“The best and most economical education is that which gives to the individual, according to his capacity, that training of “head, hand, and heart,” or, more literally, of mind, body and spirit which converts him into a beneficent force in the service of the world.”

-Anna Julia Cooper

WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO IT

ENGLISH / LANGUAGE ARTS: The goal of the English curriculum at AJC is to develop effective communicators and empathic community members. We teach reading skills both as a means to learn facts and skills as well as a path to understanding the human experience. Similarly, our writing instruction is built so that students are able to organize their thoughts skillfully and express ideas soulfully.

MATHEMATICS: Our mathematics curriculum develops skills from basic numeracy to abstract mathematical thought. Ultimately, our math instruction is designed to promote logical thinking and give our students the necessary tools to address and solve problems deliberately with discrete steps.

SOCIAL STUDIES AND HISTORY: The Social Studies curriculum at AJC is designed to give students a sense of where they exist in time and space, plus the contextual awareness of the social, political, historical, and geographic details that led to the time and place they inhabit. We endeavor to use history and social studies to teach students basic principles of citizenship and civic duty, and to understand the power they can wield as individuals and groups in society.

SCIENCE: The AJC Science curriculum focuses on promoting students’ understanding of the interrelation among the physical, biological, and chemical makeup of the world in which they live, and to equip students with the habits of mind and intellectual tools to test solutions and explore the unknown.

HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION:  We value the physical benefits of exercise and skilled movement, as well as the emotional and communal benefits of teamwork. Our Physical Education program promotes healthy physical activity.  Our Health curriculum provides students with an understanding of how individual and family choices meld with genetic and environmental factors to impact one’s overall well-being.

SPIRITUALITY: AJC is a school founded on love. We believe that Jesus is the greatest expression and model of God’s love for us and for the world. As such, prayer, reading of Scripture and chapel are explicitly included in the school’s daily and weekly routines. Moreover, the theological virtues of faith, hope and love are woven into the life of the School as an integral part of our curriculum for their own sake but also to help our students change the trajectory of their lives.

SUMMER SCHOOL:  A four-week mandatory summer school program in July is part of the regular school year.  This time serves as a reminder that learning is year-round but also helps our students stay on track academically, primarily in English and math.