Program Overview
Mission-driven and nurturing with a focus on the whole child.
Kindergarten (age 5)
Kindergarten at Saint Paul School is a wonderful year of exploration! Based on the guidelines from the Catholic Schools Office of the Archdiocese of Boston, students are provided with developmentally appropriate opportunities to grow spiritually, academically, socially, and emotionally. Students are taught beginning literacy and mathematical skills, as well as science and social studies. Daily prayer and religion lessons teach students to appreciate the world that God has created for them. Students are encouraged to learn through meaningful play, fostering creativity, and both independent and cooperative learning. Our kindergarten program nurtures and educates the whole child.
Grade 1
First grade is dedicated to promoting a strong love for learning. A heavy focus on literacy with time dedicated to reading, phonics and writing implementing the Science of Reading approach along with the methodology of Orton Gillingham lending a multisensory reading approach. Mathematics is a hands-on approach in which all students have their own manipulative box building organizational skills. Science and Social Studies align to the reading theme in order to provide a connection throughout the curriculum. Religion is taught as a core subject along with bringing our faith into our daily routine. First grade focuses on the whole child: socially, emotionally, spiritually and academically.
Grade 2
The Second Grade year is spent encouraging the children to know, to love and to serve Jesus, a friendship that will last a lifetime. It is a joyful year because the children prepare to receive two sacraments, First Penance (January) and First Holy Communion ( May).
Second Grade is a pivotal year of growth academically and emotionally. Students are encouraged to be more independent. They are encouraged to manage their books and materials, classwork and homework. My goal is to create a positive classroom environment where students grow to become more confident and curious learners. The gradual increase in responsibilities builds their confidence and helps them to develop accountability for their work. This includes asking questions, problem solving, following daily routines, and contributes positively to the classroom culture.
Grade 3
Third grade is an exciting year of transitions and milestones for students. This upper elementary grade is at a developmental age of growing self-awareness making this a perfect time to introduce personal goal setting and self-reflection. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn and grow! And with our faith in God’s grace and love to guide us, we gain confidence, resiliency, and endurance.
During this year students will begin to apply literacy skills independently and progress from a mindset of “learning to read” to the daily practice of “reading to learn”. In math students are also encouraged to experiment with a variety of problem solving strategies as they apply their math fact fluency for addition, subtraction, and multiplication. And in all content areas, students begin to feel like true scholars as they begin learning the process of note taking, research, and presenting our learning to peers.
Grade 4-5
Fourth grade is a year of tremendous growth and development. Students will develop increased independence and self-reliance as they begin to switch classes and balance multiple teachers. In addition to a rigorous core curriculum, students enjoy instruction in faith formation, cursive handwriting, Spanish, and the Second Step social health curriculum. The children increase their organizational and study skills in all academic areas, with an emphasis on becoming responsible, independent, and active learners in the classroom. Students additionally participate in art, instructional technology, library, music, and physical education. Building on the fourth grade experience, fifth grade is a year of increased independence and accountability. Along with a rigorous course of study in English, reading, math, science, and social studies students also receive classroom instruction in Spanish and the Second Step social health curriculum. With religion taught everyday students truly begin to develop their own Catholic identity. Students also enjoy “specials” in the areas of physical education, art, music and library/ technology. One exciting fifth grade year long event is Buddy Classes. We are matched with preschool and enjoy projects, reading and attending mass together. These buddies will stay together until the fifth grader reaches eighth grade. The dynamic of the fourth and fifth grade prepares the students for middle grades here at Saint Paul School.