Academic Excellence
The curriculum followed at St. Patrick’s School is prescribed by the Archdiocese of Washington, and is in accordance with the state of Maryland courses of instruction. Our curriculum is a standards based program with emphasis on successful student learning through measurable objectives and benchmarks.
Homework Expectations
The St. Patrick’s faculty believes that homework is paramount for academic development. It reinforces and strengthens skills taught during the day. Children should be encouraged to work independently. Quality homework is reflective of effort, neatness and presentation. Homework is averaged into quarterly grades. Although students will vary in the amount of time it requires to do their homework, the average time expected of the student is: Grades 1-3 20-45 minutes Grades 4-8 45 minutes to 2 hours
Archdiocesan Grading Scale
Grades PK-3:
EE- Exceeds the grade level excpectations at this time
ME- Meets the grade level expectations at this time
AE- Approaching the grade level expectations at this time
NE- Not approaching the grade level expectations at this time.
Grades 4-8:
A – 93 – 100 %
B – 85 – 92 %
C – 77 – 84 %
D – 70 – 76 %
F – 70% – (failing)
Academic Profile of a St. Patrick’s School Graduate
He/She:
- Excels academically and will be well prepared for the challenges of high school, college, and beyond
- Is a creative, confident, problem solver, critical and independent thinker
- Uses technology proficiently and responsibly
- Is driven to succeed in life, faith, and community
“Ultimately, the choice of an elementary school is a choice which influences every aspect of a childhood. It has been a joy to watch our children grow up here and to feel confident that St. Patrick’s School formed a significant and lasting influence in the life of our family.”
-Bill & Tracy (Parents of Will ’12, Claire ’14, and Alex ’22)
Standardized Testing
Standardized testing is one of the many tools the Archdiocese of Washington Catholic schools used to measure our students’ mastery of important concepts and skills. The primary purpose of testing is to improve students’ learning and teachers’ teaching by identifying both strengths and areas of improvement. Test scores are an important measure of performance, but they cannot and should not be the sole criteria upon which a family decides which Catholic school best fits their unique circumstances.
As children of God, we all have various gifts and talents. Some students might have the ability to share the gift of knowledge well on standardized assessments, whereas other students share their knowledge in the classroom through assignments, music, art, etc. St. Patrick School students statistically scored between 77th – 99th percentiles on the NWEA MAP Growth Standardized Assessment for the first baseline year of 2022-23.
Students in grades 2 through 8 are assessed three times per year using the NWEA MAP Growth Assessment. Teachers use the results of these assessments to inform their instruction in supporting students in meeting their full potential. Detailed reports are provided to parents that highlight areas of growth and learning.
We believe that standardized test scores are not the only measure of a school’s quality or a child’s ability to learn. The data gathered on standardized assessments is used to assess an individual student’s performance compared to all students nationally who take the same assessment tool at the same time. The data is utilized as an educational tool to enhance classroom and individual student instruction.
Students also take the Faith Knowledge Assessment which is a norm-referenced test based on archdiocesan religion standards which are framed within the six key elements of catechesis. This standardized test is administered the spring.