| Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart | |
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| Address | |
| 1128 Great Road Princeton, New Jersey, Mercer County, 08540 United States |
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| Information | |
| Type | Private, All-boys |
| Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
| Established | 1998 |
| Principal | Kathy Humora (Middle) Suzanne Kazi (Lower) |
| Head of School | Olen Kalkus |
| Color(s) | Blue and Green |
| Accreditation(s) | Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools |
| Business Manager | Alan Stifelman |
| Admissions Director | Thomas von Oehsen |
| Athletic Director | Paul Clewell |
| Website | www.princetonacademy.org |
Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart is an independent all-boys Catholic day school located in Princeton, New Jersey and is part of the Sacred Heart Network of Schools. Princeton Academy serves students from Junior Kindergarten through grade 8 and is the only all-boys Catholic primary school in the state of New Jersey.[1]
The school is divided into two sections: a Lower School (Junior Kindergarten through grade 4) and a Middle School (grades 5 through 8).
As of 2011[update], the school has an enrollment of 229 students and 29.4 classroom teachers on an FTE basis, and a student-teacher ratio of 7.5:1.
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, the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, and the Educational Records Bureau.
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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.[2]
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:
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.
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.
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.
Students are introduced to Spanish beginning in Junior 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.
Additionally, all Princeton Academy students attend religion, music, art and physical education for two periods a week.
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.
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.
The Middle School mathematics program uses the University of Chicago Mathematics Project. This program uses a multi-dimensional approach emphasizing skills, properties, uses, and representations. The program stresses problem solving and the use of real- life applications.
The science program promotes an active learning process where students build a strong knowledge of scientific processes, principles, and ideas, as well as develop inquiry skills for problem solving in both an analytical and creative manner. A highlight of the Princeton Academy science program is the Independent Science Project (ISP).
The social studies program aims to develop and strengthen students’ skills in reading and research, observation and listening, recording and organization, interpretation and analysis, and clarity in written work. Students are encouraged to think critically, formulate their own opinions about the past, and apply what they have learned to the present day.
The Middle School Spanish program presents an integrated skills approach to Spanish. Both receptive (listening and reading) and productive (speaking and writing) proficiencies are developed. Students in Princeton Academy’s 8th grade participate in the International Sacred Heart Exchange Program with a Sacred Heart school in Barcelona, the Colegio Sagrado Corazon de Sarria.
Princeton Academy offers competitive sports teams for students in the Middle School (grades 5 – 8).
Princeton Academy embraces the approach of Service Learning. This is a “teaching and learning strategy that integrates meaningful community service with instruction and reflection to enrich the learning experience, teach civic responsibility, and strengthen communities”.[3] From JK – grade 8, students are involved in community service both for the school community and the community at large, with many of the activities created, designed and implemented by the boys themselves under faculty guidance.
Princeton Academy was incorporated in October 1998 and opened its doors in September, 1999 with 34 students in grades K- 3.
Princeton Academy is located on a 48-acre site approximately 3 miles from downtown Princeton, New Jersey. The Manor House, the centerpiece of the campus, was built in 1930 by Matthews Construction Company and designed by the architect Rolf Bauhan (Princeton University class of 1914) for Helen and Thomas Dignan (Princeton University class of 1926). The Dignans owned the house until 1947, at which time it was sold to the Marianites of the Holy Cross. The property was called Our Lady of Princeton until it was sold to Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart in the late 1990s.
The new Athletic and Convocation Center was dedicated in December, 2006. The William E. Simon chapel library was designed by Richardson Smith Architects, Princeton, NJ, and was dedicated in January 2008. The William E. Simon chapel library features a five-panel silk painting of the Mater created by Princeton-area artist Juanita Yoder. It is customary for schools within the Sacred Heart network to display a painting of the Mater. Princeton Academy's representation of the Mater was inspired by a fresco of the Mater Admirabilis which was created in 1844 and is hanging in the Trinita dei Monti in Rome, Italy.
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