Curriculum

PCSS believes that each child has a natural curiosity and love of learning. Each child has a unique intelligence, level of capability, and learning style.

Education at PCSS will help students develop their essential skills and ethical values and learn how to meet their potential. Our fundamental goal is to raise young adults who know how to learn and know that education is a lifelong process.

Eric Hoffer describes this as follows:
"The central task of education is to implant a will and facility for learning; it should produce not learned but learning people. The truly human society is a learning society, where grandparents, parents, and children are students together."

Gail Burrill, President, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) cites his favorite Chinese proverb:
"Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man how to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime."

In teaching children how to prosper in a mathematically literate society, classroom educators have become aware of a very valuable lesson:

If we give students the answers, they will do well on a test; if we teach students to solve problems, they will succeed for a lifetime.

Promotion and Graduation Standards

All classes at PCSS will follow this standard scale for assigning letter grades for quarter and semester work. Individual teachers will establish the grading policies and procedures for their classes, and their grades will correspond to this scale.

Mathematics: 5 credits	Electives: 4 credits	Arts: 1/2 credit
Science: 5 credits	Computer: 1 credit	Health: 1/2 credit
English Language Arts: 4 credits	Foreign Language: 1 credit
Social Studies: 4 credits	Physical Education: 1 credit

Grade Representation

• A- TO A+ = The students have a deep understanding of the subject matter and can complete their work independently and understand with few or no mistakes.
• B- TO B+ = The students have a good understanding of the subject matter.
• C- TO C+ = The students have a moderate understanding of the subject.
• D OR BELOW = The students have very little understanding of the subject matter and need substantial help.




7th - 8th grade promotion criteria from one grade to another:

• PASSING GRADE = If a student receives a final letter grade of a "D", a numerical average of 60-69, or higher.
• FAILING GRADE = A final numerical average of 59 or below is considered to be an "F", which is a failing grade.

Failure policy with respect to final marks in either full year or partial year subjects:

• If a student in grade 7 or grade 8 receives final marks of "F" in any of the four core courses English, Math, Science or Social Study, may attend to summer school and may be promoted if he/she will get a passing grade at summer school program.
• If a student in grade 7 or grade 8 receives final marks of "F" in any of the courses listed below that are the equal of (2) Full Credit Value (C/V), he/she cannot be promoted to Grade 8 or Grade 9.

English Language	- 1CV
Mathematics	- 1CV
Science	- 1CV
Social Science	- 1CV
Character Education	- 1/2CV
Social Science	- 1/3 CV
Spanish	- 1/3 CV
Physical Education	- 1/3 CV
Music	- 1/3 CV

Philosophy

The philosophy of PCSS is to:

• Promote science and mathematics education,
• Serve as a college preparatory school that ensures students who enter college will do so without remediation,
• Provide intense instruction in science, mathematics, and technology,
• Engage students through home visits, tutorials, peer study groups, and individualized instruction,
• Offer intensive one-on-one tutoring, after-school programs, including preparation for science competitions, study groups, and extra curricular activities with a focus on academics, social activities, and art,
• Give students stronger critical thinking and reasoning capabilities,
• Invite scientists, who are vanguards in their own fields, from local universities and companies to give motivational speeches,
• Create science initiative programs to provide opportunities for internships, projects, and participation in local, national, and international science fairs and competitions,
• Collaborate with local universities, community agencies, and educational institutions to share resources and build community assets,
• Empower all stakeholders--students, teachers, families, and community members--to participate in the development of the school,
• Include parents in the education of students via the Parents as Educators Program, contributions to after school programs, and participation in committee work,
• Implement a campus-wide character education program that will help students build good character, personality, and leadership skills; improve academic performance, general behavior, and attitudes; and reduce discipline referrals, dropouts, expulsions, crime rates, and drug use,
• Encourage students to take responsibility for their actions, seek positive role models, and develop into good citizens with high moral values,
• Exercise "whole-child approach": the development of self-reliance, independence, and respectfulness through academic work. Thus, self-development of the child is realized through self-motivated education, which prepares students for life. Extracurricular activities, on the other hand, will provide students the opportunity to experience the world outside the classroom in a more practical setting.