Philosophy

I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand

Our Philosophy

• Is based on a developmental educational philosophy, believing a basic education must address the needs of the whole child.
• Holds the academic, social, emotional, physical and creative growth of each child as equal in value and importance.
• Values the concept of children developing lifelong learning skills with the emphasis on critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Values the inter-relationship and equal importance of all the disciplines: language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, visual and performing arts, and physical education.

"We have had 3, all dyslexic, kids at McA and this is our last year. Our oldest attended K-8 and it was perfect for him. He is thriving and had no issue transitioning to Cupertino HS, either from an academic or social perspective. Finished his first year with a 4.0" -Parent, 2022

McAuliffe is a parent participation school that inspires passion for lifelong learning, fosters social and emotional growth, and develops children’s creative minds. McAuliffe teachers integrate project-based learning, collaboration, and conflict resolution to help students develop critical thinking and higher order cognitive skills – evaluation, analysis, and synthesis. The teachers are guided by the three C's:

• Creativity
  • McAuliffe teachers use hands-on learning throughout the curriculum. Students learn through involvement with content instead of imitation or repetition. Lessons are presented in an experiential, hands-on approach integrated with research and directed discovery.
• Collaboration
  • McAuliffe offers project-based learning in reading, writing, math, science, technology, arts, and music. In all grades, students work cooperatively in large and small groups to allow a deeper understanding of mathematics, science, and literature.
• Community
  • Students learn how to be productive members of their learning community through class meetings, conflict resolution, problem solving, and by taking on meaningful class jobs.

Parents are trained to collaborate with teachers to facilitate small groups of students. Their participation and experience gives students personalized attention. Parents also support our community through a wide variety of activities. Parent participation is the foundation of our learning community.

"Having so many loving and dedicated adults to help you raise your children is an invaluable gift. I do also love the way they teach the kids, they really help them understand the concepts, own them, analyze them and question them. My kids understand rather than memorize. They are also comfortable talking to adults, asking questions and working in teams." -Parent, 2022

Our Mission 

The mission of Christa McAuliffe is to develop well-rounded students who are academically prepared, intellectually curious, adept at critical thinking, and possess problem-solving skills. It is our goal to prepare our students for personal success now, in high school and beyond, through the development of higher-order reasoning abilities.

Parent participation is an important part of supporting Christa McAuliffe philosophy. Parents are trained to work in classrooms to facilitate effective small group instruction. The time and talents of our parents make possible the rich, dynamic and flexible curriculum that individually challenges each child.

Christa McAuliffe School serves the residents of the Cupertino Union School District, providing an education that develops critical thinking and higher order cognitive skills - evaluation, analysis, and synthesis.

Parent Participation

Parent participation will help provide the learning experiences that are the foundation of our educational excellence. Research indicates that parent involvement is at the core of a child’s educational success and is a gift that you give your child that lasts throughout their lifetime. To learn more about how parent participation works at McAuliffe, click here.