OUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS
From Early Childhood through Grade 8, the academic program at Saint Agnes Academy seeks to empower students to be leadership and community ambassadors. In building each students’ faith foundation, they are prepared to think critically and compassionately, becoming life-long learners, growing into the person God created them to be. With its high academic standards, our rigorous curriculum develops students intellectually, spiritually, physically, socially, and ethically. Our dedicated, expert staff and our small, safe class sizes further promote an exceptional learning and growth environment. As a result, graduates of Saint Agnes Academy enter the high school of their choice, both prestigious private and public institutions, poised for success.
Pre-K
Play, Pray, Watch and Learn
Our nurturing Preschool program provides a loving, caring and explorative learning environment. Through play form our children discover a true love of learning, expanding their natural curiosity of the world around them. Program highlights and topic introductions include:
- Communications: children learn how to observe and use appropriate group interactions while actively participating in discussions, listening to others’ ideas, and sharing personal experiences/interests.
- Literature: children are exposed to a wide variety of age-appropriate literature read aloud, developing letter familiarity and awareness, and improving auditory skills to identify and manipulate language. Play experiences enhance language use such as in word naming, sorting and rhyming. National figures and holidays are discussed to understand their celebration purpose.
- Science, Technology & Engineering: by asking and seeking out answers to questions about objects and events, children learn to make predictions about changes in materials/objects, while identifying and using simple tools to extend their observations. Through various hands-on projects children learn about the earth and life sciences as well as their environment.
Grades K-2
Play, Pray, Wonder and Explore
These transformative years foster a new sense of wonder, learning and joy. As students’ journey through discovery, they are guided in “learning by doing” with emphasis on critical thinking skills for future success. We celebrate each student’s uniqueness and curiosity through hands-on experience and enrichment.
Emphasizing interactive learning, we focus on the significance of child development – social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical growth – offering an appropriately challenging curriculum to support the development of confident readers, creative writers, and reflective mathematicians. We help students strive for academic success while inspiring them to grow their love of God, viewing the world through a lens of love and kindness. Students expand their appreciation for community involvement as a lifestyle through various local service projects.
- Kindergarteners participate in special projects. The Star of the Week project celebrates each student individually, they are given a week to be the Star and their parent/family member is invited into class to read a story or share a fun project.
- First Graders participate in a community service project at the Dalton Public Library, reading books to the Dalton Nursery School children and participating in crafts. Parents of the reader are invited to attend as well (current COVID restrictions apply).
- Second Graders participate in many community service activities. They join local representatives to celebrate the National Day of Prayer singing God Bless America at the ceremony, they host a food drive for the Berkshire Humane Society and makes
Grades 3-5
Play, Pray, and Study Hard!
During grade years 3-5, we begin to see real connections between what our children learn and how to apply that knowledge. Students tackle skills that further build the foundation for their upcoming middle school years. Active learning and continuous participation while having fun permeates these classrooms and sets the stage for genuine comprehension and application of this new knowledge.
Our teachers guide students on a journey of interactive learning. Every curriculum is infused with hands-on activities including reading, writing, math, sciences, social studies, religion, physical education, music, art, technology, and Spanish.
- Third grade students participate in a Biography Book Report, choosing how to present information including the option to dress as the person. Adult speakers are invited to share with class their cultural experiences and historical information about the American Revolution.
- Fourth grade participates in various hands-on learning activities such as the State Project. Students research a selected state, learning everything from historical facts to geography, economy, cultural impacts, climate and people from this state. Then, they present their story boards and report to class, growing their presentation and writing skills.
- Fifth grade takes pride in many projects and interactive activities such as application of science principles/theories, STEM projects and the DARE program. In conjunction with the Dalton Police Department, the DARE program provides students general life skills education to support good decision making for a safe and healthy life. Students learn about peer pressure, how abusing drugs can affect a person’s life, and resources the police can provide to help ensure community safety.
Middle School
Pray, Play, Practice, Work Hard
Our Grade 6-8 classrooms are fast-paced, dynamic laboratories of learning! SAA understands the transition to high school requires a completely new mindset. At this age students experience more freedoms and growing independence, and likewise assume more responsibilities. As students face each new challenge, we are there to support them, adjusting teaching approaches as necessary. We realize the most important thing we can offer our students is a safe, loving environment, and that is what SAA provides. The opportunity to engage students at these critical ages is essential to their future success, preparing them for the next step in their journey.
Our rigorous curriculum enables Middle School students to feel both successful and challenged on a daily basis via meaningful, relevant lessons and interactive, collaborative activities. Students dig deeper into discovering Sciences through hands-on activities in the science lab. During World History classes, students learn about ancient cultures and work on projects such as building a civilization in Minecraft. Civics education explores collaborative projects such as creating their own country then presenting their creation. Math programs incorporate real life applications of mathematical concepts enhancing comprehension. ELA students create projects from their independent reading and combine these with actual historical events. Students create Poetry books, plan virtual vacations to international destinations, create/edit the monthly school newspaper and grow all aspects of study skills.
