Executive Summary
Saint Martin of Tours School Archdiocese of Washington Catholic Schools
Mr. Andrew Piotrowski, Principal 115 S Frederick Ave Gaithersburg, MD 20877-2311
Document Generated On October 2, 2013
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
1
Description of the School
2
School's Purpose
4
Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement
10
Additional Information
11
Executive Summary Saint Martin of Tours School
Introduction Every school has its own story to tell. The context in which teaching and learning takes place influences the processes and procedures by which the school makes decisions around curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The context also impacts the way a school stays faithful to its vision. Many factors contribute to the overall narrative such as an identification of stakeholders, a description of stakeholder engagement, the trends and issues affecting the school, and the kinds of programs and services that a school implements to support student learning.
The purpose of the Executive Summary (ES) is to provide a school with an opportunity to describe in narrative form the strengths and challenges it encounters. By doing so, the public and members of the school community will have a more complete picture of how the school perceives itself and the process of self-reflection for continuous improvement. This summary is structured for the school to reflect on how it provides teaching and learning on a day to day basis.
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Description of the School
Describe the school's size, community/communities, location, and changes it has experienced in the last three years. Include demographic information about the students, staff, and community at large. What unique features and challenges are associated with the community/communities the school serves?
St. Martin of Tours School, founded in 1925, is a Catholic elementary school located in Gaithersburg, Maryland. St. Martin's is affiliated with the Archdiocese of Washington and St. Martin of Tours Parish. St. Martin's holds the distinction for being the first Catholic School in the Archdiocese to be established in Montgomery County, Maryland. Currently St. Martin's serves children from Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 8.
St. Martin's has a dedicated lay faculty. All teachers of core subjects must hold a valid teaching certificate from the State of Maryland, Virginia, and/or Washington, DC within 3 years of employment. Together with Monsignor Mark E. Brennan, the Pastor of St. Martin of Tours Parish and his two associate pastors, the faculty makes it a priority to educate our diverse student body in a strong faith-centered educational environment.
Teaching students in this second decade of the 21st Century is an exciting time to be an educator. The Faculty and the Administration work together to empower the students attending St. Martin's to develop their unique gifts, as well as their full potential, in an atmosphere embedded in the Gospel Values. We realize that our society has changed, and the world, in which we live, is significantly different from that of yesterday. St. Martin's follows the Standards and Guidelines of the Archdiocese. To enforce and to enrich our curriculum various types of media and resources are available to support the teaching/learning process from books and newspapers to computers and related technologies. The members of St. Martin's faculty not only teach the traditional subjects such as reading, writing, and math, but they also emphasize the sciences, the integration of various forms of technology and a new set of skills for the 21st Century. Parents can be assured that these subject disciplines and skills are taught in a nurturing and supportive environment.
In our Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten programs parents will find a comprehensive research-based Reading/Language Arts Program for our students. These innovative programs offer a wealth of high quality literature to engage the young learner. Explicit instruction and ample practice ensure that all our students grow in their reading proficiency.
Students entering our Pre-Kindergarten must be 4 years old by September 1 of the year that they are entering St. Martin's. Pre-K students must also be potty-trained before entrance to our program. Students entering Kindergarten must be 5 years old by September 1, of the year that they are entering.
Our Eighth Grade Graduates are frequently awarded academic scholarships, leadership scholarships, and art scholarships - including music scholarships. Once in high school and beyond our students have been affirmed for their academic skills and leadership abilities.
Margaret Mead, the distinguished anthropologist, once said: "We are now at a point where we must educate our children in what no one knew yesterday, and prepare our schools for what no one knows yet." This is a very powerful statement. Because of the vast amount of information available through the various forms of media, educators cannot possibly teach everything on a particular topic. It remains incumbent upon our teachers to teach students how to learn, analyze and evaluate information. By taking each child's hand and touching each child's heart, we are enabling all our children "to build the future now".
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Executive Summary Saint Martin of Tours School
The City of Gaithersburg is located in Montgomery County. It is one of the largest incorporated cities in Maryland and like St. Martin's has a very diverse population. The city's southeastern border is 13 miles from the northwestern border of Washington, D.C., and about 19 miles northwest of the Capitol Building. In recent years, Gaithersburg has undergone significant changes and now boasts many high-tech companies. At the same time there are areas in and around Gaithersburg where there are large pockets of blue-collar workers and families from other nations. With this change has come a shift in the population demographics.
