Curriculum:
Saint Bernadette Catholic School in Drexel Hill, PA provides an enriched curriculum that addresses all aspects of a child’s development. The classes our school offers include the core subjects of math, science, reading, language arts, social studies, as well as, instruction in religion, technology, art, music, and physical education.
The Archdiocese of Philadelphia Schools partnered with the International Center for Leadership in Education to create a curriculum that is rooted in scholastic tradition and relevant for today’s world. The Philadelphia Archdiocesan Guidelines combined with the fundamental educational requirements of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania form the basis of the curriculum taught to our students.
Curriculum subject areas are creatively and appropriately presented by our professional and experienced staff of teachers according to the grade level. Techniques include lectures, discussions, cooperative learning activities and demonstrations.
Assessments:
Our teachings and our students’ comprehension of the subject matter is then evaluated through the following current methods: projects, formal tests, peer group work, class participation, and homework, as well as performance-based portfolio assessments.
Students receive report cards on a trimester basis as well as progress reports mid trimester to target areas that need extra support and improvement.
TerraNova:
Standardized Testing by way of the TerraNova is also administered in specific grade levels. The TerraNova test is used in many schools nationally, especially in private and Catholic schools. The Archdiocese of Philadelphia Catholic Schools proudly finds that our students regularly score in the top 20% of TerraNovas each year. These assessments are comparable to the PSSA’s (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment) which are conducted by public schools in Pennsylvania.
TerraNova testing guidelines help with our understanding and evaluation of our curriculum and teachings based on state standards. Their results provide a benchmark of student performance and enhance classroom instruction as a whole in order to better student learning.
These assessments are just one of the many tools we use to learn how our students are progressing toward standards, performing relative to their peers, and what instructional activities can help close achievement gaps. They provide us with important data that will assist us in keeping our students on pace with their class and in mastering appropriate grade-level skills.
Middle States Accreditation:
Another measure of our school’s commitment to quality education is our accreditation with Middle States Association, Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Middle States is a worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement.
Their mission is to, “improve the quality of education in the United States and around the world by assisting schools to achieve excellence through the process of accreditation, by affirming to the public a member school’s trustworthiness and commitment to continuous improvement, by providing the network and resources for the promotion of proven practices.”
St. Bernadette Elementary School undergoes an intensive process to be accredited by Middle States. The evaluations are a rigorous process where our school community spends two years working internally and with an external team of school evaluators to set goals and measure school performance.
You can read in more detail about the programs we offer and their specific structure and curriculum by visiting the following pages based off your child’s grade level.