Saint Joseph School

[EduCativ]

St. Joseph School is a trilingual (Arabic, English, French) school it aims at developing the child's personality holistically and harmoniously allowing him/her to nurture his/her potentials for self-realization in an atmosphere of trust and self-confidence. It provides the proper context for acquiring religious, moral, and patriotic values, which will enable the child to become a truthful, faithful, lawful citizen, and an active member of society and religious community. The student population is varied and comes from different areas and social backgrounds. Saint Joseph School aims at accomplishing its mission through its commitment to the following educational qualities:

• Caring school community.
• Strong religious education program.
• Dedicated, stable, professional, and experienced faculty.
• Progressive curriculum and teaching strategies.
• Remedial and reinforcement programs.
• High level of parent involvement.
• Highly recognized academic excellence.

The main objectives of the Preschool Division are to

• Help children acquire various foundational skills and positive attitudes toward learning, and to develop their abilities and talents.
• Provide a constructive and consistent learning experience that will build the children’s confidence, and encourage them to enjoy learning. The Preschool program builds a strong intellectual, physical and social foundation for the child’s future.
• Support children in all aspects of life within the Christian Education program.

In KG.1, children learn, in alignment with the national curriculum and SJS standards, to communicate in English and French. Additionally, Arabic is taught once a week. The curriculum includes Christian Education, pre-Math, rhythmic, socialization, crafts, and field trips. The Nursery children perform a play at the end of the school year.

In KG.2, children, equipped with the skills acquired in Nursery, become more autonomous and apt to participate in group work. The curriculum is supplemented by Math concepts and by the alphabet in Arabic, English, and French. In KG.3, children begin to read and write in Arabic, English, and French. Their communication skills are enhanced. They also master simple numbers and learn to add.

Children participate in extra-curricular activities such as plays, Flag Day, field trips, Saint Joseph Feast Day, Lent and Easter events, the month of Saint Mary, charitable and humanitarian campaigns, morning assemblies. At the end of each school year, students harvest the product of their work by displaying it during “Vintage”. These activities aim to help the child become a caring, committed, and active member of the community.

In Grade 1, children, in alignment with the national curriculum and SJS standards, improve their reading, writing, and oral communication skills in the three main languages (Arabic, English, and French) through activities, group work, and projects. The children's first initiation to Physical Education and Science classes takes place during the year. The curriculum also includes Christian Education, Mathematics, Civics, Computer, Arts, and Music.

In Grade 2, emphasis is placed on enabling children to work independently, in pairs, and within a group. In Grade 3, children complement what they have learned in Grades 1 and 2. Children acquire the main competencies in the three languages, master all basic concepts in Mathematics, and think critically in Science. The educational environment is channeled towards a transition to the Upper Elementary Division they also celebrate their First Holy Communion in their respective parishes. Celebrations and various other activities prepare them for that event.

In Grade 4, students learn, in alignment with the national curriculum and SJS standards, skills that guide them to work autonomously and cooperatively with others. In Grade 5, students follow the mapped curriculum, and a group learning dynamic is emphasized. In Grade 6, students acquire the skills and competencies required in Middle School.

The curriculum at the Upper Elementary level includes the following subjects: Christian Education, Arabic, English, French, Mathematics, Sciences, Social Studies (Geography and Civics), Computer, Art, Theater, Music, and Physical Education. The teaching methodology is student-centered using various teaching strategies and styles to cater to diverse students’ needs and learning styles. These include pair work, group work, peer coaching, research papers, project-based assignments, and the use of advanced technology.

The curriculum integrates the programs of the Counseling Department, Child Development, Nutrition Awareness, and Morning Assemblies to help the child grow spiritually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

In Grade 7, the science material is divided, in alignment with the national curriculum and SJS standards, into three different areas with more emphasis placed on social studies. A module system is applied to help the students meet the academic requirements of the Middle School Division. In Grade 8, students follow the mapped curriculum as they are assisted to meet the requirements of adolescents’ intellectual and biological growth and the search for self-identity. In Grade 9, the last year of basic education, the final preparations for the official exams take place including the coverage of the subjects required by SJS standards.

In the First Secondary class, faculty members use cooperative and interactive learning methods by the national curriculum and SJS standards. Students abiding by academic norms and standards engage in multidisciplinary research, public speaking, and term paper writing. Students are exposed to various science and humanities subjects and are oriented to select the best successive class. The choice between sciences or humanities is based on promotion requirements (academic abilities), as well as students’ talents and potentials.

In the Second Secondary class, students gain an in-depth understanding of the acquired knowledge by actively participating in the learning process. In conformity with academic norms, students engage in scientific research, maquette building, and scientific term paper writing based on interactive lessons and experimental observation. Students acquire a more profound level of learning through analysis, synthesis, evaluation, and critical thinking. They are initiated during self-evaluation and orientation sessions to choose the most appropriate track for the final year.

In the Third Secondary class, students are called forth to meet two important challenges first, pursuing education in college, and second, passing the official exam. They also grow into becoming actively involved in decisions related to their daily life and are directly prepared to embrace life outside the school as active members of society.

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