Academics
The Rocky Point Charter School program is a research-based educational approach to teaching and learning that creates a school culture that motivates students to take responsibility for their own learning and to do more than they thought they could ever accomplish. Students, staff and parents work together to actively support students in reaching their greatest potential. Our curriculum revolves around project-based learning with a focus on learning expeditions. Learning expeditions are deep, interdisciplinary investigations of rich academic, standards- based topics in which teachers connect rigorous academic learning to adventure, service and character development as an integral part of our daily instructional model.
The emphasis of our school is a based on the experiential learning, hands on approach. We provide a model that challenges students – even those starting with low skill levels – with high-level tasks and active roles in the classroom. Our instructional practices emphasize student inquiry, critical thinking, and craftsmanship. Students engage in original research and create high-quality academic products to share with outside audiences.
Curriculum Details
English Language Arts – Curriculum Houghton Mifflin’s “Journeys” English language arts program that anticipates teaching needs and equips students to succeed
- Designed by an esteemed team of thought leaders using the science of literary development
- Acquiring foundational skills
- Developing mastery of speaking, listening and writing
- Instructional system for reading both literature and informational texts
- Flexible, Individualized Study
Dig deeper into the curriculum at the Journey’s website.
Math – Curriculum Houghton Mifflin’s “Math in Focus : Singapore Math by Marshall Cavendish”
- Singapore math- consistently ranked top in math achievement
- Provides students with the opportunity for Hand on learning, visualization,
- Problem-solving is at its core
- Meets the needs of each learning by providing them with hands on learning, visuals to support learning
- Build conceptual understanding
- Develop critical-thinking skills
- Advance problem- solving skills proficiency
- Build positive attitude
Dig deeper into the curriculum at the Math in Focus website.
Math – Curriculum College Preparatory Mathematics [CPM]
Dig deeper into the curriculum at the CPM website.
Expedition: History/Science
Dig Deeper into the program at Next Gen Science Standards.
Learning expeditions – deep, interdisciplinary investigations of rich academic topics are an integral part of our daily instructional model.
Dig Deeper into the program at Project Lead the Way (PLTW) website.
Technology Driven classrooms: Smart Boards, Chromebook (Class Sets), iPads
- Each classroom has a class set of Chromebooks and/or Tablets
- All grades use i-Ready, an online tool that will identify your child’s learning needs, personalize their learning, and monitor their progress throughout the academic year.
- Grades 2-8 utilizes online software to enrich learning
- Google Classroom
- Prodigy – Math according to level
- XtraMath – Math fluency
- Epic! Books – Online library, provides tools for struggling readers
- Typing Club – Learn typing using home row
- CodeSpark – Coding
- Code.org – Coding
Field Studies
Field Studies [Field Trips] are a part of our rigorous curriculum, Rocky Point Charter School extends on what is being taught in the classroom to reaching out in the community for a more extended lesson with a hands-on approach. They provide students with exposure to real world activities. Each trip will be aligned with grade specific state standards and provide a platform for academic studies. Inspires a sense of adventure. This emphasis on fieldwork encourages student learning in the community. Our small class sizes allow for us to go on more field trips than the typical school experience. Some examples of Field Studies…
- Whiskeytown Lake: Kayaking, Sailing Club, Environmental School
- WES Camp
- Hiking : Keswick, Black Butte, Castle Crags, Whiskeytown, Brandy Creek
- Clear Creek – Gold Panning
- Shasta Dam
- Schrader Planetarium
- Cascade Theatre
- Shasta Caverns
Electives
Electives is our enrichment program that we offer all students from 2 nd grade through 8th grade. This is a fun learning experience with mixed classes.
- Time where different grade levels (ages) can interact and collaborate
- Provides exposure to new skills and topics that aren’t part of the standard core curriculum
- Gives students more opportunities to find their strengths, interests, and talents
- Teachers create elective topics that peek students’ interests and challenges them to explore their personal skill set, some examples include…
- STEM
- Art, Crafting, Crochet, Cooking
- Gardening & Nutrition
- Newspaper
- Yearbook
- Coding & Typing
- Sports: Basketball, Volleyball, Cheerleading, etc
Adventure Challenge
Adventure Challenge is our PE Program where students receive a physical education. Adventure activities are coordinated on a daily schedule, across all grades from Kindergarten through 8th grade. They become progressively more challenging, building upon the previous years’ experiences. In addition, activities are consistent by grade level. The adventure program is an important part of our curriculum. Through adventure, our students reach personal goals, build confidence, learn how to work as a team, and become more flexible learners and leaders.
RPCS' School Culture
motivates students to take responsibility for their own learning and do more than they thought they could ever accomplish. Students, staff, and parents work together to actively support students in reaching their greatest potential.
- We have a great student-to-teacher ratio to provide your child with the best personalized instruction in the area.
- We are dedicated to maintaining a personalized academic environment. Our size will enable us to review each student’s abilities so we can design and individualize instruction that will maximize their academic potential. Unlike most large schools in California, our small size will also help in creating a safe, nurturing environment in which students, staff, and families work together cooperatively as a team.
- Builds school community by doing an activity as a whole school
- Transitional time for students to prepare their bodies and minds for learning
- Fun way to get the wiggles out before classroom time
- Leadership presents daily school announcements
- Morning Greeting – students learn to acknowledge each other with a proper good morning, eye contact, and handshake (sometimes silly)
- Time for students and teacher to connect on a personal level
- Valuable time to build lasting relationships
- Reflection on using social, emotional skills
Our academic schedule and classroom design simulates real world learning environments…
- Group Desks for Collaborative Work
most jobs in today’s climate require collaboration with peers or other departments - Projects that require students to use skills from multiple subjects
as adults we apply information from different subjects at the same time to solve problems. In depth unit studies that ask students to draw skills from other subjects in order to address multiple standards at once. Bring traditional concepts (curriculum) to life by incorporating it throughout the day in every subject. - Making Mistakes is a good thing! It means you are Learning
moving forward after a mistake and learning from it is a valuable lifelong lesson that can be applied to all aspects of adulthood - Create safe Classrooms that Celebrate Risk Taking
feeling safe to take risks builds confidence and opens up the mind to imagine new ways to solve problems – this is one of the top characteristics employers look for when hiring
- Integrated Nutrition lessons sponsored by CalFresh
- Monthly food tastings
- Nutrition Olympics at the end of the year
- Five Professional Development Day
- Project Lead the Way initiative
- Paraprofessionals for K-3rd grade classes
- Dedicated Adventure Challenge Coach
- Time for Intervention