St. Paul Parish School is excited to provide a Catholic faith-based program for children ages three, four, and five in our community. We offer a child-centered environment encouraging children to explore and discover the gifts within themselves, which allow them to grow in knowledge, attitudes and values. The Preschool program provides a wonderful opportunity for children to begin interacting with peers while exploring the world around them. Our Pre-Kindergarten program emphasizes the natural development of the child’s academic talents. Both programs are certified by the State of Oregon Child Care Division.
PRESCHOOL PROGRAM: To participate in our preschool program, children must be three years old by September 1 and well on their way to being toilet trained. Offered half days or full days, Monday through Friday, with the option of attending 3, 4, or 5 days/week.
PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM: To participate in our Pre-Kindergarten program, children must be four years old by September 1 and be completely toilet trained. Offered half days or full days, five days a week with the option of attending 3, 4, or 5 days/week.
An education in the Catholic tradition is best realized with programs which create the widest opportunities for students to receive systematic catechesis, to experience daily living in the Christian community, and to develop commitment and skill in serving others.
St. Paul Parish School maintains the highest standards of academic excellence and encourages family involvement in the educational process. We offer a challenging, traditional academic program which emphasizes the mastery of basic skills and the extension of those skills toward independent learning and decision making. The goal is to develop lifelong learning in each student.
In the classroom, teachers incorporate a number of instructional strategies to meet the varied needs of the learners.
The curriculum is established by the Archdiocese of Portland. Each year, an in-depth study of a core subject is completed at the Archdiocesan and local levels, insuring that we stay current with local and state standards. Textbook adoptions coincide with in-depth studies, and books are chosen from an approved list by the Archdiocesan Department of Catholic Schools and the State of Oregon Department of Education.
St. Paul Parish School participates in the Archdiocesan standardized testing programs for grades three through eight. The Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) and Cognitive Abilities Test (CoGAT) are given each October. Students consistently score higher than the national average. Three times during the year students in grades kindergarten through eight are assessed in reading fluency using the Dynamic Indicators for Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS). This tool tests students' skills in early reading strategies and oral reading fluency. Teachers also use the easyCBM to monitor student growth in reading and mathematics.
St. Paul Parish School offers a full-day kindergarten program. Students complete studies in all of the core content areas including language arts, math, science, health, social studies and religion. Students also participate in physical education, Spanish, and music, which are all taught by specialists. In addition to the homeroom teacher, a full-time instructional assistant is in the classroom. The class size consists of 24 students. In order to enroll in the program, a child must be five years old as of September 1 of the current school year.
There is one self-contained class in grades one through five. Students receive special instruction in physical education, Spanish, computer technology, and music. Language Arts instruction is supported by two Reading Specialists. Instructional assistants are also assigned to these classrooms during various times of the day to support student learning.
Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade participate in a departmentalized middle school program. Instruction is provided daily in math, science, social studies and English by teachers specializing in the core content areas. Additionally, students receive instruction from specialists in music, physical education, computer technology, and Spanish.