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Core Curriculum
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 St.
Leo the Great School offers a core curriculum which is
mandated by Diocese of Harrisburg and the Pennsylvania
Department of Education. In addition to the core curriculum,
St. Leo's offers enrichment programs such as Spanish for
7th and 8th Grades and Algebra to selected 8th Grade students.
St. Leo students use the Integrated Learning System program
to supplement Math instruction in grades 1 through 8.
St. Leo's also provides a Guidance Counselor and Psychologist
through Intermediate Unit No.13. Remedial Reading and
Math instruction is available, as is a Speech Pathologist.
Hempfield School District provides Reading Instruction
through Title I funding. |
Primary Level Program (Grades Pre-K -
4)
Welcome to the Primary Level Program for grades Pre-K,
Kindergarten, One, Two, Three, and Four. We are pleased
and privileged to have you with us. These years will be
full of new and interesting experiences. It is our hope
that, as a student of the primary level of St. Leo the
Great School, you will love learning and will grow in
the Catholic faith. We not only will talk about being
a good Christian, but also will show through our actions
what good Christians do and say to each other. This handbook
tells about the things that you can expect during your
years in this program. In addition, it explains some of
the procedures that will be followed in the classrooms.
We hope that it helps in your adjustment to life here
at St. Leo the Great School. More...
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Middle Level Program (Grades 5 - 8)
Welcome to the Middle Level Program for grades Five, Six,
Seven, and Eight. We are pleased and privileged to have
you with us. This year will be full of many challenges
and new experiences. It is our hope that you, as a student
of the middle level of St. Leo the Great School, will
accept the responsibility of becoming a life long learner
and a model of Christian principles. In light of that
goal, we have developed the Student Guide for the Middle
Level Grades. This guidebook does not replace, but rather
reinforces and supplements the calendar handbook. It provides
information on the daily operations, the teachers, the
classes, and the expectations for students. In addition
it explains some of the procedures that will be followed
in the classrooms. We hope that it helps in your adjustment
to these next few years at St. Leo the Great School. More... |
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Beginning of Day
Students gather each morning in the gymnasium. The classes
sit in designated areas to greet each other and socialize
before prayers. Students remain seated and quietly conversing
unless given permission to go to the restroom or office.
On Mondays through Thursdays, the day begins with announcements
and a whole school prayer service. Classes line up and leave the gymnasium with homeroom teachers in a quiet, orderly manner. On Friday mornings, the students and faculty attend Mass.
Personal Belongings
Every homeroom is equipped with storage for student
belongings. Teachers assign coat hooks, cubbies, and
a personal desk for holding books, notebooks, and equipment.
It is expected that students will respect each other's
privacy and not tamper with things in the desks.
Sharing Our Faith
You are blessed at St. Leo School to have many opportunities
to live your Catholic faith and share it with others.
We begin each day with prayer, and carry our learning
about Christian living through every aspect of our day.
To truly nurture your relationship with God and become
closer to the person of Jesus, you must participate
fully in communal prayer, classroom religious services,
and school wide liturgies. To do this, listen thoughtfully,
respond with feeling, sing joyfully, and open yourself
enthusiastically to the word of God.
Everything we do and say bears witness to who we are
and what we believe, and our actions often speak louder
than our voices ever could. A prayerful attitude is
always expected in church, as well as the proper etiquette
of sitting quietly and behaving reverently. As members
of a Catholic educational community, we must also demonstrate
positive, Christ-like behavior regardless of where we
are on the Church and school grounds. We should actively
support school service projects, participate in school
activities, and treat everyone with care and respect.
In this way we prepare for an active roll as adults
in the Catholic Church.
Communications
Good communication is vital to a thriving educational
community. Standard procedure as outlined in the calendar
handbook must be followed for excuses for absence or
tardiness. All other written communication should arrive
in a sealed envelope with the appropriate teacher's
name on the front.
It is best to e-mail individual teachers at school with
messages. Please be certain to have the student name
in the subject area of the message heading to avoid
confusion. Please consult either the faculty
section or the preschool
section of our Administrative web page for specific
email addresses. The format for e-mail addresses is
the teacher's first initial and last name followed by
the @ and stleoschool.org. This format also applies
to all special area teachers and administrative staff.
Telephoning the teacher at school is also possible,
but it will involve a message and then a return call
when the teacher in question has a preparation period.
Please do not write important notes at the top of tests
or quizzes that are sent home for parent signatures.
Conduct and Deportment
To promote cooperation and establish a respect for all
people, students must maintain a calm, quiet atmosphere
in the classroom, when changing classes, and whenever
academic learning is taking place on the school grounds.
The students are expected to follow the Code of Conduct
for Character Formation as shown on the report card.