Based on data from the 2010 Census was the total population for the City of Gaithersburg was 59,933. In January 2013 -- Gaithersburg's current estimated population was 64,239. Approximately 39.3% of the City of Gaithersburg was white, not Hispanic; 15.6% of the total population was Black, not Hispanic and 17% of the population was Asian. Approximately 24.7 % of the population was Hispanic (of any race). The remaining 3.4% was a mixture of other races. Comparing our current student population with the City -- 28% are white, 14% are Black - while 13% of the students are Asian, and 29% are Hispanic. 13% of our students are multi-racial and 3% of our population is not listed. During the 2013-2014 Academic Year some additional bilingual teachers will be added to our faculty.
Throughout our Nation educational institutions, such as St. Martin's, are preparing students for positions in industry and government that don't yet exist. New information, which will be prevalent in five to ten years, has not yet come to the forefront. Likewise, certain technologies which will eventually help people in our society to solve difficulties haven't been invented. Skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration entail certain dispositions or habits of mind that lie at the heart of what it means to be a lifelong learner. Therefore, the faculty and the administration of St. Martin's believe that it is essential that our students become critical thinkers who can problem solve and who are flexible to encounter changes in the workplace of the future.
The Administration encourages all parents to work collaboratively with the teachers so that they can empower our students to gain the skills and values needed to deal with the realities of the modern world.
The Administration of St. Martin's also encourages prospective parents to visit our school. Open Houses are scheduled throughout the year and private tours are also available. An excellent Catholic school -- such as St. Martin's -- is guided and driven by a clearly communicated mission that embraces Catholic Identity rooted in the Gospel Values and a strong educational program. Centered on the Eucharist, and committed to faith formation, academic excellence and service, St. Martin's has had a notable reputation in the greater Gaithersburg Community for eighty-eight years!
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Executive Summary Saint Martin of Tours School
School's Purpose
Provide the school's purpose statement and ancillary content such as mission, vision, values, and/or beliefs. Describe how the school embodies its purpose through its program offerings and expectations for students.
Mission:
The mission of St. Martin of Tours is to educate children in a Christ-centered environment. Our students encounter the Living God through faith formation, prayer, and participation in the sacramental and liturgical life of the Church. We live the Gospel Values by spreading the message of love and service to each other and the extended community. We are committed to the spiritual, intellectual, physical, emotional, and social growth of all of our students. We seek to integrate core, traditional, and emerging skills that cultivate and complement the students' God-given talents. We challenge each child to become self-regulating and self-monitoring life-long learners.
Beliefs
We believe in the following:
Building a foundation of faith by instilling the knowledge of Catholic doctrine and the traditions of the Church Nurturing a partnership between the school and the family to foster the growth of the whole child Ensuring a safe and secure environment Educating the whole child by differentiating the curriculum, actively engaging students in
learning, and offering the students a variety of
alternative assessments. Embracing diversity in our community and appreciating the uniqueness of each individual Fostering a high standard of excellence in our academic programs based on educational standards and supported by classroom and standardized assessments. Providing students with the knowledge, understanding, and skills to become literate, creative, moral decision-makers and socially responsible citizens Promoting ongoing professional development for teachers.
Vision
St. Martin's School is a student-centered learning community committed to academic excellence and the development of strong characters embedded in the Gospel Values and Catholic Tradition. By diversifying the curriculum to encompass authentic learning experiences, we will continue to strive to meet the needs and learning styles of children from varied backgrounds and cultural experiences.
Technology Literacy, 21st Century Teaching/Learning Skills, and Core Academic Content at advanced levels will empower the students to become responsible persons in their own educational experiences now and in the future.
Program: St. Martin's offers a challenging curriculum embedded in the Gospel Values and 21st Century Skills.
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Accreditation and Membership in Educational Organizations St. Martin's also holds membership in the National Catholic Education Association, the Association for Supervision Curriculum Development, as well as the International Society for Technology in Education and the International Reading Association. Curriculum
Pre-Kindergarten
Our Pre-K program is designed to develop the whole child in concert with each student's talents, interests, and abilities. It is an academic readiness program. The curriculum for this program follows the Standards for Pre-Kindergarten set forth by the Archdiocese. St. Martin's promotes the spiritual, emotional, aesthetic, intellectual, and physical growth of the young child. The activities throughout the day are ageappropriate, challenging, experiential, hands-on, and multi-sensory. The children and teachers engage in shared reading activities, phonemic awareness, and vocabulary building, as well pre-writing and math experiences. The children also explore God's gifts of self, creation, family, and our Church community in their Religion class. The students begin attending Mass at a time to be determined during the second semester. In addition, the children experience various forms of technology in their centers which will also include art, blocks, sand, water, books, exploration with writing materials, and dramatic play.
