Play, Learn, Grow

At St. Bede, Transitional Kindergarten (TK) is a faith-based, full day program for 4 and 5 year olds that incorporates a blend of traditional academics and hands-on, experiential learning. The program follows a modified Kindergarten curriculum, with a strong emphasis on socio-emotional development and play. Our teachers seek to create an engaging and individualized school experience that promotes cooperation, self-confidence, and love of learning through whole group instruction, small group centers, individual attention, and purposeful play. TK is taught by two experienced classroom teachers, and has specialized teachers for Technology, Spanish, Music, and P.E.

Learn, Work, Play

At St. Bede School, we have a full day Kindergarten program that strives to successfully bridge from preschool to elementary school through a variety of daily learning activities.

Open Court anchors our reading program, which is enriched with poetry and writing journals. During the second semester, students learn their rainbow sight words and begin taking Accelerated Reading (AR) quizzes. Our math curriculum includes McGraw Hill’s ‘My Math’, and use of our daily calendar to teach many math skills, including tracking the 100^th day of school. On Fridays, students work in learning centers that incorporate reading, writing, listening, and math. Kindergartners participate in P.E. and music classes, visit the school library weekly, and learn technology skills in the computer lab and with in-class iPads that are full of educational apps.

Our Religion program focuses on God’s love. Our students pray daily, and attend Mass on Tuesday mornings and the first Friday of each month along with the rest of the school.

Reading, Writing, and Religion

First Grade is a year of transition and growth in responsibility, academics and faith. Throughout the academic year, first graders grow and blossom in Reading, Creative Writing, and Mathematics.

Besides Creative Writing, students are introduced to a structured writing program called ‘Step Up to Writing’ in which they learn to write topic sentences, key ideas, details, and conclusions. First graders also write and illustrate two published books. Most importantly, students are taught to be kind, to pay attention, and to put forth their best effort.

First grade marks the beginning of a child’s two-year preparation for receiving First Holy communion. Students are taught to pray both formally and informally. They visit with Jesus in Adoration once a week where they pray together a decade of the Rosary or are led in prayerful meditation. Our students look forward to bringing home the ‘Pilgrim Virgin’ which is a traveling statue of our Blessed Mother, Mary.

Importantly, students learn about the life of Jesus, and a relationship with our Lord is ignited.

Sacraments + Scholarship

At St. Bede school, second grade is a special year, because it’s the year in which students receive two sacraments in their spiritual journeys: Reconciliation and Holy Communion. We guide and support the students as they prepare to receive these important sacraments of the Catholic faith. The teachings are integrated into the daily curriculum, which strengthens their understandings of the blessings of the Catholic Church.

In second grade, students stretch their minds as they master foundational academic skills in math, language, social studies, and science. Some highlights include:

• Math: Three-digit addition and subtraction, time, currency, shapes, and interpretation of data
• Language: Paragraph structures, informational and research communications, opinion development, reading stories with expression, and storytelling
• Social Studies: Introduction into American history and current events
• Science: Life cycles for plants and animals, in-class experiments, and fossils – always a favorite

Second grade is full of growth as students develop academically, socially, and in their faith journeys. They understand themselves, and the world around them more and more. A great effort is made to ensure that the learning environment is safe and nurturing, allowing students to think, solve problems, work well with others, and prepare for a life of learning.

Responsibility + Independence

Welcome to third grade, where our focus is responsibility and independence. There are many “firsts” in third grade, including getting letter grades, using hardcover books, and logging our own homework in a Student Planner.

Reading in third grade is extremely important because we make the hurdle from learning to read, to reading to learn. Our Open Court Reading Program exposes students to a variety of genres and themes. We supplement our reading program with online programs such as Newsela, which is a wonderful source of current events, and Spelling City, where we practice our spelling and vocabulary words by playing fun games. Our writing program, Step Up to Writing, teaches children how to add on to their sentence and paragraph structure, to make their writing more colorful. In Math, we learn multiplication, division, fractions and decimals. The third-grade classroom is a place where children understand that it’s OK to make mistakes, because that’s how we learn!

Use of manipulatives and collaborative learning is one way to instill the support students need to gain confidence and succeed as they learn about these new concepts. In Religion, in line with our school mission, we learn about God’s call for each of us to “Act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God” (Micah 6:8). While the third-grade curriculum is challenging, we also make time to enjoy many fun field trips, learning about Art, and of course, an unforgettable Mother’s Day Tea Party!

Self-Discipline + Faith Formation

Here at St. Bede school, fourth grade is a pivotal year. We ask students to become more active in their learning process. Organizational skills, note-taking, and higher-level thinking are just some of the key concepts we seek to develop.

As a Catholic school, we emphasize Faith formation. Fourth graders study the 10 Commandments, the 8 Beatitudes, and take part in various programs like Empowering God’s Children, Character Counts, and Toolbox.

