Our elementary curriculum focuses on guiding our innovators as they gain confidence and agility in reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, and science. Students develop the foundational skills for critical thinking and listening, comprehension, research, and creative exploration.

For our lower campus, our grades spans are grades one through 6A and programing is  grouped by grade bands. Our primary grade band includes grades K, 1 and 2, our intermediate grade band includes grades 3-5. Our 6th-grade is part of a program model where we have created two options that meets the developmental needs of incoming 6th grades students.

Everyone can agree that 6th grade is a transitory grade from childhood to adolescence and that sixth-grade students don’t all mature at the same time. For some parents social emotional and developmental readiness are major concerns when considering whether or not to place their child in a traditional middle school where their student maybe exposed to older adolescents before they are emotionally and developmentally ready, in addition to the demands of navigating multiple classes and teacher expectations.

This could be emotionally overwhelming and can become an academic challenge for many students. While on the flip side, you have that sixth-grade student who thrives on the new-found in dependence, access to advance course work and more electives, the increased social connections that comes with clubs, competitive sports and most importantly, and for parents, the idea of earlier connections to their child’s seven-year graduation plan. In this scenario, we’ve taken these concerns into consideration through the process of building our middle school program which is why we have provided a choice for our parents.

For 6th grade we have two models. In one model, the grade (6A) scholar would attend class that is part of the traditional elementary school and taught as a self-contained class, and the second program model (6B), the 6th grade scholar athlete/artist are fully integrated into our middle school college prep (grades 6B-8), blended hybrid online program. These scholars would attend school half in our blended hybrid online program, receiving instruction through both lectures and online independent course work and during the second half of the day, participate in sports/artist training. In both models, scholars receive instruction and support in the transition planning for high school and college as throughout their transition and journey in the middle school experience.

Our grades K-3, are designed for a 20-student maximum and a maximum of 24 students for grades 4, 5, and 6A. For small groups, in lower school, there is a student-professor ratio of 5:1 to facilitate reading and math small group instruction. These smaller classrooms help our professors provide a more effective delivery of education for their student Innovators. More benefits of smaller class sizes include:

• Students receive more attention
• Students receive more feedback
• Students receive more hands-on learning
• Students perform better on all subjects

Research shows that students do well in smaller class settings. This also gives them a chance to get to know their fellow innovators better. They benefit from their classmates’ comments and each student’s contribution is acknowledged among the group. Students learn from one another based upon the contributions they make during class, while also building their social skills.

At DNA, we have adopted a student-centered theory of learning where students are active participants in the learning process. This means that our goal is to help each student experience meaningful opportunities to realize their fullest potential and ultimately motivate them to become life-long learners of knowledge. Textbooks are tools for teachers and guides for students to facilitate instruction. In addition to textbooks, we use technology and supplemental resources to enrich the curriculum which involves students in problem-solving activities, higher-level thinking questions, and extended activities.

We provide students with Individualized attention to build upon our curriculum. This helps in closing any learning gaps and increases motivation while expanding on the student’s strengths and confidence. In the future, this individualized attention will help students determine their career goals and post-secondary plans. This process starts in elementary grades 1-6A with an assessment of a student’s strengths and weaknesses, along with a determination on how to build a strong academic foundation for future success. This is followed up at the middle grades with a more comprehensive plan which develops and incorporates the long-term goals of a student.

Utilizing the methodologies and frame works of experiential 2 and project-based learning 34, our curriculum is interdisciplinary and empowers students to apply knowledge of core content within and across curriculum areas. When students see the connections between individual subject areas or observes a phenomenon that connects back to a lecture in another subject area, the material becomes more relevant. These kinds of connections are examples of planned parts of instruction for a lesson or a unit and are called cross-curricular, or interdisciplinary, instruction. Examples of cross-curricular or interdisciplinary teaching can be found in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) learning and the more recently coined STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) learning. Other examples are cross-curricular investigations and assignments that include the humanities (such as English/Language Arts, social studies, and arts).

At DNA, we are redefining the schooling experience for our young innovators with opportunities for daily exploration in the arts, team and individual sports, technology and engineering, agriculture, and environmental science.

“Competencies represent what a student needs to learn, and why. They are not as simple as the correct answer on a multiple-choice test question, but rather require a deeper level of knowledge.” (Levine & Patrick, 2019)

In grades K-5, our scholars are assessed based on mastery and competence of a skill(s) or set of knowledge as articulated the CA Common Core Standards 4 and the Next Generation Science Standards 5. Quarterly progress reports will clearly communicate where students are along the continuum of mastery for a set of grade level skills. At the start of enrollment, students are assessed to establish a baseline for their current level of academic performance and set individual goals. To monitor student growth and progress, scholars are also assessed quarterly so that professors can adjust instruction as needed, which allows them to stay proactive in providing scholar support.

What is the school’s process for accelerating my child in math?

An initial body of evidence will be collected by 5th grade teachers in early spring (i.e., State test scores/ISEE, NWEA MAP, current grade, and teacher recommendation) to determine the level of math placement in middle school. Lower and upper school math teachers will consider the evidence collected to make final decisions. Parents will receive notification of placement in May. If any additional testing is required, the upper school will contact parents.