Academics
Londonderry School offers a preschool through middle school program emphasizing the development of the whole child.
From Early Childhood learning (Pre-K through 2nd Grade), and Elementary and Middle School (3rd through 8th Grade), we work with the students in areas of social, emotional, cognitive, creative, and physical development are all considered important aspects of Londonderry’s integrated and enriching school curriculum. Primary emphasis is given to the development of the child’s self-esteem as the necessary foundation for successful learning and social interaction.
To follow the Londonderry way, we stick to these important rules:
We believe it's just as important to help kids feel excited and curious about learning as it is to teach them facts and skills.
Learning should help kids ask good questions, solve problems, and think carefully, not just memorize things.
Kids learn best when they are doing hands-on activities and can talk and work with their teacher and classmates.
Kids learn more when the lessons connect to their own interests and real-life experiences. Teachers try to plan flexible lessons that include what kids care about.
School should include all kinds of learning—like art, music, gym, outdoor play, cooking, and using computers—in a way that feels natural and fun.
Smaller class sizes help kids get more one-on-one attention. Having strong relationships with teachers over many years helps create a warm, caring school.
Mixing kids of different ages helps everyone learn and feel like part of a school family. It lets kids grow and learn at their own speed in a safe and happy place.
Each child should move through the lessons at their own pace, getting extra help when needed and being challenged when they’re ready.
Teachers and kids should respect each other. Teachers can use their own special talents and ideas to help students grow.
Parents play a big role in helping Londonderry be a great school and in guiding what the school does in the future.
More Ways We Learn
Human Rights Program
At Londonderry, one of our goals is to help students become caring and responsible people. In 7th and 8th grade, students learn about history by looking at important events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. They talk about fairness, kindness, and how people should treat each other.
Students learn that even one person can make a big difference in the world. They also learn how powerful words can be—how they can hurt or help others. This helps students understand why it’s important to stand up against hate and treat everyone with respect.
Band
In middle school band, students learn to play fun and exciting songs. They take turns playing drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, and singing. Sometimes other instruments are added too, depending on what the group needs or wants. The main type of music they play is rock, in many different styles.
Students also learn the basics of music and how to use their equipment, like microphones and amps. Some groups have even made their own albums! One of the most important things they learn is how to work together as a band. They practice listening, taking turns, being patient, and showing respect. At the end of the year, they show off what they’ve learned with a concert for their friends and families.
Wacky Wednesday
Wacky Wednesdays started with the idea that kids should be able to learn about things they’re really interested in. From the beginning, Londonderry students were encouraged to pick topics they wanted to explore. Parents and people from the community who knew about those topics were invited to come in and teach special classes.
These fun classes have covered all kinds of things, like cooking, sewing, playing instruments like violin and clarinet, learning French and Latin, writing stories, taking photos, doing yoga, and studying plants, animals, electricity, and more. Other popular classes have included mythology, cake decorating, manners, flag football, hiking, meditation, and board games.
All-School Play
The All-School Play is one of the biggest and most special events at Londonderry each year. Every spring, students, teachers, and staff spend lots of time working together to create a fun musical that also shows what Londonderry is all about.
Students help write scenes and come up with characters. They make costumes and sets, learn lines, songs, and dances, and even help with things like lights and sound. From preschool through eighth grade, everyone takes part in some way. It’s truly a play for the whole school, where everyone shares their talents and works hard to put on an amazing show.
Camping Trips
Rain! Foil pack dinners! The fossil pit! The stick game! Even more rain! Hiking! Mountain pies and s’mores! Snacks from the store! Cooking, cleaning up, and telling stories around the campfire! Gathering wood! And sometimes there’s cold, wind, bugs, and even snow! Most kids remember these fun (and sometimes messy) parts of the camping trips.
But the best part of the trips is the way they bring everyone closer—students and adults. Parents and kids often discover how great it feels to be out in nature, even when it’s challenging.
What started as a one-night school sleepover turned into a special 3-day Londonderry tradition. For almost 40 years, these trips have helped kids learn to care about the environment by experiencing it—working together, having fun, and supporting one another outdoors.
STEAM
KidWind is a fun competition where students build wind turbines and solar panels to learn about green energy.
Working in teams, they test, fix, and rebuild their designs to make them better. It’s all about hands-on learning, teamwork, and trying new ideas. The competition happens at the state, regional, and world levels, with Pennsylvania’s event held at Penn State.
Londonderry has been part of KidWind since 2012 and has competed every year since. Their teams have won state championships, gone to worlds, broken records, and even won a kindness award called the “Spirit of KidWind.” But win or lose, the best part is seeing students light up when their projects come to life.
Start their adventure today.
Prospective students are encouraged to spend a day in the classroom before families make a final decision.