Academics

Elements of Curriculum

NCCES curriculum is interdisciplinary to the greatest possible extent. Students are expected to master key concepts, knowledge, and tools in each of the academic disciplines within the interdisciplinary framework.

Learning at NCCES is active, experiential, and often project-based. Students receive intensive, sometimes individualized, instruction in mathematics and literacy.

Advisory

All students have an Advisor and are part of an Advisory group. The functions of Advisory are to increase personalization of learning, influence school governance, and ease communication with families.

Classrooms

Classrooms are heterogeneous, with differentiated instruction providing students ongoing opportunities to engage in remedial or challenge work when appropriate.

Essential Questions

Essential questions drive and organize the curriculum. These questions have no single right answers; indeed they are rich with possibilities, which is what makes them interesting.

They require higher order thinking – analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating evidence – in order to find answers and come to understanding.

What is identity?
How do we communicate in a multicultural society?
What repeats?
What would it take to eliminate hunger?
What is community?

Read the Education Philosophy of Our School