Lower School Tour

Welcome to Hampton Roads Academy! As you find a spot in our visitor parking, please head toward our main entrance, between the two flagpoles.
Our receptionist will buzz you in. Please sign in with her and she will direct you to the Office of Admission, the glass enclosed offices to the left.
Meet the Admission Team! Rebecca Bresee, James Hicks (center), and Michelle Ford are pleased you are here. Let’s head to the Lower School halls with Rebecca.
HRA has 15 grade levels, PreK(for 3s), JuniorK(for 4s), and K though 12. We all share one large building but the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools occupy separate designated areas within the building so that they can do their own thing in their own spaces. This is the Anne Doug Spencer Student Commons, mainly an Upper School space, but used by all for various activities before, during and after school hours.
Here in the adjacent Phillips Commons, if we turn left, we will enter the Upper School spaces. We are turning right, and heading toward Lower School.
As we head toward Lower School, we walk through the Middle School Halls. Middle School at HRA is grades 5 through 8. This division occupies the “59 Wing”, the original halls first built 60 years ago to serve the first HRA students. You may notice that there are no locks on our lockers and charging stations throughout the hallways. This is a result of our well-respected Honor Code.
Next we will turn left to head down the Administrative Hallway, housing the HRA Business Office (financial affairs), Nurses Clinic (a full time nurse on staff) and….
The office of our Head of School, Peter Mertz! Mr. Mertz has led HRA for the past nine years and has been the visionary credited with multiple physical and programmatic additions to our school, including the latest addition, the new Lower School and Dining Hall wing. We are headed there now!
On the way, we are moving through HRA Fine Arts. HRA has robust programming in both visual and performing arts across all the divisions. This is the Stacy Philips ’03 Fine Arts Gallery, with ever changing student art displays. The Gallery is also the lobby to…..
Lassen Auditorium, a 500 seat theater that houses activities from Middle and Upper School homeroom meetings to the performing arts classes in all grade levels. Your child will be up on that stage several times each year, wowing you with their public speaking (and singing!) capabilities!
We’re here! The Early Childhood Learning wing houses PreK, Junior K, and Kindergarten classrooms and bathrooms.
This hallway is the happiest place on campus for many of us. I always say, if you are having a “down” day, just go watch the PreK for a bit!
And here it is! HRA Pre Kindergarten is for students who are 3 years of age by the start of the school year, are fully potty-independent, and ready for a “school” program rather than a daycare setting.
Students who enter HRA in the early years have the ability to spend 2-3 years on this hallway. The continuity of knowing the next teacher (and them knowing you!) is a wonderful feeling for both students and parents. This is Kindergarten – just across the hallway!
HRA helps students learn to read in Junior Kindergarten, so those students are ready to hit the ground reading right from the start in Kindergarten. HRA Kindergarten also utilizes a solid writing program along with reading and a first grade math curriculum that creates a comprehensive foundation for the faster-paced HRA Lower School program.
HRA Kindergarten creates a strong foundation in reading and comprehension by utilizing both sight-word recognition and phonics. The combination of these methods is something that crosses all areas of the Kindergarten Curriculum.
Adjacent to The Early Childhood Learning wing is the “rest” of Lower School – located in the new wing (opened January 2020).
On the way we are passing the Martha H. Patten Hydroponics Lab. This 1,000 square foot hydroponics lab will allow all students to grow their own foods while learning lessons in science, math, economics and entrepreneurship. Recently I saw Second Grade in there with Mrs. Massengill, one of the Lower School Science Specialists planting, measuring and recording data in their lab journals.
Each Division has a lead Administrator who leads the way for faculty, students and families. The Lower School offices are straight ahead.
Meet Susanne Swain! Mrs. Swain is an HRA alumnae and has served in many teaching and administrative capacities during the last 20 years. She has led the Lower School of the past eight. Please feel free to contact her at sswain@hra.org to ask questions.
To our left is where First through Fourth Grade magic happens! The Rona and Erwin Drucker Lower School - 12 large classrooms flank a large community space where both intra-grade collaboration and makerspace activities occur all week long.
This Third Grade classroom is a great example of the size and one potential (there are multitudes!) set-up. Faculty are encouraged to revamp their spaces to suit their needs for different activities throughout the week / month / year.
Right outside this classroom is the Playground. Each grade gets time daily on the playground, weather permitting. A large, mulched area houses swings, slides, and gym structures. Just beyond is a blacktop for ball and chalk play. And beyond that – The Lower School Garden - an integral part of our science curriculum.
Now on to many Lower School students’ favorite location at HRA – The Mary and Larry Pope Dining Hall!! All HRA students move through this space in waves: first Lower, then Middle, then Upper Schools.
The Early Childhood classrooms are served by the dining hall in their classrooms, but grades 1 through 4 move through the food service line, choosing one of two hot options (one is vegetarian) or a variety of prepared sandwiches and salads. Lunch is a full part of the HRA program and is included in tuition, so all students enjoy fresh and healthy meals.
Students and faculty eat family style in the Lower School. Each table is supervised by a Lower School teacher.
We are on our way again, past the Hydroponics lab and out to the Lower School Resource wing.
HRA Lower Schoolers are fortunate to have weekly access to seven resource classes, each with an early childhood specialist covering topics in Art (this classroom!), Music, Spanish, Library…..
Physical Education…..
Science Lab, and…….
Technology. Some of these classes, like PE and Spanish occur multiple times in the weekly rotation. Students are moving around daily and are exposed to multiple teachers, teaching styles and subject areas not found in many schools.
As we head back toward the Admission Office, you will see that we have simply made a loop through one end of our school building! All Lower School activities in one (large) place, all convenient and suited to their developmental and age-group needs.
On our way back, let’s talk about after school care. The HRA Lower School day begins with carline drop off (or walk in with you!) between 7:30 and 8 a.m. The school day ends at 2:35 p.m. M-Th, 2:15 p.m. on Friday. If you need an after school program, we’ve got you covered!
HRA ECE (Extended Care and Enrichment) is available for an additional fee until 5:30 p.m. each afternoon. This supervised play / homework / activity time is very popular! Feel free to contact Shirley Tanguy, stangu@hra.org for additional information or to inquire about the Enrichment classes offered within that program.
Well, here we are again! We hope you have enjoyed your tour of the HRA Lower School. We would love to invite you back to the office to discuss the simple admission process for next year. May we offer you a personal appointment? admissions@hra.org
After signing out at the front desk, you are on your way. We look forward to your next visit! It's a GREAT time to be a Navigator!

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