How does PCCS measure up? The SACS/AdvancED Index of Education Quality (IEQ) scores for PCCS were: 1) Overall Score 315.38 (AdvancED Network of all private schools average 278.94); 2) Teaching and Learning Impact 309.52 (AdvancED Network of all private schools average 268.48); 3) Leadership Capacity 336.36 (AdvancED Network of all private schools average 293.71); AND 4) Resource Utilization 300.00 (AdvancED Network of all private schools average, 286.27). Want to learn about SACS/AdvancED? Go to this website: http://www.advanc-ed.org/about-us
ACT and PCCS: In the PCCS September 2017 ACT Report of College Readiness, the Table of "Percent of ACT-Tested Students Ready for College-Level Coursework" showed benchmark comparisons of all PCCS students who took the ACT and Texas ISDs: College English Composition (PCCS 90%, State 57%), College Algebra (PCCS 80%, State 40%). More about the ACT: ACT scores range from 1 to 36, and the average ACT score is 20. If you’ve scored 20, then you’ve scored higher than 50% of test-takers. A 24 places you at the 74th percentile—better than ¾ of test-takers. A score of 30 means you’ve scored better than 95% of them--for PCCS students that have taken a course sequence of Algebra I/II, Geometry and Trig/Other Adv. Math, the average is 30.0. That's why PCCS has moved to the research-based math curriculum (CPM, College-Prep Mathematics). We want to give students the best chance to nail the ACT Math!
How does PCCS measure up on the SAT? The 2017 College Readiness Benchmarks for PCCS vs. National scores: Overall (PCCS 92%, National 48%), English (PCCS 100%, National 71%), and Math (PCCS 92%, National 50%).
Core Class Addition – Spring Semester: Weekly challenge question from an SAT/ACT will be presented by our upper school faculty in History, English, Math and Science!
DAILY SCHEDULE: The school day begins for all students at 8 a.m. with Devotions and Bible Study (and one day of Chapel for elementary and upper separately). Monitors are present 7:30 a.m. - 8 a.m. and until 4:20 p.m. after school.
The Elementary Schedule is Monday-Thursday with five core periods including two periods of Mathematics plus Reading, Spelling, Composition, and Grammar. They also have Social Studies, Science and Electives (one elective per day and these vary each day). Primer and 1st graders adjourn at 3:55 p.m. while 2nd and up adjourn at 4 p.m.
The Junior High Schedule is Monday-Thursday with five core classes in Math (7th Prealgebra, 8th Algebra), Science, Social Studies, English/Literature, Writing Lab with Grammar and Membean Vocabulary. Social
Studies is Texas History and World Geography for 7th and U.S. History I
for 8th graders. They have 8 electives slots per week.
The High School Schedule is Monday - Thursday plus Fridays until 1:10 p.m. It includes five core classes (see Graduation Checklist in right sidebar)
with necessary labs. Each semester, 7th-12th graders select eight weekly enrichment electives
classes (see sample Enrichment Schedule link, above).
PCCS tailors its Graduation Planner after the TEA Graduation Foundation Requirements as well as Academic Endorsements. Next year, the program expands to include both DCAP (Dual Credit/AP) and LAPS (Liberal Arts Practical Sciences) Endorsements in addition to the TEA & PCCS Foundation Requirements. (Support Services courses are not listed below but align with educational needs of student groups).
ENGLISH:
FOUNDATION: English I, English II
DCAP: Dual Credit ENG 1301, 1302, British Literature, and American Literature
LAPS: Creative Writing/World Literature, Dual Credit 1301, 1302
The PCCS HS English program also includes 4 years of composition/writing lab plus College Entrance Exam English Prep.
