School-wide Learning Expectation: Academic
St. Joseph’s students receive a strong foundation for future academic success. Staffed with dedicated, experienced teachers, our students are taught:
- A love of learning
St. Joseph’s Catholic School:
- Is fully accredited by the Western Catholic Education Association.
- Participates in the Measure of Academic Performance (MAP) testing fall and spring.
- Meets or exceeds state curricular guidelines for each grade level.
- Reviews and revises curriculum on a rotational basis in conjunction with the State of Idaho requirements.
- Teaches religion in every grade as part of the academic core.
- Embeds the beliefs and values of the Catholic Church in every aspect of every day.
- Incorporates religion as a function of daily life including: moral decision making, good citizenship and discussion and consideration of world and local events.
- Gets students involved in planning and participating in weekly student-focused liturgies.
- Includes a community service component designed to give students hands-on experience in understanding and responding to the needs of the less fortunate.
The following areas are included in the overall curriculum of St. Joseph’s School:
Religion: faith formation, sacramental preparation (grade 2), community service, knowledge of faith, teaching to pray, moral education, liturgical education, education community, missionary initiative.
Math: basic facts, number concepts, computation, problem-solving, critical- thinking, algebra, probability, graphs, data collection, geometry, measurement, time, money, calculators.
Language Arts: reading, literature, spelling, composition, handwriting, speaking and listening skills, comprehension, word analysis, vocabulary, grammar, research, usage of dictionary and thesaurus.
Science: physical, earth, life, environmental, and space sciences, scientific method.
Social Studies: citizenship, current affairs, history, work, geography, democratic process, American heritage, societies, economics.
Health: mental/emotional, physical and social well-being, family life, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, community and environmental health, consumer health, disease prevention, health promotion, personal safety, and nutrition.
Physical Education: perceptual-motor development, individual and team sport skills, rhythms, dance, movement education, lifetime fitness, nutrition, health and safety, games, values, personal and social behavior, and muscular and skeletal systems.
Spanish: basic vocabulary and conversational language, Spanish culture.
Computer Education: computer functions, word processing, keyboarding, curriculum support.
Media Center: library use, research, use of literature collection.
Fine Arts: visual art, aesthetic understanding, art criticism, art history, music appreciation, vocal music, theory, performance, production, drama.
Electives: a variety are offered in the 7th and 8th grades including Spanish. The Spanish curriculum is equivalent to Bishop Kelly’s Spanish 1 first semester curriculum.
Grade Level Overview and Curriculum:
Academic Activities and Events:
Science Fair: Middle school students may elect to compete in our St. Joe’s Science Fair held in the fall. First, second and third place winners are chosen.
Science Olympiad: This nationally organized extracurricular science event has two Divisions: Division B for 6th-9th grades and Division C for 9th-12th grades. Our middle school students begin working in the fall on hands-on science-based activities that include research, laboratory and building events. A state-wide competition is held in the spring at Northwest Nazarene University From there the winning team is sent on to the National Competition which is held on a different college campus every year. St. Joe’s frequently advances to Nationals by winning the State Championship!
St. Joe’s students also compete in other various school-wide, local, regional and national art, speech, and writing competitions.