General Overview

Our Curriculum is based on the mission statement, "preparing for tomorrow with a Christ-centered education today."

Preparing for tomorrow..

Students at RCLS receive an education to prepare them to be life-long learners.  Specifically, we look at preparing students for excellence in the present and in the future.  Our teachers, facility, curriculum, and technology are all part of a comprehensive program to prepare your child to grow and develop academically, emotionally, physically, socially, and especially spiritually.

Preparing students for high school and beyond is a task we take very seriously.  We offer a challenging curriculum focused on excellence.  Please stop by or read further for more information.

...With a Christ-Centered Education today.

Everything we do at RCLS centers around Christ.  Because He gave His best for us, we give our best in response!  Our teachers use words like "Christian citizenship," "forgiveness," and "grace."  We not only integrate faith into our curriculum, we also live it out through service to others and our community.  Students at RCLS collect food for Channel One food shelf, visit nursing homes, perform at churches, and partner with the Ronald McDonald House. 

Our Curriculum and Academics reflect Christ's excellence by offering more classes extra-curricular programs than any other school in Rochester.

Classes

In order to prepare students, we not only develop traditional core skills, but we also try to teach students to excel in whatever areas God has gifted them.

Evaluation

Our Commitment to Continuous Improvement

When you strive for excellence in response to the Gospel, you can't help but keep aiming for improvement.  Our Academic Program is constantly being evaluated in two ways:

#1--Curriculum Evaluation

Each year, RCLS follows a process for evaluating its curriculum. 

First, the area of our curriculum to be studied is chosen.  Our school rotates an area of study based on an established annual cycle (Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, etc.). 

Next, we develop a team of educational experts.  The Assistant Principal, Johnny Goetz (Master's Degree in Administration & Leadership, Member of the National Association of School Curriculum Development) formally heads the team.  Each member must have a degree in Education, and this year's team (Language Arts) includes one member with a Master's degree in Reading and one with a Master's degree in Education.

This team begins by examining and re-evaluating the curriculum by studying the foundation of the school, the mission statement.  Next, the team evaluates, revises, and establishes department-wide goals for the entire school, based on the mission of the school.

Working with the teachers at each grade level, the team then works to update each grade level's objectives, in order to match the updated department goals.  The team also checks Rochester Public and Minnesota State Standards to make sure where the school is meeting requirements and where the school exceeds them.

The team then looks at curricular samples from major textbook companies to select a series which best fits with the school's mission, department goals, and grade level objectives. 

This is a painstaking process, but one well-worth the result:  the best education for our children.

#2--Teacher Improvement

RCLS is committed to making the teachers the best they can be!

Every year, each teacher undergoes a process of evaluation and improvement.  Teachers are observed formally and informally and given feedback for improvement.  Further, teachers at RCLS also are required to file lesson plans in advance, and work toward self-directed goals in professional growth, spiritual growth, instructional improvement, and technology.

RCLS also provides opportunity for teachers' professional growth.  Each summer, teachers attend a two-day professional growth workshop for the school.  Each fall, teachers attend a two-day professional growth conference for Lutheran teachers from Minnesota and North Dakota.  In addition, teachers attend monthly professional growth seminars.  Many teachers also attend professional workshops and enroll in advanced and graduate classes. 

Currently, 100% of our full time professional staff members hold at least dual degrees (in education and another subject), and 1 of every 5 holds an advanced degree in an area of education.