Curriculum
The faculty and staff at St. Edward are dedicated to educating the whole child. The school strives to support, encourage, and nurture each student’s spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional growth. St. Edward offers a well-rounded curriculum of academic course work as well as physical education, technology skills, Spanish language instruction, and music integration. Our goal is that all students will reach their potential to make a difference in the world through working hard and living out Gospel values.
TRANSITIONAL KINDERGARTEN
Transitional Kindergarten (TK) emphasizes language, pre- literacy, and early math based on the California Kindergarten Standards, and uses developmentally appropriate strategies and foundations for Kindergarten students. It is the first year of a two-year kindergarten program that uses a modified kindergarten curriculum that is age and developmentally appropriate. Many students benefit academically, socially, and developmentally from the time provided. The children incorporate learning through various activities that enhance gross and fine motor skills as well as self-confidence and creativity.
THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS
Building on the best of existing state standards, the Common Core State Standards provide clear and consistent learning goals to help prepare students for college, career, and life. The standards clearly demonstrate what students are expected to learn at each grade level, so that every parent and teacher can understand and support their learning.
- Research and evidence based
- Clear, understandable, and consistent
- Aligned with college and career expectations
- Based on rigorous content and the application of knowledge through higher-order thinking skills
- Built upon the strengths and lessons of current state standards
- Informed by other top-performing countries to prepare all students for success in our global economy and society
According to the best available evidence, the mastery of each standard is essential for success in college, career, and life in today’s global economy. St. Edward School follows the Common Core Standards:
NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS
We recognize that science is a core academic subject with an allotted share of instructional time and resources, and that there must be careful and deliberate articulation of the Diocesan Guidelines across grade levels. In order for students to succeed in meeting Diocesan and California State Science Standards, we provide the following goals:
- Promote scientific inquiry and enthusiasm for science by motivating students to investigate the natural world in an atmosphere of curiosity, open-mindedness, integrity, and patience
- Utilize Diocesan Guidelines as well as additional curriculum/resources to incorporate science across multiple disciplines
- Introduce all students, starting in the primary grades, to scientific vocabulary and methods, in order to provide them with the essential knowledge necessary to understand and apply scientific concepts
- Challenge students to become active problem solvers, to differentiate fact from fiction, and to develop critical reading and thinking skills
- Create a student-centered environment that encourages exploration and application of scientific processes. Methodologies may include hands-on experiences, cooperative learning, experimentation, inquiry-based activities, and appropriate use of technological resources
- Evaluate student performance using a variety of assessments, including those with appropriate modifications and accommodations for differentiated learners
- Empower students with the skills necessary to make educated and ethical decisions concerning their own lives and their local and global communities