Academics

Saratoga Academy of the Arts & Sciences offers a faculty-designed, standards-based curriculum, fully integrating the arts and sciences, with an emphasis on developing critical thinking, questioning and problem solving skills.

Specific grade level curricular objectives are achieved primarily through small group instruction. The curriculum is designed to enable each student to achieve his/her maximum potential. The intellectual foundation for instruction is based on Howard Gardner's research on multiple intelligences and is geared toward the individual needs of each student. Co-curricular programs for students in Kindergarten through eighth grade include instruction in Spanish, Art, General Music, Music lessons (piano and guitar), and Physical Education. Co-Curricular programs for students in Pre-Kindergarten include instruction in Art and Physical Education.

Advanced literacy is the key component to the curricular objectives for the Saratoga Academy of the Arts & Sciences, beginning in our Pre-Kindergarten programs and continuing throughout the primary grade levels. Literacy is taught across all content areas. Students learn to read using a "balanced" language arts program that teaches whole language, phonics, literature and writing. Advanced literacy is the tool that enables Saratoga Academy to pursue accelerated instruction for all students across all content areas. Saratoga Academy students typically achieve one to two grade levels beyond their peers in other Capital Region public and private schools.

Sciences

Saratoga Academy of the Arts & Sciences offers an inquiry-based/activity-based science curriculum, designed to provide students with science experiences that are appropriate to their cognitive stages of development. These experiences include activities in life science, physical science, earth science, scientific reasoning and technology. Scientific approaches and skill development are stressed across all content areas including hypothesizing, testing, observing, inferring and evaluating.

Character Development

Character Development 'Leaders Learning the Way'

Saratoga Academy of the Arts and Sciences will promote the development of character traits and values in its students to shape them into our leaders of tomorrow. Every student can be a unique leader expressing him or herself with purpose and meaning. Saratoga Academy fosters a participatory learning environment in which each student is encouraged to use his or her own talents and potential to serve and fulfill a purpose.

Ideally, the effective leader is a person of integrity. Traits that embody leadership include reliability, truthfulness, loyalty, helpfulness, and a willingness to defend one’s own beliefs. Saratoga Academy’s morning program is designed to bring the school together on a daily basis to reinforce the different character traits and values needed to become an effective participatory leader. Emphasis is given to the development of respect, trust, service, patience, forgiveness, love, fairness, acceptance, responsibility and persistence. Focus on these character traits and values continue in regular classroom instruction.

Saratoga Academy uses the curriculum Creating Classrooms and Homes of Virtue from the Council for Spiritual and Ethical Education. This program provides non-denominational virtues educations to its students. Students celebrate traditions from around the world as it relates to good choices and the word of virtue for each month. This teaches children to see the world as a place of differences where people work together to make it a better place for all.