Academics
Heights Christian Schools provide a challenging, coherent and relevant curriculum for each student through the implementation of programs and mechanisms that encourage broad participation and clearly stated objectives. We select and implement research-based curriculum that is designed to meet or exceed the state and national standards while also ensuring that it does not conflict with our mission statement and goals as a Christian school. In conjunction with a rigorous academic portfolio, we provide a wide variety of educational enhancements and supplemental materials.
Common Core
HCS’ Position Statement on Common Core State Standards (CCSS)
At HCS, we exceed state and national standards by providing a higher level of learning and content; our standards aim for higher and broader goals, considering the state standards and national standards to be a minimum. As a system, we will routinely evaluate our schools’ academic plan and determine to what degree it matches, exceeds, or falls short of the CCSS. We will prioritize the important standards and ensure that they are being met and/or exceeded. Ultimately, at HCS, we will adhere uncompromisingly to our mission, and will continue to make educational decisions that are consistent with our Christian worldview and our Expected School-wide Learning Results (The Big 5), providing a robust and rigorous academic plan at every level designed to meet the needs of each individual learner within our system.
Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader (AR) is participated in by our elementary students. At the start of the year, students are tested by their teacher to determine their current reading level. The student then selects a book (from the school library or public library) that is at their reading level, and reads at their own pace.
After reading the book, the student answers several comprehension questions about the book to earn AR points. Each book is worth a certain number of AR points. Students can look up how many AR points a book is worth by going online to ARbookfind.com
Throughout the year, teachers work with students to set reading goals that are challenging yet attainable to earn AR points. This helps keep students motivated to read. As students read, it is exciting for them to watch the AR points grow, as they move closer to their individual goals.
Home Connect
Parents can monitor their child’s reading progress by viewing their child’s scores and AR points through Home Connect. You will need your child’s AR user name and password, which can be obtained from your child’s teacher.
Home Connect Login
Field Trips
Students go on multiple classroom trips during the school year. These trips encourage learning outside the classroom, upper grade students will take extended trips to destinations that coincide with classroom curriculum.
Extended Special Trips
Extended special trips are educational in nature, and designed to enhance student knowledge by providing hands-on opportunities planned in conjunction with the curriculum. Well planned and chaperoned, the special trips extend the students’ learning beyond the classroom, and provide unique bonding opportunities with classmates. Extended special trips include San Diego (3rd), Sacramento (4th), Outdoor Education (5th and 6th), Junior Theater Festival (5th-8th), Music Tour (7th and 8th), West Coast Trip (8th) and East Coast Trip (8th).
Technology
The use of technology is used throughout the campus to improve both communication and learning. In the arena of technology, our goal is to ensure that students at all levels receive high quality technology access and instruction to gain technological power-the power to communicate, process information, and be productive. It is our goal to prepare the student, by the introduction of terminology, skills and abilities to function as a productive member in business, vocation and society, and to glorify God in all that we do.
Growing availability of centralized and distributed technology has allowed HCS to continue to integrate technology into the existing curriculum and across the campus. HCS has embarked on a 1:1 Tech Plan that is being implemented on the campuses over the course of three years. In addition to smartboard technology in the classrooms, in the lower grades (TK-2nd), students use iPads, and in the upper grades (3rd-8th), students use Chromebooks.
Success
HCS believes that every child is created in the image of God, created for His glory, each uniquely and wonderfully made. God created some children who learn rapidly and easily while others might struggle more with learning and find school difficult. Acknowledging that children have different learning styles and needs, HCS launched the Success Program in 2003.
The Success Program is designed to provide extra help and support to students who struggle academically. Success seeks to diagnose the students’ needs, develop strategies to meet those needs, and implement a plan to improve students’ skills and knowledge. Recognizing that early assessment and intervention is critical, in 2014, HCS began to expand some of the Success Program services to our preschool classrooms.
Occasionally, it may be determined that a student’s needs are greater than can be accommodated in our Success Program. In these instance, HCS will work with the family to help transition to an educational facility that is better equipped to meet the child’s needs.
Extracurricular
Extracurricular activities are offered to provide additional opportunities for students to identify and develop their God-given talents and abilities. As a service to families, these opportunities are offered before and/or after school by HCS staff with expertise in specific area and/or partnership with outside organizations of screened professionals who bring the activities to our campus.
Fine Arts
Studies show that students that participate in the arts achieve higher grades in school, have a higher graduation rate from high school, and higher rate of enrollment in college. At HCS, we offer students many opportunities in the area of fine arts including visual art, vocal, instrumental, worship, drama and musical theatre. Through these activities many students discover Gods plan for them to perform and create; for others, it is a tool God uses to mold and shape them, and to develop skills and confidence they will carry with them for a lifetime, no matter what Gods plan is for their lives.
ATHLETICS
The purpose of athletics at HCS is to provide instruction of high athletic quality, and to equip student athletes to understand themselves and the world around them from a Christian point of view. This education is built through practices, games, team devotions, and functions related to athletic events. In this process, strengthening their character is of the highest priority. In today’s world of clouded values, it is more essential than ever that our student athletes be instilled with the character that enables them to think clearly, act morally, and be responsible for his/her own choices. HCS also believe that each student should have an equal opportunity to become a team player. Trying out for a team should be a positive, learning experience that allows each person to simply do their best.
Sports offered to students 5th-8th grade include: Boys Flag Football, Boys Basketball, Girls Volleyball, Girls Basketball and Spirit Squad/Cheer for Girls. At the 7th and 8th grade levels only, Soccer, Track, Baseball (for boys) and Softball (for girls) is also offered.
CATEGORY