How CSPA High School is Different
We are dedicated to the purposeful education of the whole child. We perceive our role at the secondary level as teachers of students, not as teachers of curriculum content.
We take full responsibility for our students’ learning. We do not offer excuses or blame the student or family for the learning struggles or failure of students. Instead we turn to ourselves and our practice to find solutions that result in high student engagement in learning and optimized personal development.
We hold high expectations for ALL of our students. Through continuous progress/mastery learning, we expect that ALL of our students will achieve mastery of the academic curriculum by earning an 80% or higher in each class. We use ongoing assessments and differentiated instruction daily to challenge our students.
We believe that adolescent students are inherently good with a strong moral foundation. Through extensive knowledge of the developmental characteristics of our students, combined with an integrated character education program, our students come to know and understand their values and morals, and demonstrate character traits that balance empathy and compassion with a strong intellectual mindset.
We practice internal motivation psychology with an emphasis on relationship and engaging learning activities in a supportive school environment with high expectations. We do not control students through coercion or reward and punishment.
Our instructional model reflects a primary focus on an intellectual approach to learning resulting in strong habits of mind and high academic performance leading to admission into top colleges and universities.
Our teachers and staff are highly collaborative and seek to develop learning activities that are integrated across content areas and develop strong habits of mind and intellectual strength. Team teaching is a core method and practice at CSPA.
We encourage and develop strong partnerships with parents. We want parents involved in the education of their children at the secondary level. We do not communicate a message to our parents that they should be less involved in the education of their children during the middle school and high school years. Instead we seek the input and active involvement of parents and are proactive, frequent, and comprehensive in our communications with them.
CSPA faculty, staff, leaders/administration, and parents are one team together; there is no acceptance or place for an “us or them” mentality regarding the relationship between the administration and the faculty/staff, or the relationship between school and parents.
