3rd Grade

3rd Grade is a transition year where students begin to become more independent.

In 3rd grade, we focus on developing a “Growth Mindset” in order to be open to the new challenges and responsibilities that the students face this year. Students utilize planners for the first time to keep on top of long-term assignments and work from different teachers. Morning Meeting activities continue to follow the responsive classroom model, and they are integral to building and strengthening the classroom community.

After three years of gentle public speaking preparation, 3rd graders are ready for Current Events! In this discipline, students learn how to identify a newsworthy article, analyze the information and present it in their own words in front of the class. By the end of the year, students are able to speak confidently and clearly, maintain eye contact, and present material in an easy, natural way.

Small-group study in math, reading, and spelling helps to prepare the students for the rigor of the upper elementary grades. Writing Workshop focuses on personal narratives, information writing, and fairy tales, and students combine their writing and public speaking skills through persuasive speeches. Reading Workshop’s time is split between fiction and nonfiction texts, as students at this age shift from “learning to read” and are now “reading to learn.”

Field Trips

Field trips are also carefully chosen to tie into the curriculum with the visit to the La Brea Tar Pits, Upward Bound House relating directly to social issues in reading, the California Science Center visit tying into the science curriculum, and a visit to the Autry Museum of the American West bringing to life Native American studies.

Meet the Team

List of 5 items.

Haley Skiba

Born and raised in Pacific Palisades, Haley is now living her dream of raising her own children there. After attending Corpus Christi Elementary School and Marymount High School, she received a bachelor’s degree in communication while playing volleyball at UCLA and snowboarding at the University of Colorado, Boulder, and an education degree at Denver Metropolitan State. Filling in for Grace Bowermaster as a long-term substitute teacher in 3rd grade, Haley is so happy to be back teaching at Carlthorp after taking time away to raise her children, now 8 and 6. On the weekends, you can find her playing beach volleyball, surfing, or heading to Mammoth with her family and dog, Fisher.
Lisa George

Lisa graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a double major in Liberal Studies and Dance. She was on both the swimming and the water polo teams there. Lisa has a Master’s in Educational Psychology from California State University, Northridge. She began her teaching career in the 2nd grade classroom at Pinecrest, Chatsworth, where she had also attended middle school. Lisa joined the Carlthorp School faculty in 1998. Since then she has taught 1st and 2nd grades, as well as reading to grades 4-6. Currently she enjoys playing tennis, running, reading, volunteering, raising her two children, and caring for numerous pets.
Cassidy Dalton

Cassidy is a native Californian and received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Oregon, where she was a TK teacher on campus for four years. She then earned her master’s degree in teaching and credential from Pepperdine University. After teaching 1st and 3rd grade in Manhattan Beach, Cassidy is entering her 2nd year at Carlthorp as a 3A teacher! When Cassidy is not teaching, she likes to go to the beach, go on long walks, travel, and spend time with her family and friends!
Tara Prieto

This California native and two-time Trojan is so excited to return to Carlthorp as a math instructor for upper grade students. Tara graduated from USC’s Marshall School of Business while working in the university’s football recruiting department. After enjoying a career in professional athlete representation, Tara returned to USC, earning her first Master of Arts at the Rossier School of Education. While teaching at St. Brendan School, she earned her California elementary teaching credential and a second Master of Arts at Loyola Marymount University.

Just prior to joining the Carltorp community, she taught 4th and 5th grade Math and English Language Arts in Chicago Public Schools. During this time, she worked to earn her Illinois Math Endorsement and English as a Second Language Endorsement.

When she is not teaching, she is creating adventures and learning. Through true serendipity, she has been able to: witness both Venus and Serena play at Wimbledon, watch Muhammad Ali light the torch at the 1996 Olympics, attend Barack Obama’s first Presidential Inauguration, get surprise recognition on the Ellen Show after students started a letter writing campaign, and see Hamilton seven times from LA to Chicago to London.
Grace Bowermaster

Grace grew up in Southern California and is happy to return home after teaching in cities around the country. Grace received her bachelor’s degree at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, followed by her teaching credential at Long Beach State. She then moved to Palo Alto to teach 2nd and 3rd grade. While in Palo Alto, she became interested in advocacy and equity in education. She moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington for her master’s degree in education leadership and policy studies. After Seattle, she ventured to New York to teach third grade on the Upper East Side. During her free time, she likes to run, hike, play volleyball, go to the beach, travel, read, and hang out with her husband, dog, family, and friends! Currently, she is completing a part-time program at Long Beach State to become a literacy specialist.