Academic Program

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Perhaps the most valuable lesson of all education is the ability to make yourself do what you have to do, when it ought to be done, whether you like it or not.
Thomas Huxley, 1825 - 1895

 

Program and Curriculum

Beautiful Family Culture Foundation

  • Happy Kids parenting foundation

  • Orientation toward parenting as a service and lifework

  • Manners and honor code education

  • Seva development for child and family

  • No homework: Enrichment of family life through meaningful shared experiences, rather than meaningless homework packets, worksheets and projects for parents to complete

  • Family excursions and adventure experiences

  • Family cultural experiences in music, theater and art

  • Strong community of faculty, parents and students



The Language Arts: Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening

Reading

  • Expert instruction helping children become habitual, critical, passionate readers 

  • Shared reading, guided reading, read aloud, independent reading

  • Mastering the ability to unlock new text through proficiency with critical reading strategies from all three cueing systems--graphophonic, syntactic and semantic

  • Word etymology and usage

  • Directed reading and thinking activities

  • Read, interpret and appreciate classic and world literature

  • Powerful vocabulary development

  • Literary analysis circles

  • On-going preparation for SAT college entrance exam from grade 1

  • Reading instruction provided by exceptionally trained, highly experienced teachers of reading

  • Supervision of all reading methods, material and instruction by Cara Day-McKellar, Reading Specialist and Master Teacher of Literacy, including specialized intervention at every grade level

Writing

  • Expert instruction in content, mechanics, organization and fluency for writing

  • Modeled writing, interactive writing, guided writing and independent writing

  • Integrated writing across the genres and curriculum, including social studies and mathematics

  • Fluency writing on self-selected and assigned topics

  • Systematic teaching and author development with expository, narrative, biographical, persuasive and creative writing

  • Author's Chair: Daily teacher, peer and self-evaluation of writing

  • Critic's Circle: Teacher and peer review methods for student authorship advancement

  • Individual student website development for showcase of student class work and seva works

Speaking and Listening

  • Active listening and communication skills

  • Inspirational speakers' network

  • Oral presentation craft across the academic and social curriculum

  • Persuasive debate competitions

  • Storytelling

  • Poetry recital

  • Etiquette and procedure for listening events

  • Capturing the power of the oral art

Mathematics

  • Strong, spiral, traditional mathematics through Saxon curriculum

  • Quantitative reasoning skills and numerical literacy

  • An appreciation of the usefulness and beauty of mathematics

  • Symbol manipulation, algebra mastery and problem solving

  • Hands-on geometry and construction

  • Mathematical reasoning, logic and analysis

  • Probability and statistics

  • Practical and abstract mathematics

  • Critical thinking, reasoning and deductive analysis skills

  • Familiarity with mathematics for engagement and ease

  • Enrichment topics and application as determined by student interest, including history of mathematics, cryptography, computer science, game theory and advanced topics

Sciences

  • Cultivating a love for science and investigation

  • Understanding the world around us

  • Inquiry-based approach

  • Deductive and inductive reasoning

  • Mastering and applying the scientific method

  • Project-based learning--students use teamwork to investigate problems, pose hypotheses, design experiments and quantify results

  • Special focus on earth science, chemistry, astronomy, physics and biology

  • History of science and influential scientists

  • Science and the modern world

  • State-of-the-art science lab for grades K - 8

Social Studies

  • Exploration of a child's place in time and space

  • Biographical studies of people who make a difference

  • Awareness and interpretation of current events

  • Understanding of continuity and change among societies

  • California history and future

  • United States history and geography

  • Ancient civilizations and history

  • Students write and publish their own social studies books

Physical Education

Our school has been chosen as themodel school in America for Polar Fitness Education. There is no other school in America with a Physical Education program like Day-McKellar Prep. Strength of mind, body and spirit is foundational to our school and includes staff, students and parents.

  • Daily, quality, cardiovascular, resistance and skill-building exercise through a wide range of activities, games and sports, taught by personal trainers and wellness coaches with Bachelor of Arts degrees in exercise physiology and science

  • Full access and membership to The Peak, our on-site state-of-the-art fitness facility

  • Individualized sports-specific training

  • Access to golf, swimming and tennis at several San Diego resort facilities

  • Gymnastics, cheer, sailing, sea kayaking, canoeing, hiking, surfing, horseback riding, soccer, baseball, softball, swimming, rock-climbing, snorkeling and diving experiences

  • Strength and resistance training for the core

  • Virtual reality Trazer training

  • Presidential testing with Olympic medal awards

  • Mentoring with local professional athletes in the fields of football, baseball, soccer, tennis, surfing, golf and motocross

Fine Arts

  • Exploration of San Diego's greatest fine arts facilities, including theater, symphony, opera, and museums of arts and sciences

  • In-depth exploration of the classic artists and their media

  • Exhibition of student work in art galleries throughout San Diego, including Little Italy and Hillcrest

  • Two annual student written and produced theater productions

  • Quarterly school-sponsored, student-planned dances for the entire community held at a variety of San Diego locations

  • Classical dance instruction, as well as introductory tap, ballet and jazz for boys and girls

  • Classical guitar instruction


Seva

  • Strengthening of character and purpose through selfless service

  • Development of a seva orientation toward self, family and beyond

  • Organization and implementation of local, state and worldwide service projects

Library

  • Selection of the most-respected age-appropriate titles

  • Vocabulary development through directed reading

  • Writing craft development through study of the works of great authors

  • Read the Classics program for Alpine Community and DMP families

Technology

  • Technology integration across the curriculum

  • Individual student-created websites for showcase of student class work and seva works

  • Software engineering for logical thought development

  • Student theater productions in local theater

  • Computer and typing literacy

  • Advanced computer applications

Student Mentoring Program

  • Mentoring with San Diego's business, science, technology, education and community leaders

  • Partnerships with local universities

  • Inspirational speakers' showcase

  • Shadowing of business, educational and community leaders for students in grades 6 - 8 for lifework exploration

Excursions

Students at Day-McKellar Preparatory have a unique opportunity to explore an extensive array of locations throughout San Diego adjunct to their studies at the school. Families will be encouraged to participate in these opportunities, which will be experiences that will bring them closer together, strengthening and binding the family.      


Scholarships and Fundraising

Day-McKellar Preparatory School offers full and partial scholarships, based on financial need and others based on merit. Through generous and innovative financial aid and scholarship opportunities, we express our commitment to admitting and enrolling the most interested students regardless of their families' financial resources. Families who are concerned that Day-McKellar Prep may be beyond their means are encouraged to consider financial aid and scholarships which can make Day-McKellar Preparatory School an affordable and realistic choice.



A person's life purpose is nothing more than to rediscover, through
the detours of art or love or passionate work, those one or two images,
in the presence of which his heart first opened.  --Albert Camus