The Middle School Program offers an environment that fosters Catholic faith formation along with a rigorous curriculum.
Class projects and debates, individual and group presentations, academic competitions, and service opportunities help the students understand and apply the knowledge they have gained in the classroom.
The language arts curriculum integrates all facets of the language arts components to include literature/reading, composition, vocabulary, oral language, information literacy, and study skills. Emphasis is given to developing students' writing skills across the curriculum and project-based learning.
The language arts curriculum spirals as students progress from one grade level to another and includes supplemental programs such as Accelerated Reader, IXL, writing portfolios, and plays. Higher-order critical thinking, along with technology instruction, permeates the curriculum.
St. Agnes has also integrated the Literacy First Program, a research-based program that motivates and engages students in their own learning.
The math curriculum includes teaching basic skills through hands-on activities in the early childhood grades with algebra and geometry in middle school. Students are leveled for Math beginning in the second grade.
STAR Math is a diagnostic tool which provides teachers with access to individualized instruction and remediation. In addition to daily math instruction, daily maintenance of facts is supplemented by the IXL program. This program is used to reinforce, remediate, and enrich the concepts learned in the classroom.
All St. Agnes Academy students have Religion instruction daily. Sacramental preparation is an integral part of the religious curriculum. Children in second grade prepare for and receive the sacraments of First Confession and First Holy Communion. Children in eighth grade prepare for and receive the sacrament of Confirmation.
In addition, students in grades third through eighth who have already received the sacrament of First Holy Communion may assist as altar servers at Mass.
As a school community, we celebrate Mass together each Wednesday and on important feast days and holy days. Students actively participate in the choir ministry, and help prepare for the school's special Masses marking Veterans' Day, All Saints' Day, Thanksgiving, and other holy days.
Penitential services for students are conducted twice each year. In addition, days of reflection are set aside for the faculty and students.
St. Agnes Academy's motto of JOY (Jesus first, Others second, Yourself last) is integrated into everything we do. We focus on educating our students not only academically, but also on teaching them the importance of giving back to our community and those in need by firsthand experience.
Project JOY is the umbrella under which all service projects fall. Through Project JOY, St. Agnes students make monthly donations to an inner city school student's tuition.
The St. Agnes Spanish Immersion program is based on the Two-Way Immersion Network for Catholic Schools (TWIN-CS), which is an initiative of the Roche Center for Catholic Education at Boston College.
PK-3 through Kindergarden students receive half of their daily instruction in Spanish. Meanwhile, older students receive instruction in Spanish for certain subjects such as Language Arts, Science and Religion. Art is taught in Spanish to all grade levels.
Through this excellent program, we are preparing the next generation of bi-cultural and bilingual learners.
St. Agnes Academy's STREAM Lab includes an integrated curriculum for students in second to eighth grades. STREAM is a curriculum based on six specific disciplines – science, technology, religion, engineering, arts and mathematics. The program uses an interdisciplinary approach, and helps students to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
In the lab, students are able to explore STREAM concepts through applied technology and project-based learning. This important resource further enhances the students’ academic experience at St. Agnes!
To see the STREAM Lab page CLICK HERE.
When students explore the STREAM lab, the possibilities are endless!
STEM education fosters growth in important areas of critical thinking and problem solving. In today’s world the ability to solve problems with technology is an essential skill. Students need to understand the multitude of important applications of various technologies, not just how to use devices for entertainment.
The Engineering Design Process
In the STEM Lab students will use the engineering design process to achieve their objective. This teaches them how to think like a designer and problem solver, revise, research, collaborate, test, revise, and present or demonstrate their work.
Learn moreProject-based Learning
Project-based learning promotes higher order thinking skills through presenting challenges and questions to students that they must respond to through inquiry and discovery. High quality products are the end results of their learning.
Learn more21st Century Skills
STEM education teaches essential skills needed in today’s technology driven world. The STEM Lab provides a comprehensive system for students to use a wide-range of technology connected to real-world applications.
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The science curriculum is inquiry based following the steps of the scientific method. To meet individual student's needs, instruction is differentiated using various reading levels and lab activities.
Students work collaboratively through project-based learning to arrive at creative solutions to real world problems. They participate in opportunities such as the Key Challenge, Exploravision and the Fairchild Challenge.
The social studies curriculum encourages students to be active and compassionate members of society while developing insight in the areas of history, culture, geography, and current events.
The students from early childhood through eighth grade participate in a wide variety of multicultural performances and special events showcasing the school's international school population.
Music is offered to students in all grade levels. Music classes expose students to the universal language of music, freeing their imagination, making them more intellectually flexible, more cooperative, and better problem solvers.
St. Agnes Academy’s music program, with its piano lab, includes a very demanding piano program, which starts in first grade. Music history and appreciation is taught from fourth through eighth grade.Choir is a third important medium of the music classes. Students from second grade and up participate as the school choir, serving through this ministry, during the weekly school Mass.
In recent years, music and art have provided major support in integrating core curriculum subjects with special area subjects. The music teacher also incorporates writing across the curriculum by requiring middle school students to write a research paper following the same criteria taught in the science and language arts classes.
Art is taught to all prekindergarten, elementary, and middle school students. The art program provides the students with an array of experiences by exposing them to different media, including but not limited to, watercolors, acrylics, oil pastels, modeling clay, textiles, yarn work, sculptures, and book making.
Furthermore, with access to educational resources linked with the Internet and the availability of SMART board interactive whiteboard technologies, the students explore museums throughout the world, learning about famous artists and their artwork in depth.
The art teacher collaborates with classroom teachers to ensure that classroom lessons can be enhanced by the curriculum.
Physical education is required for all students. The goal of St. Agnes Academy’s physical education program is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, values, and enthusiasm to maintain a healthy lifestyle into adulthood.
The activities included in this program are designed to promote physical fitness, to develop motor skills, and to instill knowledge and understanding of rules, concepts, and strategies. Students learn to work as part of a team or as individuals in a wide variety of competitive activities.
The sports program has been very successful, winning championships in various sports through the years. St. Agnes also participates in the annual President's Challenge Physical Activity and Awards program that is sponsored by the President’s Council on Fitness and Sports. The physical education content area establishes the competencies and skills necessary for students to be physically, emotionally, mentally, and socially educated.
Athletics
St. Agnes Academy offers an after-school Athletics program through the All Catholic Conference, and athletes compete against other Archdiocesan schools.
St. Agnes competitive sports teams include girls’ and boys’ volleyball, soccer, flag football, basketball and cross country, providing opportunities for students to develop their athletic skills and participate in cross-school competitions. The school places a strong emphasis on sportsmanship and recognizes students who demonstrate it consistently.
Enrichment Program
In order to allow children to achieve successes beyond those offered during school hours, St. Agnes also offers an after-school Enrichment program. The classes vary by semester and may include:
Other Extracurricular Activities
The school also offers opportunities for students to develop leadership skills through additional extracurriculars: