"Holy Rosary Catholic School has rigorous academics coupled with realistic expectations based on each child as an individual. The teachers tailor the workload for each student based on what is best for that student, not what is best for standardized tests."
- Holy Rosary School Parent
Responsive Classroom: an educational approach used throughout our school that focuses on a strong relationship between academic success and social-emotional learning (SEL).
https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/
Religion: Core religious program is taught daily in each class. Religion is integrated into all subject areas. Christian values in living, loving, and serving are emphasized. We follow the Diocese of Boise religion standards. Here is a link to them.
https://d3844aa8-fac7-46c5-910c-605c0607468b.filesusr.com/ugd/f1312c_42ed815d53ad48898f12f73002bbbc53.pdf
Reading: Every teacher has been trained in the Phonics First® curriculum, a program designed to help at-risk, struggling readers and aid students with dyslexia. Novel studies are used in 4th through 6th grade. https://www.hmhco.com/programs/journeys/about
Spelling: Words Their Way is used to teach spelling.
What is Words Their Way?
https://www.pearson.com/us/higher-education/series/Words-Their-Way-Series/2281883.html
Math: Math in Focus curriculum is the basis for math instruction.
https://www.hmhco.com/programs/math-in-focus
Social Studies: Aligned with the Idaho State Standards for Social Studies.
http://sde.idaho.gov/academic/shared/social-studies/ICS-Social-Studies.pdf
Science: FOSS is used to teach science. Each grade will do a hands-on science experiment in each trimester in the three areas of life, physical, and earth sciences.
https://www.deltaeducation.com/foss/previous-editions/second-edition
Handwriting: Handwriting without tears is taught to preschool and pre-kindergarten.
D’nealian Printing is taught in K and 1st grade.
D’nealian Cursive handwriting is taught in 2nd and 3rd grade. Students are expected to write all language arts assignments in cursive in 4th through 6th grade.
https://www.savvas.com/index.cfm?locator=PS3gMv
Music: A general music class is taught each week to grades K - 6.
Art: All students receive two art lessons per month.
Physical Education: Students in K-6th grades attend a PE class once a week. Students are required to dress appropriately and wear athletic shoes.
In addition to our curriculum, we have several other areas of enrichment for our students.
Visits from special speakers covering diverse topics
Attend all age appropriate Exhibits at Museum of Idaho
Colonial Theater Presentations
Altar Serving
Every Kid Outdoors (https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm)
Based on the Corporal Works of Mercy (Matthew 25:32-46)
Rosary - The entire school prays the Rosary once a month, the grade leading the works of mercy that month leads the Rosary.
Dress Down Day - The money from dress down days is donated to support the organization associated with that month’s work of mercy. Cost to dress down is $1.
October (2nd) Clothe the Naked
Students will promote and participate in the Knights of Columbus coat drive. The students will learn about St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP).
November (6th Grade) Bury the Dead
The entire school will pray daily for the deceased. The 5th and 6th graders will clean Rose Hill Cemetery. The dress down money that month will be donated to St. John Paull II Parish funeral dinner program.
December (Kindergarten) Feed the Hungry
Students will participate in a canned food drive. All food and money from dress down will be donated to SVDP.
January (4th Grade) Visit the Sick
PJ and card game drive to benefit the Ronald McDonald House.
February (PS/PK) Pray for the Imprisoned
Students will make valentines for nursing home residents. Dress down money will be used to purchase puzzles and games to be donated to nursing homes.
March (3rd Grade) Shelter the Homeless
Students will be collecting items to donate to the Idaho Falls Rescue Mission (IFRM).
April (1st Grade) Drink for the Thirsty
First grade will be collecting infant formula to donate to SVDP.
At Holy Rosary, we hold bi-annual student-led conferences, rather than parent-teacher conferences. There are many benefits to having conferences in this format, including:
Children taking responsibility for their own learning
The focus is on the child
Students can act as a translator, if needed
Students can assess their own work
Students decide their goals (social or academic)
Students, "grow because they want to, not because someone else told them to."
To learn more about student-led conferences, CLICK HERE.
Parents will be notified of their conference times. Please try to attend at the scheduled time. If you cannot attend at the scheduled time, call the office and let us know. We will either reschedule or let the teacher know so that you can make arrangements with the teacher for an appointment.
K-2 Academic Grades
E = Exceeding the standards (performing above 85% regularly; above grade level fluency)
M = Meeting the standards
P = Progressing toward the standards
Citizenship Grades
G - Gifts from God
Participation at mass, adoration, rosary, stations
R - Respect and Responsibility
Respect - Does the student respect the materials, books, and school facilities
Responsibility - Does the student complete their homework, turn in assignments on time
E - Excellence
Grit...Does the student persist when things are difficult?
A - Academic Effort
Is everything they turn in their BEST work? high quality work/handwriting
T - Togetherness with the community
How is the student’s behavior with other students, with the teachers, and other people in the school?
Holy Rosary School strives to provide a high quality academic environment for the students that attend our school. With that in mind, we assess the students on a regular basis to provide differentiated instruction. We work hard to meet the students where they are, providing what they need. Below are some of the assessments we use and how we use the data that is collected from those assessments.
Measures of Academic Progress (MAP)
"Measures of Academic Progress® (MAP®) are K – 12 interim assessments that measure growth, project proficiency on high-stakes tests, and inform how educators differentiate instruction, evaluate programs, and structure curriculum.
Computer adaptive MAP assessments reveal precisely which academic skills and concepts the student has acquired and what they’re ready to learn. MAP assessments are grade independent and adapt to each student’s instructional level. Every item on a MAP assessment is anchored to a vertically aligned equal interval scale, called the RIT scale for Rasch UnIT—a stable measurement, like inches on a ruler, that covers all grades.
And because the measurement is reliable and accurate, RIT scores serve as an essential data point in a student’s learning plan; educators can see their precise learning level and respond accordingly."
From Northwest Evaluation Association's Website, www.nwea.org
Holy Rosary School conducts the web-based MAP test in the Fall, Winter, and Spring of each year, testing Second through Sixth Grade students
Tests given are: Reading, Language Usage and Mathematics
Using these results, the Title 1 teacher and classroom teachers will personalize instruction in order to maximize every student’s academic growth
Our principal will track the achievement and growth of individual students and classrooms and help evaluate the success of our programs
Summer Learning
To help prevent "summer slide" we are recommending that students participate in the Summer Reading Program at the Idaho Falls Public Library.
For more information about slowing "summer slide," CLICK HERE. The article from the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) references several studies that have been conducted and how to combat this phenomenon.