Students attend Mass each Friday. Our Religion curriculum consists of daily use of “The Golden Rule” which is incorporated throughout our learning. Additionally, we learn all formal prayers and follow the catechetical curriculum guidelines as set forth for kindergarten by the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend.
We also participate in school-wide service projects for our local and global community.
We utilize the Daily 5/CAFE Literacy Program for Literacy, Language Arts, and Reading. This structure helps teach children to be independent on literacy tasks. Once students are taught the behaviors of the tasks and build their stamina for independence, we are able to work with individuals and small groups. We also use CAFE, which is a visual aid for organizing the reading strategies children learn, so they can begin to read books at their own level.
Age-based Math concepts based on the Indiana Academic Standards are introduced and explored through hands-on activities.
Science and Social studies reflect the Indiana Academic Standards. Both subjects are taught during their own dedicated time and in cross-curricular lessons during Math and Reading.
Field trips, including Bendix Woods and attending local performances, such as the ballet, are utilized to enhance learning and expand real world experiences.
Our Catholic faith is woven into every part of the day as students learn to love one another and Jesus through Bible stories and learning about the lives of the saints. Faith is put into action through service projects to the community. Religion is integral to faith formation as the children prepare to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist.
Using the Daily 5/CAFE Literacy Program, the goal in Language Arts is to develop strong, independent readers and writers. Students are exposed to an expansive amount of literature and learn to choose their own “good fit” books and to set goals in the areas of comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary.
This approach enables teachers to use a cross curricular approach and introduce children to a wide variety of subject areas as they learn to read. Writing also plays a key role in the development of the students. They learn to write poetry, letters, nonfiction and fiction stories, and to respond to reading through writing.
In Math, a visual, auditory, and kinesthetic approach is used in teaching students the strong foundational skills needed to be successful in Math throughout their school years. Mastery of addition and subtraction facts, along with problem solving and higher level thinking are the key components to the first grade Math curriculum.
In second grade, Math lessons utilize a variety of methods including ‘hands-on’ activities. The skills presented include addition and subtraction with regrouping, counting money, telling time, and strategies for problem solving.