SJHA ELEMENTARY SCHOOL MAGAZINE 2022-2023

"St. Joseph Hill Academy's legacy stems from the Daughters of Divine Charity's one hundred years of dedication and faithful service to Catholic education. At St. Joseph Hill Academy, we ensure students grow spiritually, academically, physically and socially while making God’s LOVE visible each and every day."

y, y empowering our students with a rigorous education rooted in the Gospel of Jesus Christ where Catholic doctrine and values prepare each student for a life of faith, service, and openness to life-long learning.

Sister Mary Coffelt, F.D.C., President

LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL

The faculty, staff and administration of St. Joseph Hill Academy Elementary school proudly supports the mission of the Daughters of Divine Charity to make God’s love visible to all. The Vision Statement of St. Joseph Hill Academy Elementary School is "Where Tradition Meets Innovation." Our school provides a traditional learning classroom environment that incorporates a variety of innovative learning models to provide instruction to our students. Our Catholic values are the center of instruction in all of our classes regardless of subject or content area. We incorporate an inquiry based learning model where students are engaged in project based learning and performance based assessment in cooperative learning classrooms.

Mr. Lawrence Hansen Principal

Our STEM and Humanities teachers seek to provide all students with the ability to engage in courses of study that promote interdisciplinary learning.

As educators, our faculty and staff engage in ongoing professional development and explore innovative teaching modalities to transform our pedagogy in all areas of curricular. Here at Hill we educate the whole student and our parents are true partners in that educational journey. Our school family has grown to nearly 600 students with a faculty of fifty plus teachers and support staff.

I am proud of the legacy we are building together, as we hold to the traditions that we value. In accordance with our mission statement, we prepare each student for a life of faith, service, and openness to life long learning. Students Pre K to 8 are nurtured in a Catholic tradition and are expected to go out and serve our community. They are encouraged to reach beyond their comfort zone as they take new courses, meet new friends and join new clubs and sports.

AWARD-WINNING JUNIOR HIGH STEM PROGRAM

SJHA IS A PROJECT LEAD THE WAY DISTINGUISHED GATEWAY SCHOOL

We are incredibly proud to receive the award of being a 2021 2022 Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Distinguished Gateway School The recognition our Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Program received is due to our commitment to helping our students own their education by increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in our PLTW Gateway Program (6th 8th Grades).

MR. JAN PAUL PABLO WINS THE OUTSTANDING PROJECT LEAD THE WAY TEACHER AWARD!

Mr. Jan Paul Pablo, Dean of Science and Technology as well as a Junior High Science Teacher, received the 2022 23 Outstanding PLTW Teacher award! He is one of 59PLTW teachers across the U.S. to earn this achievement. Mr. Pablo and the teachers across the PLTW network stand up, show up, and step up every day for our students, colleagues, and communities.

Mr Jan Paul Pablo

SJHA is one of 134 PLTW Gateway Programs across the United States to receive the recognition of a PLTW Distinguished School for 2021-2022. SJHA is also one of only 9 PLTW Distinguished Elementary Schools in the entire state of New York. SJHA is the only PLTW school on Staten Island!

6th Grade All Year AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS

Students trace the history, development, and influence of automation learn about mechanical systems, energy transfer, machine autom control systems Students use the VEX Robotics® platform to design, build, and program real world objects such as traffic lights, toll booths, and robotic arms.

7th Grade Fall MEDICAL DETECTIVES

Students play the role of real life medical detectives as they analyze genetic testing results to diagnose disease and study DNA evidence found at a “crime scene. ” They solve medical mysteries through hands on projects and labs, investigate how to measure and interpret vital signs, and learn how the systems of the human body work together to maintain health.

7th Grade Spring SCIENCE OF TECHNOLOGY

Science impacts the technology of yesterday, today, and the future. Students apply the concepts of physics, chemistry, and nanotechnology to STEM activities and projects, including making ice cream, cleaning up an oil spill, and discovering the properties of nano materials.

