Curriculum Frameworks
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"All branches of knowledge are connected together, because the subject-matter of knowledge is intimately united in itself,
as being the acts and the work of the Creator."
-St. John Henry Newman
Our classical liberal arts curriculum is designed to develop students' aptitudes, habits, and qualities — fostering a deep appreciation for all that is genuinely true, good, and beautiful. The "golden thread" binding every subject, from the humanities to the biological and physical sciences, is the Logos — the Second Person of the Holy Trinity, the Divine Intelligence upon which God the Father continues to love the world into existence. Every discipline is a unique illumination of that same eternal truth.
The integration of theology across all subjects enables students to recognize the interconnectedness of their studies. Each discipline provides opportunities to contemplate God and His presence in the universe and in humanity. Teachers regularly begin lessons with prayer, reflect on how subject matter reveals God's order and beauty, and invite students to consider the deeper moral and spiritual meaning present in every lesson.
Theology
Daily Scripture reflections and participation in liturgical celebrations deepen students' personal relationship with Jesus Christ. As He is fully present to them in the Eucharist, reverent participation in Mass establishes the primary foundation each morning, extended throughout the day through Eucharistic Adoration and the Divine Office.
Language Arts
Students explore classic literature and practice thoughtful writing. The humanities curriculum brings human wisdom into encounter with divine wisdom, cultivating not only the intellect but the creative and aesthetic faculties of the human person.
History & Geography
History is understood as the lived answer to fundamental human questions and the human desire for God. Students study Salvation history through great literature alongside primary sources — oratory, poetry, and narrative — learning to see all of human culture as the world's anticipation of truth revealed in Christ.
Mathematics
Problem-solving nurtures logic and perseverance. The order of numbers reflects the order of the Creator's mind, and students learn to receive mathematics as a form of contemplating the rationality God has woven into creation.
Science & Nature Study
Hands-on experiments and outdoor observations encourage curiosity and wonder. Students encounter the natural world as a living expression of divine generosity — a world to be received with gratitude, studied with care, and held with reverence.
The Arts, Music & Drama
Art studio sessions, choir, public speaking, and dramatic arts form students in the beautiful. Beauty is not an ornament to the faith — it is one of its native languages. Works of mercy service projects complete this formation in charity.
What sort of academic standards might serve to guide a school’s curriculum toward this end?
The Catholic Curriculum Standards established by the Cardinal Newman Society, informs the curricula at Sts. Peter and Paul School, taking into account guidance from Church documents which emphasize that Catholic education:
Involves the integral formation of the whole person, body, mind, and spirit, in light of his or her ultimate end and the good of society.
Seeks to know and understand objective reality, including transcendent Truth, which is knowable by reason and faith and finds its origin, unity, and end in God.
Promotes human virtues and the dignity of the human person, as created in the image and likeness of God and modeled on the person of Jesus Christ.
Encourages a synthesis of faith, life, and culture.
Develops a Catholic worldview and enables a deeper incorporation of the student into the heart of the Catholic Church.
The curriculum standards outlined in the following links are designed to complement a broader set of primarily content driven academic standards, according to phase of development, which are articulated on each class website.
General Principles and Goals
The theory and practice of the Church’s social teachings are embedded into the curriculum.
Sacred Scripture, sacred Tradition and Catholic intellectual tradition are used in all subjects to help students think critically and ethically about the world around them.
The moral and spiritual life of the class, through its culture, climate, and curriculum, is designed to help students identify, define, and live in accordance with core principles of Catholic social teachings and habits of mind that aid in the development of strong moral character.
Goals in Instructional Design
4. Classroom instruction is designed to help all students’ strengthen and grow their multiple cognitive intelligences, meeting the needs and capabilities of all students and their individualized learning needs.
5. Classroom instruction is designed to engage and motivate all students through the implementation of rigorous, standards-based instructional objectives, activities, and assessments aligned to best practices in cognitive learning science.
6. Classroom instruction is designed to intentionally address Catholic habits of mind and the affective dimensions of learning, which include emotional, social, moral, spiritual, and motivational development.
Striving Toward a Holistic Curricula
7. Curricula prepare students with the knowledge, understanding and collaborative skills to become creative, reflective, literate, critical, and moral evaluators, problem solvers, and decision makers.
8. Curricula prepare students to think and to learn within and across all academic disciplines to better uncover God’s revelation.
9. Curricula prepare students to become socially responsible global citizens by providing access to learning experiences within and across core subject areas (English language arts, mathematics, religion, social studies, science) that address questions of how to live morally in our current society.
Interdisciplinary Learning Opportunities
10. The classroom provides students the chance to use the engineering design/problem solving process (i.e., ask, imagine, plan, create, and improve) to develop meaningful solutions to challenges through the lens of the Catholic worldview.
11. The classroom provides students with opportunities to become expert and responsible users of technology; students are enabled to create, publish, and critique digital media, and respectfully communicate in ways that reflect their understanding of content, Catholic culture, and technology skills.
12. The classroom provides students with opportunities to express Catholic culture and faith through visual, audio and performing arts.
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