Kindergarten
St. Pius X offers a full day kindergarten program that incorporates theme and play-based learning through a centres approach. Daily activities reinforce curricular areas such as literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and art. Academic skills are taught in small group lessons and reinforced through exploration and play activities. Students participate in daily literature experiences which allow them to develop important reading skills. French, music, physical education and technology are all part of the kindergarten program at St. Pius X.
Students also develop important social skills and independence while following our school code of “Reverence, Respect and Responsibility.” Formal religious instruction is taught daily and the faith message is integrated into all areas of the program.
Kindergarten at St. Pius X is an exciting place for children to discover, explore and learn in their first “formal” year of school.
Primary
The primary portion of the elementary school program, which is from kindergarten through grade 3, fosters the continuing growth of a student’s knowledge and understanding of themselves and their world. The program recognizes that each student’s acquisition and use of language, thinking and learning is different and accommodates the broad spectrum of learning rates and styles, knowledge, experiences and interests.
Instructional models, strategies, resources, and facilities support this diversity. Instruction integrates content and process, concepts and attitudes, and reflects the understanding that children learn through active involvement and play. Assessment and evaluation are integral components of the teaching-learning process and facilitate instructional decision-making. Evidence of learning is gathered through a variety of developmentally-appropriate strategies. Teachers and parents, who are valued partners in children’s education, cooperate to create the climate of safety, success and mutual respect necessary for lifelong learning.
Intermediate
The intermediate program honours the integrity of the learner by nurturing a disposition toward lifelong learning. Teaching that attends to the developmental needs of each young person enables learners to understand themselves and their world and to develop their capacities to think critically, communicate effectively, care deeply, and act wisely.
The focus of the intermediate portion of the elementary school program, which is grades 4 through 7, is on students who are active participants in their learning experiences. The varied and individual needs of students determine which instructional methods are used. This feature of the intermediate portion of the elementary school program enables students to continue developing their individual potentials, ready to meet the future as educated citizens and productive members of society.
Other Programs
St. Pius X School has a Learning Support program led by a learning support teacher, and a full-time EA support team. Academic instruction at St. Pius X is presented in all learning modalities, enabling students with various learning styles and ranges of academic capabilities to achieve success and to excel in the classroom.
Classroom teachers employ different learning strategies including direct instruction, flexible grouping, guided reading groups, cooperative learning centres, word study, music, audio-visual aids, science experiments and hands-on math activities utilizing physical and virtual manipulatives.
Teachers are aware of the special needs of the students and individual attention is provided to support student achievement. St. Pius X works diligently to ensure that students receive the attention and care they need to be successful. Parents, teachers, and the learning support teacher meet regularly to develop and follow through on individualized education plans, giving each student access to all available resources.
Daily reading programs such as Reading A-Z, Great Leaps and Lexia; math programs such as Touch Math and Math U See; as well as the social and emotional learning resource, Zones of Regulation, are all regularly implemented throughout the year.
St. Pius X Elementary School offers a diverse music education which contributes to each child’s development of social skills, cooperation, sense of responsibility, respect for others, self-control and leadership.
The kindergarten, grade 1 and grade 2 classes approach music education through song, dance, acting, self-expression and fun. Within this, the students learn the basics of music, improve their listening skills and develop self-confidence. Grade 1 students begin to learn how to read music rhythms and how to perform music as a group through song, dance, and boomwhackers. Students in grade 2 start to read music and learn to play the glockenspiel.
All students at St. Pius X Elementary School have the opportunity to learn to play several different musical instruments. Students in grades 3 and 4 continue to learn the foundations of music and how to play the recorder. They develop skills practicing individually and learn to practice and perform as a group. All students in grade 5 learn to play the ukulele while continuing to learn music theory. Students in grade 6 learn to play the guitar while further developing their understanding of music theory.
Students in grades 6 and 7 play in a band where they learn to play their chosen instrument and further develop skills of working within a group.
All students at St. Pius X Elementary School are provided with many opportunities to perform. Students participate in Christmas performances, choir performances throughout the year, a year-end band concert and at our Music Performance Night.
The music education provided by St. Pius X Elementary School enables students to make music an enjoyable and meaningful part of their lives.
Students from kindergarten through to grade 7 receive two to three blocks of French as a Second Language instruction weekly. French is learned through songs and various interactive opportunities.
