S.T.E.M.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math.
This year, we’re incorporating STEM into as many projects as possible. About 60 percent of new jobs created this century will require skills in STEM-related fields. The jobs that today’s elementary school students will perform twenty years from now have yet to be invented. To that end, STEM strives to create a learning atmosphere that fosters creativity for all learners.
Amy Giroux
STEM St. Mary’s
Preschool + to grade 8
Science should always be at the service of humanity and ultimately, to God, in harmony with His purpose.
Spanish
Every student at St. Mary’s has the opportunity to learn to speak, listen, read, and write in the Spanish language! While this looks different at different grade levels, our primary goal is to increase exposure to the language to promote understanding, pronunciation, and fluency.
¡Que Dios le bendiga!
Bridget Bevins
Kindergarten – 2nd grade: Using a curriculum called Calico Spanish, students listen to stories, sing and dance along to songs, and complete activities to introduce them to the language. They learn common questions and phrases to introduce and talk about themselves and others and other basic vocabulary, such as basic colors, numbers, and letters.
3rd – 4th grade: Students at this age are introduced to our TPRS curriculum while still engaging in some of the activities and songs from the Calico program. In TPRS, the teacher and students create a present tense story in Spanish, focusing on one or two verbs at a time to get comfortable hearing and using them in many different ways.
5th – 8th grade: Once students start middle school, they continue with the TPRS curriculum and add explicit grammar instruction. They begin to learn explicitly how to conjugate verbs in the present tense, basic grammar concepts like articles and adjectives, and continue with vocabulary instruction. They also engage in cultural learning, including the countries and capitals of Central and South America and some major holidays and celebrations in Spanish-speaking countries.
Art
Music
Physical Education
The aim of physical education lies in the name. It is the pursuit of understanding, developing, and improving how our bodies move and function. Some body movements are more inherent than others, while still many more take some brain work to figure out before we nail down the specific motor functions. This is a lifelong development process, with the bulk of the heavy work done during childhood.
In our physical education classes, kids are exposed to a variety of activities, games, and challenges that engage the many physical and movement systems of the body, including the cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal systems, as well as the bones and joints. Kids are challenged and are able to test their strength, speed, stamina, coordination, and problem-solving skills as well. We go beyond just learning and taking part in sports. We engage in a wide variety of games and activities that challenge the different physical functions of the students to help them aim toward appropriate physical development marks according to age and ability. Kids have different skills and abilities mentally as well as physically. The physical education program aims to challenge kids where they are at to develop and grow. Movement growth and development for all people will never be the same, but movement growth and development can be enjoyed and achieved for each person according to their unique capabilities.
Within the context of physical education, we have the unique ability to work on our mental, emotional, and social skills as well. Kids are tasked with various games and activities along with other students via some competition and cooperation. Physical Education class provides an excellent avenue for students to learn about themselves and what they are capable of mentally and emotionally with regard to working through different tasks and challenges. More importantly, students are given the opportunity to learn how to successfully cooperate in a group towards a shared end. Success brings satisfaction from strong efforts but also the ability to understand and learn how to be a good winner to those with whom they are competing.
Mr. Dave Giroux
St. Mary’s School P.E. Teacher