Curriculum

St. Cyril of Alexandria School is proud of the well-rounded education it provides to all students. Exceptional teachers and staff instruct daily and constantly find new ways to reach all learners and make learning fun! St. Cyril provides a solid Catholic-centered academic environment for grades K-8. Parents as the primary educators partner with the school working toward the best outcome for each student.

Our kindergarten program consists of two homerooms where students are taught all subjects by their kindergarten homeroom teacher. Beginning in first grade, St. Cyril is uniquely structured in departments as follows:

Primary-1st/2nd grades

Intermediate-3rd/4th grades

Advanced Intermediate-5th/6th grades

Junior High-7th/8th grades

Students within a department begin and end their day with a mixed group from the two grades. During the school year, they are divided into two groups within their own grade level. Students see a variety of teachers for core content subjects including religion, language arts, math, science, and social studies/grammar. Enrichment classes including Spanish, art, music & P.E. are also offered. Once students reach the Advanced Intermediate Department class choices widen to include subjects like study skills, technology, theater, and choir.

In the earlier grades, teachers are trained in Orton Gillingham and implement the best strategies for early literacy. The school math curriculum is Math in Focus. Our teachers vertically align core content and use data to inform instruction.

Curriculum design is the result of planning and study by faculty and administration. The Diocesan School Office provides guidelines to incorporate requirements set by the Arizona Department of Education.

Our student-centered instruction focuses on critical thinking, problem-solving and cooperative learning. Teachers consider individual learning styles and varied development levels when choosing instructional methods. Active and involved learning takes place in all subject areas through the use of manipulatives, cooperative exercises, learning centers, and other visual, auditory, and kinesthetic components. A strong emphasis is placed on cross-grade level and cross-curricular cooperative learning and interaction. This helps develop leadership, self-esteem, cooperative skills, and team building. Our Catholic faith is woven into all subjects.

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)

St. Cyril of Alexandria School conducts the web-based MAP test for all K-8 students in the fall, winter, and spring of each year.
Students in grades 1-8 are tested in Reading and Language Usage; students in grades 5-8 are also tested in Math and Science.
Using these results, classroom teachers personalize instruction in order to maximize every student’s academic growth.
Our principal tracks the achievement and growth of individual students and classrooms to help evaluate the success of our programs.

"Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) are K – 12 interim assessments that measure both growth and project proficiency on high-stakes tests, and inform how educators differentiate instruction, evaluate programs, and structure curriculum. Computer adaptive MAP assessments reveal precisely which academic skills and concepts the student has acquired and what they’re ready to learn. MAP assessments are grade independent and adapt to each student’s instructional level. Every item on a MAP assessment is anchored to a vertically aligned equal interval scale—a stable measurement, like inches on a ruler, that covers all grades. And because the measurement is reliable and accurate, these scores serve as an essential data point in a student’s learning plan; teachers can see their precise learning level and respond accordingly."

--From www.nwea.org, website of Northwest Evaluation Association

Every classroom incorporates the Student Learning Expectations (SLEs) to teach students learn life skills.

Student Learning Expectations (8 x 5 in).png

Monthly themes encourage students to see how the Holy Spirit guides their lives. Fruits of the Spirit are the seeds God grows in each of us to show others what His love looks like. Fruit of the Spirit themes help produce positive and selfless choices that bec and help produce positive and selfless choices.

Fruit of the Spirit

Essential Skills

Formerly known as Discipline with Purpose (DWP) and based on the Catholic Christian belief of the inherent goodness and value of every person.

Fifteen specific self-discipline skills are identified and taught to help students recognize that each student is a child of God and deserves our respect and consideration.