Thornton Donovan's Lower School consists of grades K through 5. Classes are intentionally kept small so students' individual needs can be met, and instructional strategies are implemented so that all students can be successful at learning at their own pace.

The curriculum is vigorous and best described as a classical and Western approach. Students in lower school are taught Math, Language Arts (Reading, Writing, and Grammar), Social Studies, Science, and Vocabulary development throughout the week, and Music, Art, Physical Education, and two World Languages on a rotating schedule at least twice a week. In addition to our classical education curriculum, we also foster the importance of Social-Emotional learning to teach students crucial life skills, including the ability to understand themselves, develop a positive self-image, take responsibility for their actions, and understand those actions have consequences, and forge happy and healthy relationships with the people around them.