General
Every
aspect of our curriculum reflects our Catholic identity. Our curriculum
decisions are based on the philosophy of the school, our mission, and
our Student Learning Expectations. Teachers and parents work together to
build a strong sense of community, which fosters the sense of enrichment
for which we strive in our students’ lives. A continuum of learning is
built throughout a curriculum that has, at its core, the consistent
teaching of skills and concepts throughout the grades. Students are
encouraged to deepen their knowledge and understanding of each subject
area from year to year, using textbooks that are sequential and
progressive. Integrated curricular areas, such as family life, critical
thinking skills, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills,
follow this same cyclical development.
The ongoing articulation among teachers, support staff, and
administration ensures that our students are continually receiving a
faith-filled, relevant, and effective education. The California State
Standards and the Diocesan Outcomes drive our planning in each subject
area. We provide a curriculum that challenges and strengthens each
student’s level of achievement, constantly working towards fulfilling
our philosophy of developing young people who recognize God’s given
gifts and talents in themselves and others, and who continually strive
to enhance and utilize these gifts for the benefit of all.
Report Cards
Each student will receive a report card at the end of each grading
period (we are on a trimester system) giving the grades for each subject in the curriculum.
Honor Roll
The Honor Roll is established for students in grades 4 - 8 to give
recognition for scholastic achievement accompanied by good behavior,
conduct and effort during the grading period. Awards will be given at
the end of each trimester.
To receive first honors, the student must earn at least an A- average
with a grade of B (or above) for Homework, Conduct and Effort, and any
non-academic subjects. There can be no D or F grades on the report card.
The following table, using diocesan criteria, is used to compute the
grade average:
| A = 4.0 |
| A- = 3.7 |
| B+ = 3.3 |
| B = 3.0 |
| B- = 2.7 |
| C+ = 2.3 |
| C = 2.0 |
| C- = 1.7 |
| D+ = 1.3 |
| D = 1.0 |
| D- = 0.7 |
| F = 0.0 |
Principal's Honor = 4.0 average
First Honors = 3.5 - 3.9
average
Second Honors = 3.25 - 3.49 average
Homework
Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences
The education of our children is a joint responsibility of both parent
and teacher, who must coordinate their efforts so that the necessary
cooperation and understanding are expended in the student's development.
To this end, a week of parent-teacher-student conferences are scheduled at the
end of the first report-card period to review the progress of the
student, and to answer any questions there might be about the class
curriculum in general.
Testing
A formal testing program is set up by the diocese, and takes place
during the month of September. A set of achievement tests are
administered to grades 2 through 8.
Achievement tests are not used to determine grades for report cards;
they are used primarily as guides for the teachers and school.
The results of the tests will be discussed on an individual student
basis with the parents at the Parent-Teacher-Student Conference scheduled at the
end of the first grading period.
Additionally, in the spring, grades 1-7 take an abbreviated form of the
achievement tests to determine academic growth throughout the year, and
these test results are provided to parents in the last report card.
It is diocesan policy that the overall school results in these
achievement tests are not published nor discussed in detail.
