Curriculum
Carolina International School will implement a comprehensive, innovative curriculum that incorporates four programs:
- The North Carolina Standard Course of Study
- International Education
- Environmental Education
- Character Education Core Values
North Carolina Standard Course of Study
The North Carolina Standard Course of Study provides the core of the CIS academic program. This curriculum guide describes what students should know and be able to do in each subject area in each grade level. The standards represent the collective wisdom of North Carolina’s outstanding educators, along with national subject area associations. Teachers at CIS will apply the NC Standard Course of Study framework in age-appropriate, sequential instruction along with other curriculum innovations that allow for individualized instruction.
The CIS curriculum includes the study of the arts, English/language arts, computer technology, healthful living/physical education, mathematics, science, and social studies. Reading, Writing, and Math Labs will be structured to devote special attention to these fundamental skills. International perspectives are brought to each of these subject areas to help foster understanding among young people around the world, enabling future generations to live more peacefully and productively than we do today.
In keeping with International Baccalaureate Organization guidelines and our international focus, CIS curriculum includes the study of a second language, Spanish, for all students. CIS will also make every attempt to accommodate the development of the mother tongue for students whose primary language is not English or Spanish.
Character Education Core Values
The CIS character education core values are, in essence, the culture and life of our school. We intend to develop caring and compassionate students and citizens who embody those character traits most respected in every culture. Hence character development at CIS is immersed in every interaction and learning experience as a continual school-wide process, not just an isolated program.
Emphasis on these core values develops both national and international awareness and strong character traits. The program includes a service-learning component and will actively involve parents and community leaders.
Environmental Education
The 36-acre CIS campus will become an outdoor classroom for various cross-curriculum integrated activities that promote environmental awareness and stewardship. CIS teachers will draw on international programs like Project Wild, Project Wet, Project Learning Tree, Project Food, Land and People, and GLOBE to provide hands-on activities and real-life resources for our students. These programs will be aligned with the North Carolina Standard Course of Study, to enrich learning in all subject areas.
Students will cultivate respect, learn responsibility, develop solutions and participate in service while having fun learning. Teachers and students will work together on various environmental service projects on the CIS campus and in the local community. Composting, nature trails, recycling, organic gardening, the development of a “Green” school campus and buildings are just a few of the projects we hope to implement at CIS. We will strive to help students to think globally and act locally to make the world a better place in which to live.
Foreign Language
All Carolina International School students (K-8) have instruction in both Spanish and Chinese. This will begin with conversational language and cultural awareness at the lower grades, and will include more extensive instruction for junior high school students. At grade 9, students choose either Spanish I or Chinese I.
With our international, multicultural focus we would also like to promote the acquisition of other languages. We seek ways to incorporate foreign language study into our study of culture, in exploratory classes, and in after-school programs.
Physical Education
Daily physical activity makes sense for everyone, but especially children. It is a key element of our goal to prepare healthy “well-balanced” students. Activity helps energize some children and expends extra energy in others.
Carolina International School is committed to daily physical activity as a component of the Healthy Living Education curriculum described in the NC Standard Course of Study.