Kindergarten- Grade 8
Our curriculum (Kindergarten - Grade 8) is designed to meet the standards prescribed by the Archdiocese of Washington. Consistent with these guidelines and with our Mission, our academic curriculum is designed to complement and reinforce our students' religious education and varied religious experiences. Regular attendance at Mass, participation in special liturgies, and preparation for the sacraments of Holy Eucharist, Reconciliation and Confirmation occur during the year.
The love of learning is nurtured through differentiated activities that are age-appropriate, imaginative, challenging, and multi-sensory. Our core academic curriculum includes structured instruction in the areas of Math, Language Arts, Social Studies, and Science. Instruction is also provided in Art, Music, Physical Education, and Spanish. "Essential Skills f or the 21st Century," as well as the inclusion of various forms of technology, written expression, and a variety of literary forms are integrated across all areas of the curriculum. Accelerated classes in Math and Language Arts are also an integral part of our curriculum. In addition, St. Martin's incorporates alternative forms of assessment and encourages the students to produce relevant, high-quality projects.
A Personal Safety Education Program, mandated by the Archdiocese of Washington, is also integrated into the curriculum as is The Benziger Family Life Program. Benziger Family Life (K-8) supports parents in raising responsible, morally aware children by encouraging them to develop Christian values and an appreciation for God's gift of life. It is correlated to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
In accordance with our goal of providing our students with a rich and diverse educational experience, special activities are periodically offered to reinforce the basic curriculum. These activities may include field trips to museums or other centers of cultural or scientific interest, holiday programs, guest speakers, plays and book fairs. All activities are carefully selected to enrich the teaching/learning process. Optional activities are also offered in instrumental music. Throughout the year, the faculty conducts regular curriculum reviews to ensure that materials and teaching methods are current and meet the individual needs of the students. Homework
Introduction
Homework is an essential part of the school program. Assignments will vary in accordance to the needs of the class and will relate to
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classroom instruction. Homework assignments are intended to reinforce and extend learning initiated in the classroom and serve as a tool for teachers to assess student understanding of classroom instruction. Completion of routine homework can motivate students to develop good work habits, while increasing the opportunity for individual initiative and responsibility. Homework can also stimulate creativity, critical thinking and awareness that learning can take place outside of the classroom. The guidelines below indicate how students, parents, teachers and administrators all have a responsibility for the success of homework.
Homework Policy Guidelines for Students
Always do your best work Record directions for homework in an assignment notebook. Understand assignments clearly before leaving class Bring home the proper materials to complete the assignments Hand in completed assignments on time Budget time properly for long-term assignments Complete any work missed due to absence from class Homework will not be considered as part of the term grade Talk to your parents and teacher if you are having difficulty with homework Homework will not be assigned during school vacation except for the completion of previously assigned long-term projects.
Homework Policy Guidelines for Parents
Be familiar with the philosophy and guidelines of the homework policy Check your child's assignment notebook Provide a time and place to do homework assignments with limited interruptions - This includes talking on the phone, texting, watching TV, and the like. Actively supervise homework completion by assisting the child if questions arise. However, do not do the homework for the student. Oversee completion of long-term assignments to assist in understanding time management Contact the teacher with questions or concerns especially if your child exceeds the allotted time frame
Homework Policy Guidelines for Teachers
Assign homework on a regular basis in keeping with the homework policy Assignments may be on a daily basis or of a long-term type, such as a report Students are to understand clearly all homework assignments Require that each student have an assignment book Homework may take the form of class, group, or individual assignments Group projects should not be assigned as homework, unless students can work on their individual parts independently Teachers should coordinate assignments, tests, and projects with other teachers, as appropriate, to avoid overburdening students. Assignments should be discussed, checked and when appropriate, corrected and returned to students Specific policies/practices of teachers are to be submitted to the principal and clearly communicated to students and parents Teachers have the responsibility to communicate with parents of students who are falling behind in completing homework assignments
Time Frame of Homework Assignments
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Executive Summary Saint Martin of Tours School
While it is understood that the time it takes to complete homework assignments may vary with each child, the times below are the general guidelines for each grade level. If your child is having difficulty on a consistent basis completing assignments within the time frames established, please contact your child's teacher for assistance.
