Norwood Fontbonne Academy

Curriculum

Curriculum Set in a creative interactive learning environment for 3-year-olds through eighth grade, the Norwood-Fontbonne Academy curriculum begins with a dual track for 3-year-olds through third grade.

In the Montessori programs, NFA implements the American Montessori approach. The Montessori preschool serves three, four, and five-year-old students and the Junior Level Montessori program (JLM) serves students in first, second, and third grades.
In the Pre-primary and Primary programs, NFA implements a teacher-directed developmentally appropriate approach rooted in the standards of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Pre-primary serves three and four-year-old students leading to the Kindergarten year and the Primary program serves students in the first, second, and third grades.
The Montessori and Primary programs merge in the fourth grade blending the strengths of both approaches.

A Norwood-Fontbonne Academy student experiences differentiated and individualized instruction along with experiential learning. Field experiences and assemblies are designed to support the students' curriculum. NFA students study Religion, Integrated Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. The curriculum is enriched by Music, Art, Physical Education, Media Studies (Library Science and Technology), and Spanish. Spanish is formally introduced to 3-year-old students through sixth grade. Spanish is taught as a major subject to students in the seventh and eighth grades. Additional grade level enrichments include: Keyboarding, Organization, and Study Skills.

Currently, NFA subscribes to an electronic math computation program entitled IXL. All 3-year-olds through eighth grade students have login and password access. In addition to personal student practice, the program allows administrators and teachers to generate multiple reports that enable instruction to target particular skills. During the academic year, teachers may assign IXL practicing for homework after they have taught a particular concept or skill.

The curriculum programs at Norwood-Fontbonne Academy challenge all students to maximize their individual potential. Class size is small enough that teachers can tailor instruction to meet individual learning modalities. Student achievement is celebrated with Academic Achievement Awards and Vision Awards every trimester. Academic excellence and consistent good conduct and effort are criteria for these awards.

The Service Learning curriculum, which is an integral part of our Religion curriculum, evolves from the principles of Catholic Social Teaching and the central mission of the Sisters of Saint Joseph: "to live and work so that all may be united with God and with one another." Students are immersed in grade-level themes and perform service around those themes at various mentor sites. The grade level themes include sensitivity to the elderly, to children of immigrants, to children of those who are poor, to children who learn differently, and to the homeless and hungry. Some Service Learning mentor sites are: Holy Name School in Camden, Saint John's Hospice, The Artman Home, Our Lady of Confidence School in Willow Grove, Archbishop Ryan School for the Hearing Impaired, and Saint Joseph's Villa. Students, at assigned grade levels, visit these sites twice a year. Persons from the mentor sites visit NFA once a year.

Norwood-Fontbonne Academy provides an Office of Student Development with two teacher specialists to serve the needs of exceptional students. Both teachers hold Masters Degrees, one with a degree in specialized education and the other with an advanced degree in Reading Specialty. Both teachers are trained in the Wilson and Linda-Mood Bell methodologies of teaching reading.

The curriculum of Norwood-Fontbonne Academy is structured according to the scope and sequence of our chosen programs. The decision to place a child in a particular class or group rests with the administration in consultation with the faculty and parents. NFA meets and exceeds all national and state standards of elementary education. Our eighth grade graduates are prepared for public, and private independent secondary schools. Many quality for Honors classes and apply placement in sophomore Spanish and Mathematics classes. Consistently the focus at NFA is on preparing students to be faith-filled and responsible participating in a 21st century multi-cultural and technological society.

Norwood-Fontbonne Academy is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and The American Montessori Society.

Norwood Fontbonne Academy • 8891 Germantown Avenue Philadelphia PA 19118
Phone (215) 247-3811 Fax (215) 247-8405