Lower School:Grades 1-4

Our Lower School program provides opportunities for students to explore the world through hands-on activities, to engage in authentic, real-world experiences, and to develop the skills that will help them become confident life-long learners. By keeping class sizes small with an average teacher/student ratio of 1/17, students are able to develop meaningful, positive relationships with dedicated  teachers who nurture and challenge them daily. A strong partnership between school and home is essential to each child’s success, and an emphasis is placed on building a classroom atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. The Lower School is a lively, friendly environment where children thrive as happy, inquisitive, and resourceful students.

Our Lower School Head
Pamela Pifer
Before joining The Catherine Cook School, Dr. Pifer was the Director of Educational Programs at The Ancona School in the Hyde Park neighborhood.  During her 22 years at Ancona, she served first as a primary grade teacher and later as a full-time administrator. Dr. Pifer has taught every grade from kindergarten through fifth grade in a variety of schools -- public, parochial, and independent.

Dr. Pifer holds a doctorate in education from National-Louis University. Her bachelor's and master's degrees in education were earned from DePaul University and Northeastern Illinois University respectively. An educational consultant and literacy specialist, she is passionate about the development of literacy skills in young children so that they become lifelong readers and learners. She teaches graduate methods courses in literacy at National-Louis University and is on the board of Literacy Works.