Learning
View of Education
Purpose & Vision
Educating students to be Christ-centred Thinkers, Communicators, and Worshippers!
Christian Worldview
We strongly believe that the instruction by a parent at home can be greatly enhanced by teachers and peers at school. Cambridge Christian School seeks to partner with parents to help their children see that all of life is to be lived for God. Elementary school is a place where students grow in their understanding, maturity, and leadership and we are honoured to play a role in supporting families and their children as we seek to give God the glory in everything we do.
Just as Moses encouraged the Israelites to teach their children about God (Deuteronomy 6), “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.”, so our community resolutely believes that children need to be taught from this all-encompassing worldview. The instructional program at Cambridge Christian School is designed to guide and direct children to grow in Christian faith and maturity. The curriculum is constructed in such a way that children will develop:
Spiritually
Children have a responsibility and privilege to study, think, work, play, and live to the glory of God.
Emotionally
As unique personalities, children are taught patience, empathy, concern, compassion, thoughtfulness, gratitude, and kindness.
Academically
Children take time to understand and appreciate God’s creation, receiving a foundation in mathematics, reading and written communication that will prepare them for life.
Physically
Children are taught to properly care for, and develop, their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit.
Socially
Children are taught to be productive, contributing, cooperative members of society.
Our curriculum closely follows the Ministry of Education Ontario Curriculum. Many of our resources have been published by the Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools (OACS) (now Edvance) and Christian Schools International (CSI). In addition, we use a variety of sources designed to meet ministry guidelines. An emphasis on our Christian worldview is evident in how we teach every subject at Cambridge Christian School.
Kindergarten
An exciting new stage in your child’s life.
At Cambridge Christian School, we are pleased to offer both part-time and full-time Kindergarten options to suit your family’s needs.
Junior Kindergarten Program
At Cambridge Christian School, our Junior Kindergarten program is on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Our optional five-day program includes “Grow and Go” on Tuesdays and Thursdays. During our daily lessons, we take time to pray and discuss the world that God has created. We use the Learning Without Tears curriculum, where the students learn the alphabet sounds one letter a week in order of frequency. In addition to our academics, we learn to get along with each other, be independent, respect others’ property, and above all, love the way that Jesus loved.
Senior Kindergarten Program
Our Senior Kindergarten program is on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Our optional five-day program includes “Grow and Go” on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This program builds on the students’ confidence and skills in varying areas. The students continue to learn through play with different centre activities that include dramatic play, math, reading, writing, music and art centres. We continue to use the Jolly Phonics curriculum and cover 42 sounds which provide the basics of literacy skills. We conduct a diagnostic service at the Senior Kindergarten level called “Search and Teach” which assists in the early identification of students who may need educational assistance. Each day we have devotions, a morning message, and a Bible class which helps us learn more about God and our place in His world. Young children have a great capacity for learning and our Kindergarten program opens new experiences and gives them the ability to grow in knowledge and personal development.
Graduate Profile
At Cambridge Christian School, we strive to prepare students who are:
Christ-Centred
Thinkers
Christ-Centred
Communicators
Christ-Centred
Worshippers
What to Expect
Well-Rounded and Well-Equipped Students
You will quickly see that our approach to education emphasizes a desire that each student leaves well-rounded, well-equipped, and prepared for leadership opportunities that come their way in high school and the years to come.
This long-term view of education manifests itself as we write curriculum and programming even for our young students in Preschool. Our teachers seek to incorporate a wide variety of experiences in the classroom that will see all students thrive. As our students grow, they are given more opportunities to share their personality, be creative, and lead others. By the time they graduate, students will have had the opportunity to play on sports teams, participate in musicals, join a worship team or choir, lead a school family, serve on Grandparents’ Day, and the list goes on. We strive for excellence in our academics, and we pair that with many additional opportunities to encourage growth in our students in all areas of their life.
Curriculum Highlights
Biblical Principles
Biblical principles are woven through all curriculum areas, and Bible is taught daily at Cambridge Christian School as a separate subject. The Bible helps us share our sense of who we are, where we have come from, what we are living for, and where we are headed.
Oral Literacy
Students are taught to listen thoughtfully, speak articulately, read with a critical eye, and use their imaginations to write creatively. Media resources are used to develop media and oral literacy.