Support, respect, and understanding for fellow students
create nurturing surroundings in which to learn. All
students deserve a school where they feel safe and where
they have a sense of belonging and community.
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Special Subjects
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Computers and Technology
 St.
Leo the Great School is well provided with technology
equipment for student use and instruction. A mobile cart
carries thirty-one Alpha smarts units, a monitor, computer,
and printer. These are assigned numerically to students
in grades one through eight at the start of the year so
the work of eight students is stored in each unit. The
word-processing work can then be transferred to the computer
and saved to student disks for editing, or it can be printed
directly. In addition, each classroom has computers set
up for the C.C.C. mathematics enrichment program and word-processing
purposes.
The science room and computer lab have new SmartBoard
technology installed. These units project from the teacher's
computer to a large display board, allowing wide flexibility
in instructional display. It is particularly effective
when used with the new microscopes earned by one of the
teachers through workshop involvement.
The computer lab itself holds computers for an entire
classroom of students. Internet hook-up allows extensive
research capability, and students begin early to build
technology skills. Students are assigned to a computer
and accept responsibility for the condition of that computer.
Students should examine the computer for any changes before
use at the beginning of each class period and notify the
teacher in charge immediately if computer tampering is
suspected.
All students are required to sign and adhere to the Internet
Acceptable Use Policy and the Acceptable Use of the School
Network Policy. In an attempt to prevent the spreading
of computer viruses, students are not allowed to bring
floppy disks or CD s from home. Students are to refrain
from entering into the settings of any computer in the
building. Failure to adhere to these directives will result
in disciplinary action. The computer laboratory is for
the enrichment of every student's educational program,
and responsible sharing and use of the equipment is expected.
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Library
The library is more than a repository of books. It is
a place where a child can begin a lifelong love of reading.
It is a place where there are wonderful stories to be
told and a place to spark the imagination. In the library,
a student can research a subject in depth through books
and reference materials, as well as access one of the
computers for an internet search.
Depending on the grade level, every student can withdraw
one to four books at a time from the library. The books
are scanned out when they are withdrawn and scanned in
when they are returned. Books are due back in one week,
but can be renewed as needed.
The school librarian sees students in grades kindergarten
through fifth weekly for a library period where stories
are read, literary genre are introduced, and research
skills are taught and reinforced. Students in grades six
through eight do not have a specific library period, but
are able to withdraw books and utilize the reference materials
as needed.
Physical Education
The physical education curriculum attempts to prepare
the students for a life of fitness and activity. The concepts
of team effort and good sportsmanship shape the expectations
and actions of every class. Students begin the classes
as Kindergarteners, and the program builds from one year
to the next. Skills learned as younger students are refined
and developed in later years.
As Christians we learn to respect the human body as a
gift from God. We learn how to keep it healthy and safe
through the study of nutrition, basic first aid, and the
D.A.R.E. Program (Drug and Alcohol Resistance Eduation)
in cooperation with the science curriculum. Students who
work together and support each other in physical games
and activities grow to be adults who do the same.
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Spanish
The foreign language program at St. Leo School begins
in the fourth grade. The fourth, fifth, and sixth grade
students receive instruction in Spanish culture and language.
Fourth grade meets one period every other week, and the
fifth and sixth grades on a once weekly basis. These lessons
familiarize the students with the heritage from which
many Spanish-speaking members of the Lancaster community
come. It prepares them for the more intensive language
study begun in grade seven and completed in eighth grade.
This two year program has the students in class three
periods each week, during which they complete the material
in the Spanish I curriculum. Lecture and bookwork is complemented
by project work and celebrations in the Spanish traditions.
These activities are sometimes augmented by field trips
or special events such as celebrating Mass in Spanish.
The program prepares the students well for the foreign
language placement examination taken before entering high
school. Even more, it teaches them ways to learn about
the world beyond the doors of our school. |
Music
The Pennsylvania Standards for the Arts and Humanities
is at the heart of St. Leo the Great School's music curriculum.
Music should be a kinesthetic, aural, interdisciplinary,
and spatial art form. In addition to the regular weekly
classes, students experience choral performance to demonstrate
learning within the program of study.
The first year begins the development of basic skills,
with subsequent years building upon previous learning.
Practicing self-control and participating in class are
expected.
At least one time each year the individual classes perform
for the school community. There is one performance at
Christmas, and one at the end of the year. Through the
generosity of community sponsors, we are able to make
trips to public music performances from year to year.
This involvement in the world of music broadens the life
of the students and serves them well in their adult lives.
Below is a general listing of the music program, by grade: |
KINDERGARTEN
• Singing alone and with others.
• Playing rhythm instruments alone, and with others.
• Listening, analyzing, and moving to music.
• Matching tones by listening and echoing their sounds.
• Memorizing songs for and participating in a public
performance.
