Lakewood Catholic Academy

Lakewood Catholic Academy Curriculum

14808 Lake Ave.
Lakewood, OH 44107
216-521-0559

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Lakewood Catholic Academy is a joint ministry of its three founding parishes:

St. Clement
founded 1922

St. James
founded 1908

St. Luke
founded 1922

CURRICULUM AT LAKEWOOD CATHOLIC ACADEMY

"The Catholic school finds its true justification in the mission of the Church: it is based on an educational philosophy in which faith, culture and life are brought into harmony." -- The Religious Dimension of Education in a Catholic School , #34, The Congregation for Catholic Education, 1988

What will the curriculum be at Lakewood Catholic Academy?

Curriculum refers to the subjects that we, as a society, believe are important to teach our children. It is our response to the question, "What do our children need to know in order to live good lives, perform the duties of citizenship, and eventually earn a living?"

Central to the Lakewood Catholic Academy curriculum will be our religious instruction in which our students will learn the truths and values of our Catholic faith. Along with religion will be the core subjects that are mandated by the State of Ohio : mathematics, language arts, social studies, science and health, physical education, art, and music.

Although all schools accredited by the State of Ohio teach the core subjects, two factors that distinguish a superior school from a satisfactory school are the enhancements to the curriculum and the instructional delivery that takes place in the classrooms. In an effort to ensure that Lakewood Catholic Academy will be counted among the superior educational institutions in the Cleveland area, the following programs will be part of the Lakewood Catholic Academy curriculum:

Computer Education

In addition to learning basic keyboarding skills, Lakewood Catholic Academy students will become familiar with various computer programs, among them Power Point and Excel. Technology will also be used as a learning tool in our classrooms.

Foreign Language

In our increasingly pluralistic and ever shrinking global society, it is our responsibility to equip our students both linguistically and culturally to communicate with people of other cultures and backgrounds. All Lakewood Catholic Academy students will begin the study of a foreign language in Grade 4.

Systematic Vocabulary Development

Although students can and do acquire vocabulary through reading, systematic instruction in vocabulary at all grade levels has been shown to produce the best results. Beginning in Grade 3, the Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop program will be part of the language arts curriculum.

Study Skills

Many students arrive in high school or even in college without having the basic study skills necessary to achieve academic success. Lakewood Catholic Academy students will have the opportunity to think about how they learn best, to discover the system of note-taking that best suits their style, to learn strategies for test-taking, and how to manage their time, etc. through a study skills curriculum that will begin in fourth grade and will be built upon every year through eighth grade.

Great Books Program

This shared inquiry based program seeks to instill in children the habits of mind that characterize a self-reliant thinker, reader, and learner. The Great Books Program will be part of the language arts curriculum from kindergarten to Grade 5.

Pre-Algebra and Algebra

Based on their seventh grade math scores and recommendations by their teachers, all Lakewood Catholic Academy students will be placed in a pre-algebra or algebra class for their eighth grade year. Students who successfully complete algebra may qualify for sophomore level math classes in their freshman year of high school.

Recent studies show that the most important factor affecting student achievement is the teacher (Classroom Instruction That Works, 2001). In an effort to keep current with the best practices in education, continuing professional development for all Lakewood Catholic Academy faculty members will be encouraged and required. During the 2005-2006 school year, our professional development will focus on developing a differentiated approach to classroom instruction.

Recent research also shows that a collegial atmosphere is another significant predictor of student achievement (Educational Leadership, May 2005). Lakewood Catholic Academy teachers will have the opportunity to establish professional relationships through team teaching, common planning periods, and peer mentoring. It is our hope that this collaborative approach to education by our teachers will be reflected in improved achievement and active participation on the part of our students!

Instrumental Music Program

We have a very strong instrumental music department here at LCA, reaching 50% of the eligible student body with four levels of concert band plus a jazz ensemble.

The LCA band membership of 145 students supports the fact that our new school has a very talented group of budding musicians. We are delightfully anticipating a terrific year filled with music.

Our goal is to provide a Catholic-focused musical experience for our youth. Our approach is to provide the atmosphere for personal and spiritual growth through music lessons and rehearsals as well as performances at school concerts, Advent concerts, liturgical performances, and community service concerts.

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As you can see, we are very excited about the dynamic learning environment we are creating at Lakewood Catholic Academy! We hope you will become part of our community!

copyright 2005, Lakewood Catholic Academy.
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