JCS Mountain Oaks Academy
Our Vision
The vision of JCS Phoenix Learning Center is to create a community of compassionate, innovative, life-long learners who continually strive for excellence. Our program’s aim is to promote an academically rigorous curriculum that values the different interests, learning styles, and abilities of each student.
Curriculum Goals
Our program is designed to teach the California state standards while using differentiated curriculum addressed in the California GATE standards, such as acceleration, novelty, depth and complexity. Through differentiation of the core curriculum, the program creates opportunities for students to become analytic thinkers, creative producers and practical problem solvers. Lessons emphasize critical thinking skills, inquiry, and connections to universal concepts through cooperative learning experiences and discussions. A variety of research-based instructional strategies and materials are used throughout the grade levels to meet the needs of all students.
Scholars are use depth & complexity thinking prompts throughout the grade levels and are encouraged to “dig deeper” and self-reflect on their learning constantly. Typically, our scholars excel academically, have exemplary presentation skills, and are self-directed learners.
As an academically rigorous GATE school, our goal is to actively engage students in meaningful mathematics learning through problem-based lessons, collaborative work, and a focus on conceptual understanding rather than rote memorization. At JCS Mountain Oaks, we aim to build mathematical proficiency, fluency, stamina and confidence by encouraging students to develop problem-solving strategies, critical thinking skills, and a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. Our teachers are trained on the research based CGI (Cognitively Guided Instructional Strategies).
In Middle School, our program begins with an accelerated pacing in 6th grade which allows all students to have an opportunity to leave 8th grade prepared for advanced/honors math pathways in High School. Students will learn 6th and some 7th grade standards in 6th grade. In 7th grade, they will learn a blend of 7th and 8th standards and in 8th grade they will learn a combination of 8th and 9th grade standards. Differentiation and accommodations are built into the classroom for students who require academic support as well as additional challenge.
Our program was originally designed with this pathway in mind utilizing College Preparatory Math (CPM) as our core curriculum. CPM is a rigorous problem based curriculum which supports our program philosophy.