St. Bartholomew School

1. St. Bartholomew School Fostering academic excellence and fellowship in a close Catholic community since 1962

2. Community • Small community made up of 160 families, currently 220 students. • Families live in Bethesda, Rockville, Silver Spring, Washington, D.C., Gaithersburg, and northern Virginia. • Most families are parishioners or become parishioners after joining the school. We also have non-Catholic students.

3. Curriculum • Archdiocese of Washington curriculum • Accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. • All major subjects are taught in each grade. Also, Religion (daily), Spanish (once in K, twice a week 1-4, three times a week 5-8), P.E. (once a week Pre K, twice K-4, 5-8 have twice a week every week and three times a week every month (single sex P.E. class)), Art (every day Pre-K,twice a week K-3, once 4-8), Computers (once a week Pre-K, K, twice a week in other grades), Library (twice a week Pre K-4, once 5-8), Music (Four times a week Pre-k,twice a week K-4, once 5-8).

4. Middle States-Reaccreditation-”Learning Together by Working Together” • Project completed for our Middle States re-accreditation. • Increasing number of peer learning activities used in each class. • Teachers have found that students are more engaged and learn more about content when they discuss it with others.

5. Student Engagement • Teachers use many different techniques to engage students. • By using peer learning, technology, hands on, white boards, activity centers, drama and more.

6. Peer learning • Shyer students learn to speak up. • Leaders learn to listen to others and value what other have to say. • Many teachers have already tracked an increase in test scores using this method as a review. Students seem to understand the content more deeply.

7. Great reviews from Middle States • Loving community • Everyone is positive about project. • Learning is happening in every classroom. • Children are genuinely happy and engaged in the learning process.

8. Resource program • Resource teacher works four days a week. • 1st-4th grade Small group for reading. Goal to bring up to grade level. (45 minutes-3 times a week for Reading) • 5th-8th grade-Small groups-children have documented learning needs. Students meet instead of having Spanish. They work on studying for tests, working on projects, and getting organized. (45 minutes-3 times a week)

9. Pre K program “Childhood is a journey not a race”

10. Pre-K program • Guidelines from the Archdiocese of Washington, Montgomery County and the State of Maryland to establish curriculum and developmentally appropriate practices. • Two teachers and an aide work with the children in small group rotations.

11. Pre-K Program • Program is a full day 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Same arrival and dismissal schedule as the rest of the school. • Emphasis is on preparation for Kindergarten-Social and Academic- more- developmentally appropriate activities in a loving, caring environment.

12. Pre-K(specifics) • Activities include drama, music, art, physical education using the teachers we have in our school. • Free play and structured play. • Emphasis on fine and gross motor skill development • Academics include reading readiness, writing readiness, math readiness, hands on science and social studies.

13. Pre-K • Children wear the school’s P.E. uniform every day. In the warmer months, this includes St. Bart’s shorts and P.E. shirts. In the colder months, sweat pants, St. Bart’s t-shirts and St. Bart’s sweat shirts are worn.

14. 7:45-8:10 a.m. Arrival, Unpack, prayers 8:15-8:45 a.m. Free Play 8:45-9:00 a.m. Circle time 9:00-10:30 a.m. Small group ( 7 children per group) 30 minute rotations of Language Arts/Pre-reading, Math, and Art. 10:30-10:45 a.m. Snack and recess 10:45-11:30 a.m 15 minute rotations-fine motor skills-cutting, tracing and handwriting. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Lunch/Recess 12:30-1:00 p.m. Story Time 1:00-1:30 p.m. Music 1:30-2:30 p.m. Small group rotations-30 minutes-Religion, P.E., Activity time, circle time. 2:30- 2:45 p.m. Wrap up and prayers 3:00 p.m. Dismissal Sample Schedule

15. K-8 program “Learning Together by Working Together”

16. Small groups in lower grades • In Kindergarten, we have small groups to work with students to learn skills especially in math, pre-reading skills, and handwriting. • In First grade, we have three groups for individualized instruction in math and reading • We offered accelerated pace small groups in 2-4th grade so that students can work at a faster pace if needed. • We also small groups for children who need additional help with the resource teacher.

17. Kindergarten • Small groups with rotations for major academic subject areas-math, language arts and reading. • Two full time teachers take the groups.

18. Small groups in the upper grades • Small groups allow for classes with sizes of 15 or less. • In 5th-8th grade students are placed in math groups according to ability. • In grades 5, 6 and 7, students are grouped for reading. • Students in 5-8th who have documented learning needs may work in a small group with the resource teacher-three times a week in place of Spanish.

19. Faculty • 19 teachers, 4 teaching assistants, a counselor, and a resource teacher. • 10 teachers have 15 years or more teaching experience. 9 teachers have their master’s degrees. • Steve Bartl-5th-8th grade Math teacher Archdiocese of Washington Golden Apple Award Winner-2009. Montgomery County Teacher of the Year for the Archdiocese of Washington 2008 • Principal- 14 years at St. Bart’s, 11 years teaching at St. Jane De Chantal, two master degrees from Catholic University (one in education, one in Administration-Catholic School leadership)

20. TypicalDay • 7:45 Drop off in carpool line (morning care begins at 7:00 a.m.) • 8:00 School begins- prayers and announcements • 8:15-11:15 Classes • 10:30-10:45 Morning Recess for Pre K-3 • 11:15 Lunch/Recess- 5th-8th grade/ Classes for lower grades • 11:30 Pre-K lunch/recess • 11:50 Lunch/Recess-K-4/Classes for upper grades • 12:35- DEAR (Drop everything and read) • 12:50-Classes Continue • 3:00-Pick up in carpool line (aftercare begins at 3:15 and ends at 6:00 p.m.)