Grades Kindergarten and Grade 1: Up to 20 minutes per night + Interdependent Reading Grade 2: Up to 30 minutes per night + Independent Reading Grade 3: Up to 45 minutes per night + Independent Reading Grade 4: Up to 50 minutes per night + Independent Reading Grade 5: Up to 60 minutes per night + Independent Reading
Middle School: Approximately 90 minutes not to exceed 2 hours + Independent Reading
Teachers will define their expectations for homework at the beginning of the year. Parents are requested to review the teachers' websites regularly for pertinent information concerning assignments. All parents are responsible for seeing that homework is completed in an acceptable manner. Parents who notice that their child spends too much time on homework assignments are urged to contact the teachers immediately in order to keep the lines communication open.
Because homework is integral of the instructional program, continued unacceptable homework will be reflected in the student's grade. Missing homework must be made up or the grade may be lowered. This depends on the work, time allotment, and the validity of the excuse. Acceptance of late work for credit is at the discretion of the teacher. Parents will be notified of excessive missing work. Missing assignment notices need to be signed and returned, attached to the completed assignment. When a child is absent, parents may call the office between 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. to request assignments. Homework may be picked up at the front desk after 2:45 p.m., or assignments may be sent home with a sibling or friend. A written statement giving reasons for the absence or tardiness must be brought to the student's teacher upon the student's return. These notes/letters will be retained in the office for one year. Should absence for any reason other than illness seem imperative, parents are requested to consult with the Principal and present a written reason for the absence. Students who are absent due to illness have one day for each day of absence to make up the missed assignments, quizzes or tests. For example, a student who was absent three days would be given three school days to complete the missed work. When the older students return to school (Grades 4-8), it is the responsibility of the student to find out what assignments are missing and need to be completed. To prevent students from getting too far behind in their work due to illness and/or other circumstances, parents/students are urged to refer to St. Martin's website. If one clicks on Academics, there will be a link to the teachers' individual websites. On these sites you will find pertinent information, including homework assignments. The school calendar provides for extended weekends throughout the school year. Parents are encouraged to schedule trips or family outings during these times so as to eliminate the need to interrupt a child's learning process. Teachers are not required to give make-up tests or assignments for absences due to vacations.
No assignment will be given in anticipation of the vacation. Missed assignments are the individual student's responsibility.
Student Activities Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities designed to develop leadership, responsibility, a sense of Parish and
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community service, and team work. Students must maintain an acceptable attendance record, satisfactory grades, and demonstrate appropriate Christian conduct in order to participate in any school-related activity, including field trips. Student activities include: Student Council We value and encourage student input into decisions affecting St. Martin's and student involvement in parish activities. Consequently, the Student Council is a vital part of our school and parish community. The Student Council sponsors food drives for the poor, assists with morning and afternoon prayers, and makes recommendations for improvement and growth of the school. Their classmates elect students to the Council. Candidates for the Student Council must maintain a B average; demonstrate exemplary conduct, and show leadership ability and school spirit. Officers must be in the following grades and are elected in a school-wide election.
PresidentGrade 8 Vice-PresidentGrade 7 TreasurerGrade 6 SecretaryGrade 5
Safety Patrol
The Safety Patrol works as a unit of the Montgomery County Safety Patrol Program. The members are volunteers from Grades 6 through 8 and serve under the direction of a faculty moderator and a member of the Montgomery County Police Department. The faculty moderator appoints safety Patrol Officers. Safety Patrols are charged with helping to maintain safety on the playground, and during dismissal time. Safety Patrol members must demonstrate excellent conduct (no detentions) and maintain grades of C and above. The Montgomery County Police Department sponsors a Safety Patrol Appreciation Day held each spring at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds. To attend this event, patrols must be detention-free and have maintained a C or better average for three out of four quarters.