FIRST GRADE
• Understanding basic notes, rests, symbols, and
terms are added.
SECOND GRADE
• Building on and reviewing basic notes, rests, symbols,
and terms.
• Recognizing the directions of basic notes on the
staff.
THIRD GRADE
• Introduction of simple meter.
• Familiarization with the families of instruments.
FOURTH GRADE
• Transitioning of names of notes and rests, review
of note value.
• Beginning of classical listening with backgrounds
of famous composers.
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FIFTH GRADE
• Review and reinforce skills from K - 4.
• Introduction of more complex meter.
• Comprehensive review of all signs, symbols, terms,
notes, rests, and their values.
• Part-singing is encouraged and performed.
SIXTH GRADE
• Complex meter is reinforced.
• Chord-building is introduced.
• Rhythmic dictation is achieved.
SEVENTH GRADE
• Intervals and their importance in sight-singing
are stressed.
• Vocal ensemble experience is begun.
• Exploring Broadway musicals is utilized for vocal
and historical knowledge.
EIGHTH GRADE
• Emphasis upon time periods in music and their relationship
to the culture of the era.
• Music of great composers from each time period
is heard.
• Lives of the composers are explored.
• Ethnic music is discussed and heard.
• Decibels and hearing loss are explained and the
dangers reinforced. |
Visual Arts
 Like
the music curriculum, the art committee of the Diocese of
Harrisburg developed their new program of study around the
guidelines set up in the Pennsylvania Standards for the
Arts and Humanities. These guidelines include the following:
• understand and use basic elements and principles
of design.
• experience a variety of visual arts media; care
and safe use of materials and equipment.
• use the various media to solve hands-on problems,
independently and in groups.
• read, write, speak, and listen, at appropriate
level, on art topics.
• correlate art history and criticism with the social
studies curriculum areas appropriate to grade level.
• integrate with other subject area content when
possible.
• participate in exhibits and displays of artwork.
• become involved in and exposed to the arts in the
broader community.
• develop an appreciation for the arts of the world
community, celebrating the uniqueness of the various ethnic,
national, and religious groups.
Students in Kindergarten through eighth grade receive instruction
one time each week in the visual arts. The program of study
follows an upward spiral, with each year building on the
learning of the previous years. The art classroom is organized
to optimize the time spent there. Students share tools and
equipment, so care of these is emphasized. Cooperation and
respect should guide all actions in the art studio.
Art appreciation is a special focus of St. Leo's art department.
Each year students participate in displays of artwork during
Grandfriends Day, Catholic Schools Week, and at the end
of the year Spring Concert and Art Show. Selected student
works of the seventh and eighth grade are entered into the
Scholastic Arts Competition, and middle grade student work
is sent for display in Harrisburg during Pennsylvania Arts
in Education month. Due to the generosity of the Pennsylvania
College of Art and Design, three students each year are
awarded tuition scholarships for the Children's Art Classes.
There are also enrichment activities that vary each year,
including Art Club for students in grades seven and eight,
field trips, and other special visiting displays, exhibits,
or performances, all arranged to enhance the development
of well rounded young members of the world community. |
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Primary Level Grades
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Primary Level Links
Please use the following links to go directly to grade
specific information for primary grades:
Pre-Kindergarten (Preschool)
- Kindergarten - Grade
One - Grade Two - Grade
Three - Grade Four
Additionally, some primary level grades are offered instruction
in special subject areas such as computers and technology,
library, music, visual arts, physical education, and Spanish. More...
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Heading, Use of Pen / Pencil, and Student
Number
While some requirements for different classes may vary
slightly, the following guidelines should be followed
for all primary level classes.
• Math is to be done in pencil; error corrections
are to be erased, not crossed out.
• Theme paper or standard rule loose leaf is to be
used for assignments to be done on loose leaf. No pages
are to be ripped from copybooks or spiral notebooks.
• Each student is assigned a number, by alphabetical
placement, at the beginning of the year. This number is
to be placed in the upper right hand corner of all papers.
This is used for a quick reference check after all papers
are collected.
• The standardized heading has the student name,
first and last, on the top line on the left side of the
paper, with the student number across from it in the upper
right. Directly below the name is the date, and below
the date is the subject. |
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Pre-Kindergarten (Preschool)
It is the philosophy of the St. Leo Pre-kindergarten
that early childhood should be a time of fun, play,
exploration and discovery of new surroundings. The program
strives to provide a loving, Christ centered environment
for all children who attend. Pre-kindergarten was developed
to prepare each student for Kindergarten in the social,
spiritual, emotional, physical, and intellectual areas.
To fulfill this task of preparation, children are given
every opportunity to work at their own developmental
levels in all academic areas.
The curriculum for Pre-kindergarten is child-centered
and planned around weekly themes. The children are exposed
to whole and small group interactions, pre-reading and
writing activities, gross motor play, and parent involvement.
