At Presbyterian School, creativity buzzes in every classroom, hallway, and stage. Our Fine Arts program—rich in opportunities for visual art, music, theater, and design—exists because of intentional leadership and inspired vision. At the heart of it all is Courtney Daniell-Knapp, our Director of Fine Arts, whose energy and imagination drive the program forward.

Our youngest learners recently rolled up their sleeves and dove headfirst into Messy Days—a joyful celebration of sensory exploration and hands-on learning! Each Early Childhood grade level enjoyed a day filled with tactile, colorful, and delightfully messy activities designed to spark curiosity and creativity.

In the brightly lit art studio on the fourth floor of Founders Hall, Lower School artists recently embarked on a creative exploration inspired by Wassily Kandinsky, one of the founding figures of abstract art. Kandinsky, who transformed the visual arts by integrating music into painting, believed that visual elements could communicate emotion just as profoundly as melody and rhythm.

Our Middle School cross country team is blazing through the season, running with determination, focus, and an unstoppable drive. With incredible perseverance and accomplishment, our 6th grade boys remained undefeated and in first place for four cross country meets this season. From early morning practices to challenging meets across the city, our young athletes are not just competing—they’re excelling, proving that middle school runners can set the pace both on the course and in character.

Each week, Presbyterian School’s fourth grade students walk just a few blocks from campus to visit their service learning partner, The Nehemiah Center—a vibrant nonprofit in Houston founded by members of First Presbyterian Church. With arms full of faith-based storybooks and hearts filled with excitement, our students spend time reading to preschoolers while fostering both literacy and meaningful connections.

The Middle School Days of Service at Presbyterian School reflect the School’s longstanding commitment to compassion, community, and faith in action. By dedicating separate service days for each grade level, students deepen relationships with local partners while learning the values of empathy, respect, and responsibility. Through hands-on projects and reflective prayer, they discover their capacity to make a meaningful difference and embrace the call to serve others, embodying the teachings of Jesus in both word and deed.

What does one million words look like? For our middle school students, it looks like stacks of books, hours of imagination, and a whole lot of determination. This fall, students are diving into the Million Word Challenge, a reading initiative designed to inspire both a love of literature and a sense of accomplishment.

Presbyterian School kicked off its first Window into Wellness event with a focus on first aid—an essential life skill that builds confidence, responsibility, and care for others. Through hands-on activities, from scavenger hunts in Early Childhood to practical first aid practice in Middle School, students discovered how even simple actions can make a meaningful difference in supporting the health and well-being of themselves and those around them

Presbyterian School recently concluded an inspiring Wellness Week, a school-wide initiative focused on nurturing the holistic development of students, faculty, and parents. By emphasizing physical, spiritual, mental, social, and emotional wellness, the program reflected the School's commitment to preparing students to thrive as healthy, well-rounded individuals.

ArtReach, established in the earliest years of our school, has grown into a beloved program that extends the enriching experiences our students enjoy to their parents, grandparents, and now alumni. This unique program capitalizes on our incredible location in the heart of Houston’s Museum District, offering our extended school community access to world-class cultural experiences.

At the core of the 5th grade science curriculum lie two fundamental pillars: understanding the interplay between Earth's geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, and exploring how communities utilize scientific knowledge to safeguard our planet's resources and environment. These concepts serve as the guiding stars throughout the academic year, shaping students' inquiries and discoveries. Taking a cue from Presbyterian School's motto, "As children of God, we respect ourselves, each other, and the environment," students began exploring how humans (themselves included) have a responsibility as children of God to respect the environment.

Early Childhood students at Presbyterian School are joyfully learning about God’s never-ending love and how to share it with others. Through chapel lessons, they are discovering that Jesus is the light of the world and that they, too, can shine His light by the way they treat others. This year, our youngest learners are putting that love into action in two meaningful ways—decorating lunch bags for Kids’ Meals, a Houston-based nonprofit fighting childhood hunger, and practicing gratitude within our own school community by creating heartfelt expressions of thanks for the many helpers who care for and support them each day. In both big and small ways, EC students are modeling the power of gratitude, kindness, and love in action.

As part of the school’s efforts to foster spiritual growth in young minds, our Chaplain, Brenton Smith, has curated a list of book recommendations for children at various stages of development. These books, suitable for infants to preteens, provide meaningful ways for children to explore their faith, understand Scripture, and grow in their relationship with God. These thoughtfully selected books offer families tools to engage their children in conversations about faith, Scripture, and God’s love. From introducing Bible stories to helping children understand God’s presence in their lives, these resources provide a foundation for a lifelong spiritual journey. Chaplain Brenton Smith’s recommendations ensure that children of all ages have access to stories that reflect Presbyterian School’s commitment to both academic and spiritual education.

Presbyterian School jumped right into election season—PS Style! In an effort to educate all Presbyterian School students about the unique electoral process that characterizes presidential politics in the United States, the School will hold its own election on Election Day, Tuesday, November 5, 2024. 

Lower School Art teacher Terry Flores has been guiding students on a vibrant exploration of color theory through a project that intertwines artistic skill-building with the core value of perseverance. Inspired by this year's focus on perseverance, the project spans all Lower School grades (1st - 5th) and draws its initial spark from the beloved children's book, The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds.

Presbyterian School (PS) and First Presbyterian Church (FPC) share a rich history rooted in a mutual vision of education, faith, and community. Since its founding, Presbyterian School has been a vital part of First Presbyterian Church’s mission to create a nurturing, Christ-centered environment for families in Houston.

Early Childhood music classes at Presbyterian School are a celebration of harmony between music and language, led by the inspiring Early Childhood Music Specialist, Vasti Adkins. Through her unique approach of singing books, Vasti creates a magical learning environment where students are captivated by the beauty of storytelling through melody. “Singing is the only musical activity that incorporates text to convey a specific message,” she explains, emphasizing her goal of seamlessly integrating language into music. This creates powerful moments where the two art forms come together, capturing the wonder and attention of her young students.

At the heart of our mission to foster personal growth and development, Christy Heno, PS Culture and Engagement coach, is introducing Clifton StrengthsExplorer assessments to our 6th-grade students. This process is a crucial part of student's middle school journey, helping each student discover his/her unique talents while developing the confidence and self-awareness needed for success.

For over thirty years, Presbyterian School has held one core belief at the heart of its mission: the family is an essential partner in the educational journey. This partnership extends far beyond the classroom, embracing parents, grandparents, faculty members, and friends in the broader learning community. Our Parent Education Program is a reflection of this commitment, offering a diverse curriculum designed to engage parents with topics that support the development of students from Early Childhood through Middle School.

To help ease the transition to High School, our Head of Middle School, Brandon Walker and his team have crafted a comprehensive and structured approach, starting in the spring of seventh grade and continuing throughout the eighth grade year. The main goal is to demystify the high school admissions process, reduce anxiety, and provide support for parents and their eighth graders as they prepare to leave Presbyterian School.

This week marked an exciting time for our middle school students as they drew their Core Value Houses! These mixed-grade level houses are a new initiative designed to foster community and integrate the school’s core values into a variety of activities throughout the year. From competitions and assemblies to the Student Senate election process, these houses will serve as a foundation for collaboration and growth among students.