Academics
Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy’s curriculum is drawn from a nation-wide Seventhday Adventist Bible-based curriculum. Seventh-day Adventist teachers and administrators across North America work together to develop and select textbooks and other curriculum material. These dedicated educators have built a framework of academic materials that meet or exceed most state standards used today. MLAJA teachers also make modifications as necessary to tune the curriculum to the needs of local students. For over fifty years MLAJA teachers have provided excellence in education through their Christ-centered approach to teaching.
MLAJA’s teachers are credentialed and its K-10 program is nationally accredited. The school administration and staff are held accountable by our board and parents, as well as an outside agency, thus assuring constant excellence.
Kindergarten Curriculum
Kindergarten’s curriculum is Bible based, hands on, and Christ centered, sending children through all the basics, and encouraging each student’s artistic/creative side. A developmentally appropriate curriculum covers mathematics, language, reading, phonics, science, social studies, creative writing and physical education.
High School Curriculum
Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy’s 9th and 10th grades are affiliated, as a branch campus, with Central Valley Christian Academy of Ceres, California, which is accredited by The Western Association of Schools and Colleges; this provides MLAJA with that accreditation. MLAJA continues to maintain a tradition of excellent academics as it prepares students for college.
Read our High School Course Descriptions to learn more Mother Lode Adventist Junior Academy’s high school curriculum.
Music Program
We believe that all students should have music in their curriculum. We are fortunate to have the talented Mrs. Trauthwein who teaches music to grades K-10.
5th-Grade Band Classes
Fifth-Grade Band is a beginning instrumental. No previous experience is required; however, students are expected to take group or private instrumental lessons concurrently. Please talk to the music teacher about any difficulties you have in this regard.
Beginning Bell Choir
The beginning Handbell Choir is open to students in grades 5-6.
Performance
All musical groups perform occasionally in evening or weekend programs. Attendance at all performances is required and constitutes a part of the music grade.
Music Lessons
You may arrange private or group piano and instrument music lessons through the Music Department, and charges will be billed to you by the teacher. Instrument lessons are required for students in 5-6 grade Band and strongly encouraged for students in 7-10 Symphonic Band. Only one lesson per week may be scheduled during class time.
Ski Program
A unique feature of our physical education winter program for many years has been that each student has the opportunity to participate in skiing and snowboarding and to receive instruction from the Dodge Ridge Ski School. Between Christmas and spring vacations, normal on-campus physical education classes are suspended and grades 1-10 take one trip per week to Dodge Ridge until we have had up to the allotted number of trips for the year (dependent on weather and finances). Each student is provided with a lift ticket, ski or snowboard equipment, and a ski or snowboard class conducted by professional ski instructors. Specific ski policies are distributed prior to ski season.
Achievement Testing
Students in grades 3 through 10 are tested three times each year with the NWEA MAP exam in Mathematics, Reading, Language, and Science. Test results measure students growth towards the standards, providing a RIT score that allows teachers to personalize and differentiate learning for each student for their needs. Results showing comparisons to national scores are provided for parents and included in each student’s cumulative record. MLAJA’s students generally place above grade level. They also place, in most cases, above national norms. Testing summaries and school averages are available upon request.
Books and Supplies
Each teacher will provide a list of supply requirements for his or her classroom. These are sent out with the enrollment packets or with the summer letters.