Children explore earth and life science through observation and experimentation, both in and out of the classroom. Skills are developed in math using multiplication, division, fractions, and decimals. Elements of literature such as genre, theme, and character analysis are topics of discussion during the year. The Social Studies curriculum is rich in California history, with the California missions being a key highlight. Each student is asked to demonstrate their knowledge of a particular mission by creating an artistic piece, writing a research report, and making an oral presentation to the class.

Fourth grade students are introduced to some of the same experiences as upperclassmen, including membership in the school choir and participation in the STAR (drug awareness) program. There are numerous opportunities to learn in fourth grade, with a diverse curriculum that’s flexible to speak to every type of student.

Learn. Grow. Succeed. Together.

The top priority in the fifth grade is to nurture a strong sense of confidence, while simultaneously encouraging a strong sense of self-awareness. Our well-rounded curriculum aims to ensure student comprehension and an enjoyable learning experience in the classroom.

The theme for the year is “Learn. Grow. Succeed. Together.” We rediscover some of history’s most interesting events, and work together to find the answers to several of science’s most burning questions. Improved problem-solving techniques and fostering attention to detail are the focus in our math curriculum. Critical thinking strategies are strengthened as we make our way through our reading program, and the students take those strategies and apply them in our writing classes.

Religion is a big part of the fifth-grade curriculum as well. There is a concerted effort in helping students strengthen their relationship with Jesus. We discuss the different parts of the Mass and build an understanding of sacred Catholic traditions.

Structured groups, partnered with whole group instruction, and just the right amount of independent time, help students strengthen their skills and encourage a love of learning.

Our middle school math builds upon the foundation established in the younger grades. All students are asked to be engaged and active participants as they develop their skills as mathematicians. Students learn to critique, reason, model, and conceptualize mathematics – working collaboratively to broaden their understandings.

In sixth grade, students sharpen their skills and conceptual understanding of operations with rational numbers. We build algebraic knowledge, developing a strong foundation for pre-algebra. During their Pre-Algebra course, our seventh graders strengthen and expand their understanding of algebraic concepts. Our eighth-grade Algebra course is designed to be a comprehensive year of algebraic studies that enable students to pass out of algebra when they attend Freshman year at their chosen high schools.

Our middle school social studies program is designed around the standards prescribed by the state of California. In order to be Citizens and Stewards of the world, students are taught to view the world through the eyes of a social scientist. 21st Century critical thinkers need the ability to read maps and graphs, interpret data, and analyze primary sources. The impact of individuals and events on the world and its history is a constant theme addressed in a way that allows students to correlate real-world applications.

Students in sixth grade study the great civilizations of the Middle East. Seventh graders explore Western Europe from the fall of the Roman Empire to the age of Absolutism. Our eighth-grade course of studies is American history from colonial America to the end of slavery with an in-depth look at the Constitution of the United States.

Religion at St. Bede is not limited to formal class time. The purpose of this school is to educate students within the atmosphere of Gospel teachings. Events at school and in the world are all considered teaching moments.

Formal religion class consists of spiritual development and the deepening of students’ understanding of Catholic Christianity and liturgy using the standards promulgated by the U.S. Catholic Bishops.

Our sixth-grade curriculum focuses on the Old Testament, with an emphasis on the Chosen Race and their relationship with God the Father. The seventh-grade course of study examines the New Testament, and the life of Jesus Christ and the radical impact of his teachings on both people and society. Eighth graders explore the growth of the Church from Pentecost to the modern day, and the role of each of us as the Church present and future.

Preparation for “servant leadership” is the goal of our curriculum at St. Bede. To this end, service hours are required of all middle school students. The mission of our school is to prepare 21st Century leaders for the Church now and in the future.

As 21st Century critical thinkers, students need to acquire the skills of analysis, reasoning and evaluating, problem solving, collaboration with others, making real world applications, thinking critically and creatively, and communicating clearly and accurately. Our curriculum is designed to develop these skill sets with an integrated approach to language arts.

Middle school language arts at St. Bede incorporates two separate elements with interdisciplinary components. Our first focus is giving students a solid foundation for communicating clearly and accurately through education in English grammar, spelling, speaking, and writing. The sixth, seventh, and eighth grade curriculums focus heavily on a formal approach to grammar instruction. St. Bede currently uses the Step Up to Writing Program for writing instruction and introducing students to learning the writer’s craft.

Our second focus is developing an appreciation of literature through different genres, critical reading, and vocabulary acquisition. Students are encouraged to cultivate the habit of reading for pleasure as well as information. Prentice Hall literature helps students by building skills in reading comprehension, literary response and analysis, and vocabulary development. Culturally and historically significant literary works, along with informational pieces, are explored at each grade level in order that students understand how different structures are used to communicate meaning.

A STEM-rich curriculum is the foundation of the middle school science program at St Bede. The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are addressed using an integrated course model that interweaves Earth, Life and Physical science disciplines with other subjects. These subjects include Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. The three main teaching approaches used in the science classroom are Inquiry-based learning, Problem-based learning, and Project-based learning.

