School Curricula

Jesus Christ and His Good News are the foundation of the Catholic School curriculum through which all curricula spring and flow.  A developmentally appropriate curriculum for students is designed so as to be appropriate for the age span of the children within the group with attention to the different levels and learning styles of the students.


Curriculum guides, unlike well-defined programs, are written with the understanding that there is a responsibility for decision making on the part of the teachers.  Curriculum guides provide a framework, not a daily plan for instruction.  Since teachers are responsible for the scope of any curriculum content during a given school year, they must also be the final determiners of the sequence of content and skills, the use of instructional strategies and the degree of content detail.

Given the nature of the actual classroom, certain factors will drive these choices: student need, student developmental level, and realistic time limitations.  Teachers are encouraged to integrate curriculum in order to maximize instructional time and facilitate the transfer of skills and understanding.

Curriculum guides are written in a spiraling framework articulated from the earliest grades through the high school.  Learning builds upon previous knowledge and skills, which are repeated and reinforced to ensure mastery learning.  As a result, it is impossible to expect that everything contained within any curriculum guide will be taught in the same sequence, style and depth each year.  Teachers need the flexibility to make choices to ensure that the student needs are met and that the scope of the curriculum is addressed.

The schools of the Diocese of Trenton commit to the expectation that students at all grade levels:

• think critically, logically, analytically and ethically
• express ideas orally and in writing using correct terminology
• apply techniques to real world situations, identifying and solving problems within the situation
• recognize learning is woven into their everyday lives and that an understanding of this is important to functioning in today’s world
• engage in learning activities, willingly take risks and demonstrate confidence in their skills
• utilize technology appropriately
• recognize the importance of life-long learning

Click the image below for a greater understanding of curriculum development in the Diocese of Trenton.