Curriculum Overview
Curriculum Development
St. Paul School curriculum is designed to meet and exceed the Trenton Diocesan and New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards for Education. Class sizes are small and provide for individual attention and active learning experiences. The school’s academic goals are to develop in every student an ability to continuously grow in knowledge and understanding in each discipline. The ultimate goal is to enable students to become independent learners and thinkers who can apply what they have learned to real-life situations.
St. Paul School’s traditional core curriculum is based in Religion, Integrated Language Arts, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. We also emphasize going beyond the school walls by partnering with institutions as diverse as Princeton University, the New Jersey State Bar Foundation, and McCarter Theatre to bring quality curricular and extra-curricular activities to our students.
The Religious Education Program at St. Paul School is a solid one that proclaims the goodness of God and centers on Christ. The curriculum flows from Scripture and presents Catholic doctrine in a way that nurtures faith, hope and love in students and prepares them for Christian leadership. Students are actively involved in prayer, liturgical experiences and social responsibilities. Our religion program guides students to an understanding of the complex moral issues they will face as adults.
Our Integrated Language Arts Program (Reading, Writing, Speaking, and Listening) emphasizes a strong phonics foundation in the early grades, provided for a balance of fiction and non-fiction reading selections, and maintains a commitment to classic literature. The Collins Writing Program requires students to learn how to write in a variety of styles. Students submit compositions, essays, stories, research papers, write in a daily journal, make oral presentations, and assume leadership speaking roles.
The Mathematics Program emphasizes problem-solving and introduces the student to critical and analytical thinking, which lays the groundwork for future studies.
The opening of a new science laboratory provides students of all ages an extended hands-on, inquiry based experience of the sciences. Students are able to expand scientific knowledge and skills through individual and cooperative group experiments and projects.
In the Social Studies Program students explore Geography, History, and Civics from the
earliest recorded history through the beginnings of the 21st century. Coupled with an emphasis on current global issues, this approach increases students’ awareness and understanding of themselves as well as humankind.
The basic curriculum is extended by special classes in Art, Computer Science, Library Skills, Music, Physical Education and World Languages.
STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT BY A VARIETY OF ASSESSMENTS
Student progress is measured by standardized tests. Beginning in the second grade, St. Paul students take the annual CTBS/McGraw Hill test. Questions on these tests are drawn from subject material taught in a majority of public and private elementary schools throughout the United States. St. Paul students consistently achieve strong performances.
St. Paul students also score well on entrance exams to local private and parochial high schools. Graduates matriculate at Holy Ghost Preparatory School, The Hun School, Notre Dame High School, The Lawrenceville School, The Peddie School, Pingry, Princeton Day School, Saint Joseph’s Prep, Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Villa Victoria and others.
Kindergarten
Grade 1
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Grade 5
Grade 6
Grade 7
Grade 8
Physical Education
Library
Art
Computer Lab
Science Lab
Spanish