Academics

Academics & Programs

St. Joseph Catholic School’s academic curriculum follows the rigorous standards set by the Diocese of Charleston and exceeds the standards set by the state of South Carolina.

What separates us from other schools:

Student/Teacher ratio of 12:1
Safe and welcoming environment
STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math
Superior and proven remote learning platform
Faith based education and moral development
K4 First Step Free Tuition program
Each student receives access to educational devices
Promethean boards in every classroom
Outdoor classroom
Field trips
Enrichment Clubs
School projects and Community Service
Annual Science/Curriculum Fair
Intervention

All Grades receive instruction weekly in:

STREAM + Music/Choir, Spanish and Physical Education (recess daily)
Sadlier Math proven curriculum using the spiral approach to learning
Hands-on Science Labs
Instruction in cursive writing

Middle School additionally receives:

Honors classes in Math, Spanish, and English Language Arts
Composition skills with writing lab
Public speaking skills
Academic Competitions, including Oratorical Contests, and Geography and Spelling Bees

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Map Testing

STREAM

Science, Technology, Religion, Engineering, the Arts, and Math – STREAM

We integrate STEM into our program from K4 through 7^th grade. STEM is about helping students to learn how to solve real-world problems in teams. As part of this, they use the Engineering Design Method to learn how to analyze, imagine, and build solutions.

However, life is more than just technical problems to be solved. At our school with the integration of religion and the arts, STEM becomes STREAM. Through religion, students evaluate moral and ethical questions and think about the good of society and human dignity. Through the arts, students gain appreciation of the beauty around them and are encouraged to explore both the visual and performing arts.

STREAM allows us to teach subjects from across the curriculum to help students make links and see new relationships. It prepares students for future careers, but most importantly, it prepares them to live as contributing and virtuous citizens.

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Music & Performing Arts

Choir – Students 4th – 7th Grade participate in Choir. They perform during the school year and at several Masses during the school year.

Christmas Program – All students participate in the annual Christmas Program. By singing, dancing, acting, narrating, and playing instruments, the story of Jesus’ birth is brought to life.

Additional programs are held throughout the year. Among other events, students participate in a Veteran’s Day program, Spring Music Program, and on some occasions, play an active role in the school Mass.

Visual Arts

St. Joseph’s Visual Arts program encompasses a wide range of artists and mediums that allow for students to fully embrace the true nature of art – which is finding what is true and beautiful in all things. Students explore artists like Michelangelo, Durer, Picasso and many more! They will discover the artwork and perspectives that made them famous and be introduced to their mediums like clay, wood, metal, as well as the more typical ones like acrylic, watercolor and gouache. This approach allows the students to expand their artistic knowledge by fully experiencing each medium and exploring all different aspects of it.

Students participate in weekly 50-minute art classes that run through cycles to incorporate at least 10 different mediums per age group.

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Technology

Teachers at St. Joseph Catholic School are engaged in technology resources that enhance instructional strategies to support multiple learning styles and to promote cooperative learning. SJCS uses Google Apps for Education which offers free unlimited storage and easy collaboration within a user-friendly domain.

Students utilize technology to access and analyze information using a variety of devices such as PCs in computer lab, iPads, laptops, and individual Chromebooks. Handheld electronic devices, such as iPads, are used in our elementary grades (Pre-Kindergarten to 3rd Grade). iPads offer a wide-range of education apps for these grade levels. Students with previous exposure to this type of device can focus on developing academic skills, rather than technological skills. The 4^th– 7^th grade students of St. Joseph Catholic School use Chromebooks, with Google Classroom, as part of their daily academic program.