OUR MISSION
SAINT FRANCIS XAVIER MIDDLE SCHOOL IS DEDICATED TO THE CATHOLIC EDUCATION OF STUDENTS
FROM GRADE 5 THROUGH GRADE 8.
Through nurturing the academic, spiritual, social, and physical development of each child, the curriculum supports and enhances the Gospel values of Jesus. By embracing Catholic identity throughout all facets of learning, Saint Francis Xavier Middle School strengthens the values that connect family, parish, and community.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
The philosophy of Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Middle School is to carry out its mission by calling upon Christian experience and Catholic identity. With the assistance of the Church and the school’s families, each student is guided in growth and development. Through awareness of the Christian faith, the self and others, the school strives to achieve this goal. The Gospel Message of Christ illuminates and enriches the students’ knowledge of God, life and culture. The school encourages the students to acquire sensitivity, a living consciousness and an active faith life, thus enhancing their abilities to clarify personal values and beliefs.
Since personal growth and development depend upon the recognition of one’s level of self-esteem, students will be offered the opportunity to focus on “who they are.” They will be provided with the skills to enable them to recognize their own uniqueness, their gifts and their talents. By sharing these with each person whom they encounter, the students will be cognizant of their responsibility to respect and to appreciate similarities and differences among people.
Because multiculturalism is most effective when infused into the curriculum and reinforced by faith, opportunities for celebrating semblances and diversities will be presented in order to foster pride in cultural heritage. Students also will be provided with the tools and the skills to enable them to acquire the knowledge needed to function within an ever-changing world.
Saint Francis Xavier Middle School administration and faculty are committed to the mission of the school and are dedicated to the spiritual, academic, social and physical development of our students.
Spiritual Development: It is the goal of St. Francis Xavier Middle School to embrace a Catholic Identity rooted in Gospel values, centered on the Eucharist, and committed to faith formation and service.
● The school leadership team will ensure that the mission statement includes the commitment to Catholic identity.
● The school leadership team will use the mission statement as the foundation and normative reference for all planning.
● Religious education curriculum and instruction will meet the religious education requirements and standards of the archdiocese.
● Catholic culture and faith are expressed in the school through multiple and diverse forms of visual and performing arts, music, and architecture.
● Every student experiences role models of faith and service for social justice among the administrators, faculty and staff.
Academic Development: It is the goal of Saint Francis Xavier Middle School to promote academic excellence through a clearly articulated, rigorous curriculum aligned with relevant standards, and Gospel values, implemented through effective instruction.
● The curriculum adheres to appropriate, delineated standards, and is vertically aligned to ensure that every student successfully completes a rigorous and coherent sequence of academic courses based on the standards and rooted in Catholic values.
● Standards are adopted across the curriculum, and include integration of the religious, spiritual, moral, and ethical dimensions of learning in all subjects.
● Classroom instruction is designed to engage and motivate all students, addressing the diverse needs and capabilities of each student, and accommodating students with special needs as fully as possible. ● Faculty and professional support staff demonstrate and continually improve knowledge and skills necessary for effective instruction, cultural sensitivity, and modeling of Gospel values.
● Faculty and staff engage in high quality professional development, including religious formation and are accountable for implementation that supports student learning.
Physical Development: It is the goal of Saint Francis Xavier Middle School to promote physical health and well-being as components of the development of the whole child.
● Students from Grade 5 through Grade 8 will be given opportunities to develop the knowledge and skills for specific physical activities, to maintain physical fitness and to understand the short-term and long-term benefits of physical activity
● All students will participate in a comprehensive physical education program. Reasonable accommodations will be made for students with limitations.
● Children will understand that physical activity and its contribution to a healthy, active lifestyle is integral to a goal of lifelong fitness.
● Through the physical education program, students will be encouraged to grow, challenge themselves, and foster their individual talents to be the best Christians they can be.
Social Development: It is the goal of Saint Francis Xavier Middle School to reflect the qualities of a Christian community, which nurtures the individual talents of each student and encourages each student to use his/her gifts in service to others.
● Promote a school wide climate of truth, compassion, and justice, which will allow all children to experience a safe, nurturing environment.
● Ensure parent and faculty awareness of the vast amount of pressure children encounter in today’s society.
● Guide our students to become individuals that display logical reasoning and actions that are consistent with good moral principles.
● Teach our students to accept responsibility for their behavior, how to respect the rights of others, how solve problems, and how to make choices and decisions that can benefit them and others.
● Provide an environment that fosters respect for the rights of others, while learning to solve problems and make choices that can benefit the individual and the group.