Skip Navigation

ECE and Elementary School Curriculum

 
At SCS, the foundation of college readiness begins with our youngest learners.  Santiago Christian School utilizes balanced, research-based, developmentally appropriate curricula to combine with rich classroom experiences to inspire in students a love of learning.  The Elementary division focuses on fundamental academic skills, language acquisition, appropriate responses to emotions, friendship and play skills, and an introduction to God and the Bible.
 
Early Childhood Education Program
The development of communication skills (reading/writing and speaking/listening) is the heart of the ECE program, beginning with simple sentence formation in PK3 to the early stages of writing stories and journals in kindergarten. Beginning in PreK, non-fiction works from our 10,000-volume English library are introduced to enhance science and social studies themes. Creativity and confidence are nurtured in art, music, and physical education. The creation story and Jesus' birth are central themes of Bible class in PreK.  Play-based activities are utilized to teach educational content in a way that is developmentally appropriate to students.
 
Beginning in kindergarten, classroom instruction is aligned to Common Core State Standards in the United States.  Students begin to transition to a mixed layout which combines play-based learning with collaborative and teacher-led instruction.  Content includes English language and literacy skills, scientific discovery, mathematical concepts, and physical and social development.  
 
Elementary School Program
Students in grades 1 through 6 continue proceeding through our curriculum that is aligned to the United States Common Core State Standards. Students are assessed on a standards-based grading scale.  Standards-based grading allows teachers to indicate whether students are progressing toward or have achieved a standard.  This provides greater clarity for students and parents in determining the areas of each subject that are mastered or in-progress.  The core subject areas are listed below:
  • The research-based HMH Into Reading curriculum is utilized in grades K-6 for teaching English language arts.  Into Reading is differentiated by design to offer a balanced approach to literacy instruction, to support teachers in developing a culture of learning and growth, and to help all learners believe in the power of "I can." Lower elementary grades also receive direct instruction in phonics based on the Heggerty curriculum.
  • HMH Into Mathematics curriculum is utilized in grades K-6 to support students as they develop their conceptual understanding and grow into procedurally fluent mathematicians.  The curriculum focuses on answering the "why" behind the "how". HMH Into Math emphasizes the importance of establishing conceptual understanding and reinforces that understanding with procedural practice. The learning model asks students to first develop their reasoning before connecting their understanding to concepts and skills.
  • Students in K-6 learn the Bible through Deep Roots Bible curriculum.  This curriculum lays the groundwork of worldview education for our youngest students as they learn about the Creation, Fall, and Redemption of mankind. They also learn to view the world through the distinct relationships God created: our relationship with the Creator, with each other, with ourselves, and with his creation. 
  • FOSS (Full Option Science System) is a research-based science curriculum for grades K-6 that has been successfully used in the United States for more than 40 years. The FOSS Program bridges research and practice by providing tools and strategies to engage students and teachers in enduring experiences that lead to deeper understanding of the natural and designed worlds.  
  • Spanish and Sociales instructors utilize nationally approved teaching materials which meet the requirements of the Dominican Ministry of Education.