The Extended Core is designed to support the social, emotional and cognitive development of students.

At The Soulard School, learning goes beyond designated literacy and math time. Our weekly Extended Core classes extend academic learning into other areas, and provide a rich and varied education to our students. Discipline, personal empowerment, and cultural pluralism are some of the necessary elements of social-emotional intelligences we support through Strings (violin) Instruction, Physical Education, Nutrition & Culinary Arts, Performing Arts, Studio Arts and STEAM Lab.

The Physical Education program at The Soulard School emphasizes teamwork, personal growth and skill building in a non-competitive setting.

Our PE program follows the Missouri State Grade Level Expectations as well as the SHAPE America National Standards. Students develop physical literacy skills so that they have the knowledge, competence and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of physical activity. Students explore a variety of gross motor activities, sports and world games as ways to develop these skills. A partnership with Gene Slay’s Girls and Boys Club allows us to utilize their gymnasium and field for PE.

Collaboration between classroom teachers and the physical education teachers provides deeper meaning for students bridging one classroom experience to another. Self-assessment, facing challenge and exhibiting acceptance of self and others in physical activities are consistent elements of the program and support student social emotional success in the classroom and the community.

The individual styles of artists (local and world-renowned) are used to teach basic art principles and movements while helping each student to begin to define their own artistic voice.

With this focus, students are given the opportunity to explore art’s many qualities; interpretation, appreciation, creation and documentation. Art helps younger students express knowledge, while it deepens knowledge for older students when paired with literature, history and mathematics. Field trips bring students to museums and galleries, as well as the studios of local artists for observations and projects.

The Soulard School Strings program is an opportunity for all elementary students to learn a string instrument.

This unique program starts with students in Kindergarten, and every student in the school participates. Instruction is similar to the Suzuki Method,54 with emphasis on rote learning transitioning into reading musical notation.

Strings class sizes of 8-10 students are small enough for each student to get individual attention as needed. This reveals each student’s musical performance, as well knowledge of music theory, history and notation. Performance is an important part of the program. Students give a minimum of two concerts a year, and have opportunities to play at other school activities.

Performing Arts goes hand-in-hand with our Strings program. Students study various instruments, sound and music theory, as well as movement, acting, storytelling and dance. Additionally, the instructor works with the classroom teachers to build performing arts experiences that tie into classroom learning. Past projects have included students creating short animated films, designing and building their own instruments and performing choreographed dances.

The Soulard School’s STEAM Lab highlights the school’s highly-integrated curriculum.

Based on the nationwide STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) education initiative, the school’s lab goes further to include the Arts for an integration that is made complete from STEM to STEAM. When it comes to teaching and practicing the STEM subjects, innovation and creativity are paramount to each; and it is the arts and design that improve innovative, creative and critical thinking.

The Design Thinking principles provide the structure for our students to approach STEAM projects. Students tackle problems with a “maker mindset” to solve real-world problems and improve their surroundings. Our ultimate goal is to prime children’s brains to think like inventors, designers, scientists and engineers to prepare them for the complex 21st century challenges they will encounter.

The Soulard School’s Nutrition & Culinary Arts Program is a model that provides students with a framework for learning about nutrition, culinary skills and the connection between the food we eat our bodies and our environment.

Started in 2005, it is one of the earliest examples of a farm-to-table model in St. Louis. The school provides free lunch to all students daily, with student chefs actively contributing to all meals and parent volunteers helping in the kitchen. Food is served family-style at mixed-age group tables with menus designed to provide healthy, fresh and local food in ways that encourage children to try new foods and expand their palates. Weekly Nutrition classes provide further activities around food through studies of different cuisines, kitchen skills, and nutrition facts. Soulard School prepares students to be food-lovers, confident in their own kitchens and advocates for food that is both wholesome and delicious.