Elementary Enrichments: Kindergarten Through Grade 5
At Manhattan Charter School, students in Kindergarten through Grade 5 experience an engaging elementary education that extends beyond the classroom. Alongside rigorous academics, students participate in approximately two hours of enrichment classes every day, giving them opportunities to explore music, art, French, technology, and physical education while building confidence, creativity, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Our goal is to educate the whole child by combining strong academics with meaningful enrichment experiences that prepare students for lifelong learning and future success.
Overview: Manhattan Charter School's elementary enrichment program gives every Kindergarten through Grade 5 student about two hours of daily enrichment instruction in French, Art, Music, Technology, and Health & Fitness, in addition to core academics. Music instruction begins in Kindergarten, with strings and orchestra added starting in Grade 3. Classes are kept small, with no more than 25 students per class, at the school's Lower East Side campus in Manhattan.
2+
Hours of enrichment every school day
K–5
Elementary education designed for growing learners
Daily
Music instruction for every student
25
Maximum students per class
Elementary Enrichment Programs
Five subjects, woven into every school day, built to grow with students from Kindergarten through Grade 5.
French Language
Beginning in Kindergarten, students develop listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills while learning about different cultures through engaging French instruction. Because many MCS families already speak Spanish or Chinese at home, French becomes a second or third language, building the kind of cross-cultural fluency that gives students an edge well beyond elementary school.
Art
Students explore drawing, painting, sculpture, design, and creative expression, studying styles from Lower East Side street art to the masters at the Metropolitan Museum. Hands-on projects in color, composition, and technique build visual thinking skills that carry directly into how students plan and revise their work in every other subject.
Music & Orchestra
Every elementary student receives daily music instruction, starting with music development, understanding, and chorus in Kindergarten through Grade 2. Beginning in Grade 3, students study an instrument and join strings and orchestra, performing in biannual all-school concerts that build confidence, discipline, and the ability to perform in front of an audience.
Technology
Students develop computer literacy, responsible digital citizenship, and internet safety skills while building confidence using technology for learning and collaboration. These elementary foundations lead directly into Manhattan Charter School's middle school AI + Ethics curriculum, taught in the school's dedicated AI Technology Lab.
Health & Fitness
Physical education helps students stay active while encouraging teamwork, healthy habits, sportsmanship, and overall wellness throughout the school year. Health classes are paired directly with PE so students build both the physical skills and the everyday habits that keep them active outside of school as well.
Classroom Collaboration
Enrichment carries into the classroom, where students apply creativity, teamwork, and communication skills built through daily specials. A student who learns to critique a classmate's artwork or follow a conductor's cues in orchestra brings that same collaborative instinct to group projects and classroom discussions in core academic subjects.
Enrichment Schedule
| Subject | Starts In | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| French | Kindergarten | Weekly, all elementary grades |
| Art | Kindergarten | Weekly, all elementary grades |
| Music | Kindergarten | Daily, all elementary grades |
| Strings & Orchestra | Grade 3 | Ongoing through Grade 5, with biannual concerts |
| Technology | Kindergarten | Weekly, all elementary grades |
| Health & Fitness | Kindergarten | Weekly, all elementary grades |
The Elementary Journey
Kindergarten
Students build strong foundations in literacy and mathematics while beginning French, music, art, technology, and physical education.
Grades 1–2
Students strengthen reading comprehension, writing, collaboration, creativity, and communication while continuing daily enrichment instruction.
Grades 3–5
Students continue developing academically while participating in strings and orchestra, expanding technology skills, strengthening leadership, and preparing for middle school success.
Enrichment You Can See and Hear
2×
Biannual all-school concerts where strings and orchestra students perform
K–8
Music instruction continues every year through the school's middle school expansion
1st
Manhattan Charter School is the first AI Middle School in New York City
20+
Years serving the Lower East Side community of Manhattan
Enrichment doesn't stop at Grade 5. Students who move on to Manhattan Charter School's middle school continue French and add Spanish through the World Languages program, expand Art into Digital Graphic Arts, and, in grades 5 through 8, explore machine learning, robotics, and data science in the school's dedicated AI Technology Lab, part of what makes MCS the first AI Middle School in New York City.
