Dear Parents,
Your students will be bringing home their first quarter report cards today. Congratulations to all grade levels, for an overall improvement in academic performance!
Please discuss these grades with your student, stressing the need to continue/improve their study skills and habits, and encouraging them to seek help from their instructors or tutors, if needed. Finally, please sign and return the manila envelope to the school, by Wednesday of next week.
If you have any questions regarding your student's grades or classes, please contact the respective teacher directly.
I would like to take this opportunity to briefly discuss the academic changes that have already been made, or are in the process of occurring at CDSG. Many times our scores mission of teaching and maintaining the academic standards of a rigorous college preparatory institution are overlooked in the daily “hustle and bustles of addressing the myriad of other issues that arise (sports, student government, uniforms, lunches, celebrations, buses, discipline code, student and parent inquiries, etc.).
Over the past year and one quarter, the school's faculty has been busy building on what was already a strong and respected academic program.
Some of the steps taken to further strengthen CDSG academics by our faculty, that parents may not be fully aware of, include the following:
- English language instruction is in the process of being further strengthened in the Pre-Kinder, Kinder, and Prepa classes, through the addition of themes, and reading/activities centers.
- The Pre-Kinder, Kinder, and Prepa classes are being restructured into an Early Learning Center (ESL), similar to the ELC at the Escazu campus.
- The addition of a Day-Care component in the ELC is under discussion, and a survey of interested parents will be conducted in January, 2007.
- The Pre-Kinder, Kinder, Prepa, and 1st Grade Spanish instruction has been further strengthened with the addition of a dedicated and trained Spanish and ESL teacher.
- The entire Lower School science curriculum has been reviewed, with new texts series added, and new materials purchased. Additionally, an Upper School science teacher is now working with Lower School teachers as needed, to assist them in preparing and teaching their science lessons.
- The increased emphasis on the development of cursive writing and composition in the Lower School is continuing.
- The Iowa standardized tests are now administered to the 1st and 2nd graders, as well as the 3rd through 8th graders, to better measure the academic strengths and weaknesses of all of our students.
- Both the Lower and Upper School Spanish programs now have students divided into a minimum of 3 levels of ability, providing a more homogeneous learning environment for students.
- The certification of the Upper School as a SAT, AP, and PSAT testing center has been completed, and these important tests for college-bound students are now being regularly administered…without driving to San Jose.
- The certification process for the Upper School to become an ACT testing center has been started, and is expected to be completed for the spring testing dates. It is becoming the “norm†for students to take both the SAT and ACT tests, for college admission.
- Two semester-length honors courses have been added in the Upper School: Honors Marine Biology and Honors Human Anatomy and Physiology. This is a trial program and has generated quite a bit of student interest and excitement. These are college level, demanding courses that have prerequisites for entry.
- A year-long Modern Business and Personal Finance course was added in the Upper School. This now popular course includes a sophisticated business computer modeling unit.
- A health component has been added to the P.E. program.
- The AP Human Geography course has been re-introduced into the Upper School curriculum.
- Additionally, please note that the Upper School offers the following AP level courses to your students, usually in their junior and senior years:
- AP Calculus
- AP English Language
- AP English Literature and Composition
- AP Spanish Language
- AP Spanish Literature and Composition
- AP Human Geography
- AP Environmental Science
- AP U.S. History
- Last year, out of a graduating class of 8 students, 3 were awarded the AP Scholar with Honors designation, while 2 other students missed the award by a “hair.†Twenty-two AP examinations were taken in total by both seniors and juniors, with an average score of 4.079 (out of 5.0).
- In order to further focus Upper School student attention on academics, minimum academic standards have been established for participation in team sports and student government.
- The senior project continues as a requirement for graduation, and the process has become even more defined and guided.
- Formal tutoring sessions by both instructors and student peers, now occurs each week.
- A college preparation class that assists and supports students completing their college applications and preparing for their SATs, has been started.
- A more rigorous after-school SAT preparation class is being offered.
Most importantly, the academic expectations for students have been raised, and generally met or been exceeded. Our faculty, our parents, and our student-peers have added substantially to what was already an excellent program; and my thanks goes out to all.
If you have any questions about academics at CDSG, course offerings, etc., please contact me; my door is always open.
Best regards,
Stephen Butler
Director
CDSG |
