Our Students celebrating their faith
SS. Cyril & Methodius school, in the legacy of academic excellence in Catholic schools believes that every child is blessed by God with unique skills and talents. Our job as educators is to nurture EVERY child’s development at every level – spiritually, academically, physically and emotionally. The highest level of learning occurs when all are integrated and holistically considered. Our goal is that every child loves school and masters grade level standards and beyond. To accomplish this, our curriculum standards, instruction, materials, and assessments are closely and intentionally aligned.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
Our philosophy is to guide each child to realize their unique talents and fulfill his/her potential. Our goal is to enrich and develop each student through Catholic Faith by promoting self-esteem, discipline, common sense, and courtesy in a positive, healthy, respectful, and safe environment.
Early Childhood:
The SSCM Preschool Program is rich and nurturing. The core curriculum includes Math, Literacy, Religion, Science, and Social Studies. Students in Preschool (PK) and Kindergarten (K) also participate in daily special classes such as Art, Music, and Physical Education.
At SSCM, we believe that college and career readiness begins with our youngest students and we encourage the development of skills including critical thinking, problem solving and motivated learning.
Areas of focus in our curriculum include:
Language and Literacy Development – Guides a child’s ability to convey her/his ideas, thoughts, and feelings through speaking and writing, and the ability to demonstrate early reading skills.
Mathematical Thinking — Encourages problem solving, number sense, spatial awareness, and being able to recognize math concepts in the world around them.
Executive Functioning — Builds the skills necessary for learning, such as independence, attention, and persistence.
Social and Emotional Development — Promotes the child’s ability to express and respond to feelings and develop positive relations with others.
Physical Development and Wellness — Provides opportunities to build motor skills, strength, stamina, and teamwork.
Cognitive Development — Supports the mental processes needed to think & make sense of the world while building an understanding of academic content across different subjects.
Expression — Inspires the child to explore innovatively, inventively, creatively, and imaginatively.
Primary Grades: 1st and 2nd Grade
Our Primary Grades Program continues to build on the social-emotional nurturing and foundational academic skills of our Early Childhood Program while also preparing our students for success in our robust Middle Grades Program.
Students receive daily instruction in Science, Social Studies, Religion, and Handwriting from their grade level teacher. Students learn a variety of literacy strategies to meaningfully engage with fiction and informational texts in English & Language Arts, as well as expand their knowledge of algebraic thinking in Math. English & Language Arts and Math are departmentalized, with students moving between classrooms for these subjects. This multi-year approach to instruction simultaneously allows the subject teachers to develop a deep understanding of student learning needs, aiding them in differentiating their instruction, and empowers students to establish the individual responsibility that will be vital as they continue their learning in the Middle Grades and beyond.
Middle Grades: 3rd, 4th and 5th Grades
Our Middle Grades Program introduces rigor and independence. The SSCM core curriculum includes Math, English & Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. In addition, our students participate in daily Religion classes and weekly Art, Music, Spanish, Technology, and Physical Education classes. Our students are also offered countless opportunities for participation in extracurricular activities.
Starting in 3rd grade, students travel between classrooms to learn from subject specific teachers for Math, English & Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and all special classes. This gives students independence and encourages personal responsibility. Our students develop critical thinking, problem solving, and self-regulated learning to prepare not only for our rigorous Junior High program, but also to become college and career ready in the future.
Junior High: 6th, 7th and 8th Grades
Our Junior High Program is rigorous and rich. The SSCM core curriculum includes Math, English & Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies. Not only does our curriculum meet learning standards, it reaches beyond.
By the end of their time at SSCM, our students will have completed one full year of Algebra and Geometry, which helps propel them to advanced courses in high school.
Our English & Language Arts program exposes students to multiple forms of literary expression, writing strategies, and encourages active and deliberate reading.
Across classrooms, we focus on collaborative learning, technology integration, and critical thinking skills. All of our students participate in daily Religion classes and weekly Art, Music, Spanish, Technology, and Physical Education classes. Our students are also offered countless opportunities for participation in extracurricular activities.
Our Junior High Program prepares students academically and socio-emotionally for a successful transition into high school, college, and beyond.