At St. Catherine of Siena School in Trumbull, CT, the teachers encourage the children to develop their unique gifts and talents intellectually, physically, and spiritually. We build upon their individual strengths, fundamental skills, and knowledge to help them reach their potential. In addition to the curriculum, the academic week is enriched by classes in technology, art, music, physical education, and Spanish. We begin every day with prayer, attend Mass together on the first Friday of each month, and provide opportunities for classes to engage in prayer services. “The school environment promotes belief in God, respect of self and others, academic excellence, and a lifelong appreciation of learning and ongoing spiritual formation” (Mission Statement). The U.S. Department of Education recognized St. Catherine of Siena School as a Blue Ribbon National School of Excellence; we are honored and proud to be considered one of the best schools in the country.

 

SEL is critical to student success. Each week our students benefit from having a school counselor on-site. Students participate in whole group and small group sessions and one-on-one counseling with our trained counselor. Lessons focus on skills and strategies such as coping, impulse control, anger management, focus, and more that they can transfer to their everyday lives and are all developmentally appropriate to the specific group for which they were designed. Our teachers coordinate these lessons with our counselor so that each class or group receives a lesson that is specific to their needs. Teachers also participate in SEL professional development through Catapult Counseling to help their students in the classroom and maintain emotionally healthy classrooms.

 

Whether in our state-of-the-art science lab, with our full-time technology teacher, or with their classroom teachers, our students experience the benefits of STEM/STEAM instruction daily. Working with our innovation zone materials, students explore concepts in science and engineering while having fun and stretching their minds to experiment with what could be possible in science and technology.   NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards) guide our science curriculum and instruction and provide our students with innovative hands-on science experiences.  

 

At St. Catherine of Siena School, we believe that each child is a unique gift from God with unique talents and blessings and our teaching and instruction reflect that belief. The Personalized Learning Initiative, set forth by the Diocese of Bridgeport, allows teachers to teach their students in a meaningful and personalized way. While all students are held to the highest academic standards, there is no “one size fits all” approach to their learning.   Students progress through lessons in various whole group and small group lessons and learning centers through traditional education materials, personalized learning management systems, and computer software. 

 

Diocese of Bridgeport Curriculum maps