TV Broadcast
Eligibility for TV Broadcast Crews begins in the 4th quarter for Grade Seven (for training) and continues through Grade 8. Members serve in teams and are under the direction of faculty mentors. The faculty mentors assign students to crews and rotate these on an as needed basis. Students must meet the following criteria:
1.Be at school by 7:40 a.m. for setup 2.Maintain a C or better average in all academic subjects 3.Be detention-free
It is a privilege to be on this crew and not a requirement. Students have the opportunity to learn valuable skills and experiment with audio and video technology.
Sports
In addition to regular classes in Physical Education and lively inter-class competition, students at St. Martin's School enjoy a growing athletic program offering participation in a variety of sports. Teams are organized at several class levels and may compete in CYO or local area leagues. The program is operated on a volunteer basis and is open to all Parish children, as well as all St. Martin's School students in the proper age groups. Parents are advised if a student has been absent from school due to illness, the student should not participate in practice/game for a CYO sport. Students whose average is a failing grade may not be allowed to participate in any sport until the grade has
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improved to a passing grade of D (70% or higher). Consultation will take place with the parents and the pastor.
Altar Servers Eligibility for altar servers begins in Grade Four for boys and girls. The opportunity for signing up occurs at the end of third grade. A period of training is given. The servers have meetings several times a year in addition to serving at their assigned Mass times. Being an altar server is an excellent way for a student to become more involved in the Liturgy. Scouts Scouting is available to St. Martin's School students in groups directly sponsored by the Parish. These groups include Girl Scouts (Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes), Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts. For additional information, please call the coordinator listed in the Who's Who section of this handbook.
Band Students in Grades 4 through 8 may receive music lessons as part of the Archdiocesan Music Program. A part-time teacher, designated by the Archdiocesan music program, conducts the classes and trains the band. A participation fee is charged. Class Trips Class trips are planned by the faculty in order to provide enrichment of classroom learning. A standard permission slip, approved by the Archdiocese of Washington, is sent home and must be signed by the parent or legal guardian and returned by the due date. Telephone approval by the parent is not a legally binding permission and therefore is never acceptable.
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Notable Achievements and Areas of Improvement
Describe the school's notable achievements and areas of improvement in the last three years. Additionally, describe areas for improvement that the school is striving to achieve in the next three years.
St. Martin's has a long, rich heritage in the Archdiocese of Washington and the Greater Gaithersburg Community. Throughout the last EightyEight years and most recently during the past three years our students have excelled in leadership, academics, and service. We take pride in our students' achievements.
Our graduates have been accepted into Catholic High Schools, Magnet Programs and International Baccalaureate Programs. Annually our students have received scholarships for academics, music, fine arts, leadership and service to others. As they continue their studies and progress during their high school years a number of our graduates have been acknowledged through the National Honor Society. Many of our students have been recognized by individual colleges/universities and have been awarded college scholarships for their efforts.
Our students have received "top honors" through their participation in the DeMatha High School's Academic Quiz Bowl, the National Geographic Bee, the Maryland State Math Competition, the Our Lady of Good Counsel Math Challenge, Math Olympiads and the Johns Hopkins Math Program.
Our students have also received recognition from local contests, publications, and the high schools of their choice in Language Arts. Most recently one of our students in Grade 4 received the highest award from District 5 of the Maryland Municipal League and was recognized along with ten other students from State Districts. The awards ceremony took place in the Governor's Reception in Annapolis. The winners received a monetary prize and a plaque from the Lieutenant Governor Brown.
Additionally, St. Martin's students have also received accolades for non-academic accomplishments. We regularly receive Superior ratings during the Annual Archdiocesan Band Competition and during the past 3 years our Varsity Basketball Boys and Girls Team have each won a division championship.
Our students are committed to giving service within our school, our Parish, and the local community. Food drives our held regularly. Our students have collected over 20,000 non-perishable food items over the past 3 years. They have also contributed Hats, scarves, and mittens to the Annual St. Martin's Coat Drive. This current year our students knitted many of the hats and scarves that were donated. A grant was provided by the City of Gaithersburg to provide the necessary materials for our Knitting Club.
Most importantly we are blessed with dedicated patrols and altar servers. Giving of ourselves is a priority at St. Martin's. Our Out-Reach Program as well as our Scouting Programs are preparing our students to become the moral and global leaders of tomorrow!
In the ensuing years St. Martin's Faculty and Administration pledge their commitment and dedication to our students so that they will continue to prosper in the 21st Century!
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Additional Information
Provide any additional information you would like to share with the public and community that were not prompted in the previous sections.
Come and See our Wonderful School!
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