St. Cassian School's Curriculum:
St. Cassian School provides a curriculum in the Catholic tradition to foster students’ intellectual, moral, religious, social and physical development. The school aligns its curriculum to the Archdiocese of Newark Curriculum Guidelines, which meet or exceed relevant educational standards, including those proposed by content area experts, the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards, and the Common Core Standards.
Learning is a unique process at St. Cassian School placing significant emphasis on integrating the arts and technology into curricula as well as addressing the multiple intelligences of its students. The integrated approach creates a multi-dimensional learning experience that ensures each student has a multitude of experiences to maximize strengths and address challenges.
In addition to regular curriculum described in more detail below, students in kindergarten through eighth grade participate in a program titled, “The MIAD (Multiple Intelligence Arts Domain) Elective Course Program ” for eighty minutes per week during school hours. The MIAD electives are designed by the staff to increase students’ academic knowledge and skills through the integration of the visual and performing arts, technology and physical education. For instance, a Tap dancing course not only includes learning the technique, but also the genre’s history, and guided and independent opportunities for research and creative writing. Trimester long MIAD electives include video production, photography, poetry, mock trial, play writing, musical theater, architecture and engineering, leadership, painting and watercolor, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) activities and more. Professional artists and scholars-in-residence are commonly invited as MIAD Program guest teachers to promote a "real world" learning experience for our students.
The St. Cassian experience integrates the use of technology across the curriculum, especially within the STREAM (Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) learning activities. The school has a state-of-the-art technology and STREAM lab to provide hands-on learning and to promote high- level thinking and problem solving skills. In addition, each classroom has a promethean board, and there is one to one deployment of Chrome books in second through 8th grade and iPads in pre-school through first grade. These devices along with the implementation of lessons that incorporate Coding, Robotics and the use of Spheros technology make learning engaging and fun for 21st century learner.
St. Cassian School’s devoted and talented faculty creates an inspiring culture of learning. For instance, teachers routinely offer after-school academic mentoring or provide opportunities to enhance students’ development. From running a school newspaper, a Young Engineers Club, the Forensics (public speaking) team, moderating the Mini Model Congress to coaching one of the numerous sports programs, the teachers dedicate themselves to enriching