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The religion program at St. Robert is a combination of the study of our faith and an opportunity to practice good works. (James 2:14-17) Using texts that are in conformity with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a student learns about her/his faith. Daily classes enable the student to be taught doctrine, scripture, morality, and prayer. Planning and participating in the weekly liturgy, cooperating with the Share-A-Meal program, community service projects, "Penny Power," are all examples of how the students' faith is put into practice. Both faculty and students put forth an effort to create a safe, caring, Christian environment at St. Robert School.
The science curriculum at St. Robert is comprehensive. Beginning in kindergarten through eighth grade, students receive instruction and practice in life science, earth science, physical science and environmental science. Classroom instruction includes hands-on activities, field trips, and practical applications of the various topics. New textbooks insure up-to-date material and instruction.
Math at St. Robert focuses on helping students learn and make sense of mathematics in meaningful ways. Throughout the grades, basic facts and skills, as well as key concepts, are taught and practiced. Problem solving, reasoning, and critical thinking skills are established and developed. Exploration through the use of manipulatives, models, charts, and technology make mathematics relevant and enhance each student's understanding.
Middle School math focuses on integrating the skills learned in younger grades. It stresses the transition from concrete to abstract thinking skills. Algebraic thinking is incorporated throughout grades six to eight. A formal algebra class is offered to eighth graders.
Social studies provides coordinated, systematic study of information, skills, and concepts from the disciplines of history, geography, political science, economics, anthropology, psychology, law, archaeology, and sociology with attention also given to connections among the peoples and nations of the world, the effect of science and technology on society (and vise versa), and the ways to practice good citizenship. The study of social studies gives students the ability to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed and reasoned decisions as citizens of a culturally diverse, democratic society in an interdependent world. These standards comply with both the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction as well as with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. The sequence of the social studies curriculum is:
K4 and K5 - Self, school, home, community
Grade 1 - Families
Grade 2 - Neighborhoods
Grade 3 - Communities
Grade 4 - Wisconsin History/US Geographic Regions
Grade 5 - US History
Grade 6 - World History, world regions/geography
Grade 7 - US History
Grade 8 - US History
St. Robert School's language arts program promotes and develops literate citizens who demonstrate fluency in every area of language arts: reading, writing, listening, speaking, and using media. Abilities in these areas define essential communication skills, which promote and develop independent learners, critical thinkers, and skillful communicators. Communications (reading, writing, listening, speaking, and using media) continually occur as a whole entity, not only as its segregated parts. When these communication skills are integrated, students make better progress in all subject areas. Effective language learners obtain knowledge through:
- a balanced and systematic instructional program that emphasizes the integration of thinking, listening, speaking, writing, reading, media use, and the teaching of language skills in meaningful contexts
- a writing program that includes all stages of the writing process, from prewriting through post writing and from fluency and content through form and correctness
- a spelling program that is integrated with writing to develop the fundamental skills needed for effective writing in all subjects
- a program which fosters thinking, learning, creating, and imagining as well as a mastery of conventions of language, wherein all students are given opportunities to respond to literature in creative and enjoyable ways through writing, speaking, drama, music, and visual arts
- encouragement of a home environment where parents model effective thinking, listening, speaking, reading, and writing and offer appropriate help with their children's homework.
It is our intent that the language arts curriculum will provide students with a level of literacy and fluency that will enable them to have a broad base of skills and to become competent thinkers. This curriculum will also enable students to develop the skills necessary to solve problems and to deal with the information of tomorrow.
At St. Robert School we utilize a variety of models of differentiated instruction to meet diverse learning needs within the context of the regular education classroom. Additionally, under the direction of a learning and development specialist, our academic support program provides direct services to students with special learning needs in an individualized format designed to provide a dynamic balance between correction and compensation. The specialist also provides consultation services to parents and classroom teachers and maintains collaborative relationships with community service providers, making referrals to outside agencies as warranted for diagnostic testing and/or therapeutic treatment. At the preschool level, support is focused on identification of learning differences and facilitation of healthy neurological development. Elementary school intervention is based on the regular graded classroom curriculums with accommodations to environment, teaching, materials, testing, homework, or grading implemented on an individualized basis as necessary. At the middle school level, support generally takes the form of accommodations and/or organizational and study skills coaching. St. Robert School is working to broaden access to Catholic education by extending inclusion to children with special learning needs. We take a holistic view in appraising the needs of each student in relation to the services we are able to provide. A fundamental goal of the academic support program is to identify and respect every child's unique learning style, and to nurture every child's gifts to fulfillment.
