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The Elementary School is home to children in K-4 and is housed on the St. Francis Xavier Campus. Kindergarten and First grade homeroom teachers collaborate frequently to ensure the successful, year-long transition of incoming first grade students. Fourth grade students serve as the bridge to our Middle School, and are introduced to a more robust academic environment gaining independence with tools like Google Classroom, and exploring cross-curricular themes and tackling increasingly complex projects as they prepare for the rigors of Middle School.
The Math curriculum, supported by the Houghton Mifflin Elementary series, offers research-based approaches to support a range of learning aptitudes. Language Arts is taught using a carefully selected guided reading program through the fourth grade to ensure that students are provided with ample opportunities to master reading with comprehension. Homeroom teachers confer regularly with the learning support team to employ new and different methods to engage students. Regular communication is also essential to identify children who might benefit from differentiated learning and additional practice with one of several specialists. The Religious Education curriculum encourages active participation in the sacramental life of the church and supports a Catholic values system. Children come to know that God loves them and that they, in turn, are called to treat others with compassion and respect. Science instruction focuses on wellness and nutrition, energy and natural resources, ecosystems, meteorology, prehistoric periods and the human body. Social Studies is driven by the Archdiocesan curriculum, which was co-developed and edited by SFX teachers. Spanish instruction occurs multiple times each week and engages students on an increasingly sophisticated level as they approach 5th grade. |