NOTE: A number of PCCS high schoolers tested at or above the national mean (against other dual credit students and college freshman nationwide) on Writing Skills (including usage/mechanics, rhetorical skills of the ACT's- Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency Achievement Awards
HISTORY/GEOGRAPHY:
FOUNDATION, ALL TRACKS: Ancient World History & Geography, Modern World History & Geography, U.S. History II, Economics and U.S. Government (including Mock Trial) (AP U.S. Government, pending)
MATHEMATICS:
FOUNDATION: Algebra/8th Grade, Geometry/9th Grade, Advanced Algebra/10th Grade
DCAP: HS Pre-Calculus/11th Grade, Dual Credit College Algebra and Dual Credit College Statistics/12 Grade.
LAPS: Math Models I/II, College Algebra (Dual Credit and non-Dual Credit)
Consistent with TEA options, alternative math credits are available in the Senior year for those students entering majors not requiring upper level math (e.g., Consumer Mathematics, Business Models). Other required HS Math courses include College Entrance Exam Math Prep and Dave Ramsey Money Management for Teens.
SCIENCE WITH LAB:
FOUNDATION: Biology/9th
DCAP: Chemistry/10th, Forensic Science/11th, Physics/12th (AP Physics, pending)
LAPS: IPC/10th, Forensic Science/11th, Alternate TEA-approved Science (e.g., Entomology, Food Science, Marine Biology)/12th
LANGUAGES & REASONING:
FOUNDATION: Latin & Logic/9th, Membean Vocabulary/All
DCAP: Logic & Reasoning/9th, Spanish I/10th, Spanish II/11th, Dual Credit College Spanish A-B/12th
LAPS: Tourist Spanish, Alternate Language (e.g., Continuing Spanish, ASL levels)
OTHER REQUIRED COURSES: Health I/II, College & Career Planning, P.E. (4 courses), Fine Arts (4 courses), Speech (incl. competition), Technical Applications/Computer Sciences (4 courses), CONNECT (Bible & Service Learning, every semester or school-sponsored Mission Trip prep), 68-hour Internship. and electives of choice, including Dual Credit Psychology and Dual Credit Sociology.
A Senior Capstone presented to the Board of Directors and Officers is required to graduate.
With tight budgets and multiple children, PCCS parents have enjoyed the benefit of sending their graduates to college with more affordable College Dual Credits under our Concurrent Dual Credit Contract with accredited Trinity Valley Community College rather than paying the higher 4-year university course rates. Yes! Students have been successful in transferring these credits to other colleges within and outside of Texas! College textbooks, approved by the community college district, are utilized, and our teachers are qualified as college adjunct faculty to teach these courses.
ENG 1301 Composition (3 credits
ENG 1302 World Lit (3 credits)
American Lit (3 credits)
British
Lit (3 credits)
College Algebra (3 credits)
College PreCalculus (3 credits)
College Spanish I, Fall & Spring (8 credits)
Social Science PSYCH (3 credits)
Social Science SOCI (3 credits)
PENDING:
PCCS graduates attend a wide variety of private and public colleges & universities. In fact, Dallas Baptist University and Texas Women's University have both communicated with PCCS about the success of our graduates at their institutions and actively solicit our graduates each year.
PCCS graduates have attended (have graduated from):
John Brown University, Texas A&M-College Station, Texas A&M-Commerce, Dallas Baptist University, Howard Payne University, University of Texas-Dallas, University of Texas-Austin, Texas Tech University, Oklahoma State University, Baylor University, Eastfield College, Trinity Valley Community College, University of Houston, Fire School, Police Academy, Armed Forces (Navy and Army), University of North Texas, University of Houston, Paul Mitchell Cosmetology School, El Centro College, Southern Assembly of God University, Le Tourneau University, Christ for the Nations Institute, Oral Roberts University, Savannah College of Art & Design, Texas Women's University, University of Texas-Tyler, St. Mary's University, Medical University of the American Medical School, Santa Fe University for Art & Design, University of New York, University of Pennsylvania, Texas Wesleyan University, Belhaven University, Vanderbilt Graduate School, University of Texas Medical School.
