies is driven by essential questions that spark curiosity and guide inquiry-based learning. From exploring community life with our youngest learners to mastering U.S. geography and civic understanding in the fifth grade, students develop critical thinking, research, and collaboration skills that prepare them to be active, reflective citizens. Through hands-on projects, map studies, primary source research, and debate-style discussions, children not only gain historical and geographic knowledge but also learn to see connections between their own community, the state of Florida, and the wider world.