Academics

Our Partnership with PLTW
Holy Cross Academy partners with PLTW to offer a hands-on, project-based approach to learning for students in Grades K-8. The program incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) skills needed for future success. Ultimately, taking PLTW courses can help students decide if a technology or engineering related career is right for them.

About PLTW
PLTW equips PreK-12 students for a STEM-driven world with a teacher-empowered curriculum in computer science, engineering, biomedical science, and more. For over 25 years, PLTW has brought relevant, hands-on learning to classrooms across the country. For more information on PLTW, visit pltw.org.

What PLTW programs does Holy Cross Academy offer?
Students in grades K-5 are immersed in PLTW’s Launch program.  Each year, a new unit is introduced and explored.  Topics include:

• Kindergarten:  Pushes & Pulls
• Grade 1:  Animal Adaptations
• Grade 2:  Properties of Matter
• Grade 3:  Stability & Motion: Forces and Interactions
• Grade 4:  Energy:  Collisions
• Grade 5:  Robotics & Automation
• Grades 6-8 engage in PLTW’s Gateway program, with topics that include: Flight & Space, Computer Science for Innovators & Makers, and Medical Detectives

What else does Holy Cross Academy’s STEM program offer?
In addition to PLTW programs, students in K-8 work on a variety of technology-based skills.  

• Google Tools for Education:  Throughout the grades, students learn to effectively use Google Tools and advance their skills in computer literacy, word processing, presentations and spreadsheets.
• Coding:  Students across the grades use various platforms and coding languages to develop programming skills.
• 3D Design and Printing:  Students in grades 5-8 learn to think in three dimensions and use Autodesk 3D design tools to create 3D designs and see their creations come to life via HCA’s 3D printers.