Northshore Christian Academy recently received a prestigious honor from the US Department of Education: the National Blue Ribbon School Award. This award recognized the top private and public schools in the nation for overall academic excellence or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.
Being a Blue Ribbon School means our school community is nationally recognized for creating a safe, welcoming educational environment where students master challenging and engaging content. It means we are seen as a model of effective school practices for schools throughout the country.
Only a few hundred schools receive this award annually. In the past 5 years, one private school and four public schools have received the National Blue Ribbon School Award in Washington state. We are honored to receive this recognition and celebrate our amazing community of teachers, students, and parents.
Blue Ribbon Schools Have Exceptional Performance in Core Areas
NCA students’ achievement in English and math ranks among the highest in the country, as measured by standardized tests. For the past 20 years, students have been performing at an average of 1-2 years above their grade level.
In the lower grades, we focus on helping students master the fundamental skills they will need for later learning. Our students learn reading, cursive, computer keyboarding, and writing skills at an accelerated pace. Students also have the opportunity to advance in math beyond their grade level starting in 2nd grade. We have second graders learning advanced third-grade math and fourth-graders learning sixth-grade math.
Upper-grade courses challenge students to be creative and use critical thinking skills. 8th-grade students are typically at a 12th-grade level equivalent in reading, writing, and math, with many students completing algebra and geometry courses before graduation. Many of our alumni qualify for advanced math courses in high school and go on to pursue challenging courses in college.
A Strong Foundation in Key Skills is Required to be Considered A Blue Ribbon School
NCA is a leading school in STEM education. Beginning in Kindergarten, our students spend 40 minutes per week in the engineering lab. Students get hands-on experience with technology, and build vital skills like coding.
NCA teachers are devoted to helping students become excellent communicators. Our elementary school classes devote 90 minutes to literacy each day, including reading, writing, grammar, spelling, handwriting, and communication skills.
Blue Ribbon Schools Have A Well-Rounded Education that Leads to Success
All of our foreign language courses are taught with a proven method called TPR Storytelling. We believe it’s vital for students to practice a well-balanced combination of hearing, speaking, reading, and writing.
We offer numerous engaging electives to help middle school students to find their passions and explore career-related skills. Many of our 6-8 graders take computer coding as an elective. 7-8 graders can take a medical forensics class, web and game design, video production, or even physics. We also offer elective courses that promote leadership and life skills, such as speech and debate, student council, and yearbook design.
Fine arts are a cornerstone at NCA. K-4 music education includes annual musical plays, chapel presentations, performance concerts, and after school lessons. All of our older students participate in one or more of our sixteen bands, orchestra, choirs, art classes, chapel, or drama classes.
Why NCA?
All of these academic opportunities occur within a faith-focused community that values diversity. We integrate Christian faith instruction throughout our curriculum with daily Bible classes, chapel, and community service projects. NCA also hosts PTF (Parent Teacher Fellowship) Connection groups for a wide variety of cultures, including Korean, Filipino, Spanish, African, Chinese, and Slavic groups. We know you’ll love our community!
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