Once a week they attend music and library classes with
certified special area instructors. Children explore
the curriculum in the classroom through "hands on" social,
academic, and religious learning center experiences.
The classroom has many learning centers.
• The Reading Center is designed to help
children develop an appreciation and enjoyment of literature.
All activities in this center enhance vocabulary and
comprehension skills and expand the knowledge base.
• The Dramatic Play Center helps children
express themselves. Here they practice life skills in
order to improve social interaction, to increase self-awareness,
and to learn to resolve peer conflicts.
• The Project / Art Center helps children
creatively express their thoughts and feelings. Projects
directly correlate with the theme being studied. Hands-on
art activities reinforce fine motor skills and concept
development in areas such as color, shape, and size
relationships.
• The Science / Math Center offers students
many hands-on opportunities for observation, exploration,
investigation, making predictions, experimentation,
and problem solving.
• The Block Center gives children experience
with many different concepts, such as shape and size
discrimination, spatial relationships, number skills,
balance, organization, cause and effect, and classification.
Cooperative play skills, problem solving, and creativity
are also promoted in block play.
• The Fine Motor / Manipulatives Center
helps to improve small-muscle development and eye-hand
coordination. Some common items found in this center
include beads and laces, pegboards, unifix cubes, puzzles,
and sorting materials.
• The Computer Center helps improve small
muscle development. Children become familiar with manipulating
the mouse and keyboard while completing educational
games and learning programs.
Student progress and development is continually assessed
and monitored throughout the school year. A formal conference
is held in February. Parents are welcome, however, to
schedule a meeting with the teacher before or after
school hours at any point during the year.
Return to Primary Levels
Kindergarten
Our Kindergarten is a multi-sensory learning experience
that focuses on all academic areas. Learning centers
change weekly to correlate with the theme and/or letter
of the week being studied. Our emphasis is on pre-reading
and reading skills that progress with the ability of
the students in the class. Many things contribute to
our strong language program: lots of dictated story
re-readings, a "print rich" classroom, leveled books,
and a firm and fun phonics program enhanced by "The
Letter People." Students also begin study in mathematics,
social studies, science, and Religion. The children
participate in computer, physical education, library,
music, and art each week, taught by teachers certified
in those areas.
In Religion, Kindergarten studies about and learns to
appreciate themselves, others, God, Jesus, Mary, and
the Saints. They also touch on Religious Holidays and
seasons of the year. Since all of our learning focuses
on Christian values and the development of virtues,
the study of religion is not an isolated subject area.
We try to make Jesus a living member of our class, so
we look for him in each other.
Assessments and observations are ongoing throughout
the year. Conferences are held in November, and a report
card is given in January and April. Parents are notified
by the teacher when there are areas of special concern,
and it is always possible to make an appointment for
a meeting with the teacher if parents have questions.
Children who come to Kindergarten ready to focus on
learning possess a great advantage. For this reason,
parents are encouraged to promote the following skills
and attributes to best ready their child for school:
• personal care skills (tying shoes, fastening
buttons and zippers, etc.)
• independence and separation preparedness
• ability to sit still, listen, and take turns
in a group
• age-appropriate manners and social skills (please,
thank you, excuse me, pardon me, sharing)
• a love of being read to, and a desire to read
• language acquisition (verbally expressing ideas,
understanding what is said, learning new words)
• use of imagination, creativity, and careful exploration
When children have and work for good self-control, the
learning environment is the safe, peaceful, inviting
place for which we strive.
Parent participation, throughout the year, is invited
and greatly encouraged. There are specific tasks for
which parents and friends may sign up, and the many
"special days" in the Kindergarten program require committed
volunteers. All visitors to the school must sign in
and wear a special nametag. This helps keep track of
volunteer hours and monitor who is in the building at
any given time. We strive to make St. Leo the Great
School a welcoming but safe place for all.
Return to Primary Levels
Grade One
The first grade year brings together two groups of children
from separate Kindergarten classes and makes them one
unit. This little learning community bubbles with enthusiasm,
finds each new piece of information fascinating, and
revels in every success. If asked, they will tell you
unequivocally that they can do anything required of
them. The trick is to keep that energy and excitement
while bringing order and routine to this larger class
of children. Thankfully, we have the example of the
tender teacher, Jesus, to guide the way in creating
our learning family. Christ models the gentle way we
treat each other, the cooperation we strive for, and
the standards of behavior that we hold ourselves to
each day. Learning about God's love for us is woven
into the entire fabric of the Grade One curriculum.
That love binds us together as brothers and sisters
in our class at St. Leo's.
