A Strong Core
St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic School bases its curriculum on national, state, and Diocese of Charleston standards. South Carolina Curriculum Standards can be found at https://ed.sc.gov/instruction/standards-learning/. Diocese of Charleston standards can be found at https://charlestondiocese.org/schools/diocesan-curriculum-for-our-catholic-schools/. In addition to a curriculum which includes science, health, social studies, technology, physical education, and the arts, there is an emphasis on the traditional 3 R’s of Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic. Children who attend St. Mary’s also benefit from a curriculum that includes an additional 3 R’s: Respect, Reverence, and Responsibility.
Enrichment Courses of Study:
IN GOOD FAITH — Religion
At the heart of the St. Mary’s curriculum is a joyful devotion to the Catholic faith. The school day begins and ends in prayer, religion is taught daily to all students, and all students participate in weekly Masses at St. Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church. Through traditional prayer and rituals, students deepen their relationship with Christ, increase their understanding of their faith, and connect their faith to their studies and daily lives. Students of all faiths are welcome at St. Mary’s.
Hola! - Foreign Language (Grades 5-8)
Research shows that learning a second language gives children a significant advantage—strengthening critical thinking, improving memory, and enhancing creativity. Beginning in 5th grade, students may choose to take a sequence of Spanish classes through 8th grade. Successful completion of this program will earn them one high school Spanish credit, recognized by local high schools.
Students will have the opportunity to participate in the National Spanish Exam with SC chapter medal prizes in the first three places: gold(oro), silver(plata), Bronze(bronce) in the spring semester.
IN LIVING COLOR — Art
Art not only stimulates imaginations; it also helps students develop cognitive, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. The St. Mary’s art curriculum addresses the national visual arts content standards of understanding and applying media, techniques, and processes; using knowledge of structures and functions; choosing and evaluating a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas; understanding the visual arts in relation to history and cultures; reflecting upon and assessing the merits of their own and other’s work; and making connections between visual arts and other disciplines.
ON A HIGH NOTE — Music
Musical training strengthens language, memorization, reasoning, mathematics, and coordination skills. Students in kindergarten through grade six participate in music classes once a week with a curriculum that emphasizes the study of classical music. Students learn about orchestral instruments, and they study composers from the Medieval through modern ages along with basic note reading, rhythm, and musical terms. Future plans for music class are musical performance genres including ballet, opera, and musical theater. In the upper grades, skills necessary to read and perform music are expanded and refined. Music history, appreciation, and knowledge about composers is included in the general curriculum. A school choir, with members in third through eighth grades, sings at all school Masses as well as the school-wide Christmas and Spring programs.
JUMPING FOR JOY — Physical Education
In addition to a multitude of health benefits, physical education improves learning aptitude and confidence in students. Our physical education curriculum begins with participation in activities that involve imagination, coordination, and basic game skills in the primary grades. Elementary students participate in activities and exercises that emphasize teamwork and skills used in a variety of sports and other physical activities. Junior high students work to further develop skills, strategies, and teamwork through various games, activities, and exercises. Students have physical education once a week; junior high also have health one quarter of the school year.
BITS & BYTES - Computer Literacy
In the technological world we live in, computer literacy is critical to success. Our computer literacy curriculum is integrated into our core subjects. Computer literacy assists students of all ages with the development and mastery of technology skills they will need for school and life activities. Students practice grade-level appropriate skills such as keyboarding, drag-and-drop/block computer coding, word processing and formatting, safety rules and digital etiquette, using appropriate terminology, troubleshooting hardware problems, and the creation and formatting of documents. Students at the higher level learn how devices function, strengthen their use of the Google suite of applications, practice refining searches for databases and the Internet, identify the risks and rewards of sharing digital information, recognize the importance of one’s digital footprint, and locate credible sources.
VOLUMES OF ADVENTURE — Library
At St. Mary’s School, we believe in fostering a lifelong love of reading as well as teaching library, reference, and research skills. Our youngest students visit the library for a story and an introduction to beginning library skills. Students in the elementary grades attend library classes to hear a story, learn reference skills, and check out library books. The librarian also opens the library to junior high students during selected lunch periods as well as before and after school when there is a demand. Unscheduled visits to the library are encouraged for all students and can be arranged between teachers and the librarian.