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Dear Rising Fifth Grade Families, 
 
It is with great excitement that I write to you today to begin sharing details about the 2024-2025 school year. 
Every year, December or January marks the midway point of the school year and the beginning of a period of thoughtful reflection, consideration of goals, and possible changes for the next school year. Our team has countless conversations and conducts a great deal of research as we try to “move the puzzle pieces around” to best meet our students’ needs.
This process was particularly satisfying this year because we were able to find solutions to challenges and add strategic changes to enhance the experience for every student.
The purpose of this email is to share with you the results of that process and invite you to participate in some of the decision-making as you assist your daughters in making selections for next year.
 
There is much more to share about fifth grade at St. Catherine’s School, so we hope to see you at the Rising Fifth Grade Parent Meeting which will be held on April 10th at 10:30 a.m. in the Kenan-Flagler Auditorium (KFA) in Washington Hall, directly following the fourth grade musical.
 
At the end of the school year, we will share with you the performing arts selections survey, supply lists and summer work. Until then, I hope you enjoy all that spring brings to us!
 
Warm Regards,
 
Sharon Arne
Head of Middle School

Middle School Schedule

You may be aware that the Upper School has adopted a new schedule for the 2024-2025 school year. Because of shared teachers and shared spaces, this change will affect both Lower and Middle Schools. 
However, we have not adopted the same schedule as Upper School. We simply made room to better serve the needs of the entire school while staying true to our Middle School philosophy and making the best use of our students' time.
Our top priorities in this process were:
  • Weekly work periods for all students
  • A good amount of time for a midday brain-break during recess and lunch
  • 75-minute academic classes
  • Continued exposure to a multitude of options in trimester classes
  • Performing arts choice and rehearsal time
  • Beginning each day in community time activities
  • Increased advisory time
We are pleased to report that the new schedule meets all of these priorities. Key aspects include:
  • An eight-day rotation shared by all three divisions with the exception of Middle School performing arts and work period classes, which will remain on a Monday-Friday rotation at the end of each school day. This will help students and parents always know, for example, that guitar class is always held on Tuesdays, so remember to bring your guitar.
  • Continued community time at the beginning of each school day which, throughout the eight-day rotation, will include three advisory periods, three Chapels, one assembly period and the addition of one new grade-level meeting period.
  • Our lunch period remains the same with a good amount of brain-break time in the middle of the day. However, our recess will take place after lunch rather than before (lunch and recess will be from 11:05 - 11:55 a.m.).
  • More choice for students in performing arts classes which will be explained in more detail below.
  • Additionally, we have added one 35-minute period of time for each grade level during our eight-day rotation for Drop Everything And Read (D.E.A.R.). Not only is reading incredibly important for the development of literacy and language skills, as well as expanding imagination and perspective, but it can also improve focus and concentration, a skill with which our students today often struggle.

Fifth Grade Schedule

  • Academic Classes: English, Math, Engineering, Foundations of Civilization, World Languages, Fundamentals of Learning
  • Trimester Classes: Personal Growth, Library Skills, Music, Dance/Theatre, Art, Robotics
  • Performing Arts Options:  Band, Choir, Guitar, Handbells, Strings, Joni (dance)
  • Physical Education
  • Work Period

World Languages

Because St. Catherine’s Upper School curriculum is committed to four different world languages, there will be some changes to the Middle School curriculum to provide a more equitable introduction to all four languages.
 
Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, fifth grade students will engage in a trimester each of Spanish, Chinese and French in order to continue the Spanish and Chinese instruction from Lower School and introduce a third language (French).
 
In sixth grade, students will select one language to study in grades 6-8. Additionally, in eighth grade, all students will be introduced to the fourth language, Latin, through a full-year course.
 

Performing Arts

Rising fifth grade students will have the opportunity to participate in one or two performing arts ensembles. In mid-May, our current fourth grade students will participate in a Performing Arts Exposure Day to learn about the many options available, including:
  • Band
  • Choir
  • Guitar
  • Handbells
  • Strings
  • Joni (dance)
Shortly after the Performing Arts Exposure Day, we will send a survey to ask for selections. Although our desire is to offer each student their first choice, due to limitations in staffing and space, that is not always possible. Therefore it’s helpful for students to consider multiple performing arts options.
 
Additionally, if a student chooses two performing arts options, this will reduce the number of work periods available for that student to one a week. Often fifth grade students benefit from more work periods per week as they adjust to Middle School. We know these are complicated decisions and we are happy to help in the process!

Robotics

Students may apply to participate on a competitive robotics team. Please complete this form if your daughter would like to apply.