Academy Academics (Preschool - 6th Grade)

PreSchool:

• Creative hands-on curriculum based on Ohio Early Learning content standards.
• Each day includes: circle time, snack, movement and music activities, religious education, literacy activities,        structured learning centers (math, social studies, science, language/literacy)
• Weekly themes, lunch (full-day students only), rest time, and outdoor play.
• Attends special classes each week, including: physical education, art and music.
• Can choose to attend 3 or 5 full or half days. Must be 3 or 4 by August 1 
• must be fully potty trained prior to entry.

• Half days: 8:00 am to 11:00 am
• Full days: 8:00 am to 2:30 pm

Kindergarten:

• Quality instruction to our students by using a co-teaching model in the Kindergarten suite. This includes whole group, small group, center rotations and individual/independent learning.
• Two full-time licensed teachers and two full-time aides in the classroom daily. Students can also receive extra instruction from our Title 1 teacher.
• Hands-on activities and instruction that are differentiated to meet the specific needs of students.
• Focus on standards based learning providing a strong foundation in letter/sound recognition to prepare for simple reading and writing.
• Access to the latest technology including using iPads and the interactive SmartBoard daily.
• Guide students in our Catholic faith to live as Jesus has taught us-lovingly, caring, sharing and respectfulness. We attend monthly all-school Mass.

First Grade:

• Immersion into learning vowel and consonant patterns and the parts of words that will help them read. 
• Reading curriculum is interactive and students participate in the Daily 5 - Working With Words, Working on Writing, Listening to Reading, Reading to Others and Reading to Themselves. Reading centers and available and guided groups are done with students daily. 
• Students experience art, music, gym, and Spanish in their coursework.
• Social learning is encourages and mentored daily.  
• The use of math manipulatives help reinforce mathematical concepts and students practice in a way that fits their learning style.  
• Project Based Learning is used in this grade as we do a Kindness Project and annually visit the Sisters of St. Francis to sing and deliver Christmas ornaments we make for the residents. 
• Religion is taught and discussed daily through morning prayers and designated class time 3-4 times a week. First graders attend Academy Masses as well as all-school Masses.

Second Grade:

• We try to make learning fun as students transition to becoming more independent learners.  Small group rotations help them with problem solving, independence, and taking ownership of their learning. 
• Reading, writing, and grammar are taught closely together and usually relate to what we are learning in science, social studies, and holidays.  Students learn to write about what they are reading in complete sentences using graphic organizers, proper grammar, and their own creativity.
• Students learn to add, subtract, and compare numbers to 1,000, tell time, count money, use graphs, measurement, and geometry in math.
• Social Studies topics include historical thinking, heritage, geography, rules, laws and being good citizens.
• Some of the topics we cover in science are, the water cycle, weather, habitats, changes in motion, and fossils/dinosaurs.
• Second graders prepare for 2 special meetings with Jesus; First Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.  Through this preparation in Religion Class, we strive to deepen our relationship with Jesus and with others.  We learn about the 10 Commandments and how to look to the Holy Spirit to help us keep those commandments. As we prepare for First Holy Communion, they learn about the parts of the Mass from the entrance procession to receiving Jesus, then to going forth “Glorifying the Lord with our life”