Media
St. Lawrence Catholic School’s Media Classes are designed to not only foster a love of reading and develop literacy skills, but to also establish an understanding for how a library is designed. These are important skills for our students to learn and understand to help ensure they know how to use and manipulate our resources successfully. Students in pre-K 3 through grade 8 visit the Media Center within their specific class period, but also have access throughout the school day to meet their individual needs.
Students in Pre-K 3 through 2nd grade are taught how to care for library books through stories and lessons. They also learn about different types of books, where to locate them in the library, and about the different parts of a book. We use small-group, whole-group and learning centers to achieve these goals.
Students in grades 3rd through 5th take their earlier foundations in Library skills and expand upon them by utilizing the different sections of the Media Center. Students learn how the different resources and sections help them during researching specific learning topics or in everyday book searches. Students achieve their learning within whole-group, small-group, individual work, and learning center activities, depending on the lesson.
Students in grades 1st through 4th are actively engaged in the Scholastic Reading Counts programs. While each teacher has his or her own style of use for this program within their classrooms the school’s Media Center helps to facilitate and guide the teachers and students.
Middle School students utilize the library to enhance their researching skills. Throughout the school year we focus on researching skills such as: how to critically analyze resources, learning to cite sources, and engage in technology resources. Students utilize the Media Center to find books for pleasure reading, but also as a study environment.
The Media Center participates in two Scholastic Book Fairs each year, with one in the Fall and one in the Spring. We honor a variety of authors throughout the year, such as Dr. Seuss and Eric Carle. We also celebrate various holidays throughout the year with specific books and activities.
Physical Education
At St. Lawrence Catholic School, we believe physical education should be an important part of every child’s daily routine. Our program offers a broad and exciting variety of activities that not only enhance a child’s athletic talents, but also provide students with lifelong physical activities.
In grades K-2 students work on locomotor skills, introduction to sports skills, fitness development, cooperation, sport safety and rules.
The curriculum for grades 3-8 includes skills and lead up games for volleyball, basketball, soccer, badminton, flag football, kickball, softball, and track and field. Students also participate in a Physical Fitness Program which evaluates their flexibility, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular fitness level.
Students in grades 5-8 participate in physical fitness, refining sports skills, offense and defensive strategies, and all sport safety and rule comprehension.
Extra Curricular Athletics are available for grades 5-8. We participate in the Hillsborough Catholic Youth Sports League.
Learn more about Extracurricular Athletics
STREAM
STREAM stands for Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, Arts, Math. S.T.R.E.A.M. education integrates concepts that are usually taught as separate subjects in different classes and emphasizes the application of knowledge to real-life situations.
These lessons help students think “outside the box” to work on real world problems. Many STREAM lessons involve project-based learning and hands on activities such as building models and simulating situations.
Art
Our goal at St. Lawrence Catholic School is to teach every student how to express themselves through art. In art class, we start at a young age to teach the Elements of Art and the Principles of Design in a way that helps students expand their artistic ability as they move up in grade levels. Students will also learn about famous artists, cultures and historical periods. The art teacher works with the subject area teachers as well to create cross-curricular projects.
Mrs. Pavlakis is skilled in a variety of techniques and media that she loves to share with the students to see what suits them the best.
At the end of the school year, we present a Night of the Arts where the students display their beautiful artwork along with Music.
Music
Our Music program at St. Lawrence Catholic School provides an opportunity for students to express rhythm and moods through sounds and movement, which assists them in the development of basic motor skills. The music curriculum enables students to recognize musical instruments and periods of music.
Students grow in ability to enjoy music for its melody, tone, quality, harmony, and expression. They also develop an understanding of the importance and beauty of singing secular music as well as liturgical music as a form of worship. Students have the opportunity to hone these skills by joining the after school choir/drama club for grades 5-8. All students are also introduced to musical instruments in the intermediate grades and can continue this instruction through the 8th grade. Band is offered on campus before and after school for those that are interested in grades 5-8. In addition, our school Music Program includes programs and concerts throughout the year where all students participate.
Spanish
Spanish vocabulary, common expressions, grammar, and culture are all part of the Spanish curriculum. Throughout the program the students will build understanding of common expression, grammar, and phrases structure. Pronunciation skills are achieved through specific vocabulary, songs, games, and short dialogues. Culture and history will be learned by classroom projects during the semesters starting in 4th grade. Each level builds on the previous level, so the students are provided with a firm spoken, written, and cultural base to carry them into their later formal language study. The curriculum also provides support for bilingual students who want to master their knowledge and language skills.
Technology
St. Lawrence Catholic School’s Technology classes are designed to help students gain an understanding of the computer, typing, word processing, presentations, and cross-curricular activities. Each level works on different skills that are age appropriate. At each level we also focus on the care that needs to be taken to maintain our technology as well as what it means to be a good digital citizen.
Students in grades K – 2 begin with mouse skill practice, finding keys on the keyboard, and beginning to learn to type with the correct finger placement. Students in this grade level work on activities that are aligned to their core curriculum while still working on the technology skills needed for their grade level.
Students in grades 3 – 5 begin working on typing practice and learning Microsoft products. They learn to use the correct finger placement to be a successful keyboarder. Students in this grade level also continue to work on activities that are aligned to their core curriculum, however, we begin to work on Microsoft Word and PowerPoint to prepare them for their future academic courses.
Students in grades 6 – 8 focus on Internet Safety and delve deeper into the functions available in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and in Eighth Grade Microsoft Excel. Students in the middle school also complete research projects that incorporate all of the previous skills they have learned. Eighth grade students culminate their technology classes with a green screen movie making piece to their final project.
Reading Resource
Literacy instruction is provided in a small group setting for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade who are identified as needing additional support.
Reading skills begin in the early grades with phonics, decoding, and phonemic awareness adding complexity throughout the grade levels. Students are taught fiction and nonfiction reading strategies and are encouraged to read for the love and appreciation of literature.
Our approach to literacy instruction adheres to the following principles:
- Instruction should be Multisensory: Visual, Auditory, and Kinesthetic
- Instruction should be Systematic and Sequential: Assessments are administered followed by lessons which are planned in progression order.
- Instruction should be Explicit: Direct instruction is applied for concept and skill mastery.
- Instruction should be Flexible: The needs of the students direct the course of instruction.
