Academics

Parent-Student Handbook
Handbook Information

Student Enrichment

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Grade Specific Curriculum:
Kindergarten Skills

Thank you for your interest in St. Peter’s Lutheran School. We opened in 1993 with Preschool through 4th grades. Currently, we have 214 students enrolled in our preschool through 8th grade. Our school is owned and operated as a mission of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church.

SCIENCE

Elementary students have science three times a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Each class comes to the Science room for a 35-minute period. Our program consists of a "hands-on" approach to science. Students have the opportunity not only to hear about science concepts but they are able to experience them.The bulk of our curriculum is from GEMS (Great Explorations in Math and Science). The Lawrence Hall of Science at UC Berkeley developed the GEMS series. Each unit contains experiments and background information for that topic. We supplement our entire curriculum with a Biblical world view. Since the majority of work in Science is "hands-on", students work in cooperative groups. Each student keeps a science journal in which to record data, key terms and helpful information. Participation and cooperation are extremely important in Science. A grade is given for applying skills and understanding concepts, while a separate grade is given for participation. Forty percent of the academic grade, for 4th and 5th grade students, is based on test scores.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Elementary meets three times a week. Our physical education program covers a wide range of activities. We work toward a peaceful playground and atmosphere. Good sportsmanship and encouragment is a focus. We use our full-size indoor gym, outdoor track, outdoor blacktop, and grass field.

Spanish is taught twice per week using a DVD program developed by Northern Arizona University. Art is taught one day per week by the classroom teacher. Music is taught in the classroom by Mrs. Midthun one day per week.

COMPUTERS

Primary classrooms are equipped with computers. Grades 4-8 will use the computer lab twice a week. We focus on keyboarding, word-processing, Power Point, Publisher as well as thinking and research skills. Our classes use the lab to do research projects. Our computer lab has been updated with Dell PC's, printer networking and internet access. Mr. Domenick Lucca is our computer teacher.

The students use our full service library on a weekly basis. The Librarian is Ms. Lynn Stender.

CHAPEL

All students meet in the sanctuary for Chapel every Wednesday at 8:40 a.m. The message is delivered by one of the St. Peter's pastors, a visiting pastor or one of the school classes.

This program is an excellent phonics program in which a student is able to progress at his or her own rate. It requires nightly practice at home and daily testing at school. It is used in grades 1-3 only.

This program is an approach to learn basic math facts in grades 1-4. Practice is done at home with student testing twice a week at school.

Friday notes are sent home each Friday by the classroom teachers and posted on the school's website under Class Notes. These are a major means of communication between the parents and the teachers keeping parents aware of events in the classroom.

SCHEDULE

School starts at 8:25 a.m. with the first bell. The tardy bell rings at 8:30 a.m.

Recess and snack:

Grades 1-4 9:55- 10:10 a.m.

Grades 5-8 10:25 - 10:40 a.m.

Middle School Curriculum

Thank you for your interest in St. Peter’s School. We opened in 1993 with Preschool through 4th grades. This year we have 214students in Preschool through 8th grade. Our school is owned and operated as a mission of St . Peter’s Lutheran Church.

BIBLE

6th grade will be using the Voyages curriculum. It s a Christ centered curriculum that provides students with optimal opportunity to grow in their relationship of faith and life with Jesus Christ. The sixth grade materials fo the Voyages series are designed primarily to teach children about key concepts of faith such as law, gospel, confession, repentance, forgiveness and grace while focusing specifically on the person, attributes and work of Jesus Christ.

7th grade will be using a book called Route 66 for Bible. This is a trek through the 66 books of the Bible. Each book of the Bible is taught, with lessons focusing on providing a broad sweep of the books while asking the students to think about how the Bibles teachings affect their choices for their own lives. Students will be expected to do memory work as well as written assignments.

8th grade will be using Wise Up! for Bible. Wise Up! is based on the book of Proverbs. Wise Up! is a thought-provoking book that challenges students to apply the wisdom in Proverbs to their everyday lives.

LANGUAGE ARTS

The sixth grade language art curriculum is incorporated in our Houghton-Mifflin reading series. Book reports will add a variety of genre to our literature program.

Seventh and Eighth grade students will be using the Prentice Hall Literature books. The units we will be covering are: short stories, drama, non-fiction, folklore and tall tales, poetry and novels. Generally speaking, we will read one or two selections per week. Both 7th and 8th grade will also be reading novels as well as writing several short stories of their own.

English in all three grades will entail a great deal of writing. We will be studying and applying the steps of the writing process to our written work. In addition, we will be studying grammar elements, including proper usage and parts of speech, and diagraming

Vocabulary and spelling are part of the Language Arts curriculum. Words are chosen to reflect the current assignments in various content areas. There is no spelling text for the 7th and 8th graders. Students are expected to check and self-correct their spelling on all written work. Spelling usages on a daily basis will be considered.

All middle school students will be assigned outside reading in conjunction with our Accelerated Reading Program (AR). Assignments will be made about a month in advance. Students can read books from the school library, the public library, or books purchased from book orders or stores. Books selected should match the student's reading level, (ZPD). We encourage you to help your child develop a habit of spending 30 minutes per night reading the outside reading book. Each middlle school student must have a book to read with them at all times.

FIELD TRIPS
Each class takes field trips as appropriate to their curriculum areas.

HISTORY

In 6th grade we study Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, Classical Greece, the Roman Empire, and other ancient civilizations.

In 7th grade we study medieval societies, Europe during the Renaissance, the Reformation, and the Age of Exploration. We will also study European History from 1600-1789.

In 8th grade we study American History reviewing the American Revolution, the Constitution and establishing a new nation. We will also study the Civil War, World War I, World War II and other events through the 1990’s.

MATH

Sixth graders use the California Math by Scott Foresman for math. The objectives to be mastered this year include: using multiple problem-solving strategies, decimals, percents, fractions, measurement, ratios and proportions. In addition, students will learn to apply the principles of problem solving to their every lives. There will be one major project assigned during the year.

Seventh grade math is Addison-Wesley Foundations of Algebra and Geometry. The text is an in-depth study of the basic principles of algebra and geometry and will be supplemented with units on fractions and decimals. Algebra I will also be offered.

The eighth grade text for math is Addison-Wesley’s Focus on Algebra. This course is a comprehensive study of algebraic functions including linear and quadratic equations, linear inequalities, polynomials and rational and radical equations.

SCIENCE

The Middle School science textbook series is Focus on Science, published by Glencoe. This series includes sixth grade studies of earth science; seventh grade is life science and eighth grade will study physical science. Each grade level will be exposed to all three disciplines of science. In science will will integrate math, spelling, and English through projects, reports and homework.

COMPUTER

Middle School students will be in the computer lab twice a week throughout the year. The computer curriculum includes basic keyboarding and word processing as well as other special topics, which may include spreadsheets, slide show presentations, the Internet, and desktop publishing.

FOREIGN LANGUAGE

All middle school students will be involved in a computer language program called Rosetta Stone. For the 2009-10 school year every student will take Latin. Latin is considered a foundation for our other languages and will give our students an understanding of language usage, roots and parts of speech. This wil help our students in furture language study of both English and other languages.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Middle School will have Physical Education 4 days a week. Physical fitness, team sports, and games are used to develop athletic skills. Seventh and eighth graders are required to dress for P.E. Uniforms are available for purchase in the school office. Seventh and eighth graders need a P.E. uniform and shoes the first week of school.