Upper School
The Upper Division experience at The Cornerstone School offers a challenging, yet engaging curriculum coupled with the skills needed to flourish in a twenty-first-century world.
The Upper Division curriculum reflects high academic standards, and our faculty is dedicated to allowing each student to discover their academic, social, creative, and physical strengths. Because social and academic skills are inextricably linked, we strive to create a supportive, respectful, and safe atmosphere where students can explore interests, take responsible risks, and develop academic skills and knowledge.
Dedicated faculty members work together to create an engaging curriculum, rich with opportunities for deeper thinking as students develop key twenty-first-century skills: communication, collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. We aim to help students grow in self-awareness and self-discipline so they can manage increasingly challenging coursework.
- Academic preparation for the ever-changing world.
- Extracurricular and athletic programs offer additional opportunities for personal growth.
- Technology tools and digital citizenship are used constructively.
- Tribes Program for social and emotional learning. Tribes Agreements (mutual respect, attentive listening, appreciations/no put-downs, and the right to pass) are standard.
- Collaborative projects that engage students in a variety of learning experiences that encourage making connections, building understanding, and taking ownership of learning.
- A compassionate school environment that values personal responsibility, mutual respect, and community.
- Opportunities to earn high school credits and the ability to choose their high school magnet program.
Project Lead the Way (PLTW)
PLTW is a program that teaches students how to use critical thinking, collaboration (teamwork), communication, social, and problem-solving skills through project-based learning (PBL) and Activity Problem Based (APB) approaches. Middle school STEM uses the PLTW curriculum since it aligns with real-world challenges. Students explore different career paths through the different activities they experience in the classroom.
Cambridge
As a Cambridge International School, we recognize that a meaningful curriculum is more than a collection of subjects. We feel strongly that it is our responsibility to expose students to high academic standards, life skills, and attitudes by promoting the “Cambridge learner” attributes. A Cambridge learner is confident, responsible, reflective, innovative, and engaged. These skills are emphasized throughout the curriculum as our students are encouraged to “think hard” to build knowledge and understanding in response to opportunities provided by their teachers. A variety of teaching strategies are used within the classrooms to include group work, whole-class discussions, and carefully designed individual learning activities tailored to meet the needs of all students.