8th Grade Fall MAGIC OF ELECTRON

Through hands on projects, students explore electricity, the behavior and parts of atoms, and sensing devices. They learn knowledge and skills in basic circuitry design and examine the impact of electricity on the world around them.

8th Grade Spring - GREEN ARCHITECTURE

Today’s students have grown up in an age of “ green ” choices. In this unit, students learn how to apply this concept to the fields of architecture and construction by exploring dimensioning, measuring, and architectural sustainability as they design affordable housing units using Autodesk’s® 3D architectural design software.

SCHOOL ADVANCEMENTS

COOPERATIVE LEARNING SPACES AND TOOLS

COOPERATIVE LEARNING TECHNOLOGY CENTER NEW ANATOMAGE TABLE

The CLTC provides students in the middle school grades (5 8) with a state of the art, Cooperative Learning Technology Center. The Center has 12 computers, controllers, charging stations and PC monitors. These computers are stocked with high end, industry standard specialized hardware that enables the students to work on technology projects, robotics, coding, gaming, and more, at a level not possible with standard PCs. The computers will support Javascript, Python, HTML, CSS, 3D modeling, Robot C, and Revit Autodesk. In addition, this technology supports the computer science modules of our Project Lead the Way program.

In the new CLTC, students are now able to engage in video editing, podcasting, and film editing. Students are guided in best practices of e Sports and can participate in SJHA's e Sports Club. This new pedagogy facilitates: hand eye coordination, strategic thought, team building, critical thinking and collaboration.

SJHA's state of the art Anatomage Table will enhance our Science, Math and Technology instruction. It is a virtual, 3D, life size teaching tool of the human body This interactive table with three dimensional views of real human bodies will allow our students to learn about the human body via a life sized anatomy visualization system. The Anatomage Table will help draw students' interest and attention to the exploration of human anatomy, leading to more effective educational outcomes

SCHOOL ADVANCEMENTS

COOPERATIVE LEARNING SPACES AND TOOLS

LEARNING COMMONS

SJHA's Learning Commons opened in the Winter 2022 for students in every grade to utilize. It was designed in a manner that will support the learning of all students so that everyone will have equal access to the space with educational learning tools for everyone.

TECHNOLOG

SJHA's Technology Lab is one of several cooperative learning spaces for students of all grade levels. The lab is located on the 4th floor of the elementary school and serves as the location for our Project Lead the Way Robotics class.

JUNIOR HIGH SCIENCE LAB

Our Junior High Science Lab is a hands on learning space where students engage in laboratory experiences that develop problem solving and critical thinking skills. In the lab, students gain exposure to working with a variety of materials, and equipment that enhance their learning in a cooperative work environment. The lab serves as the setting for our PLTW Medical Detectives course as well our 6th, 7th and 8th Grade science classes.

CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENTS

FROG STREET PRE KINDERGARTEN CURRICULUM

EARLY LITERACY TEAM AND ACADEMIC SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SUPPORT

As educators we are dedicated to the continued exploration of innovative teaching modalities to help inform our pedagogy in the humanities and literacy curricular. Students are offered the opportunity to read, write and explore various genres of literature to foster a love of reading and draw connections between subject and content areas Recognizing that students in grades K to 3 are learning to read while students in grades 4 and above are reading to learn, faculty participate in a variety of professional development opportunities that promote phonetic awareness and continue to develop reading and writing across the curricula These programs will aid in providing differentiated instruction for students at all levels of learning.

SJHA Pre K is very excited to introduce the Frog Street Curriculum. This engaging interactive curriculum program celebrates the joy of learning while children travel down the road to success. Some of the learning activities will be socialization and communication skills. Academic skills will focus on Math, Phonics, Early Literacy, and Religion We will have Creative Arts, Music and Movement activities. Children will participate in group projects, discussions, and many learning games

We will have practice activities in centers. We also learn the alphabet, the sounds, and the numbers through various types of experiences and the Letter People Preschool Program Most importantly the children will learn to socialize and be a part of the group. They will learn to take turns, and share and work cooperatively together.

