Physics First at JPG
By Erin Heule, Principal
Early on at St. John Paul the Great, we identified that a key academic goal is to provide a rich formation in both the humanities and quadrivium (math and science) disciplines. The current educational landscape in the US pressures high schools to lean heavily into one of these camps, often at the expense of a truly integral intellectual formation. This year, we have invested research, thought, and prayer into developing a long-term approach to math and science formation to equal the well-established strength of classical, liberal arts, and humanities instruction.
As we began the research process for the best science formation to align with our school mission, we identified several priorities:
Ensure that our quadrivium approach aligns with our Catholic and classical academic formation.
Guarantee that our students master requisite math knowledge before applying those skills to scientific inquiry.
Adopt an approach that balances academic rigor, wonder, and inquiry to inspire students to consider further study in the STEM fields during high school and beyond.
We were thrilled to discover the Novare textbook series published by Classical Academic Press. The Novare texts were created by John D. Mays, a scientist and teacher passionate about equipping students with a deep sense of wonder at and mastery over scientific concepts. This textbook sequence is founded upon a “physics first” approach to high school science that inspires more high school students to consider further study in related fields.
The introductory physics class that begins this course sequence is age-appropriate for freshmen, aligns with grade-level math knowledge, and begins high school science inquiry with essential scientific tools that will enrich their further study. As students progress through the course sequence, they can enroll in grade-level or accelerated courses and revisit physics in an AP-style senior elective.
Starting in Fall 2024
Our remodeled Chemistry lab and a secondary science lab coming online in our Phase II construction ensure that our facilities will support exciting, hands-on exploration in science. Through this cohesive, classical, physics-first approach, we will provide students with a rich quadrivium formation to complement a deep, thought-provoking humanities core. We are confident that these curricular changes align us even more closely with the wisdom of our patron Saint John Paul the Great, who understood that: “Faith and reason are like two wings upon which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth.”
