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Elementary

The Cathedral of St. Raymond School Elementary (K-5) Program

As students’ progress through elementary school, the faculty and staff of St. Raymond School work to lay a foundation of skills that will support later learning. We believe in instructional practices that reflect the learning styles and needs of our students making personal achievement and success attainable. Learning in the primary and intermediate grades cannot be rushed. No two children learn the same way, or at the same pace, and so we make sure there are enough adults on board—homeroom teachers, teaching assistants, special area teachers, an enrichment coordinator, reading and math support teacher and a counselor—so that learning opportunities can be individualized in ways that benefit each child. Our goal is for each student to leave our elementary school with confidence in their abilities, a sense of joy in their hearts and a feeling of security that they are growing to be their best self and reach their fullest potential.


Kindergarten

Students in these grades take the social skills learned in pre-school and advance into a more academic setting.  St. Raymond School offers full-day kindergarten that is full of thinking, exploration, and discovery. We still value the importance of play though!  Kindergarten has two recess periods each day, in addition to two gym classes each week.

The classroom teacher instructs religion, language arts (reading, English, spelling, phonics, and handwriting), math, science, and social studies.  Religion is taught on a daily basis, which allows students to learn Catholic tradition and live out their faith.

Students are also exposed to enrichment classes, taught by other certified teachers, which include computer technology, art, music, physical education, and library throughout the week.


Primary & Intermediate Grades: 1st-5th

Our first through fifth grade classrooms are all self-contained rooms where students are exposed to a wide variety of learning activities. The classroom teacher instructs religion, language arts (reading, English, spelling, phonics, and handwriting), math, science, and social studies.  Religion is taught on a daily basis, which allows students to learn Catholic tradition and live out their faith.

Students are also exposed to enrichment classes, taught by other certified teachers, which include computer technology, art, music, physical education, and library throughout the week.

Our fourth and fifth grade students learn on a separate floor from our first through third graders; this move “upstairs” gives fourth and fifth graders something to look forward to and a unit of their own ahead of their move to the junior high wing in sixth grade.


K-5 Curricular Resources

What we place in front of our students determines how they think and the approach teachers will use to instruct.  It is this belief that impels us to put only the best curricular materials in front of our students.

St. Raymond School uses the Diocese of Joliet Catholic Curricular Standards to develop a year long scope and sequence that is supported by our curricular materials.  St. Raymond School utilizes Lucy Calkins’ Reading and Writing Units of Study, Michael Haggerty Phonemic Awareness, 95% Group Phonics System, Zaner Bloser Handwriting, Eureka Math, TCI Social Studies, Savvas’ Elevate Science Curriculum, OSV’s Alive in Christ, and Second Step Social Emotional Curriculum.