Specialist

Physical Education

The Physical Education program at St. Catherine of Siena is an active and fun complement to the classroom. Twice weekly, students in all grades are offered a broad range of individual and team sports and skill options. The program complies with the California State curriculum standards and includes grade appropriate lessons in nutrition, physiology and health.

Technology

At St. Catherine of Siena School, we understand the importance of teaching basic skills like reading, writing, and math. But if we provide students with only the basics, then they will suffer from a gap in the knowledge and skills they need to function well in twenty-first century workplaces. In order to be effective citizens, workers, and leaders in society, students also need practice with critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and working creatively.

Technology in our computer lab or in the classrooms engage our students to make connections to the real world while supporting and enhancing our rigorous curriculum. Computer education and technology permeate our fully wireless campus through a suite of iPad carts and Chromebooks. St. Catherine of Siena teachers use technologies that help students streamline daily processes. This increases opportunities that incorporate critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity into students’ daily learning, while promoting digital accountability and responsibility.

Grades Kindergarten-4

Students in grades kindergarten through fourth attend a weekly technology class in our computer lab which is equipped with 20 laptops, and it is taught by the technology teacher, Mrs. Patricia Bandel. This class covers the technology standards set forth by California and by the San Francisco Archdiocese. The classroom teachers and Mrs. Bandel collaborate to integrate the classroom curriculum into technology based activities in the lab. During this class, students are also introduced to computer science by learning basic coding skills and collectively working together in writing code to solve problems. Students also use a variety of learning websites such as RazKids, Mathletics, and Typetastic. Students in kindergarten through third grades have 1:1 access to IPads in their classrooms that are loaded with innovative apps and learning tools. Students in 3rd and 4th grade are given their own school email accounts to begin to learn about digital citizenship and responsibility. They also are introduced to Google Apps for Education. Fourth graders have access to 1:1 Chromebooks in their own classroom. In addition, our students are encouraged to expand their way of thinking, learning skills and communication skills while understanding their responsibility to be positive digital citizens. Most importantly, we ensure that students become ethical and safe users of Internet resources.

Grades 5-8

In grades 5-8, students are given their own school email accounts so that they can start to ensure a seamless transition from middle school into high school and beyond. Technology standards are woven into their curriculum. Students in 4th-8th grade are each issued 1:1 Chromebooks that they use in school. Students work collaboratively with each other and their educators using all the tools that Google Classroom has to offer. Through the use of Google Classroom, as a part of the Google Apps for Education (GAFE), our teachers communicate with the students in this one to one environment. This provides students with the ability to get information needed at any time or anywhere, extending the learning environment. Teachers also have access to Elmo document cameras and overhead ceiling projectors in every classroom to bring learning to every type of learner.

Library

Students in grades K-4 visit the library weekly. Students listen to stories read aloud to them by our librarian. Then they can browse the hundreds of newly purchased books to check out one book to keep with him or her for the week. Students in 4th through 8th grades occasionally use the library with their teacher to help with research projects.