Each day begins with prayer, asking God's blessing on
all that is seen, heard, and done in His presence. The
prayer table holds the Bible, where stories are shared
that reinforce God's Law of Love - to love God, love
all others, and love oneself. This Law is practiced
in performance of the Works of Mercy, participation
in community service projects, and Drug Awareness and
Family Life activities.
Each member of the class comes with a different set
of skills and abilities, and each is nurtured to work
toward personal improvement. The love of language that
begins in Kindergarten grows into the ability to read.
Taken at a careful pace, the skills come together well
so the students understand what is read. They learn
to use each part of the reading process such as sight
word recognition, phonics for sounding out new words,
looking at illustrations and context to seek meaning,
and writing to solidify the understanding of concepts.
Students listen to stories, read them, speak them, and
write them. Different literary genre are introduced,
and enrichment and remediation are provided as needed.
The first grade curriculum provides working in groups
and working independently. Students are expected to
be responsible for their behavior and their supplies.
Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday to begin
the good habit of study at home. In every subject area,
teaching involves all the senses. Students work with
manipulative pieces to aid in grasping mathematics concepts.
Science and social studies lessons find them touching,
tasting, looking, smelling, and listening intently.
The children build, grow, practice, make, share, watch,
ponder, and investigate to learn. Learning centers established
around the room enrich the basic lessons taught to the
larger group. They involve anthologies, dictionaries,
charts, graphs, journals, computers, and many other
things to engage, enhance, and enrich. Students are
encouraged to be confident both to ask for help and
to give help to others when needed.
The teacher prepares a written weekly planning web that
shows the interconnections among subjects. Since the
special area teachers receive these, it enables them
to embellish the fabric of learning in the weekly art,
music, library, physical education, and computer classes.
This immersion of the students in varied educational
activities enables them to begin the journey to controlled,
self-confident, life-long learning. It makes First Grade
a God-filled experience, enriched with stories, poems,
and happy songs, that allows each child to continue
to grow in God's loving presence. Return
to Primary Levels
Grade Two
The second grade classroom must be a safe and secure
environment for the children there. The teacher models
how to love and serve Jesus in the everyday activities
that fill our lives. Our actions, words, and thoughts
reflect our hearts, and if Jesus dwells there it will
show in the atmosphere of the classroom. This atmosphere
of caring encourages all students to realize their learning
potential.
Each year of school highlights different events. The
Second Grade year is the one in which the students are
initiated into the sacraments of Reconciliation and
Communion. This is a wonderful time of growing in acceptance
and participation in our faith. Students learn not only
about the history of these sacraments, but also about
the way we show their importance in our lives.
In addition to the Religious growth, Second Grade builds
on the educational foundations set in place in First
Grade. The basic skills in language enable students
to begin daily journaling. The journals start with printing,
but later in the year the introduction of cursive writing
adds a new dimension to the work. There is an emphasis
on the mechanics of capitalization, punctuation, sentence
structure, and correct grammar and usage. And, of course,
the best way to learn is through practice, so the year
is one of extensive reading both in the classroom and
at home.
Although the curriculum focuses on the language arts,
there are other important learning milestones. The second
grade year is the one in which we expect mastery of
fact families in Mathematics. We learn to regroup in
computation as well. Social Studies exposes students
to the elements of a map and diversity in our world
through the travels of our classroom bears. Science
covers a wide scope of scientific process skills such
as observing, classifying, and identifying. Second Grade
is a year of exciting growth in spirit, heart, mind,
and character.
Assessments are diverse, with a special emphasis on
rubrics to explain the evaluation to the student. As
each child's learning style is different, special attention
is given to a variety of tools to measure learning.
Homework is one area in which parents play an important
role. In this year, work done at home should take no
more than thirty minutes each night. We are establishing
good study habits, but do not want to overburden students
or parents. Families should establish a special place
for working at home that is free of noise and distractions.
Unless otherwise notified, there will be homework Monday
through Thursday. The Friday homework is to get the
Spelling Copybook signed and returned to school on Monday.
The following are standing assignments:
• Spelling - The students should be able
to spell each word on Friday from the list they have
glued into their homework books on Monday. The best
way to accomplish this is to do an activity with the
words each day. Speak the words aloud and spell them,
write the words, or use the words in sentences. Any
of these are good review methods.
• Number Facts - The goal is both accuracy
and speed. The students need to review each fact (Number
families are assigned each day and kept in a baggie
in the student folders.) and return the baggie to school
daily. As fact mastery is demonstrated to the teacher,
these facts can be removed from the baggie. It is critical
that the students master all facts, as they are the
foundation for all future computations.
• Oral Reading - The students need to read
the story of the week aloud daily at home. It can be
fun to do "choral reading" sometimes with a parent to
help the student with cadence and flow of words. Our
goal is to improve each day in word recognition, pronunciation,
and comprehension, looking for a "personal best" on
Friday.
