Curriculuum

Research shows that the K-8 model of education has a positive impact on a child’s success because it provides the intimacy of the community, the connection to younger students as students mature, and the ongoing connection of the student to the adult community which has fostered his/her educational development from its very beginning.  Research further illustrates that “one of the most compelling reasons to support the K-8 grade configuration is the leadership aspect for students”.  Leadership is emphasized when upper grade students team up with younger students for such things as tutoring, or a buddy system.

Two students holding palm branch crosses and smiling

The core curriculum includes religious education, mathematics, science, language arts, social studies, and physical education. In addition to a curriculum that aligns with rigorous academic standards, students have the opportunity to explore the arts through music and art classes as well as the study of Spanish.  The well-rounded, inquiry based approach to education calls students to active learning that focuses on questioning, evaluation, discovery, and creation and moral decision making. Learners are challenged to think critically and creatively. To learn more about the curriculum please see these Archdiocesan standards.

Because no two children are alike and children learn in different ways, the use of differentiated instruction, strengthened through the use of integrated technology, maximizes learning for all students by promoting the use of varied strategies in the classroom.

  • PreSchool Program

    We provide a warm, inviting and safe classroom environment for your child's first school experience. We believe each child is a precious individual whom God has blessed with individual likes, dislikes, interests and abilities. Every moment in the classroom is important ~ for each smile, word of encouragement and kindness given helps shape the life of our students.Our preschool program provides the foundation for your child to develop self-confidence, faith and a positive outlook which they will carry with them throughout their school years.

    The curriculum is built on multi-sensory experience designed to meet the developmental needs of the children. The emphasis is on creating an early literacy environment, hand-on discovery, gross and fine motor experiences, social development as well as music, art, physical education and Spanish.

    Our program offers a variety of options for 3 and 4 year olds, along with affordable before and after school care if needed. Children must be of age by September 1st annually to enroll in our classrooms. At this time, we do not accept children into our classrooms mid-year if they do not meet that year's September 1st cut-off.

  • Primary Level - K, 1st and 2nd Grades

    Our Primary Level program includes a full day kindergarten program which prepares students for their first grade experience through best practices in instruction and through curriculum alignment with first grade. The teacher ratio is 1:10 due to the availability of a full time instructional aide who allows for differentiation of instruction.

    The basic goal of the primary grades is to achieve basic literacy and numeracy for all children. We accomplish this goal in many ways: the majority of academic minutes are dedicated to language arts and mathematics in these early grades, teachers use an array of instructional strategies to deliver these concepts, and language arts and math concepts are integrated into other content area learning throughout the day.

    Student centered learning expands teaching beyond the textbook. Our curriculum stresses literacy reflected in the emphasis on phonics, reading, and writing in addition to a strong focus on math and science. Technology, embedded throughout the curriculum, through the use of iPads facilitates differentiation.

    The Catholic faith is integral to the St. Joseph experience, woven into the fabric of our K - 5 curriculum and programs. It is the foundation through which we develop teacher to student and student to student relationships.Students celebrate mass as a school community. Primary students are paired with older students as prayer partners. They sit together at mass and work together on various projects.

    The faith formation instruction in grades one and two is geared toward preparation for the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the Sacrament of First Eucharist which takes place at the end of second grade.

  • Intermediate Level - 3rd, 4th and 5th Grades

    Teachers in grades 3 through 5 offer a combination of whole group and small group instruction to create a learning environment that is supportive, nurturing and challenging. They work closely with colleagues to identify and implement best practices in curriculum and are involved in ongoing professional development.

    These classrooms are self-contained and focus on applying the skills learned in the primary grades to more rigorous content. Literacy and numeracy skills continue to be taught, to develop fluency and mastery, while higher level thinking skills are integrated seamlessly into all content areas.

    Students in these grades are supported by their teachers as they accept more responsibility and become more autonomous learners and thinkers. Writing becomes more sophisticated as students learn to apply grammar/conventions and use evidence, to develop their own unique thoughts.

    As children move through the intermediate grades, their level of autonomy and capacity for abstract thinking increases dramatically. Teachers measure this growth by constantly monitoring student progress; this data helps teachers balance the need for scaffolding student learning with the goal of developing students who wonder, think and question.

    Ultimately, the curricular objectives of the intermediate grades are for students to become fluent in language arts and mathematics, use these skills to develop a love of learning, and to succeed to the best of their abilities, in school and in life.

  • Middle School - 6th, 7th and 8th Grades

    The Middle School model in education, originally developed in the early 1900s, was intended to bridge the gap between elementary school and high school. The model consists of teachers, working as a team and teaching the same group of students, each one specializing in a different content area.

    At the same time, it is recognized that the middle school aged child is undergoing changes physically and mentally, requiring a focused response to their learning. They require a curriculum that intellectually engages and inspires young adolescents.

    St. Bede students in grades 6, 7 and 8, the middle school years, begin their day in homeroom and move each class period to different classrooms for instruction in student-centered classrooms that place a priority on higher level thinking activities that result from inquiry based learning. Their curriculum includes Math, Science, ELA, Social Studies, Spanish, Religion, Art, Music, and Physical Education

    By employing a team approach to education we can ensure we are providing current, relevant and aggressive programming for our students to challenge them to grow and support them in the transition to high school and prepare them for life.

    Classroom experiences are designed to foster mutual respect and acceptance, allowing students to take academic risks, think, wonder, and work collaboratively to develop 22nd Century skills. Following a team approach, the St. Bede teacher focuses on educating the whole child, which is an integral component of the middle school concept.

    The Catholic faith is integral to the middle school experience, woven into the fabric of our curriculum and programs - religious education class, shared community mass and prayer, sacramental preparation, service projects and retreats. It is the foundation through which we develop teacher to student and student to student relationships.

  • Enrichment Program

    In addition to core curriculum students are offered many opportunities to

Enrichment Curriculum

Spanish 

Spanish is offered to PreK through 8th grade students.  

The Spanish language program at St. Bedes, provided by Fun Fluency,  begins with the In PreK through grade 2 Spanish classes, children learn basic vocabulary such as numbers, colors, days of the week, and greetings. Starting in the third grade, Spanish classes use a multi-sensory language method that combines movement, games, and songs.  As the grades progress, vocabulary is increased, and verb conjugations are introduced. By eighth grade, students have developed skills in the three modes of communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and presentational.

Instruction emphasizes that the best way to learn a language is by using it as much as possible. Practice does make perfect in foreign language learning.

Art

Student creativity shines in art classes from PreK  through eighth grade. Through age-appropriate activities, children learn how works of art are produced. Students learn the language of art through an understanding of the sensory elements, organizational principles and expressive qualities in art. 

Classes work on a variety of projects using all forms of artistic mediums at all grade levels. Students focus on effort/participation, creativity, craftsmanship and following directions.

Music

Our Music program is offered to students in preschool through eigth grade. Students learn age-appropriate vocal techniques, music notation, and pitched and unpitched musical instruments through a variety of experiences. A highlight of the music program that parents enjoy is the annual Christmas and spring music concert.