SJHA also recognizes that supporting the diverse learning needs of all our students is key to maintaining our high academic standards Whether it be small group instruction in the classroom, one on one individualized instruction, or a blended learning lesson, we incorporate a variety of strategies to ensure maximum growth.

SJHA faculty partners with Catapult Learning and ADAPP (Archdiocese of New York Drug Abuse Prevention Program) counselors in supporting the social emotional and academic learning needs of all SJHA students.

CURRICULUM ENHANCEMENTS

THE NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS) STEM PROGRAM FOR K 8

SJHA adopted the hands on Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for our K 8. The NGSS have three distinct and equally important dimensions to learning science: crosscutting concepts, science and engineering practices, and disciplinary core ideas. They were developed to give educators the flexibility to design classroom learning experiences that stimulate students’ interests in science and prepare them for college, careers, and citizenship.

Our hands on science programs align NGSS to our award winning PLTW curriculum.

JUNIOR HIG WORKSHOP

SJHA's Junior High Writers' Workshop is designed to assist students become confident and capable writers. During the Writers' Workshop, they have the opportunity to work independently and with their classmates. Students actively engage in the writing process, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing their work. Writers’ Workshop is a class focused on developing active critical thinking, reading and writing skills. Students will learn the importance of annotating, close reading, and summarizing to enhance their ability to read and break down complex information. They will also apply the knowledge and skills they acquire through this process to their own writing.

Students will prepare both fiction and nonfiction pieces, completing a variety of assignments from creative writing to research papers Our focus will be on sensory details, expansion of vocabulary, transition words and phrases, reinforcement of English conventions, and clear organization of ideas and arguments.

Our Hill students have so many wonderful ideas, and we hope that this class will help them to express these ideas more effectively in their writing. Writers’ Workshop grades are part of a student's English Language Arts (ELA) grade.

SPANISH LANGUAGE

SJHA offers a Spanish Language course for all Pre K 4 to 5th Grade students and welcomed our new Spanish teacher Ms Leticia Ramirez this September Veteran teacher Mrs. Nichole Edelman continues to teach Spanish three times a week to grades 6 through 8.

PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM

SJHA's Pre Kindergarten for three and four year old students is a traditional academic setting filled with joy and exploration. We lay the foundation for a lifelong love of learning, all set in a Catholic environment. Our Pre K students are learning through play and fostering healthy habits. There are three day, five day, and extended day programs to fit every family's schedule.

SJHA’s Pre K is modeled on center based play, where each center provides a different educational focus that inspires hands on learning in an organized way. The centers stimulate growth and accelerate social emotional learning Students develop fine and gross motor skills and self help skills that build independence and confidence. We help our students learn how to take care of themselves and each other. Our curriculum and activities uniquely provide them with academic and social readiness for Kindergarten SJHA's Frog Street Curriculum celebrates the joy of learning while children travel down the road to success.

SJHA Pre K Schedule Options

Three full days (Tues, Wed, & Thurs)

Five full days

Extended days available

Three Grades on a Grade Level

SJHA Pre-K 3 Program

Transitions from home to school Develops early literacy skills Introduces basic math concepts Instills independence and confidence Encourages oral communication Promotes team building through group discussions and activities

Teaches sharing and socialization skills

SJHA Pre K 4 Program

Teaches a progressive curriculum that enhances a Pre K student's creative thinking, imagination, and problem solving abilities

Integrates technology in learning including interactive Smartboards

Promotes self confidence through daily routines and activities

Provides specialized instruction in physical education, art, music, Spanish, and dance classes

