Lower School

As the Principal of Pine Lake Preparatory Lower School, it is my pleasure to welcome you on behalf of a strong educational team.  In fact, the Lower School is recognized in the top 1% of elementary schools in North Carolina by U.S. News & World Report. Our experienced staff strive to educate our children for college and a purposeful life through a challenging academic program focused on our core values:  

PRIDE (Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Drive to Excellence, Empathy)

Not only do we seek these values in our students, but also demonstrate these values in ourselves as educators.  

Academic excellence is at the core of the work we do.  We believe that if children are fluent readers at an early age, they will not only be successful in their learning, but also confident students throughout their academic years.  Research-based literacy instruction is delivered by highly qualified teachers in a minimum of 90-minutes per day.  Math is a key to success in the 21st Century, and the Lower School is committed to a vigorous program of instruction so our students are able to excel, contributing to strong 21st Century skills and opening up opportunities in STEM.  The Lower School also offers curricula in fine arts, STEM and Spanish.  We offer a Spanish Dual Immersion program as well as daily conversational Spanish classes.

Along with academic excellence, the Lower School is also committed to the social and emotional well-being of our students.  We offer site-based counseling and social skills training to help students form positive relationships.  We encourage students to be kind and to take a stand against bullying.  We stress PRIDE in our students and reinforce this through appropriate role modeling.  

Pine Lake Prep is a great place to be!

Shelly Sims, Lower School Principal 

Lower School Contacts