OUR ACADEMICS
Our academics help students develop critical thinking skills while immersed in an Islamic environment.
At Silicon Valley Academy, our curriculum exceeds the California State Standards, Common Core Standards, and Next Generation Science Standards for the skills and concepts taught at each grade level. Our teaching strategies from the GLAD model empower teachers to bring this content to life. The textbook is a resource to effectively teach concepts, along with field trips, artifacts, videos, children’s literature, and the internet. The curriculum is the "what" we teach; our GLAD teaching philosophy and strategies are the "how" we do it.
These strategies go beyond teaching students to find the "right answers" - what most schools engage in as a typical textbook activity - to developing critical thinking skills while examining complex problems. Students are actively involved in their learning process to develop a love of learning!
Curriculum Highlights:
- Thematic Learning with Standards-Based Units
- Integrated Islamic Teaching with Academic Subjects
- Multi-Level Classes Allow for Student Leadership and Scaffolding
- Cooperative Group Work and Multiple Learning Styles
- Hands-on Projects and Field Trips
- Ongoing Assessments with Individualized Feedback
- Dedicated Quran, Arabic, and Islamic Studies Sessions
Pre-Kindergarten
Our play-based Pre-K program is centered on providing a safe and nurturing learning environment for our students.
We provide stimulating, developmentally appropriate, hands-on activities related to monthly themes, including story-telling; art projects; songs and poems; cooking projects; and sharing related Quran and Sunnah to strengthen their metacognition, creativity, and self-confidence.
Pre-K students are taught Quran and Islamic concepts on a daily basis. Our teachers support students' memorization of surahs, as well as elementary tajweed, at a comfortable and enjoyable pace. Our goal is for children to be inspired, not burdened. Children are taught the meaning through storytelling and narratives so it is easy to remember. The approach used during these lessons is positive and stimulating, and the environment is one of love and inspiration.
Our Pre-K program is fully licensed by the State of California (License #434410768).
Elementary School
At SVA, we use multi-level learning in Kindergarten through 5th grade, which is a student-centered, subject-integrated approach. Students are grouped in classes of two grade levels and are taught by the same teacher for two years. Classes are split for level-appropriate math (and language arts in KG & 1st grade), while taught social studies, science, and other subjects as one large group, with units alternating each year so no one is taught the same unit twice.
Multi-level instruction promotes students to "learn to learn" and "learn to teach" through independent inquiry and peer tutoring, while recognizing that each student is at a different stage of learning. We believe such diversity is an asset and a resource that promotes learning. This method was originally designed for gifted students and has been successfully employed for all students at SVA and beyond.
Students must turn 5 on or before October 1 to enroll in SVA's kindergarten program. Please note that the California Department of Education requires children entering kindergarten to turn 5 on or before September 1. Therefore, if your child will be turning 5 September 2-October 1, you must complete the SVA Informed KG Consent Form.
Middle School
Our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes are taught by teachers with, on average, over 10 years of teaching experience, and with undergraduate and masters degrees from universities including Stanford, UCLA, and MIT.
SVA middle school curriculum focuses on preparing our students for high school, including through a focus on writing, public speaking, STEAM, and critical thinking.
Students who graduate middle school from SVA and transition to public high schools enter at or above grade level. Students who complete the standard math track at SVA will have completed Algebra I by 8th grade, which is equivalent to the accelerated math track in most public middle schools. SVA graduates generally take Geometry in 9th grade and are on track to take AP Calculus by 12th grade, a requirement of many universities for acceptance into their highly competitive STEM programs.
SVA prides itself on meeting each student at their level and challenging them to reach their highest potential. To this end, SVA accommodates middle school students who may benefit from taking a math class above or below their grade level.
Accelerated High School
Our accelerated high school provides a one-year, independent-study, college-preparatory program. We provide an opportunity for students to proceed at an accelerated pace toward higher education within an Islamic environment. Our teachers teach, guide, and mentor the students during in-person instruction and support their independent work through regular communication.
Our program offers mastery of study and learning strategies that facilitate metacognition and recall. It is a great option for students who are self-starters and independent learners.
The one-year program is the equivalent to freshman and sophomore years in high school. In the spring, our students take the California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) which evaluates whether a student has the knowledge and skills expected of a high school graduate. After passing the exam, students can enroll as a full-time freshman in a community college or apply to four-year colleges.
Enrollment in SVA’s Accelerated High School Program is open only to students who have completed all three years of middle school at SVA. Students must also meet SVA’s academic, social, and emotional standards to qualify. Please note that the program's availability is dependent on staffing resources and the number of qualified students.
This student production focused on cleanliness and respecting the caretakers of SVA Silicon Valley Academy.
Islamic Studies
SVA incorporates faith into every aspect of instruction. We have a cross-curricular approach to instill Islam in the hearts and minds of our students. Islamic principles are made relevant within social studies, science, and literature classes through discussions and refection. Integrated thematic units, including related Quran and Hadith, foster the development of moral and spiritual intelligence, academic knowledge, and higher level critical thinking.
Our approach to “Islamic” studies offers children a way to relate Islam to the world around them and incorporate the faith into their daily lives.
In addition, our Islamic studies program consists of a 50-minute class twice a week, with a curriculum that links authentic Hadith, Quranic Ayahs, and stories of different prophets to the California content standards for each grade level. Most importantly, we work to create a safe, caring, and nurturing setting. This teaches Islamic values such as cooperation, generosity, self-discipline, consideration, and responsibility to be practiced following the tradition of the Prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him.
Morning Assembly - Students in Kindergarten through 8th Grade begin the day at 8:20 a.m. with a gathering in the gymnasium where they recite the morning dua, Surah al-Fatiha, and hear a brief piece of Islamic advice. Starting the day with Quran and dua fills our school with barakah, alhamdulillah!
Dhuhr - Students in 2nd through 8th Grade perform Dhuhr prayer daily in the gymnasium. Prayers are led by a student.
Salat-ul Jummah - Students in 2nd through 8th Grade gather every Friday for a special children’s' Salat-ul-Jummah. Khutbas are often catered to issues that have come up among the students over the week. Parent volunteers and Middle School students rotate as khateebs.
Quran and Arabic
At SVA, students gain a solid basis in Quran and Arabic. The Quran program emphasizes reading Quran with proper tajweed, understanding the meaning of the surahs, and encourages student to ponder upon its verses.
We teach memorization of surahs, as well as Quranic recitation with tajweed, or proper pronunciation, at a comfortable and enjoyable pace. Our goal is for students to be inspired, not burdened. Our students take time not only to develop a general understanding of the meaning of the Quran, but also to reflect in writing what each surah means to them and how they may apply their newfound knowledge to their everyday life.
In our Arabic program, students study Modern Standard Arabic, or Fusha. They learn to read and write in the Arabic script, to apply proper grammar rules, and to use relevant vocabulary.
Our Director of the Quran and Arabic Program has extensive experience teaching the subjects - she has been teaching at SVA for 28 years mashaAllah! Students who join SVA from other schools and have not studied Quran and Arabic at grade level are provided on-on-one or small group sessions with the Director until they catch up with their class.