School of the Holy Family

Continuing the elementary education provided by the schools of St. Joseph and Christ the King, the the School of the Holy Family for grades 7 through 9 is placed under the life and guidance of the entire Holy Family. The love of Mary and the protection of Saint Joseph bring all children to their child Jesus. We have placed this school under their love and care.

The Curriculum
The curriculum is based on Maria Montessori. The content will include the following.

1. The Adolescent Atrium. This is the religious education atrium. The Church and bishop have identified general topics and specific types of knowledge and activities appropriate
for the adolescent level. All of these will be incorporated into the atrium. Students will deepen their understanding of the bible, the creeds of the Church, the moral life in Christ, and the life of prayer as sons and daughters of God the Father and the Church as their mother.

2. English Language and Literature. Students will be given lessons for advanced sentence structure, paragraph divisions, and the introduction to the style and structure appropriate for poetry, essays, short stories, and research papers.

3. Classical and Modern Language. Our language lab will include materials for Latin and Spanish (possibly French and German within three years).
4. Economics, Politics, and History. Students will learn the economic and political history of the United States followed by an introduction to different types of political and economic orders down through history.

5. Logic, Math and Science Lab. Students will be introduced to logic, math, and science throughout the ages, starting with ancient Greece, moving through the Egyptian enlightenment in math (Euclid) and science (Ptolemy), and then through medieval and modern math and science.

6. Music Studio. The music studio will be the place where students are introduced to various forms and styles of music, along with the instruments and language of music. Opportunities to participate in band and choir will be available. As well there will be annual Christmas and Easter concerts.

7. Art Studio. Students will be introduced to painting, sculpture, and drawing in the art studio. Students will be involved in displaying their art throughout the year.

8. Theatre. Students will be introduced to public speaking and acting, as well as have opportunities to participate in an annual play.

9. Meals. In the dining room there will be an ongoing education in agriculture, food production, and the art of cooking.

10. Physical education and sports. Students will engage daily in activities that will enhance physical coordination, strength, self-control, and team cooperation. The school has a large gymnasium that will be used throughout the year. For sports in which we are too small to offer our own programs, we will be cooping with other schools. Parents/guardians will be able to identify favored schools for coops in a survey that will be available on the registration applications.

The Layout
The School of the Holy Family will be housed on the third floor of St. Joseph Catholic Montessori School. The various studios, labs, and areas will be located in the different classrooms on that floor. Other details will be provided during the summer of 2020.

Method of Education
As in the general Montessori world, students will be introduced to some topic or activity and then given ample freedom to perfect themselves in the topic or activity. Students will keep careful journals of their own developments, developments that will be tested through regular examinations. State and Church requirements for all subjects will be incorporated into all of the studios, labs, and rooms. Students will be prepared to enter any high school, and more remotely prepared for the workforce and for college. As well, students will be taught to take care of their environment and for each other, to respect those who take care of them, to give allegiance to their country, and to live humbly in the Church and before God.

Parent-School Relations
The school is meant to help parents raise their children as pilgrims of this world and citizens in the next. Parents are the primary educators of their children and for this to be real, we keep them closely informed about all the developments in the life of their child. Conversely, we welcome any feedback and suggestions from parents about their children. We will have regular conferences each term between parents and the guide, and we will schedule additional meetings whenever requested.