C
kids&family
St. Francis Xavier A Capital Catholic School
O
by Alice Ollstein memorize them. “That was the jumping-off point for our whole literacy movement,” said Camp. The school plans to perform the Peter Rabbit musical again for the public. The event will serve as a fundraiser and an effort to help the community get to know the school better.
n a Wednesday in late August, the staff of St. Francis Xavier bustled around the campus, preparing for the new school year. Grey and maroon uniforms lay in neat piles. The classrooms were getting a fresh coat of bright yellow paint. A few parents sat in the lobby filling out last-minute applications. The private Catholic school’s principal, Dr. Gladys Camp, had big plans for fall— including a new comprehensive reading program for all grade levels called “Castle in the Classroom.” As part of this guided reading and emerging literacy curriculum, each teacher has created a “book basket” based on the skill level and interests of his or her students, and classes regularly perform Reading Theater, where they act out a story while reading it. Even students too young to read learn to be active listeners who can retell a story, discuss the plot and characters,and create art based on what they’ve heard. “I call it ‘value-added pre-K.’ It’s more than just learning to tie your shoes,” said Camp. “We’re taking it to the next level.” “We want them to hear a story and make connections to their own lives,” added kindergarten teacher Kimberly McKinley. The school also hopes to expand its use of technology, and connect the student’s time in the computer lab to the Castle in the Classroom reading project. They are using the website Starfall.com, where students read and listen to works of fiction, non-fiction, poems and plays.
From Page to Stage
The teachers at St. Francis Xavier described the staff as a family, and said that closeness carries over into their work. “We believe in collaboration,” said McKinley. “I teach kindergarten, but it’s important that the pre-K teacher and I have a good working relationship. We talk a lot about what we’re doing with our classes, we plan field trips and activities together, and we talk about where our students are. That way, we make sure her children are ready for my class. And I talk a lot with the first grade teacher, to know what she’s expecting.” At the end of each school year, teachers sit down and talk about each student one-by-one— discussing their strengths and weaknesses and how they learn best. “We have a wonderful staff here,” said Camp. “They’re always working together to move the 158 H HillRag | February 2012
T
Elements of Faith
In addition to academics, arts and extra-curriculars, St. Francis Xavier emphasizes a religious experience for the students. The whole school attends Mass every Friday at the church just a block away. But teachers try to ensure that values taught during the service carry over to the classroom. “Our students have a love for God,” said McKinley. “They aren’t all necessarily Catholic, but they feel the spirit no matter what faith they are. They know how to pray and treat each other with respect. ” Every year, the students learn a different religious motto. This year’s is: “Standing on God’s word, growing in His light.” And this year, the school will also kick off the St. Francis Xavier Project, where students will research the life of the school’s patron saint. Because Saint Francis Xavier was a missionary who traveled all over the world, the school hopes to partner with different national embassies in DC to gain a deeper understanding of his experience and the historical context of his travels.
Off Capitol Hill, Under the Radar
school forward.” Rice, who teaches everything from basic typing skills to Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint, agreed. “The students really feel a connection with the teachers,” she said. “It’s a home away from home. I get students asking me all the time to pray for their family members.” Above all, the teachers hope to spur critical, analytic thinking. “We do a lot of project-based learning,” said McKinley. “It’s amazing to watch our students grow and develop and become more active.” Furthering the effort to make reading exciting to students, the school held a storybook character fashion show last year, in which teachers, students and their parents participated. Last year younger grade levels put on a musical of the classic children’s book Peter Rabbit. Every student from pre-K through second grade was in the “Bunny Chorus,” and teachers made each student read song lyrics, rather than just
To apply to St. Francis Xavier, students must submit their academic record, including test scores, report cards and comments from teachers. Principal Camp interviews each student, to get a sense of their personalities and let them know what the school’s expectations. Older students also write a short essay about why they want to attend the school. St. Francis Xavier offers grades pre-K through 8th, and most students go on to local Catholic high schools, such as Gonzaga, St. John’s and St. Mary’s. Though many families are from the Anacostia neighborhood, Dr. Camp is trying to get the school’s name out there as a “commuter school”— as parents driving into DC can easily pass by the campus, just off Pennsylvania Ave. Camp said that while most parents learn about St. Francis Xavier through the tight-knit parish community, she hopes to reach out to the wider community. “This is the best-kept secret in DC,” she said. H
M
w
A
2
w