21. Hot Lunch • Hot lunch is offered for an additional fee Monday-Friday. • Monday- Pizza-8th grade fundraiser • Tuesday-Friday-Catered lunch

22. Morning Care and Aftercare • Morning care begins at 7:00 a.m. Any student may attend on a drop in or regular basis. Cost is $7.00 per day. • Aftercare begins at 3:15 p.m. and ends at 6:00 p.m. Any child who is not picked up at carpool automatically goes to aftercare where he/she will be cared for until a parent arrives. Cost is $15 per day, $18 on a half day. Any student may attend on a drop in or regular basis. Homework is a priority and is completed first. Snacks are provided and then children play outside. • Aftercare is staffed by faculty members.

23. Uniforms • Students wear uniforms every day unless it is a “dress up” day. • School uniforms may be purchased at March Uniforms in Rockville. • Children in grades K-4 wear their P.E. uniforms on P.E. day and the children in 5th-8th grade bring their uniforms and change before P.E. class

24. Student Council Safety Patrols Altar Servers CYO Sports Flag football Spanish Lab Tuesday and Wed. Tutors Yoga Enrichment Algebra for Advanced Students Mad Science Tea with Mrs. B. Bobcat Newspaper Yearbook Liturgy Committee Golf Band Bartholomew House Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts Student Ambassadors Girls on the Run/Girls on track Drama Student Activities

25. Parent Participation • Home and School Association • Room parents • CYO coaches/ CYO Board • School Advisory Board • Hot Lunch • Fundraising/ Development • Building Committee • Share a Talent- Examples: Renovation Committee

26. Back to School Night St. Bart’s Weekend CYO Picnic Honors Mass/Special liturgies/School Liturgies (2 p.m. every month) Halloween Parade Christmas Pageant Catholic Schools Week Annual Gala Bingo Night Spirit Week Field Day Seder Meal Geography Bee May Crowning/Candle lighting ceremony Grandparents Day 8th grade v. Faculty Basketball game Donuts with Dads/Muffins with Moms St. Bart’s Night out Special Events

27. Service • Thanksgiving Baskets • Shower for Baby Jesus at Christmas (Mary House) • World Hunger Day Food Collection • Candy Canes for the Missions • Joining the Holy Childhood Association • Response to needy families, natural disasters, and poverty abroad. • Out of all the schools in the Archdiocese of Washington, we have been awarded 1st, 2nd or 3rd place from the Archdiocese of Washington every year for our outstanding service efforts.

28. What sets us apart? • Small caring community. • Excellence in academics-students are successfully placed in most competitive high schools in the county. • More flexibility- we can tailor programs to suit the needs of different classes. • More attention to individual students- Advisory groups, Steps to Respect • Students have the opportunity to assume more leadership roles. • Experienced faculty made up of reflective teachers. Emphasis on professional development-always learning

29. Plans for the future • Updating our technology so that teachers can use it more efficiently for classroom instruction. • Our plans include at least 3 more smart boards for classrooms. • New computers for the lab and the resource room. • New projectors for the classrooms that do not have smart boards.

30. Benefits of Small School • Small classes with individual attention. • Enrichment groups for accelerated pace. • Remediation groups for students who need support. • Children assume leadership roles. They have more opportunities to read at mass, to lead the school, to lead the sports team, etc. • The children know all the other students. • Teachers can communicate with parents more regularly. • Families help each other.

31. Public vs. Catholic • Emphasis on caring for others-service to school, community, church. • Values taught and modeled by teachers and students. • Archdiocese of Washington curriculum- room for creativity in methods of teaching and pace of teaching. • Development of the individual child is emphasized. • Catholic School is a caring community of families that support each other while helping to raise children. • Size gives students opportunity to shine and develop gifts that may stay hidden in a larger environment.

32. Catholic • Opportunities to go to mass regularly • Prayer every day • Model our life after Jesus-What would Jesus do? • Opportunities to serve others • Learn to put God and others before self. • Spiritual greater than material things

33. Gonzaga Georgetown Prep Good Counsel St. John’s DeMatha Landon Whitman (public school) Visitation Holy Child Holy Cross Stone Ridge Where do our students go to high school?

34. Fill out registration form Also supply: birth certificate baptismal certificate transcripts and recommendation forms from previous schools Non-refundable check for $500 for all grades. This check will pay for your book/supply fee for the school year 2011-12 If we do not have space your money is refunded. You will know within 2 weeks if you have been accepted. Registration Process

35. What happens after acceptance? • You will be notified of your acceptance by mail. • Mark your calendar for our new family orientation day in June. Parents will have a brief orientation, a chance to meet other parents, and an opportunity to order the school uniform. Students will have an opportunity to meet their teachers.

36. Thank you for coming! REGISTER TODAY!