Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart is an independent school for boys in Kindergarten through Grade 8. Located in Princeton, New Jersey the school is part of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools.
The school is divided into two sections: a Lower School (Kindergarten through Grade 4) and a Middle School (Grade 5 through Grade 8). As of the 2012–13 school year, the school had an enrollment of 219 students and 27 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student-teacher ratio of 8:1.
Princeton Academy has been accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools since 2003. It is overseen by the New Jersey Department of Education and is a member of the Network of the Sacred Heart Schools, the National Association of Independent Schools, the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools, the International Boys' Schools Coalition (IBSC), the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the Educational Records Bureau.
Mission
Princeton Academy's mission is to develop young men with active and creative minds, a sense of understanding and compassion for others, and the courage to act on their beliefs. The school stresses the total development of each child: spiritual, moral, intellectual, social, emotional, and physical.
The school's philosophy is rooted in the tradition of the Society of the Sacred Heart, which educates children to become leaders of a just society by adhering to the following five goals:
A personal and active faith in God
A deep respect for intellectual values
A social awareness which impels to action
The building of community as a Christian value
Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom
Academics
The instruction at Princeton Academy is designed to build on skills and knowledge gained in the preceding grades, in a way both developmentally appropriate and progressively challenging.
Lower School curriculum
Language Arts
The foundation of the Princeton Academy language arts curriculum is the belief that language arts are integral to the learning process of any subject at any level. Boys at Princeton Academy have ample opportunity and time to read and write independently, as well as to experience excellent modeling of reading and writing. The Junior Great Books program assists in reinforcing high-level comprehension skills. The Lower School also employs Word Journeys and Words Their Way, developmental spelling and phonics programs based on the philosophy that understanding of the printed word occurs in clear stages. Instruction is designed to meet the specific needs of each boy. Handwriting Without Tears meets the fine motor needs of boys through its clear, simple letter formation and interactive learning style.
Science and mathematics
Everyday Math emphasizes a balance between learning concepts, skills, and problem solving. In each grade level, content is divided into six strands: number and numeration, operations and computation, data and chance, measurement, geometry and patterns, functions, and algebra.
Through FOSS inquiry-based science, the boys develop skills of observation, documentation, data collection, and data analysis. Curriculum connections to science and social studies units that are studied in the regular classroom assist in developing content knowledge through varied means.
Foreign language
Students are introduced to Spanish beginning in Kindergarten, and by third grade are attending classes four days a week for 30 minutes. Instruction occurs through games, songs, and literature, with a focus on conversational skills. Students are gradually introduced to the printed word and in third grade begin to read and write in Spanish.
Other subjects
All Princeton Academy students attend religion, music, art, and physical education for two periods a week.
Middle School Curriculum
The Middle School program consists of five core academic subjects: English, mathematics, science, social studies, and Spanish. There are four special subjects: religion, music, art, and physical education.
English
The English program promotes an understanding and appreciation of literature and strengthens basic writing skills. Students read and study fiction of various genres, non-fiction, short stories from the Junior Great Books program, plays, poetry, and films. In response to literature, students acquire thinking, planning, drafting, and editing skills through expository, narrative, and creative writing. Students also continue to study English grammar, spelling, and vocabulary.