• Pencils - The students need to have their
four pencils sharpened at the start of each day. This
eliminates the need for sharpening during learning time,
which can be a distraction to everyone.
When the student has completed these tasks, the parent
should initial and date the page where the spelling
words are located in the homework book. Please do not
initial the task until it is complete, as the presence
of the initials indicates to the teacher that the student
is prepared for the day. Give an honest recording. That
way, if the student does poorly on a spelling quiz,
for instance, the teacher can know that it is a result
of insufficient study and not some more serious difficulty.
Individual conferences are scheduled in November, and
student progress reports are sent home periodically.
Parents are welcome to schedule meetings with the teacher
if they have concerns, and there are many volunteer
opportunities throughout the year. Return
to Primary Levels
Grade Three
In the third grade classroom, the teacher builds a great
foundation for a successful year, focusing on community
spirit with caring and comfort-building actions. The
students will have a special opportunity to make personal
commitments, to grow in their faith, and to learn what
it means to be a member of God's family. Students will
learn to appreciate each other's unique talents and
gifts. It is important to experience the classroom as
a caring, supportive place where there is a sense of
belonging and everyone is valued and respected. This
draws each child into full participation in the process
of learning.
The third grade year still focuses on language arts.
The mechanics of writing are taught. Reinforcement skills
of the writing process are emphasized. Proper grammar
is used and proper sentence structure emphasized to
learn and maintain study skills. The students study
different types of literature. They read chapter books
as a class with extensive emphasis on reading both inside
and outside of the classroom.
In addition to language arts, students continue growth
in mathematics. Having mastered their number facts in
second grade, they learn to formulate problems from
everyday use of mathematical situations. They learn
to use addition, subtraction, or multiplication to continue
number patterns. They learn to explore multiplication
of a two-digit number by a one-digit number. They learn
to model and write division situations with and without
remainders. They master all the basic skills by the
end of the year in the functions of addition, subtraction,
multiplication, and division. It is important that these
are mastered so the students have a good foundation
for future mathematical computation.
Other highlights of the third grade curriculum include
an emphasis on community in all its variations. Students
learn to identify the features which create a community
and to distinguish between the various types of communities.
They explore the history of early communities and the
role of government in our own community. Every subject
area in Grade Three is approached from the view of the
community. In science we learn about the earth's environment
and how communities affect it. How fitting that we use
the Christian community of our classroom as a base to
study community in a wider sense.
Homework is one area in which parents can assist the
teacher. In addition to signing the homework book on
a daily basis, the parent can periodically check progress
on long term projects. Homework is assigned Monday through
Thursday, and should be completed within a forty-five
minute time period. If it is taking the student longer
to do the work, please contact the teacher. Homework
may be started in school, and students should use time
wisely. When long-term assignments are made, students
are given a rubric of guidelines, requirements, quality
expectations, and due date well in advance. Parents
could help students plan work times so the project is
completed gradually over the entire time allotted. Effective
time management is a learned skill, and parents can
reinforce this at home.
Assessments of student learning are varied. There are
daily assessments, which may include homework and quizzes,
written testing, oral presentations, and projects. The
variety of testing tools reflects the different learning
styles of individual students.
Individual conferences are scheduled in November, and
student progress reports are sent home periodically.
Parents are welcome to schedule meetings with the teacher
if they have concerns, and there are many volunteer
opportunities throughout the year. Return
to Primary Levels
Grade Four
The fourth grade classroom is a nurturing environment
where each child can feel safe, successful, and happy.
This year is one for inspiring self-motivation in each
child, thereby helping him or her become a self-directed
learner for life. In this environment, each member of
the educational team; the teacher, the student, and
the parent; has responsibilities if growth of the total
child is the goal.
Teacher Responsibilities
• Model spirituality.
• Celebrate effort and demand results.
• Be fair and consistent.
• Avoid doing for students what they can do for
themselves.
• Create appropriate and motivational lessons around
the fourth grade curriculum topics including: Pennsylvania
state history, multiplication, division, fractions,
science, The Ten Commandments, The Beatitudes, reading
from different literary genres, writing, speaking, and
listening tasks encompassing correct grammatical usage
and spelling conventions.
Student Responsibilities
• Complete every homework assignment, every night,
to the best of individual ability.
• Maintain and use effectively a student homework
planner that matches the homework board at the end of
each day. The homework hotline is back-up or "Plan B."
• Read four self-selected books per marking period;
write a book report on one per marking period.
• Complete four short learning tasks each morning
in a timely manner before enjoying recess.
• Fulfill the responsibilities as classroom manager
and classroom secretary one time per year.
• Complete four rounds of CCC (individualized computer
centered math instruction) each week.
• Respect yourself and others, always.
Parent Responsibilities
• Help set priorities. Let your child know that
you view education as a life-changing opportunity, worthy
of time and effort.
