Kindergarten at The Frances Xavier Warde School

KINDERGARTEN at The Frances Xavier Warde School

KINDERGARTEN By the Numbers

Kindergarten Readiness

4 Kindergarten classrooms, located on the

At FXW, Kindergarten students are expected to be able to:

second floor of the Old St. Patrick’s Campus

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M anage daily routines

24 students per classroom 2 co-teachers in each classroom providing

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S ustain attention during whole-group and small-group activities

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F ollow directions

instruction to students

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T ransition to different activities when time is up

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N avigate safely through hallways, bathrooms, and cafeteria

12:1 student-teacher ratio

A Typical Kindergarten Day A typical day in Kindergarten at FXW will include… n

F ree Choice Time

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M orning Meeting and Broadcast

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L anguage Arts

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S nack—Students bring their own fresh fruit/veg

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R ecess/Outdoor Play

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L unch

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Q uiet Time

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M ath

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W riter’s Workshop

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S pecials—Spanish, Music, Art, Library, P.E.

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S ocial Studies/Science—integrated

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R eligion

Kindergarten Curriculum

Math

The Kindergarten Curriculum at FXW introduces children to explicit instruction in academic content areas while intentionally and simultaneously fostering social emotional growth for each student. To do that teachers offer:

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Integrated lessons where content is presented organically and relevantly throughout the experiences of the day, rather than siloed into rigid instructional blocks.

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Reading

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Opportunities to PLAY. Students receive information through hands-on, multi-sensory experiences that are rooted in their natural learning modality of play.

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Standards-based lessons with clearly articulated objectives and learning targets.

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Building number sense F luency: addition and subtraction facts T eaching through problem-solving G ames for hands-on learning

Letter/sound awareness and phonics D ecoding/comprehension and reading strategies E xpressive/oral language activities R ead-aloud stories

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Writing Units of study in narrative, information, opinion

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Developmental approach to teaching fine motor and handwriting readiness skills

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Variety of resources to best meet the individual learners’ needs in their classrooms.

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Differentiated lessons that are rooted in an understanding of child development and progressions of learning.

Science and Social Studies

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Flexible grouping to ensure students experience an appropriate balance of challenge and support both academically and socially.

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Focuses on fine motor control, letter formation, and directionality

Science units and field trips are focused on: • Force and motion • Weather and climate • Animals and their ecosystems

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Social studies units are focused on: • Friendship and community • Kindness • Safety

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Religion Religion is taught to the entire class.

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Students attend grade-specific Prayer Services and Masses through the school year.

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Students also participate in the Living the Legacy Service Program through the Blessings in a Backpack initiative.

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KINDERGARTEN LEARNING OFF CAMPUS Learning off Campus allows the Kindergarten students to experience online learning through Seesaw activities and teacher led instruction using MS Teams. Students learn how to respond to work through drawing, writing, and recording their voices. Through partnership with parents, the Kindergarteners act as mindful digital citizens, using technology appropriately to safely watch videos and complete tasks.

In Reading, students are offered opportunities to connect with texts, direct instruction in phonics and reading strategies, and activities to expand their sight word knowledge.

In Writing, students hear mini lessons from teachers and are encouraged to write about familiar topics and events that truly happened to them. Students practice sentence mechanics and spelling consonant-vowelconsonant words phonetically.

In Mathematics, students engage with pre-recorded, interactive video lessons to build number sense, geometric vocabulary and flexibility with operations.

In Science, children are offered opportunities to further explore project-based learning topics. Students use non-fiction texts during the science unit to gather information. The activities allow children to learn more about the natural world, develop questions, and make observations.

Although apart, Social Emotional Learning continues.

Students learn strategies to manage emotions and learn problem-solving skills through explicit teaching videos and reflection activities. Students are offered opportunities to connect and engage in relationship building with their classmates and teachers through MS Teams.

The Frances Xavier Warde School is a Catholic elementary school in downtown Chicago that provides an academically excellent, valuesoriented education to students of all ethnic, religious, cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds in a child-centered urban environment. As a keystone of its diverse community, The School provides need-based scholarships to 30 percent of its students, partners with its families, nurtures faith development for its Catholic students, and engages all students to learn about and respect other faith traditions. FXW follows a rigorous curriculum that enables students to grow, clarify their values, and develop decision-making skills and a sense of responsibility for themselves and the world they will inherit.

HOLY NAME CATHEDRAL CAMPUS

Campuses Preschool–Grade 3 Old St. Patrick’s Campus 120 S. Desplaines, Chicago IL 60661

Grades 4–8 Holy Name Cathedral Campus 751 N. State Street, Chicago IL 60654

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It is the policy of the School not to discriminate in violation of the law on the basis of age, race, sex, gender, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, or physical or mental disability which are unrelated to the ability to work or enjoy the benefits of the School’s programs, facilities, or services. All persons are encouraged to apply.