Intermediate School in Prosper, Texas

One of the most distinctive elements of Prestonwood Christian Academy is the school’s intentional focus on developing a biblical worldview. Biblical Worldview Conference was created to give students, faculty and parents the opportunity to think critically about Christianity around the world. Intermediate students attend this special two-day seminar held at Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano.

High Touch, High Tech provides fun, interactive, hands-on science and nature experiences for students without having to leave their classrooms. Through a discovery style of learning, students are engaged in science content. All of the programs are a complement to the science curriculum in place.

The purpose of the Stand Up and Be Heard Program is to help students lose the fear of presenting in front of a group by equipping them with effective presentation skills. The program starts in First Grade with one videoed oral presentation and continues from Second through Sixth Grades with two videoed oral presentations a year. Students learn about key areas of good presentation: stance, introduction, eye contact, voice, gestures and ending. The key component of the program is that students are videoed as they give their presentation and then within the following week a parent meets with each student individually giving them positive feedback as they watch their personal presentation. Students grow in confidence as they learn some key essential elements to oral presentations.

PCA is committed to teaching students about a healthy lifestyle. The FitnessGram is a series of physical activities done by students in a controlled setting in order to obtain a benchmark of their overall fitness level. The testing consists of several components such as a pacer test, push-ups, curl-ups, a trunk lift, and a BMI measurement that provide an indication of a student’s level of fitness. Results are sent home, along with a letter of explanation, after all test data is entered. This is repeated annually in order to track growth.

Team Global Issues Problem Solving Competition

This elective program is designed for those students who desire to be challenged at a higher level through competition. Future Problem Solving Program International (FPSPI) is an international competitive program where gifted and high-achieving students compete in teams of three or four after researching topics that have implications for the future and are of global concern. Students utilize reading strategies while reviewing non-fiction material necessary for researching the FPSPI topics for the year. The topics are always interdisciplinary, but reading and language arts skills dominate the content of the program. The program develops creative thinking, research skills, critical and analytical thinking skills, communication skills (oral/written), problem solving strategies, as well as increases awareness of and interest in the future.

As part of the FPSPI team competition, students are required to research a given topic prior to competition, then in a two-hour time period, they are given a future scene or scenario based on the topic that contains a problem for them to address. Teams must generate and write sixteen challenges, choose one to solve, develop sixteen solutions, write five criteria questions in which to evaluate their best solution, then write a persuasive essay selling the team’s best solution. The work from each team is then forwarded to the state office for evaluation. Winners on problem three each year are then invited to compete at the state bowl in Austin, Texas. Winners at the state level advance to international competition. Some examples of the topics covered in FPSPI over the past few years are: nanotechnology, immigration, climate threats/change, orphaned children, sensory overload, cyber conflict, child labor, and genetic engineering. Participating in FPS takes commitment and dedication. The problem solving skills necessary to perform in FPSPI are skills corporations and businesses of all kinds would desire from an employee.

Teams that qualified for the state bowl on the third competition travel to Austin the third weekend in April. The first and second place winners at the state bowl compete at the international conference in May. Students are graded on their individual performance not what they do collectively as a team.

Scenario Writing

In conjunction with the Future Problem Solving Program International curriculum, students compose futuristic short stories (1,500 words or less) related to one of the current year's topics. Stories are first submitted for in school competition, and then several in each age division are selected to advance to the state competition. The first, second, and third place winner in each affiliate (state) program is invited to the FPSPI International writing competition. The first place state winner and all international finalists are invited to the International Conference to compete in an on-site writing competition.

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The ACSI Spelling Bee is held annually for students in third through eighth grades. ACSI provides a list of spelling words designed to help students integrate both writing and reading exercises with spelling. Students first compete within their grade level with the top students advancing to the District competition. From the District level, students in fifth through eighth grades become eligible to advance to the Regional competition. The objective of this competition is to develop good spelling habits, good vocabulary, and proper communication as well as to promote fellowship with students from other Christian schools.

The ACSI Math Olympics is held annually for students in third through eighth grades. Students first compete within their grade level with the top students advancing to the District competition. From the District level, students become eligible to advance to the Regional competition. The objective of this competition is to stimulate an interest in math and provide opportunities for fellowship with math students from other Christian schools. Students are also recognized for their achievements and are given the opportunity to glorify God through their mathematical abilities.