A Well-Rounded Elementary Charter School Education
Choosing an elementary school is about more than academics. Families want an environment where children feel inspired, supported, and challenged each day. Manhattan Charter School combines high-quality classroom instruction with enrichment opportunities that help students discover their interests while developing skills that support success inside and outside the classroom.
Students participate in engaging lessons that strengthen creativity, communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and digital literacy. Every enrichment class is intentionally designed to complement classroom learning while encouraging curiosity and confidence.
Whether students are creating artwork, learning French, performing music, developing technology skills, or staying active through physical education, each experience contributes to a balanced elementary education. Learn more about our elementary curriculum and our school.
Why Daily Enrichment Matters
Two hours a day is a deliberate choice, not a scheduling afterthought. Here's what it's actually building.
Public elementary schools aren't required to offer daily enrichment across five subjects. Manhattan Charter School builds it into the core schedule because the skills enrichment develops, sustained attention, creative problem-solving, collaboration, and comfort with a second language, are difficult to teach through test-prep instruction alone. A student who studies French from Kindergarten, plays an instrument every day, and moves between drawing, coding, and gym class in the same week is exercising a much wider range of cognitive skills than a student in a purely academic-only schedule.
Music is a good example of how this plays out over time. Because every MCS student receives daily music instruction starting in Kindergarten, the transition into strings and orchestra in Grade 3 isn't a cold start, it's a continuation of habits students have already built: reading notation, listening critically, and performing in front of others. The same logic applies across the enrichment schedule: French, art, and technology all begin in Kindergarten so that by the time students reach Grade 5, they're not beginners in five subjects, they're five years into them.
This is also why enrichment isn't treated as separate from the rest of the school day. Skills built in Art (visual analysis, planning, revision) and Technology (digital citizenship, research, collaboration tools) show up directly in how students approach reading, writing, and math. Families choosing between elementary schools are often really choosing between two different bets: one where enrichment is the first thing cut under time pressure, and one where it's treated as core to how students learn everything else. Manhattan Charter School is built around the second bet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grades are included in the elementary program?
Manhattan Charter School's elementary program serves students in Kindergarten through Grade 5.
How much enrichment do students receive?
Students participate in approximately two hours of enrichment instruction each school day alongside their core academic classes.
What enrichment classes are available?
Students participate in French, Art, Music, Orchestra, Technology, and Health & Fitness throughout the elementary grades.
When do students begin orchestra?
Students begin participating in strings and orchestra instruction in Grade 3 while continuing daily music education.
How big are elementary classes?
Manhattan Charter School keeps an intimate school culture and learning environment, with never more than 25 students in a class.
Is the enrichment program free?
Yes. Manhattan Charter School is a free public charter school, so every enrichment class, French, Art, Music, Orchestra, Technology, and Health & Fitness, is included at no cost to families.
Do students choose their enrichment classes, or is the schedule fixed?
Enrichment is a set part of the daily schedule, not an elective. Every student in a grade rotates through the same subjects, so no child misses out on French, Art, Music, Technology, or Health & Fitness.
What if my child has never studied French or an instrument before?
Enrichment instruction starts from the beginning in Kindergarten, so students build these skills together as a class from day one. Teachers also scaffold instruction for students who join MCS in later grades.
How does elementary enrichment prepare students for middle school?
Skills built in elementary enrichment, including French, music literacy, and technology, carry directly into Manhattan Charter School's middle school programs, such as World Languages, Digital Graphic Arts, and the school's AI + Ethics curriculum.
Can families tour the school before applying?
Yes. Families can schedule a school tour or take a virtual tour to see enrichment classes, core academics, and the school's Lower East Side campus in person before applying.
Ready to Discover Manhattan Charter School?
Our Kindergarten through Grade 5 elementary program combines academic excellence with engaging enrichment opportunities that help students grow into confident learners, creative thinkers, and active members of their community.
