MIDDLE SCHOOL (GRADES 6-9)
Maximum class size: 20
Middle School students rotate to different classes with specialist teachers. Wyoming state standards are taught through approved textbooks and hands-on experiences. Because we offer small class sizes, teachers can be flexible and offer co-curricular lessons, team teaching, field experiences, and extended learning opportunities.
Middle School students have a unique opportunity to be engaged in a variety of different cross-age / cross-curricular mini-classes called Exploratories. Students may choose six Exploratories each year, which presents a cornucopia of opportunities.
SCIENCE
Teacher: Becky Stewart
Curriculum used: Study of General Science. Students learn life, physical, and earth sciences. An approved textbook is used with extensive laboratory exploration. Field experiences enhance the curriculum when appropriate. Every other year students create an extensive science project applying the scientific process. 6th-8th graders may participate in the Lego Robotics competition.
Skills Taught: Students are taught to use the scientific process to develop understanding of the elements of science.
Goals: To help students develop a love of science through genuine exploration and to make connections to our real world. To understand and apply the scientific process through study.
ART
Teacher: Becky Bulfer
Goals to achieve by end of school year: To help students will learn to observe and appreciate works of art, recognize and apply principles/elements of design; utilize decision-making skills; and show self-motivation in quality of their personal art.
TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATION
Teacher: Terry Cometto
Summary: In sixth grade, students have specific time using computer lab daily. During lab time, students apply basic technology skills, such as keyboarding, saving information, and researching information while meeting state standards. In addition, they are taught spreadsheets, databases, and presentation skills. Cross-curricular lessons are applied during computer lab in which students may receive multiple grades for the same. Middle school students also learn to proofread and revise their work.
ENGLISH
Teacher: Dawn Easton
Curriculum used: Literature, creative writing, grammar, spelling, Step-Up to Writing, Six Traits of Writing, and classic literature.
Skills taught: Creative writing, grammar, spelling, critical thinking, and analysis, problem solving is taught through the student's own writing and studying literature.
Goals to achieve by end of school year: To help students improve thinking, reading and writing skills and develop an appreciation for great literature pieces, and apply writing skills to other subjects.
MATHEMATICS
Teacher: Dean Menardi
In conjunction with teacher recommendations, Middle School students are tested at the end of the school year to determine in what level of math they will be placed. The levels include pre-algebra through geometry. A student may pursue opportunities to challenge placement and upon success, may be placed in an advanced class after retesting in the fall.
Curriculum used: Connective Mathematics, approved textbooks, and supplemental material
Goals to achieve by end of school year: Students will develop necessary skills to be successful in his or her math placement.
MUSIC
Teacher: Terry Cometto
In middle school, students have the option of taking choir and/or band. The performance choir learns liturgical music for Mass, movement songs, and songs in different languages and cultures. We teach music theory, which involves written work for students to understand the complexity of music. Students perform Christmas and spring concerts and other times as requested. Weekly, students sing at Mass, demonstrating service for their peers.
PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Teacher: Melissa "Muffy" Best
Required Uniform: School Uniform
Goals To Achieve By The End Of The Year: Each student will achieve personal fitness goals, recognize, and be advanced or proficient in all contest areas (personal/social behavior, movement concepts, and fitness). Have an understanding of lifelong fitness, and to appreciate their own bodies.
RELIGION
Teacher: Ray Pacheco
Curriculum used: We use "Christian Life" text approved by the Bishop for each grade level.
Skills taught: Independent thinking, decision-making skills, leadership skills, morals, and values.
Goals to achieve by end of school year: To help students learn about the history of the Roman Catholic Church, the relevance church teachings have in their everyday lives, and to increase participation in Campus Ministry each month.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Teacher: Dawn Easton
Skills taught: Map skills, historical research, primary documents, critical thinking, and problem solving.
Goals to achieve by end of school year: To help students develop a solid foundation in the history of ancient cultures and to develop an understanding of how history has formed cultures and influenced our present.
SPANISH
Teacher: Osmeli Russian
Skills taught: Students will practice memorized vocabulary with little or no verbal cues and communicate cooperatively as they learn how to obtain and gain information about themselves and others. Verbs and tenses are taught. Demonstrate the ability to create a dialogue in a variety task and social situations and participate in simple communications beyond their needs. Identify cultural information.
Goals To Achieve By The End Of The Year: To help students gain grammar skills and produce spontaneous sentences (oral and written), and to learn increase vocabulary.
