Curriculum
"Curriculum" means the goals, methods, materials, and assessments (tests) that are used by teachers to educate our students. Visit this page regularly to find resources to support your students with their learning at home.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR PARENTS TO KNOW ABOUT CURRICULUM?
Believe it or not, many parents remain unaware of how their kids are doing in school. Click here to learn more. A new website "Go Beyond Grades" helps parents advocate for their children and learn the basic information they need to understand curriculum and their children's academic progress. Click here to get tips and resources. Also, click here to see how New York City is integrating "Go Beyond Grades."
MAKE SURE OUR KIDS STAY ON TRACK
The Department of Education designed Grade Level Guides for families to understand what students are expected to know and be able to do by the end of each grade. The guides are available in English, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, and Simplified Chinese CLICK HERE to find your Grade Level Guide.
Also, read your child's Grade Level Observation guide [CLICK HERE to find the subject & grade level] for details on the skills they are learning in class.
LEARN ABOUT PHA's EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM
Overall, the curriculum used at PHA's K-3 campus includes:
FOCUS on Learning (K-2 integrated literacy, science & social studies)
Illustrative Math (K-8 math)
Original, PHA-created, student-centered, project-based learning
LEARN ABOUT OUR Kindergarten- 5th Grade MATH CURRICULUM
TRY FAMILY MATH AT HOME
Start doing FAMILY MATH at home today! https://masfec.org/what-is-family-math/
FAMILY MATH is all about incorporating math concepts and interactions into the everyday activities families do with their children. Research shows that having math conversations in our everyday lives improves outcomes in school and beyond. Try some of these ideas to increase the math in your life! If you want to learn more about Family Math, check out NAFSCE’s Center for Family Math.
LEARN ABOUT UPPER ELEMENTARY'S CURRICULUM
Humanities in Grades 4-6 includes English Language Arts (ELA) and Social Studies.
CLICK HERE to see the English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum called EL Education for 4th-6th Grades:
https://eleducation.org/curriculum/language-arts/modules-and-lessons/ Follow along throughout the school year so that you can engage with your child and their teacher about what they are learning!
CLICK HERE to see the Social Studies curriculum called Investigating History for 5th & 6th Grades. Follow along throughout the school year do that you can ask your kids and their teachers about what they are learning.
4th Grade is using iCivics. Ask your Humanities teacher for more details about their unique PHA social studies curriculum this year.
Is Your Child On Track in Math?
IvyMath is providing all Prospect Hill Academy Charter families with a free online math tutoring session and an in-depth parent conference to discuss your child's strengths and weaknesses and how they compare to grade level.
IvyMath will also create a custom learning plan that maps out the exact areas your child should be focusing on in math. You'll have the opportunity to ask questions, and understand what your child needs to feel confident and stay on track in math this year.
The IvyMath tutoring session, parent conference, and learning plan are free for all Prospect Hill Academy Charter families. Popular times fill up, so please register quickly! Signup now at: IvyMath.com/Boost
UNDERSTANDING MCAS
CLICK HERE to watch a video that introduces you to MCAS scores and what they mean.
read the pha family engagement pledge
REVIEW THE STUDENT HANDBOOK
CONTACT YOUR CAMPUS FAMILY LEADERS
Contact us ANY TIME by clicking on our names:
In Paik, Early Childhood Campus (PreK- Gr. 3)
Natacha Theodore, Campus Family Ambassador, Upper Elementary (Gr. 4-6)
Julie Esteban, Campus Family Ambassador, High School & Collegiate Institute (Gr. 7-12)
Anne Baldwin Beckmann, Family Advisory Board, High School & Collegiate Institute (Gr. 7-12)
CONTACT YOUR FAMILY LIAISON
PHA supports multilingual families and has Family Liaisons on staff to ensure families can communicate clearly and freely with the school.
Mercedes Escorihuela, Spanish Family Liaison
Adriano Chaves, Portuguese Family Liaison
Abigael Pierre, Haitian Creole Family Liaison
CLICK HERE for our Family Translation & Interpretation Request form!
ATTENTION 6th GRADERS! apply to BREAKTHROUGH
Ask your high schooler or middle schooler to click on the links [above]. With questions, contact Kim Le, Expanded Learning Manager, to see all of the outside of school opportunities rolling in already!
FAMILIES TEACH READING
Reading can feel mysterious. One of the biggest building blocks to learning how to read is background knowledge or "content." Families can provide tons of background knowledge at home about anything and everything in our world.
TEACHERS SHARE LEARNING ACTIVITIES with us!
Click on this link to see a collection of activities our teachers have used in the classroom with your students. Some are very easy to repeat at home with our children, and we are our kids' first teachers after all. https://sites.google.com/phacs.org/active-learning-bank/home
No matter where your child is on their PHA journey (K-12), families can always learn more about where they are headed by clicking here for the College Counseling site.
TUTORING & learning activities
Check out these PHA parent-recommended resources for academic support:
EVERY WEEK Renzulli posts fabulous activities for kids of all grade levels! Check out the latest here: https://renzullilearning.com/en/Articles/Content/307-national-poetry-month-2022
Virtual Field Trips: https://renzullilearning.com/en/Articles/Content/237-weekly-activities-virtual-field-trips
afterschool programs Grades K-6 Families
Registration is open now. The program has 2 locations: (1) Webster Early Childhood Campus, 15 Webster Avenue in Somerville, for Gr. K-3, and (2) Franklin Upper Elementary Campus, 17 Franklin Street in Somerville for Gr. 4-6. Click here to learn more. CLICK HERE to apply for the Y@PHA, CLICK HERE to learn about Elizabeth Peabody House, CLICK HERE for info on the Somerville YMCA, and CLICK HERE to learn about the Community Art Center.
Check out this running list of resources for food, housing, child care, utilities and more, organized by CITY. [CLICK HERE]
ACCESS TESTING for English Language Learner (ELL) Students
Is your student in the English Language Learners (ELL) program at PHA? PHA's program is amazing and led by Jeanette Verdone (jverdone@phacs.org). What is ACCESS testing? What does it test? Find out by CLICKING HERE.
lexia & dreambox
WHAT ARE THEY? WHAT EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW...
GRADES K-8 USE DREAMBOX
GRADES K-6 USE LEXIA
community uniform closet
PHA families donate and recycle gently-used school uniforms
year-round! We collect, clean, & organize these uniforms, so that we can keep up with our growing students.
We come in all shapes and sizes! CLICK ON THIS SIZE CHART which can help us estimate our kids' uniform sizes.
PARENT READING & listening:
TeachLab Podcast re: What now? What does school need to be for our kids after the last 2 years?
Helping Students Reacclimate to Being With Others All Day
Why We Remember Reading Print Better than Audio or Video
PHA Family Handbook (not updated)
Why Middle Schoolers Thrive in a Self-Paced Classroom
Immigrant Family Engagement in Schools
College Students During COVID: Depression, Anxiety, Loneliness