Academics

Lower School

The lower school at MCA consists of grades 3 and 4. The curriculum focuses on developing strong foundations in math and literacy for each student, guided by the Common Core State Standards. Rounding out the lower school curriculum is early exposure to music, computer coding, and STEAM.

  • Mother Caroline Academy’s lower school curriculum is designed to provide many opportunities for students to learn through hands-on experiences and reflection. In this way, elementary school students are better able to connect what they learn in the classroom to real-world situations.

  • The MCA lower school curriculum focuses on building strong foundational skills in math, English, reading, writing and other academic areas. Teachers also focus on helping students develop the ability to plan ahead and meet goals, display self-control, follow multiple-step directions even when interrupted, and stay focused despite distractions. These skills help prepare students for success in the upper school and eventually high school. We spotlight these skills in the lower elementary school grades because we believe intervening early will uplift our students' academic, social and emotional outcomes in school.

  • Recognizing the need for stronger math foundations at earlier grade levels, MCA has hired a part-time lower school math specialist and begun hosting an annual Community Math Night. The new math specialist works with the lower school students to ensure better long-term outcomes as they move into the upper school, and address the challenges we're seeing in core math skills at an earlier level. This position offers support to lower school teachers through small group sessions, 1:1 pullouts, assessments, and other forms of individualized tutoring.

Upper School

As students progress into the upper school (Grades 5-8), the skills learned in earlier grades build the foundation for higher level work—empowering our students to find their voice in both speech and writing, critical thinking and reasoning skills, and becoming engaged and respectful global citizens.

  • Because learning takes place both inside the individual classrooms and across subjects and grades, students also take part in programs that bring together multiple grade levels to share their learning. Annually, students participate in field trips that supplement the classroom curriculum in multiple subjects and develop projects for community events like a whole school science fair, as well as an end-of-year Art Show and Talent Show.

  • Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) at Mother Caroline Academy comes in many forms, from inside the classroom, our after-school activities, and events with families and the greater community. 

    MCA has been fortunate to grow our STEAM program thanks to the partnership of the Women’s Foundation of Massachusetts. In 2023, the Women’s Foundation of MA awarded MCA a 3-year grant to expand our STEAM program to offer coding and makerspace classes, as well as support our week-long internship with Boston Children’s Hospital. They have further supported the expansion of the STEAM program at MCA by awarding another 3-year grant in 2025 to allow us to hire a lower school math specialist to further prevent learning loss for students in their earliest years.

  • At MCA, students integrate art into their learning through our own art curriculum, as well as through outside partnerships with local organizations like Step into Art with the Harvard University Museums, drama with local director and playwright Jacqui Parker, and music classes for students in all grades. Likewise, the upper school curriculum is supplemented with robotics and project-based learning in the school’s makerspace.

  • Students in MCA’s upper school explore a variety of traditions before graduation day that connect our alumni across generations, for example:

    • Camp Merrowvista

    • Step Into Art for 6th Grade

    • Annual Culture Show

    • STEM-H Career Camp at Boston Children’s Hospital

    And so much more.

  • Beginning as early as 6th grade, the high school placement program at MCA is designed to ensure that students and families feel comfortable and familiar with the requirements necessary to apply to high school. The High School Placement Director assists students and their families throughout every aspect of the high school application process, including the financial aid process. In guiding students through the application process, the Director helps the student and her family identify the student’s strengths and goals in order to help her find the “best-fit” school.