Through meaningful and engaging activities, students are challenged to use the scientific method to gather evidence and propose solutions across a broad spectrum of matters from producing a tangible and practical personal product, to collaborating on answers to relevant real-world problems. Independent study is promoted to encourage self-reliance on students’ own efforts and abilities. Peer-to-peer, collaborative learning groups enhance problem-solving skills, improve critical thinking, foster the development of social interaction, provide diversity, and develop communication skills. Learning is best achieved through hands-on experiences. As we delve into the awesomeness of science, a significant amount of time is devoted to lab activities based on the three main teaching approaches.

Sportsmanship

Physical education at St. Bede is taught twice a week for all grades, Kindergarten through Eighth. Strength, conditioning, flexibility and endurance are key aspects of the curriculum, along with foundational skills and fundamentals across a variety of sports. In line with our Catholic values, the import of good sportsmanship in success and failure underlies all athletic instruction.

Our after school sports programs are open to students from 5th through 8th Grade and include girls volleyball, girls basketball, boys football, boys basketball, and boys volleyball.

At St. Bede School, we believe that a global mind-set is not only an asset, but a necessity in today’s global society. The study of world languages is an interdisciplinary pursuit. It intrinsically helps students view issues from a global perspective and generate a more positive attitude towards other languages and cultures.

The Spanish curriculum is divided into 4 sections – all of which are carefully aligned with the national standards as set forth by ACTFL (the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages) and the CERF (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

TK – Grade 1. This course uses a curriculum that is both age and developmentally appropriate. It seeks to increase students’ ability to communicate with others, express ideas, represent thoughts and reasoning through written symbols, and develop new vocabulary and phonological awareness in Spanish.

Grade 2 – Grade 5. The teaching of Spanish at the elementary level is content-based and interdisciplinary. Students are expected to use the simple grammar structures they have learned as a foundation, while continuing to develop greater communicative skills. The course increases exposure to additional grammar concepts through the use of reading, writing, speaking and listening activities, and the exploration of the cultures of Spanish speaking countries.

Middle School. This course extends the target language learning pedagogy by the introduction of more complex vocabulary themes and grammar concepts, reading and listening comprehension, speaking and writing activities, multimedia cultural presentations, and interactive activities and practices which reinforce vocabulary and grammar.

The Middle School Spanish program is designed to prepare students for their transition into Modern Languages in High School.

Heritage Speakers. This course is designed to meet the particular needs of heritage learners, by validating their linguistic and trans-cultural experiences while drawing from their own knowledge base. Students are asked to build greater awareness of the norms of written Spanish, such as the use of spelling, punctuation, accent marks, and certain grammatical points; continue to build their lexicon; and become aware of the different variants of Spanish in order for them to feel confident in their use of the language in different environments.

The arts is an integral part of a well-rounded education, and has been shown to promote success in the learning process.

We are blessed at St. Bede to have a full music program as part of the whole child curriculum from TK through the 8th Grade. Each music class is designed to follow the National Standards for Music Education, based on each grade level. Students are educated in music appreciation, music history, music theory, and performance skills. Classes also focus on music ministry – particularly in bringing music to our St. Bede parish community.

All students participate in two major concerts a year – one at Christmas, and one in the Spring. Grades TK–2 focus on music and movement, as well as music expression. Grades 3–5 focus on signs and symbols of music, with an emphasis in the 5th Grade on playing the soprano recorder. Middle School students focus on understanding music styles and how they relate to each other, studying the different families of the orchestra, and the life of various composers throughout history.

Our school choir, the St. Bede Choristers, is made up of students in Grades 4–8. The Choristers participate in monthly Masses, Christmas and Spring Concerts, and Graduation Festivities. Dr. Thelen also offers four officer positions for older students, to support growth in leadership.

Through the loving support of our school families and parish community, our music program continues to be a highlight of St. Bede.

St. Bede is proud to offer technology as part of its standard curriculum for all grades. TK, Kindergarten, and First Grade have technology one to two times a week, while Second through Fifth Grades rotate on a two-week block schedule. Middle school technology is taught four days a week, every week.

The goals of the technology program at St. Bede align with the student standards set by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) and the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA), as well as California Computer Science Standards.

Through our Technology program, students learn how to navigate both the digital world and the physical world. Each grade level begins with a Digital Citizenship and Literacy Unit that helps students understand their digital footprint, how to spot and prevent cyberbullying, the permanence of the Internet, and the importance of privacy. Students also complete learning activities that help identify healthy media choices and create a balanced media diet. After the introductory Unity, students learn coding and robotics – applying their skills to solve real-world problems in a project-based learning environment. Projects based in the Google Education Suite emphasize the collaborative powers of digital learning and the Internet with the possibility of communicating with students from across the world. Technology also incorporates content from core curricular areas through projects such as podcasting, video production, and web design.

The ultimate goal of the technology program is to introduce students to the possibilities of the digital world they will grow up in, and empower them to use these tools to make a positive, meaningful impact in their local and global communities.