Our Educational Program

Vision

Oxford Preparatory Academy’s vision is to create a center for higher learning in the Chino Valley where students from kindergarten to eighth grade are prepared to pursue university level academic studies, as well as to gain skills to be successful in the global community of the 21st century. Our students will not just meet, but exceed grade level expectations and become critical thinkers, as they
are engaged with dynamic teaching that will make them self-motivated, competent, and lifelong learners.

The preparatory academy is named after Oxford University, regarded as one of the world's leading
academic institutions. The staff of Oxford Preparatory Academy will create a collegiate atmosphere that will support our school vision, where all students are introduced to the comprehensive benefits of attending a higher-learning institution. The ideals of Rhodes Scholars, the utmost scholarship at Oxford University, will serve as the inspiration behind our collegiate theme and student goals:

• High academic achievement;
• Respect for others;
• Integrity of character;
• A spirit of unselfishness;
• Physical vigor; and
• Potential for leadership.

Creating long-term academic success will take place through a school-wide, data driven model of
reform that shapes the culture of high expectations for every student on campus. This will be accomplished by promoting college readiness for all students the moment they step foot in Oxford Preparatory Academy, and will establish and create a sense of urgency for reform that will promote change.

Oxford Preparatory Academy staff members will merge their collective experience to formulate
consistent language, policies, and programs to establish our school-wide goals. Adherence to
rigorous California State Standards and a focus on student learning will be the pillars of our
philosophy. To emphasize high academic standards, our core instructional strategy will be based on Howard Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) and how it directly affects student learning. MI will be the key philosophy embraced by all stakeholders, enabling students to believe that they are gifted in a multitude of ways. Providing instructional strategies that address all eight of the intelligences will ensure that differing needs are met and student retention of information is maximized.















Mission and Goals

The Oxford Preparatory Academy believes that all students are unique and gifted individuals. We are committed to working collaboratively to develop life-long learners in a safe and caring educational environment where students are challenged, scholarship is expected, and differences are valued.

The Degrees of Learning, shown above, provides a visual summary of how Oxford Preparatory
Academy will achieve its mission leading to Student Academic Success.

• Each year, STAR testing data will be
utilized to create a plan for improving our
academic program.
• After goals are identified, the staff will
articulate strategies for target improvement
areas, including professional development,
instructional methods, and curricular
materials.
• Planning will be accomplished using State
Curricular Standards.
• To implement this plan of action, we will
use the Degrees of Learning to visualize
the key elements of a strong academic
program.
• The focus will be “STUDENT ACADEMIC
SUCCESS”, and the scrolls (Homework,
Evaluation, Student Involvement, Student
and Staff Involvement, Attendance,
Student Recognition, Behavior, Theory of
Multiple Intelligences, Special Programs,
and Staff Development), which are
grounded in consistent and clear
“communication” (see graphic), represent
all vital components that make this
happen.
• Decision-making and program
development by stakeholders tie into this
belief on how all students will be
successful.

We will fulfill our mission by:

1. Emphasizing high academic standards, respect, patriotism, and courtesy:
• Students develop a deep understanding, mastery, and application of important concepts that
propel inquisitive life-long learning and reach high levels of academic achievement;
• Provide a school model where students acquire and practice a range of essential skills that
are California standards based;
• Use the best instructional practices that meet the varied needs of all students;
• Align instruction to the rigor of the content standards;
• Teach reading comprehension through expository text, such as social studies and science;
• Utilize and monitor a program of character education that emphasizes respect, responsibility,
and citizenship; and
• Provide a program where patriotism is fostered and students are encouraged to develop
positive attitudes towards learning, the environment, and other people.

2. Providing a structured environment conducive to learning:
• Use classroom management techniques and student study skills that lead to student success;
• Utilize Student Study Team to identify and intervene early for at-risk students;
• Provide immediate response to intervention; and
• Maximize student academic learning time, bell-to-bell instruction, by actively engaging
students in standards based instruction.

3. Expecting active parent participation and support of school policies and programs:
• Maintain a shared decision-making approach through the use of various groups of staff,
parents, and community members, which addresses identified needs of both students and the
overall educational program of Oxford Preparatory Academy;
• As a requirement of enrollment, parents, students, and staff will enter into the Learning
Partnership Agreement (see Appendix C) at the beginning of each school year.

4. Implementing the Theory of Multiple Intelligences as part of instruction to:
• Address the learning styles and modalities of all students;
• Teach the content of the State Standards through all eight intelligences, allowing students to
learn, comprehend, and retain information; and
• Empower students to create, classify, imagine, infer, select, and appraise and/or evaluate in
learning situations.

5. Offering on-going teacher and parent training to:
• Discuss information on current research, planning guides, sample lessons, and curricular
objectives as part of ongoing staff development;
• Provide the parental community with the information needed to support and understand the
benefits of utilizing the Theory of Multiple Intelligences as part of the instructional process; and
• Use of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) to plan, assess materials and techniques,
and develop new strategies for engaging students in the curriculum.

6. Maintaining consistent communication between home, school, and community:
• Provide many opportunities for parents to become involved with, and informed of, student
progress; and
• Keep parents current through the use of technology (including web sites and e-mail) and daily
student agendas.

7. Engaging in community service-based (Service Learning) activities embedded throughout grade
level standards instruction:
• Provide multiple opportunities for students to participate in community service-based projects;
• Foster students’ civic responsibility and understand their role in the global community; and
• Connect curricular concepts with service-centered activities.

8. Ensuring all students are performing at grade level, based on California State Standards:
• All students must read and comprehend at grade level before entering the next grade;
• All students must demonstrate grade-level numeracy skills before entering into the next grade;
and
• Attendance must be 98% or greater to provide the greatest opportunity for student academic
success.

9. Including a second language as part of the curriculum:
• Allow children to compete in the global marketplace;
• Enable students to be prepared for the international dimension that reflects the changed world
environment and increasingly diverse U.S. population; and
• Provide a good foundation for future careers.

10. Developing and revising, on a yearly basis, the Game Plan for Success
• Centered on school-wide academic goals, including the percentage of students scoring
Advanced/Proficient in core subject areas on the California Standards Test and Academic
Performance Index (API) scores;
• Utilization of quality instruction (effective, data-driven, and based on California Teaching
Standards);
• Address barriers preventing students from being successful; and
• Provides quality, standards-based intervention opportunities for students before, during, and
after the school day.