French
French language instruction begins formally in Grade 3. In studying French, Canada’s second official language, students are encouraged to become aware of, and appreciate, the differences in Canada’s cultural mosaic.
History/Geography
As students unfold the facts of history and geography, they are challenged by questions that are essential in Christian worldview formation: How did we get here? What role do we as Christians have today? How can we as Christians make a difference? How can we be ecologically responsible consumers? How do we treat one another as image-bearers of God?
Physical Education
All students have formal Physical Education classes twice a week. We encourage all of our students to be physically active, both in school and at home.
Technology
Technology is a tool that helps the Christian school achieve its goal of nurturing the habits of student learning. Technology does not replace pen & paper, but rather comes alongside traditional learning to provide extra opportunities that assist lessons in creative ways. Our students are guided to use technology with wisdom and discernment, and our school’s technology resources are ever-growing. Some of these include Chromebooks in each classroom, Smart Boards, and projectors.
Art
Weekly Art classes provide students with a variety of hands-on experiences to express, imagine, and create.
Field Work
Students are encouraged to marvel at God’s creation and unravel the ways He is at work in the world. When students go on field trips, or throughout project work, they are challenged to engage with the environment, ask questions of the visiting expert, make observations, and think critically.
Testing
Student achievement is assessed regularly using a variety of methods, both formal and informal. Students take written tests, work on grade appropriate projects, collaborate in research, explore through experiments, etc.
We provide formal report cards three times per year. Our report cards provide a grade mark, an indication of effort in each subject, as well as behavioural and social development indicators. Cambridge Christian School participates in a standardized testing program in conjunction with sister Christian schools in Ontario. We are members of Edvance and join in their testing on a yearly basis.We use the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) to gauge student learning in mathematics, reading, and language skills. Our graduates do well when they transition to high school and have been accepted into IB and Advanced programs.
Student Support Services
“The Hub” is Where Individual Needs are Met
At Cambridge Christian School, students with individual needs are referred to Student Support Services, known in school as “The Hub.”
Cambridge Christian School is committed to offering education to as many Christian families who want a Christ-centred education as possible. Our robust Student Support Services department seeks to assist all students right from their start in Kindergarten, or as they join us from other schools.
A Place of Belonging
At the core of our school is a community that values each member, and wants to honour each child of God and their learning needs. At Cambridge Christian School, we have incorporated many physical spaces that will allow for all students to receive support, small group instruction, and sensory relief when required. Our staff are committed to ongoing professional development to enhance learning experiences in the classroom and meet each student’s needs. We seek to continually foster a culture of belonging and welcome that sees each family and student engaged in our community. We are so thankful for the privilege of teaching and guiding the students at CCS, and the chance to celebrate and develop each of their God-given gifts and abilities.
Our Student Support Services team welcomes students for both one-on-one programming and small group learning. They partner with both the classroom teacher and parents to ensure that each of our students are being actively assisted according to that child’s needs. For some students, this is a short-term process to get over learning hurdles, and for others, it is a long-term benefit alongside classroom instruction.
Students participate in our Student Support Services through teacher and/or parental referrals. An Individual Education Plan is created for students who require it and are reassessed regularly. Good communication between parents and our Student Support Services comes by way of interviews and written reports. Students can be referred to the Region of Waterloo Community Access Care Centre (CACC) for speech, occupational therapy, or physiotherapy, if needed. A qualified therapist may come to the school and work with the student during school hours.
Parent Testimonial:
“The Student Support Services at CCS has allowed our son to continue to enjoy learning at his grade-level curriculum alongside his peers, all while meeting his unique learning needs. The student support staff have come alongside him to help identify and accommodate his individual needs and abilities, build on his strengths, incorporate the resources and programs the school has available into his IEP, and focus on keeping him engaged and feeling successful in his learning. Learning disorders and disabilities can be frustrating and isolating at times for the student. Even though they may face challenges in their learning, with the right resources and accommodations they can continue feel successful and enjoy learning because they are meeting goals and their individual learning objectives. If a student begins to dislike learning and disengages, I believe it would be much harder to try to reignite that joy again. The Student Support staff at CCS do a fantastic job at keeping the joy of learning as a primary objective for our students, even in the midst of their challenges and disabilities.”
Every day, I am grateful that our school community has these resources and programs available to our students, and that the staff collaborate with us as parents to ensure our kids are equipped for experiencing learning success both now and in their futures. -Jessica Curry