Primary

Cycle 2 (G1-G3)

Primary school is a pivotal time in a child’s life. Our program focuses on both academic learning and socialization skills, introducing children to the broad range of knowledge, skill, and behavioral adjustment they need to succeed and become life-long learners.

At a Glance

Grade 1 to 5

Dual-Language Program

(50% English, 50% Target Language)

Choose from Spanish, French or Mandarin tracks

Framework

Acquiring Foundations of Life-long Learning

The curriculum of the primary school relies on the traditional essentials of reading, writing, and mathematics. Because our children come from many nations, we stress social studies and the concept that we are all citizens of one world. We also emphasize traditional preparation for further education such as work and study habits, neatness, intellectual discipline and respect for the environment in general.

A Bilingual Program

Students are not taught a language but rather IN a language. Daily exposure to various languages builds confidence and communication skills, and prepares our students to become bilingual, adaptable, and active citizens. In Primary School, our students spend half of the week with their English teacher, and half of the week with their target language teacher (French, Mandarin or Spanish). Our educators regularly collaborate to streamline the learning.

A World-Class Education

Tessa’s unique offering, which combines the official French curriculum and the International Baccalaureate’s Primary Years Program (IB), creates many academic and social emotional growth opportunities for its students. This dynamic and goal-oriented program provides children with the skills to challenge themselves in an environment that holds them to the highest academic standards.

Academic Challenge

Our program is structured so that it encourages and facilitates creative and critical thinking skills, while engaging students in discovery, inquiry, and problem-solving. They are constantly and positively challenged, so that they are used to and enjoy giving their best. Our small teacher to students ratio allows our educators to differentiate and individualize the learning, making sure our students attain their full potential. 

The IB PYP

The IB PYP is a curriculum framework designed for students aged 3 to 12. It focuses on the development of the whole child as a learner both in the classroom and in the world outside.
It is a curriculum framework which centers around a series of transdisciplinary themes that address human commonalities. The Program of Inquiry  reflects our philosophy, our knowledge and experience, and the requirements of the NJ Department of Education as well as of the French Curriculum. We review and revise it annually, keeping it relevant, challenging and engaging for our students.

The students are exposed to units of learning that promote inquiry, exploration, and investigation. These units integrate all subject areas and provide meaningful learning experiences for students. The goal is to connect the students’ learning to the real world, both locally and globally. We want our students to develop a deep  understanding of the concepts and topics being studied. Read more about the IB.

Assessments

  • Daily formative assessments (rubrics, checklists, anecdotal assessments, exit tickets, etc.)
  • Periodical assessments: Twice a year, we assess our students on various attributes, including academic skills as well as creativity, collaborative planning, and innovation. The scores are recorded and shared with parents. The goal of these assessments is to look at the growth of our students over time, from when they began studying at Tessa, to the moment that they graduate.
  • MAP tests by NWEA: these include math, language, and a reading assessment.
  •  Twice per year, we administer a survey related to your child’s relationship with his or her teacher, to make sure that we are doing our absolute best to care for our students.

Sample of Daily Schedule

TimeSchedule
7.30am - 8.30amBefore Care
8.30amStart of the Day
8.45am - 9amCircle Time / Group Meeting
9am - 9.45amUnit of Inquiry
(Social Studies, Sciences, Math, Literacy, Arts and Movements)
9.45am - 10.30amSnack & Recess
10.30am - 11amUnit of Inquiry
11am - 12pmSpecials
12pm - 1pmLunch & Recess
1pm - 2.30pmUnit of Inquiry
2.30pm - 3pmLearning Centers
3pm - 3.15pmPack-up / Departure
3.15pm - 7pmAfter Care

Tessa International School

Office: (201) 755-5585 | Location: 720 Monroe St. Hoboken, NJ 07030