Academics

Working in conjunction with our families, the faculty, staff, and administration continues to strive toward academic excellence. Through a comprehensive range of programs and services, St. Michael School successfully prepares students for the endless challenges that lay ahead. Our mission calls us to teach the message of Jesus, to encourage service to others, and to prepare students for lifelong and responsible citizenship. We are committed to promoting academic excellence through an integrated, contemporary curriculum rooted in Gospel values and taught in a faith community.

 

We believe education is a never ending process of growth and challenge. Education enriches the whole person: soul, mind and body. We believe that parents are the primary educators of their children and together with teachers facilitate the learning process. We believe children learn and succeed in a caring atmosphere where they are given the opportunity to see their own value.

Curriculum Outlines

Listed here are general descriptions of the core objectives and learning goals that will be covered in each subject/grade level throughout a school year. The Archdiocese of Chicago Catholic Schools have voluntarily integrated the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) into our rich tradition because we view the standards as being in the best interest of the children and families we serve. (2022)

The academic subjects taught at St. Michael School consist of:
  • English Language Arts
  • Literature
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Computers/Technology
 
  • Art
  • Music
  • Physical Education

Resource

Identification

Identify the unique learning needs of the students. Advocates for the right of all children to an appropriate education

Response to Intervention/Differentiation

Curriculum Based Measures/Bench-marking. Evidence Based Interventions. Best Practices

Collaboration

ICEP Team. Service Plan Team/Local District Service Providers. Parent/Guardian. Regular Education Teachers

FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Referral Process

A “referral” in the context of special education services is a process asking the school district to evaluate a student to determine if the student qualifies to receive special education services. A referral can be initiated by a teacher or other school personnel involved in the student’s education or by a parent or guardian. The referral is a required first step before an evaluation can take place.

What is a Service Plan

A Services Plan (SP) is developed and implemented to the extent appropriate for each private school student with a disability who has been designated to receive special education and related services offered by the school district. The SP must be developed by a team and reviewed at least annually. Services Plans are limited and only provide the services determined by the school district.

What is an ICEP?

An ICEP is a written plan describing the special education program and/or services required by a particular student, based on a thorough assessment of the student’s strengths and needs – that is, the strengths and needs that affect the student’s ability to learn and to demonstrate learning.

An ICEP can be written for a student based on a psycho-educational evaluation administered by local school district specialists, private specialists, and medical professionals.

An ICEP is similar to an IEP but is not an IEP. An IEP is provided only to students who attend public school.

Transition to High School

Our Resource Teachers work closely with Catholic, public, and private high schools to ensure a student receives a smooth transition into the high school of their choice.

Progress Monitoring

Progress Monitoring is used to assess students’ academic performance, to quantify a student rate of improvement or responsiveness to instruction, and to evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. Progress monitoring can be implemented with individual students or an entire class.

IEE - Independent Educational Evaluations

There are different types of professionals who are qualified to do a private evaluation. Some are able to do all of the necessary tests. Others specialize and are certified only in certain areas. Professionals who can help include Clinical Psychologists, Educational Psychologists and Neuropsychologists.

A private evaluation for learning and attention issues involves various types of tests. It also includes a review of your child’s history and a conversation with and observation of your child. It can take a few testing sessions to finish and usually involves two main things: intelligence and achievement testing, including information processing, memory and reasoning and testing in other areas of concern presented by the parent such as speech and physical abilities.

Supportive Assistance

Our Resource Team members work hand-in-hand with our students, parents, and the local school district to provide our students with the support they need to be successful.

Communication and collaboration between school and family ensure that our students receive the best possible instructional environment that we can provide at Saint Michael School.

Technology

Our goals at St. Michael School are to promote, facilitate and enhance teaching, learning and working efforts of the students and faculty through the use of technology.

We are constantly exploring and incorporating new technologies that promote learning so as to create an atmosphere of technological collaboration that enhances and supports learning opportunities for all involved.

To become technologically proficient, students will develop their skills through integrated activities in all content areas. These skills will be introduced during their computer classes and then refined collaboratively with classroom teachers as an integral part of the learning process.

As national standards dictate, our students’ computer classes “provide a framework for technological literacy, and demonstrate a progression from physical manipulation skills in the use of technology, to intellectual skills necessary for information use, to skills needed for working responsibly and productively within groups.” Our school’s technology program and curriculum lay the foundation for continuous learning for both teachers and students.

While the teaching of technology skills and goals are met, teachers can use these goals as guidelines for planning technology-based activities in which students achieve success in learning and varied ways of communication to prepare them to meet the challenges of today’s technology-rich world.

Digital Citizenship

St. Michael School is committed to promoting academic excellence through an integrated, contemporary curriculum rooted in Gospel values and taught in a faith community. Our mission calls us to teach the message of Jesus, to encourage service to others, and to prepare students to be confident, connected, and responsible lifelong learners.

Student Social Media

Our hope and goal here at St. Michael’s is to teach and model for our students the virtues they learn at home; acceptance, integrity, respect, and kindness. Students need to learn and experiment with decision making on their own. Unfortunately, those decisions are not always the best and lessons are learned.

We are asking for your help in monitoring the proper use of social media. I realize that these outlets are an important way for our students to stay connected with one another, but we encourage you to discuss your definitions of proper usage with your child(ren). We will continue to discuss proper usage in the classroom as well.

You don’t have to be an expert on texting, Instagram, Minecraft — or whatever else your kids are into — to have The Talk. Start by reading up on what’s going on in your kids’ world (for younger kids and older kids). Ask them to show you what they like online, and why. Then, express a few basic expectations, with the understanding that this isn’t a one-and-done kind of chat. Here is some information from Common Sense Media to help you #HaveTheTalk.

Purchase Your Chromebooks

Beginning in 2016, St Michael School became a 1:1 Chromebook school; in order to create a technology-rich environment for both teaching and learning for Grades 4th -8th. Every student in these grades will need to have a Chromebook for use in classes. We are very excited with the educational possibilities this program continues to provide.

Chromebooks must be purchased through the school. Please contact the front office, or our Technology Coach if you are in need of purchasing a new Chromebook.

Digital Citizenship Resources
Tech Tips for Parents
  • For children younger than 18 months, avoid use of screen media other than video-chatting. Parents of children 18 to 24 months of age who want to introduce digital media should choose high-quality programming, and watch it with their children to help them understand what they’re seeing.
  • For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen use to 1 hour per day of high-quality programs. Parents should co-view media with children to help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.
  • For children ages 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media, and the types of media, and make sure media does not take the place of adequate sleep, physical activity and other behaviors essential to health.
  • Designate media-free times together, such as dinner or driving, as well as media-free locations at home, such as bedrooms.
  • Have ongoing communication about online citizenship and safety, including treating others with respect online and offline.