Religious Education
As our mission statement affirms, we are a school united by God’s love, living and sharing our faith daily. This theme of spiritual growth is woven through our day and each academic study at Saint Agnes Academy. Daily religious studies enrich our student’s relationship with God, and our dedication to serving others. Our day begins with a prayer, reminding us of God’s eternal in our lives at throughout our school day. First Friday masses are celebrated monthly, and each mass is hosted by a different grade. Classes engage in various community outreach programs, food/clothing drives and fundraising efforts to name a few, promoting a lifelong dedication to charity and grace.
Specialists Programs
Arts
In recognition of the importance the Art education’s positive impact on academic achievement, various arts programs are provided. Visual arts include art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, crafts, photography, video, filmmaking, design, and architecture. Enrichment programs and field trips to our arts community further expand student learning of various artistic disciplines such as performing arts and visual arts.
Music
Music education has major positive impacts on personal growth and development. To help instill a lifelong respect for music, instruction includes basic choral concepts, music appreciation, rhythm and musical structure, to more advanced musical concepts and activities.
- Music helps brain development
- Music teaches focus and stress relief
- Music helps math comprehension
- Music grows self-expression
- Music improves social skills
- Music boosts self-confidence
- Music is FUN!
Gym
Physical education provides cognitive instruction designed to develop motor skills, knowledge, and behaviors for physical fitness. With a mix of learning and fun, our program provides students the encouragement and confidence they need to be physically active for a lifetime. In partnership with the Dalton CRA, students participate in various physical education activities at the CRA gym along with outdoor activities (weather permitting). Everyone loves gym day!
Spanish
Welcome to Spanish Class! Bienvenida a la Clase de Español!
GRADES 1, 2 & 3
Beginning Spanish in Grades 1, 2 and 3 introduces the language to students through practical lessons. Students experience curiosity first, then the excitement of success with a second language. Emphasis is on conversation and building vocabulary, with a gradual transition to writing simple sentences.
- Topics: Greetings, polite words, introductions, colors, numbers 0-60, basic expressions, days of the week, food, and clothing to name a few.
GRADES 4 & 5
Beginning Spanish is reinforced in Grades 4 and 5 as students build on acquired knowledge and focus on grammar, phrase construction and dialogue.
- Topics: Definite and indefinite articles, personal and possessive adjectives, months, dates, numbers 0-1000, telling time, sizes, shapes, colors, subject pronouns, prepositions, regular & irregular verbs to name a few.
GRADE 6
In Grade 6 students focus on developing communicative proficiency in Spanish to further students to use the language. Reading, writing, translating, interpreting, and studying culture are essential activities.
GRADES 7 & 8
During this time of tremendous physical and mental growth, students acquire social skills and develop autonomy and discipline. As nations become increasingly interdependent, effective communication and sensitivity of other cultures becomes more important. Today’s youth must be culturally and linguistically prepared to participate in this global society. Therefore, the goal for grades 7 and 8 is to present vocabulary, functional expressions and grammar structures interwoven with cultural information. The program takes us to six different Spanish speaking countries or states.
- Grade 7: España, México, Florida.
- Grade 8: Ecuador, Texas, Puerto Rico.
Specialists – Title 1 Services
When qualified financial assistance benefits are received from the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act, at-risk students receive academic and/or support services from our Specialists. The goal of the program is to ensure that any at-risk student is provided the help they need, ensuring that all children meet challenging state academic standards. Preschool through middle school student may qualify to receive these services at Saint Agnes Academy. Please contact the school for more information.
Technology Program
MacBooks, iPads & Tablets
Students receive Technology education instruction in our State-of-the-Art Apple Macintosh Laptop Lab. Class takes place in our multi-function library and curriculum covers everything from basic computer literacy skills, uses, application, typing skills to online privacy, security, cyberbullying awareness to name a few. Our students use various tablet technologies and iPads for classroom academic activities.
Chrome Books
Students also have access to our inventory of Chrome Books available for various classroom academic needs.
Smart TVs
Classrooms are equipped with Smart TVs, AppleTV, and AirPlay to name a few, enabling teachers to stream/mirror multimedia content enhancing classroom learning and engagement. Our Church, library and conference rooms also have multimedia capabilities.
Campus Wireless
Campus-wide, wireless networking links students and teachers to our cutting-edge technologies used to connect and create. Our Wi-Fi enabled campus facilitates group study sessions, wireless printing, and access to online learning tools to name a few. With Wi-Fi networking, our entire campus becomes a classroom for teachers and students alike.