St. Robert is proud of the music program offered to all students. In K4 through fifth grade, students have music twice a week throughout the year. In sixth through eighth grade music electives are offered in choir (two), band or string ensemble. General music classes explore reading and writing music, singing, dancing, playing rhythm and mallet instruments, listening to great music of all styles, and playing music games. Students have the opportunity to perform in at least two concerts per year. St. Robert is also proud of its growing band and string ensemble programs. Band is a contract program available to students in fourth through eighth grade. Students develop responsibility, dedication, cooperation, perseverance, critical thinking, self esteem and self expression skills. In large group rehearsals students not only work to effectively play the music, but also learn appreciation, understanding and the history of the music. No experience is necessary for band, while the string ensemble showcases students with some experience. Several concerts and other public appearances are performed each year. Private piano lessons are offered on-site.
The St. Robert physical education curriculum is based on many different types of activities at each grade level which become more sophisticated and challenging - building on skills and knowledge students have developed in their previous physical education classes and grades. In the primary grades they learn about space, bending & stretching, locomotor movements, throwing & catching, beanbags, scoops, simple games, jump ropes, tumbling, use of a parachute and fitness, to name a few. The intermediate grades expand their knowledge to team sports such as tag football, soccer, baseball, and floor and scurry hockey. The middle school continues with team sports and adds to its curriculum lifetime activities which include social dance, bowling, badminton, shuffle board, table tennis, speedball, continuous fitness, and inventing games. After school athletic activities for both boys and girls include basketball and volleyball.
The art curriculum at St. Robert is based on stimulating students to grow through self expression in order to communicate the unique individuals they are. The primary grades learn color identification, differences between still life, portrait and landscape, line positive and negative space and to identify patterns and shapes. Grades four and five expand this knowledge by learning about the principals and elements of art. Students in grades three, four and five participate in the Sequential Art Program at the Milwaukee Art Museum making three trips each year to explore different aspects of art, with the fifth grade graduating by becoming a docent for a piece of art work. In sixth grade students are exposed to multi-cultural arts in conjunction with their social studies curriculum. Seventh and eighth grade reinforces their knowledge of the principals and elements of art, pop art is introduced, and students explore various artists' techniques and become familiar with analyzing and critiquing their art work. Students are exposed to various art mediums and each year expands their knowledge of these mediums and art techniques.
We at St. Robert believe that learning a foreign language involves the development of proficiency in speaking, listening, reading and writing. Foreign language learning necessitates the direct involvement of the student with other speakers including teachers and students enabling progress from limited to complex functioning in the language. World language study begins with Spanish instruction in first and second grade and then French instruction in third and fourth grade. At the fifth grade level, students are given the option to study Spanish or French for their middle school years. Communication in the target language is personal and original rather than memorized phrases. The target language is used as much as possible in order to provide students with an abbreviated "immersion experience." Learning about the language and culture is linked to foreign language "realia." Multiple teaching strategies are used to address the many and varied needs of the students. The curriculum is based on the national as well as state foreign language standards. Teachers are members of and active participants in the Wisconsin Association of Foreign Language Teachers which is considered one of the leaders in foreign language pedagogy and implementation in the United States.
Students are exposed to a scope & sequence of technology skills to function competently in the use of technology resources in school and at home. Instruction is provided in the use of the St. Robert network, windows operating system, keyboarding, word processing, the internet, presentations programs, spreadsheets and charts, the paint program and photo editor. Students also learn to use the keyboard, mouse, CD-ROM drives, disk drives, printers, scanners, and digital cameras. Students reinforce the use of technology skills through the completion of curriculum skills projects which come from classroom teachers.