• Monitor homework and sign homework planner when
complete. If it takes your child more than one hour
to complete nightly assignments (not including project
work or studying for tests), please send a note to the
teacher, detailing specific difficulties.
• Review all student work sent home in Friday folders.
Sign and return folder with child on Monday.
• Volunteer to help with Friday Learning Centers
once this year. If each team member contributes to the
fullest, the fourth grade year promises amazing growth
in every aspect of the student's life.
In the fourth grade students have their first experience
of going into other classrooms for some of the core
subject instruction. They have science labs and Spanish
culture and language with specialist teachers in those
areas. These classes are scheduled one period every
other week. The grades from them are averaged into the
classroom science and language arts grades. Each such
experience prepares them for the more departmentalized
Middle Level Program that begins in Grade Five.
Assessments of student learning are varied. There are
daily assessments, which may include homework and quizzes,
written testing, oral presentations, and projects. The
variety of testing tools reflects the different learning
styles of individual students.
Individual conferences are scheduled in November, and
student progress reports are sent home periodically
as noted on the calendar handbook. Parents are welcome
to schedule meetings with the teacher if they have concerns,
and there are many volunteer opportunities throughout
the year. Return to Primary
Levels
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Middle Level Grades
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The middle grades follow a modified departmentalized
schedule. The teachers share the responsibilities of teaching
the core subject areas in grades five through eight. The
program is modified in that no teacher handles only a
single subject area, though some teach more or different
subjects than others. As students progress through the
grades, the schedule becomes more complex.
In addition to the academic courses, the middle level
students receive instruction in fine arts, physical, and
technical areas. The fifth grade year is the final year
of formal library instruction. All the classes, however,
have access to the library for research and recreational
reading. Similarly, the classes meet once each week with
the special area teachers for music, computer, and visual
arts. Each student has one period of instruction in physical
education. In grades five and six, the groups remain intact.
In grades seven and eight, the classes are divided so
that the girls and boys have separate physical education
classes. This can be alternated with health or wellness
education instruction. More...
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Notebooks
It is the student's responsibility to keep notes in notebooks.
Topic headings, to be further explained by individual
area teachers, are required. Notebooks are to be neat,
organized, and free of doodles and unrelated drawings.
Illustrations, charts, and graphs to help explain the
notes are encouraged. (Students who concentrate best when
doodling should do so on separate paper. Doodling must
never interfere with learning.) Notebooks will periodically
be collected and scored for neatness and completeness.
This may be done without prior notice.
Folders
Students should maintain folders for individual subjects
(or one for all subjects) to store returned tests, assignments,
worksheets, and so forth. These papers are excellent resources
when studying for tests. Please note that these folders
are separate from any folder used to send work home for
parent signatures.
Heading, Use of Pen/Pencil, and Student Number
Continuity in format makes evaluation of student work
significantly more agreeable. While some requirements
for different classes may vary slightly, the following
guidelines should be followed for all middle level classes.
• Math is to be done in pencil; error corrections
are to be erased, not crossed out.
• All other major subject class work and homework
is to be done in black or blue pen. To make corrections
when writing in pen, use a single strike through the word
(s) to be corrected.
• Cursive writing is to be used at all times except
when specifically directed otherwise by individual teachers.
• Theme paper or standard rule loose leaf is to be
used for assignments to be done on loose leaf. No pages
are to be ripped from copybooks or spiral notebooks.
• Each student is assigned a number, by alphabetical
placement, at the beginning of the year. This number is
to be placed in the upper right hand corner of all papers.
This is used for a quick reference check after all papers
are collected.
• When a report or research project is assigned,
students are to use the general MLA guidelines for the
bibliography or works cited page, as well as for the format
of the paper and documentation of the sources used, when
required. There are two MLA Writing Handbooks in each
homeroom, the library, art area, and computer lab for
student reference.
• If assignments are word-processed, students must
always do the following:
• Double-space the document; no extra space between
paragraphs.
• Use Arial or Times New Roman font, size 12.
• Use 1" margins at the sides, top, and bottom of
the pages. · The standardized heading has the student
name, first and last, on the top line on the left side
of the paper, with the student number across from it in
the upper right. Directly below the name is the date,
and below the date is the subject.
Assessments
At least three major assessments of student learning will
be given per report period in each major subject area.
These may include tests, reports, projects, or presentations.
• Teachers try to give notice two to four days before
an upcoming major test, but students should use good judgment
and anticipate a test toward the end of a unit of study.
• The date of the test will be posted in the classroom
as soon as possible. Daily review eases test stress.
