Academics

At Paradise Valley Engineering Academy, we provide a strong Common Core aligned, standards-based curriculum along with Project Based Learning (PBL) experiences. We believe that all of our students will be successful. Our staff works relentlessly to provide students with the most appropriate academic, project based learning experiences in all content areas. We have adopted a new Math curriculum - Envision Investigations and for English language Arts, we are exploring a district-wide adoption. We will continue our efforts on integrating the Engineering Design Process with project based learning in everyday learning to promote critical inquiry based, analytical learning among our students. We will also continue to support for our English learners within our differentiated (customized) language arts curriculum and through the use of technology tools. We also use technology resources, GLAD, and SDAIE strategies to enhance the access to the curriculum for all students particularly with focus on our EL population. Grade level teams plan, share pedagogies/ teaching strategies, and collaborate to provide students with enriching differentiated lessons that best support their learning styles.

Technology, Project Based Learning, and Engineering design process with a critical problem solving approach is a focus at our school and we are continually identifying ways in which it can strengthen our academic program for students. Teachers guide students through the use of Khan Academy, BrainPop, Reflex Math, IXL, Accelerated Reader, typing tools, and google apps for education. We have a state of the art Design lab which serves as a fabulous resource to provide students with project based learning activities. It has 5 interactive tables, two Promethean Activboards, along with chromebook accessibility for students to design robotics, conduct coding investigations. Within each classroom, teachers and students have access to Promethean ActivBoards as well as chromebook carts to increase the interactivity of learning. Document cameras also support this effort along with an increased use of computer stations within classrooms. Our Kindergarten- 4th grade classrooms share chromebook carts and our 5th graders have their own class set of chromebooks for use. Technology integration, hands-on inquiry, Project Based Learning, and critical analysis skills is a big focus at Paradise Valley Engineering Academy to develop global citizenship.