Ensures a seamless transition from Pre K to Kindergarten

Mrs. Eileen Gregor

Pre K 4 2 Teacher, Director of Early Childhood Education, Director of After School Programs, and Executive Camp Director (E) egregor@stjhill

KINDERGARTEN - 5TH GRADE

SJHA's Kindergarten is an exciting milestone in the life of a child where our students develop a strong foundation as they begin their journey through formal education. Our students interact in an environment where learning is fun and meaningful. We aim to develop self confidence and academic excellence in every student through a rigorous curriculum that meets the needs of students in the 21st century

First Grade at SJHA is an exciting year filled with many challenges and many joys. The reading and math skills taught in First Grade lay the groundwork for their academic future and affect our students throughout their lives. Good study habits and organizational skills are developed here.

The goal of Second Grade is to help your children grow academically, especially by strengthening their reading foundation and expanding their math framework. In addition, we do everything possible to guide them to become individuals we can be proud of by teaching about our faith and preparing them for the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion.

In our Third Grade, we endeavor to create a comfortable classroom environment in which each child is encouraged to participate, their contributions are appreciated, and where students gain the confidence necessary to accept academic challenges.

Fourth Grade continues to encourage a love of learning in all students. By integrating students’ interests and showcasing their unique talents, we hope to make all subjects engaging and motivating to each learner. The students develop skills and study habits that will set the foundation for Junior High and they also prepare for the NY State test.

The mission of Fifth Grade is to guide each diverse learner through this transition year from elementary school into junior high. Through differentiated instruction each student will be given the tools to reach their full potential as diverse learners In fifth grade students will learn, understand, and practice responsibility while respecting all individuals. Through leadership, fifth grade students will become positive members of society.

JUNIOR HIGH (6TH-8TH GRADES)

St. Joseph Hill Academy Elementary School recognizes the importance of Junior High as an especially formative time in a student's educational journey. SJHA ensures our Junior High Students are developing strong study habits and cultivates a hunger for learning. Though SJHA Junior High is a challenging time academically, our students are fully supported by our dedicated faculty and educational support specialists. SJHA Junior High students graduate 8th grade prepared for the academic rigors of high school. They will also take

them the values and strong character that SJHA instills in all of our students. We are the only Catholic school within the Archdiocese with three classes on a grade level for 6th through 8th grades.

In addition to the STEM program, Writers' Workshop, and Spanish Language courses detailed earlier, SJHA Junior High students complete English Language Arts and Social Studies courses that deepen their critical analysis skills. They master skills of computation and algebraic thinking in Math classes. They also expand the foundation of Catholic faith through Religious Studies courses all three years.

ART , MUSIC, AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS

ART MUSIC DANCE

Each SJHA student is given an opportunity to enrich and d art with lessons designed to sharpen learning skills, challe utilize principles of art and design to problem solve. Explo g p p and point of view, developing creativity and stirring imagination are all part of art appreciation

Art Teacher: Mrs. Rosemary Klein

The music curriculum is offered to students from Pre K 4 through Grade 8. It recognizes that the arts are unique forms of knowledge and expression that allow young people to give creative and critical expression to their deepest thoughts and insights about themselves, God and the world. Lessons are carefully planned in accordance with classroom and subject teachers, to offer an interdisciplinary experience, thus reinforcing the academic subjects by integrating them into music.

Music Teacher: Mrs. Regina Innocente

Pre K 3 to 3rd Grade Students engage in Movement and Dance class Children develop coordination and strength as they move. Additionally, the class assists in providing a cognitive loop between the idea/ problem and the outcome or solution. At the same time it is promoting psychological health and maturity. Students learn to improve their communications skills, build confidence and reduce their shyness and anxiety Dance class aids in fostering social encounters, interaction and cooperation.

