Curriculum

Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac School has established a clear philosophy, based on the Educational Project of the Company of Mary, as well as overarching goals that guide our learning culture. Our Learning Goals reflect progressions that are coherent and articulated from grade to grade. Each respective curricular area outlines a framework designed to guide learners in what to do, how to do it, when to do it and how to know it has been achieved. Through formative assessments that measure understanding and mastery while learning is taking place allows for flexibility and encourages experimentation and innovation from the learner. 

The Curriculum Team, working collaboratively with teachers and the Administration Team, monitors the progress and achievement of the curriculum program's goals and objectives. This provides means for ongoing revision and improvement regarding the curriculum program as well as focusing resources that are determined to enhance and implement the program. We provide a process of ongoing curriculum development and implementation based on the needs of our learners and teachers. 

Through a Standards-based approach, our Curriculum Program is consistent with the mission and philosophy of the school, a growth mindset and the convictions to mastery of skills. It is representative of instructional activities that meet the needs of learners with varying abilities through clearly articulated learning goals and success criteria. The school is devoted to providing teachers with professional development opportunities and encourage approaches that challenge the status quo based on well researched instructional design.

The research on the effectiveness of formative assessment is robust, well known, and indisputable in its foundational concepts; however, the development of effective, efficient, relevant, and sustainable practices is why formative assessment has yet to reach both a habitual and ubiquitous presence in classrooms around the world. Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac School utilizes well researched and highly developed curriculum programs that are efficient and effective in producing formative feedback from both the learner and the teacher. The importance of utilizing such programs increases the overall effect size which is a determination of the relevant strength of a strategy or program and the effect it has on learning.

Each of our curriculum programs provides teachers with extensive Tiered Planning resources that are utilized to provide learners of all levels of learning the ability to demonstrate an understanding of respective Learning Goals while they continue to develop foundational skills in respective curricular areas. These programs also provide learners and their parents with online interactive components that can be accessed at any time helping to address learning deficiencies or promote inquiry-based learning for advanced learners. Adaptive programs are utilized to promote self-efficacy for both learners who demonstrate their understanding and mastery of Learning Goals as well as learners in need of remediation. 

Consistent collaboration is maintained between the subject area teacher and Curriculum Team through the monitoring of learner progress in all of the curriculum programs. Through data-driven decisions regarding learner advancement, Saint Jeanne de Lestonnac School is highly effective in its use of technology aspects within its curriculum programs helping to ensure the highest levels of learner achievement in all grade levels.