PHILOSOPHY
First and foremost, JCS believes knowledge comes from God and the purpose of education is to give students the opportunity to know and apply God’s law in their daily lives.
In order for JCS to be able to provide quality education to all students, our school follows both the New Jersey standards and the Dominican curriculum standards. In this way, our students will be academically prepared for university, whether in the Dominican Republic or in the United States.
Clear School Mission
At JCS our staff instructs all classes with the goal of adhering to and completing the school mission.
High Expectations for Success
At JCS we maintain a climate of high expectations in which the staff believes and demonstrates that all students can attain mastery of the essential content and school skills.
Instructional Leadership
At JCS the principal acts as an instructional leader and effectively communicates and reiterates our school’s mission to the staff, parents, and students.
Continuous Assessment of Student Progress
At JCS, student academic progress is measured frequently by a variety of assessment procedures. The results of the assessments are used to improve individual student performance and also to improve the instructional program.
Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task
At JCS, teachers plan lessons and activities that are engaging, relevant, and challenging. Students work in various settings, including whole-group, small-group, and individual settings.
Safe and Orderly Environment
At JCS, there is a safe, orderly, and familial atmosphere which is free from the threat of physical harm. The school climate is conducive to teaching and learning.
Home – School Relations
At JCS, parents understand and support the school’s mission and are given the opportunity to play an important role in helping the school to achieve that mission.
In order for JCS to be able to provide quality education to all students, our school follows both the New Jersey standards and the Dominican curriculum standards. In this way, our students will be academically prepared for university, whether in the Dominican Republic or in the United States.
Clear School Mission
At JCS our staff instructs all classes with the goal of adhering to and completing the school mission.
High Expectations for Success
At JCS we maintain a climate of high expectations in which the staff believes and demonstrates that all students can attain mastery of the essential content and school skills.
Instructional Leadership
At JCS the principal acts as an instructional leader and effectively communicates and reiterates our school’s mission to the staff, parents, and students.
Continuous Assessment of Student Progress
At JCS, student academic progress is measured frequently by a variety of assessment procedures. The results of the assessments are used to improve individual student performance and also to improve the instructional program.
Opportunity to Learn and Student Time on Task
At JCS, teachers plan lessons and activities that are engaging, relevant, and challenging. Students work in various settings, including whole-group, small-group, and individual settings.
Safe and Orderly Environment
At JCS, there is a safe, orderly, and familial atmosphere which is free from the threat of physical harm. The school climate is conducive to teaching and learning.
Home – School Relations
At JCS, parents understand and support the school’s mission and are given the opportunity to play an important role in helping the school to achieve that mission.
GOALS
- Student Mastery
Since JCS is a college preparatory institution, the curriculum is taught for student mastery. It is imperative that students master subject matter in one grade before they move on to the next. Because of this strong commitment to student mastery, JCS will not permit students to progress to the next grade level until grade-level subject mastery is achieved. - English Language Instruction
One goal of JCS is to guide our students toward becoming future leaders and productive members of society. Language—mainly, being bilingual in Spanish and English—is a tool we provide to our students to attain this goal. With this in mind, all instruction in grades PK2 through twelfth grade will be carried out in English, with the exception of the courses in Spanish or Sociales, which are required by the Dominican Ministry of Education. - Character Education
Central to the classroom atmosphere is the moral focus. Each month a different character quality or virtue is emphasized. The values or virtues we teach our students include: patience, compassion, humility, solidarity, perseverance, forgiveness, self-control, honesty, and responsibility. Teachers discuss the virtues with the students, read stories that focus on the virtues, model the values in daily life, and encourage students to demonstrate them as well. The moral/spiritual focus is integrated into the curriculum and campus activities to make it as relevant to daily living as possible. - Spiritual Participation
At JCS, we will naturally reflect Christian beliefs, and, at times, we may be in contrast to the religious beliefs held by some of the parents of our students. When this occurs, the parents should exercise tolerance and understanding, recognizing that the school cannot in good conscience waive from the core beliefs of our school.
INSTRUCTION
At JCS, we encourage student-centered learning which places the student at the heart of the learning process, rather than the teacher. This means that our students learn through doing rather than simply listening to their teachers lecture. We utilize a wide range of learning activities such as group work, independent research, projects, and presentations, as well as traditional exercises and evaluations to ensure that every student engages with the material in a meaningful way. Our courses are designed to foster critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving skills alongside the course content to ensure that our students are well prepared for life after high school.
We have implemented this teaching method for the following reasons:
We have implemented this teaching method for the following reasons:
- Children’s Behavior
Children need to move and explore; denying them such opportunities often leads to misbehavior or boredom. As our students move about the room and become engaged in their own learning process at their own pace, they become more responsible, self-motivated, and self-disciplined academically, socially, and personally. - Children’s Independence
The level of independence our students have in choosing their own learning process gives them a sense of empowerment and self-confidence. These are tools that drive our students to grow and develop to their maximum potential. - Differentiation and Individualized Learning
Student-based learning allows teachers to give one-on-one attention while other students are working independently. The children are constantly engaged in exploring new skills and information, which gives teachers time to rotate around the room to evaluate and give feedback, to extend lessons for those who need a challenge, and to give additional explanations to struggling students. - The Inclusion of Art, Music, and Physical Movement
Our teachers seek to include enrichment such as art, music, and physical movement to convey and apply essential information. Our students tend to really enjoy these activities and, therefore, are thoroughly engaged in the content and skills they are learning. - Academic Learning
Student-based learning allows information to be constructed as the children explore and experiment with new ideas and materials. In this way, our students gain a better understanding of how things work because they have the opportunity to explore the content themselves, making them more likely to retain the information they learn and be able to relate it to other concepts.
CURRICULUM
- United States of America - New Jersey State Standards
- English Language Arts
- Mathematics
- Social Studies
- Science
- Computer Science
- Bible Studies
- Career Readiness
- Dominican Republic Ministry of Education
- Lengua Española
- Ciencias Sociales
- Educación Física
- Arte
COURSES
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Elementary (Grades K – 5th)
Our elementary school offers an academic program based upon both United States and Dominican standards. Students in Kindergarten to 5th grade receive half of their academic instruction in English with their homeroom teacher and half in Spanish with specialist subject teachers. This balance gradually shifts towards them having more specialist teachers in upper elementary to prepare them for the transition to middle school, while the lower elementary students are with their homeroom teachers for most of the day. |
Schedule
Arrival: 7:30-8:00 AM Recess/Break: 9:00 (K-2nd) 9:50 (3-5th) Lunch: 12:00 (K-2nd) 12:50 (3-5th) Pick Up: 3:15 PM |
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Middle School (Grades 6th – 8th)
Our middle school program is designed to help students transition from elementary school to high school. Students rotate between specialist subject teachers for the first time, only seeing their homeroom teacher during homeroom time in the morning and on Fridays. The school day becomes slightly longer as students progress to this level and the longer classes allow for more in-depth studying. We aim to develop students’ independence and encourage them to start taking responsibility for their own learning. |
Schedule
Arrival: 7:30-8:00 AM Recess/Break: 10:30 AM Lunch: 1:30 PM Pick Up: 3:50 PM |
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High School (Grades 9th – 12th)
Our high school program is designed to prepare graduates for further study and to be productive citizens in whichever field they choose to pursue. It is the students’ responsibility to maintain the established grade point average (GPA) and conduct record. At this level, students receive a truly bilingual education and are expected to make regular progress towards either Dominican or U.S. college admission. |
Schedule
Arrival: 7:30-8:00 AM Recess/Break: 10:30 AM Lunch: 1:30 PM Pick Up: 3:50 PM |