• Quizzes will be given approximately once per week
in each subject area. This could be a homework assignment
counted as a grade. |
Homework
Unless a student has been absent, there is probably no
need for assistance on daily assigned homework on a regular
basis. Supervision and support, however, are necessary
for the middle level age student. They need an appropriate
place and sufficient time to fully devote attention to
homework.
• Each student should have and use a homework planner.
The planner is also a convenient place to track progress
in subject areas.
• Homework assignments are generally posted in the
classroom. It is the responsibility of the student to
copy this into the assignment planner. The Homework Hotline
is to be used in emergencies as a backup. It may not have
as much detail as the assignments posted in classrooms.
• Homework must be completed according to directions
and handed in when collected to receive full credit.
There is never a day on which a student has no homework
in the middle grades. By this stage in the educational
process, students should be reviewing the reading and
notes from at least one subject area every night, whether
or not there is a specific assignment. This is especially
true of subjects like Spanish, which is scheduled only
three days each week. The students could use flash cards
to review vocabulary and grammar.
Rereading social studies and science helps in grasping
the main concepts presented. Religion, language arts,
and mathematics should also receive attention when no
written assignment has been made. In this way, students
are never caught off-guard with an unmanageable amount
of review when a test is scheduled.
Absence
Each student will have and be a homework buddy. The homework
buddy keeps a record of all missed class work, class notes
and homework. This includes time missed for doctor, dental,
or other appointments made during school hours.
Long-term assignments must be turned in on the date due
to receive full credit. (Some exceptions might be made,
at the individual teacher's discretion, in extreme circumstances.)
Students missing school for anticipated absences must
also anticipate long-term assignments and hand these in
before leaving if those assignments are due during the
absence. This prevents delays in the return of graded
projects and papers.
Quality Work
All students must produce their best work at all times.
Students will be required to recopy work that demonstrates
a less than best effort.
• Capitalization and punctuation always count.
• Spelling always counts.
• Use careful penmanship.
• Use specified heading and make corrections as instructed.
Referral Slips
Appropriate behavior is anticipated at all times. In the
event that a student engages in conduct that is unacceptable,
there are two types of formal, written notification. The
first one is for matters concerning violations of the
uniform code or failure to meet expected levels of hygiene
and neatness in appearance. After the student has been
cautioned verbally, an Inappropriate Uniform Slip may
be sent to parents with the student. This indicates that
a change must be made as designated on the form. Should
more serious actions warrant it, the second type, a written
Conduct Referral, will be completed and sent home to the
parents. This referral would be necessary in the case
of continued disruptive actions or acts of physical violence
or danger to himself or herself, or to other students
or members of the school community. Usually the written
notification is preceded by the student being given a
number of verbal warnings or reprimands, but not necessarily,
depending on the nature of the action. These referrals
are kept in the student file during the year, and an accumulation
of referrals requires further disciplinary action. |
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Grade Five
The fifth grade homeroom teacher teaches all of the
core subject areas. Students remain within their homeroom
except for special area courses and one class each week
that is spent with the Spanish teacher learning about
Spanish language and culture.
Grade Six
The sixth grade students begin the day with their homeroom
teacher, who also teaches three of their subject area
classes; religion, science, and language arts. During
one of the language arts periods each week, the sixth
grade studies Spanish language and culture with the
Spanish teacher. They have math and social studies with
teachers of those subject areas.
Grade Seven
Seventh grade meets for homeroom and stays with that
teacher for their religion, language arts, and mathematics. The students learn science and social studies
from the teachers of those areas. Like the sixth grade,
the seventh grade students also have Spanish instruction.
During the seventh grade year, students have three classes
each week of Spanish I, a two year program that can
accelerate their foreign language program in high school.
Grade Eight
Eighth grade students receive instruction from their
homeroom teacher in religion, social studies or algebra,
and language arts. In the language arts area, students
complete Spanish I, and they take creative writing and
research paper with other teachers. In addition, eighth
grade mathematics and science are taught by specialists
in those areas. Some subjects are taught in a small-group
format. When the eighth grade class divides for algebra
or mathematics, the other half might attend research
techniques, music, creative writing, art, or computer
class.
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Eighth Grade Class Trip
The class trip and field trips for eighth grade cost approximately
$50 per year. Any eighth grade student accumulating three
conduct referrals will not be permitted to accompany the
class on the class trip at the end of the school year.
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Graduation
The graduation ceremony is a special time in the life
of the eighth grade students. This requires a special
dress code for the girls and boys on that night. It means
a lovely, Sunday best appearance for the class picture
and the reception following the ceremony as well.
• Graduation fee: $15.00
• Class picture: $10.00 (optional)
Girls:
• dresses or pant suits (no low-cut necklines, no
backless, must cover shoulders)
• dress length is to be knee-length or longer
Boys:
• jacket or suit
• dress shirt and tie
• trouser waistbands must be worn around the waist, belted
if trousers have belt loops |
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