Saint Monica School Philosophy

St. Monica Catholic School – its faculty, students and families – seeks to form an active, supportive faith community that stimulates the practice of Gospel values, maintains high academic standards and encourages all to live in right relationship with God, self and others. St. Monica School commits itself to educate youth with emphasis on the integration of the Gospel in its formation of the whole person. Its ministry finds expression in three distinct, yet integrally related dimensions; worship, community and service.

The school adheres to the guidelines offered by the Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education (OCE). This program encompasses all aspects of student formation; namely, spiritual, intellectual, social, physical and personal. Students engage in active learning, reasoning and problem solving. The primary grades focus on developing basic skills by using visuals, manipulatives and other concrete multi-sensory stimuli. In the intermediate grades, students advance from concrete operations to more abstract thinking and application of basic skills. In the upper grades teachers encourage mastery of learning concepts. Strengthening students’ mastery of basic skills at all grade levels is a fundamental goal of the faculty.

The faculty recognizes that the home is the first school of social virtues and that teachers assist in the social development of the students by acknowledging the uniqueness of each person and by celebrating cultural diversity within the community. A school environment that nurtures an appreciation for good order and respect for live enables students to learn the fundamentals of becoming law-abiding citizens and contributing members of society. The faculty teaches students to respect their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit and encourages students to develop a positive self-image by avoiding behaviors that will hurt themselves or others.

Faith formation is interwoven through all aspects of the academic program. The faculty believes that the values taught must lead to an integration of faith and life. Ever conscious of the school’s mission, teachers recognize their responsibility to live Gospel values in every aspect of their personal and professional lives. Teachers act as facilitators and role models in their continuing effort to create a climate of mutual respect between themselves and students. Professionalism and collegiality characterize interpersonal staff relationships. On-going professional development, mentoring and sharing with colleagues provide additional help, support and preparation for effectively fulfilling teaching duties. Teachers view parents as partners in the educational process and use notes, newsletters and conferences to strengthen the ties between school and home.

The Archdiocesan OCE establishes the educational principals and goals that become curriculum policy. The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary and a dedicated professional staff provide additional direction. The school administration, in collaboration with the professional staff determines the school’s educational practices and management policies. They also determine how these policies are updated and implemented to insure relevance to the needs of the school and community.

Following a tradition of excellence, the faculty of St. Monica School uses its individual talents and abilities to prepare a stimulating and productive learning environment that meets the needs of all students. Teachers invite students to strive for excellence and become responsible for their own learning. Teachers effectively plan and execute a variety of learning strategies designed to engage the multiple learning styles of students. Cumulative evaluations provided by the OCE, annual standardized testing, along with access to psycho-educational testing when needed, serve as tools for formal evaluation.

Through visits to the classroom, examining weekly plans, mark books, student work and standardized test scores the administration conducts informal evaluation of teachers. Formal observation and evaluation occur annually in conjunction with a teacher’s self evaluation and post observation conference.