Dance Teacher: Ms. Loretta O'Hara

PHYS. ED

Physical Education for Pre K 4 to 8th Graders encourages students to develop interests and proficiency in physical fitness activities that are fundamental to their physical and mental health. It also provides a social outlet, encourages confidence and positive self image, and develops their motor skills. They learn important skills like teamwork and sportsmanship

Physical Education Teacher: Mr. John Liantonio

MAKING GOD'S LOVE VISIBLE: SPIRITUALITY & SERVICE

Our Catholic faith and our mission to make God’s love visible is the foundation in every classroom, regardless of subject or content.

As a school family we celebrate Masses on Holy Days of Obligation, St. Joseph's Day (the patron saint of our school), and during the holiday season for Thanksgiving and Christmas. In May we honor our Blessed Mother with our May Crowning and special religious and prayer services are held on Ash Wednesday Each year we celebrate the sacrament of First Holy Communion with a special Mass and breakfast for our communicants and their families.

As part of our mission, our school is very active in community service We have students who participate in Altar Service, the Bread of Life Food Drive, an annual ACS Holiday Toy and Gift Drive, and so much more.

Though SJHA is a Catholic school, all religious backgrounds are welcome and thrive here.

WE ARE HILL STRONG EVENTS AND TRADITIONS

8th Grade Semi Formal

8th

Breast

Christmas

Junior

New

Sports

Sweetheart Dance

SUMMER CAMPS

SJHA Elementary School Summer Camps take place throughout the month of July each Summer. The camps run Monday through Friday and welcome students who will be entering Grades Pre K 4 to 8 that coming Fall. Full Days are from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm and Half Days are from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm.

In July 2022, we had five sports camps and two weeks of Camp Koala!

All camps are co educational and students from all schools are welcome.

CAMP KOALA BASKETBALL CHEER

AFTERCARE PROGRAM

FLAG FOOTBALL SOCCER TRACK

SJHA provides parents with the flexibility of a safe environment for their children both before and after school hours. Our aftercare program gives students the opportunity to complete their homework assignments with assistance. When homework is complete, students can relax, watch a movie, play board games or read a good book.

Hours of Operation:

Days of regular dismissal aftercare operates from 2:30 pm 5:30 pm. Unless otherwise noted, half day dismissal aftercare operates from 11:30 am 5:30 pm.

Mrs. Eileen Gregor

Pre K 4 2 Teacher, Director of Early Childhood Education, Director of After School Programs, and Executive Camp Director

(E) egregor@stjhill.org and T (+1) 718.981.1187 ext. 9503

Mrs. Diane Kelly

Pre K 4 1 Teacher, Aftercare Director

(E) diane kelly@stjhill org

(T) (+1) 718 981 1187 Ext 9502

TUITION AND FEES (2023 2024)

ALL STUDENT FEES

Registration Fee

$40 $250

Payable with applicatio Application Fee Payable upon acceptance with registration

PRE KINDERGATEN (3&4) TUITION

3 Full Days (T/W/TH)

5 Full Days General Fee

$3,815 $6,225 $200

General fee includes workbooks, weekly readers, insurance and technology.

K 8 TUITION

Tuition General Fee $6,250 $700

General fee includes textbooks, e books, workbooks, insurance, state testing, and technology. 8th Grade students have a graduation fee of $175.

SIBLING DISCOUNTS

The second and third child are a $500 discount each and, for a fourth child, tuition is free. Siblings discounts are extended to families with students throughout the entire Academy.

All tuition/fees can be paid in either 1 payment, 2 payments, or 11 payments through FACTS Tuition Management. Custom payments are available upon request.

There is limited need based financial aid funding available. Once registered with SJHA, families can apply for limited financial resources by completing a financial aid application with a processing fee of $35.00. Applications and all supporting documentation must be received by FACTS no later than May 1, 2023. Financial Aid Awards will be granted by June 30, 2023.

Sister Mary Coffelt, F D C President Mr Lawrence Hansen

Mrs. Elizabeth Campbell

Assistant Principal

Mrs. Joann Georg Dean of Curr

or