Our day begins and ends in prayer. We seek to do God's will and so we begin and end our day with a conversation with Father so He might guide is in all that we do. We know that God loves us, but His plan for us is often difficult to discern, so we seek the quiet moments of prayer to listen intently and receive His grace.
Throughout the day, we are engaged in the job of becoming educated so that we might better prepare ourselves to fulfill God's plan for us. We firmly believe that God created our world and therefore it is knowable and discoverable. Education trains our minds to observe, consider, ponder, reflect, create, connect, communicate, and share the incredible gifts that God has bestowed upon us.
Therefore, we set high expectations for our students because they are God's children and how can we not do everything possible to help them reach their full potential? To this end, we are continuously evaluating and improving our academic programs. Below is a glimpse of our three different levels: Pre-K, Elementary School, and Middle School.
Our licensed Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4 programs offer children a structured, dynamic learning environment focused on four core areas:
Our K-5 program creates the strongest foundation possible for student learning by first setting high expectations and then leveraging effective instructional strategies, curriculum, and assessments to help students achieve and exceed those expectations.
Reading and math are at the base of this foundation. Our goal is to have 100% of our students reading and performing math at or above grade level. While 20% or fewer of students in urban public schools are reaching this benchmark, 50-75% of BSS students reach this benchmark by January. Through a combination of phonics-based reading programs, small group tutoring, adaptive learning software, and an incredible 8-1 student to teacher ratio, we are pushing every closer to that 100% goal before the end of the school year.
K-5 students also receive a robust education in science, performing hands-on lab experiments that develop scientific problem-solving skills. Students develop a more complex understanding of their world by studying the four strands of Life and Living Things, The Material World, Earth and Beyond, and Energy and Change.
Social Studies units cover a wide range of time periods and topics. From Ancient Civilizations to Modern American History, students learn about the growth and development of humankind in order to better understand the larger threads of human history, the commonalities that tie us together.
Additionally, elementary students study art, music, and physical education each week. Once a week, they have time to stretch out in our newly-renovated library and just enjoy a good book.
The extensive study of Christ then puts everything else into perspective, helping students to grow closer with Jesus and follow his Great Commandment: love God and love others. This is the true benefit of a Catholic education. Our students learn that God is love and that our morals and ethics have their roots in God's love and therefore spring from the Divine. Love, empathy, compassion -- these are what guide us in our thoughts and behaviors towards others.