A combination of gesture (AIM) and thematic approaches are used in the classroom. Students are learning a second language within a context that is both meaningful and fun.
“If I was a book, I would be a library book, so I would be taken home by all different sorts of kids.”
– Cornelia Funke
“A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying
up late reading them.”
– Lemony Snicket
Welcome to our library, an inviting and positive place for students to come and develop a love of reading, as well to develop skills for identifying, locating, and evaluating varied information sources. It is also a somewhat messy place to find many happy books and our share of delightfully sleepy-eyed children.
Through a collaborative effort between the teacher-librarian and the classroom teachers, an effective school library program has been created (and continuously updated), to promote avid readers and information-literate citizens. Our library program provides instruction in the areas of curriculum support, information literacy, and literature appreciation.
Our library is more than just books; it is a place where meaningful experiences can foster the love of literature and learning. Various school-wide events and activities throughout the year help to achieve this – such as our Book Fair, Speech Arts, and Readers are Leaders.
I look forward to working with your children this year and to helping them grow as readers.
Please feel free to contact me at school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
St. Pius X offers a comprehensive physical education program, which focuses on developing knowledge, skills, positive attitudes and behaviours that contribute to healthy and active lifestyles. In addition to the regular classes which focus on games, dance, gymnastics and individual and dual activities, students participate in a wide variety of alternative environment activities which include hiking, skating, snowshoeing, skiing, snowboarding and kayaking. All students participate in physical activity on a daily basis. Extracurricular sports activities are an extension of the physical education program. At St. Pius X, children are given the opportunity to participate and represent the school on various sports teams, which include cross-country, volleyball, soccer, basketball and track and field. We are proud of our team accomplishments in athletics and many championship banners hang proudly in our gymnasium.
At St. Pius X we encourage students to showcase their talents in a variety of ways. We pride ourselves on the level of interest and commitment students display among our performing and fine arts activities.
Primary and Intermediate Choirs
Our choirs practice weekly throughout the year. Students share their talents by performing during the Christmas season at a variety of locations, and at our Children’s Christmas Mass and annual Spring Choral Concert.
Primary and Intermediate Speech Arts
Established by St. Pius X, the North Shore Speech Arts Festival is well attended by our neighbouring Catholic schools. Students recite poetry, bible readings and other chosen pieces of literature and are judged on their performance.
Variety Show
Students from grades 3-7 showcase their musical and artistic talents at this always-entertaining school event.
Spelling Bee
St. Pius X students participate in an annual competition amongst our neighbouring Catholic schools.
3D Virtual Tour
Primary Program Video
Intermediate & Extra Curricular Programs Video
Religious Education
Learning and living the faith are essential in the Christ-centred learning environment of St. Pius X. Each day starts with school-wide prayer and classroom prayer. Daily formal religious instruction is conducted in the classrooms and is reinforced as teachers incorporate Catholic values throughout the day. The school code of Reverence, Respect and Responsibility and sacramental preparations are the cornerstones of building our faith community.
The entire school attends Mass together each month. Students prepare the liturgy and participate as lectors, gift bearers, and members of the choir.
Our pastor is actively engaged in school activities and is thoroughly supportive of St. Pius X School.
Special religious events include:
- All Saints Day celebration
- Remembrance Day assembly
- Advent Paraliturgies
- Catholic Schools Week activities
- Lenten activities including prayer services, Stations of the Cross, and Reconciliation
- Sacramental retreats
- Grade 2 Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
- Grade 7 Confirmation
- School-wide assemblies
Sacraments
Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
Preparation for and receiving the sacraments are unique aspects of faith formation at St. Pius X.
Students in grade 2 spend the school year preparing for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.
In preparation for Lent and Reconciliation, grade 2 students celebrate a day-long Reconciliation retreat.
In late April, grade 2 students celebrate a First Holy Communion retreat in preparation for the Eucharist.
Confirmation
Confirmation preparation formally begins in grade 7. It is a year-long journey involving both parent and student, culminating in the conferring of the sacrament at the Confirmation mass.
Students participate in a Spirit Day retreat conducted by the Archdiocese of Vancouver and a Spring School retreat conducted by the National Evangelization Team Ministry.
Students perform many service projects and complete mass journals as part of their preparation for reception of the sacrament