Our goal is to create powerful learning opportunities both in the classroom and through a vast array of extracurricular activities. The curriculum comprises:
Language Arts:
Students raise the reading, writing and critical thinking skills they will need to be fruitful in the 21st century. The Language Arts and Reading Program focuses on these areas:
Reading comprehension helps students be energetic constructors of meaning. They are asked to bring purpose and life experiences to the text using one or more of the following general reading process strategies: activating prior knowledge, connecting life experiences to the text, setting purposes for reading, predicting, decoding text, summarizing, visualizing, questioning, monitoring understanding, using clarifying and corrective strategies, and reflecting and applying meaning.
Vocabulary/word study helps students learn prefixes, suffixes, and word roots to build basic vocabulary skills and individual words are studied to increase student vocabulary. Thus, when students encounter unfamiliar terms as they read, they are then able to use the knowledge of word parts and the context clues to decipher these new words.
Fluency means that students say the words they are reading automatically and accurately. Fluent readers read (sound out) or recognize words in text with minimal errors, and read orally with expression.
Writing is the active procedure that evolves as students are challenged to write for a variety of purposes, to express individual feelings and thoughts, inform, persuade and respond to literature. Students also write for a wide array of audiences and are taught the appropriate ways to address these audiences’ needs.
Language usage ensures that students have the needed background in grammar and language usage in order to express themselves verbally and in writing. All students learn the basic mechanics and structural elements of English and how to apply these when speaking and writing.
Mathematics
The program gives students strong academic preparation for success in high school and future careers. Students learn important skills and concepts. They also continue to master skills in: Algebra, Patterns and Functions, Geometry, Measurement, Statistics, Probability, Number Relationships and Computation, Trigonometry.
Teachers use a variety of instructional resources and technology to help students communicate, reason, think critically and become lifelong learners. These learning experiences ensure that students are successful on local, state and national assessments.
Sciences
The program is designed to guarantee that all students can use and apply scientific knowledge.
Students learn science by acquiring knowledge and constructing explanations of natural phenomena. Then they test those explanations and communicate their findings both in oral and written forms. Through this process, students develop a deep understanding of science that combines knowledge and facts with reasoning and critical thinking.
These learning experiences, which incorporate a variety of instructional resources and technology, ensure that students are successful on local, state and national assessments. They also help develop successful and productive citizens who understand the impact of science on their daily lives. The program provides instruction in the core courses of Chemistry and Physics and Biology.
Social Studies
Students study about the history of different civilizations and countries in order to understand the economic, political and social systems that helped them evolve. They also discover the five themes of geography, location, place, human-environment interaction, movement and region. All of this helps them to be responsible members of a national and global community