St. Elizabeth’s is committed to rigorous academic development, enabling students to grow intellectually at or above their chronological grade levels. As an independent school, St. Elizabeth’s maintains high expectations while nurturing individual progress.
Our Learning Specialist works with children referred by their teachers for additional support in reading, spelling, and math. Children work with our Learning Specialist 2-3 times per week in small groups.
Through a partnership with Centus Counseling, we have a lower school counselor who works with children one-on-one, providing opportunities for both individual sessions and group discussions and activities.
Language Arts
Reading
The lower school's English Language Arts curriculum prioritizes equitable access to high-quality literacy instruction. Grounded in the belief that literacy is a catalyst for change and a tool for understanding diverse experiences, the curriculum is inspired by Dr. Rudine Simms Bishop's work. All lower school teachers are extensively trained in the Science of Reading and/or Orton-Gillingham methodology. Students receive comprehensive, multi-sensory instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. The curriculum also emphasizes both pleasure and purpose in reading across genres.
Writing
Our goal for St. Elizabeth's graduates is to instill confidence in effective communication through both written and spoken expression. We offer comprehensive instruction in writing development, covering handwriting, writing conventions at various levels, and aspects such as word choice, sensory images, and sentence complexity. Additionally, we collaborate with students to help them discover their distinctive voice and a sense of agency in their writing.
Technology / Assistive Technology in Literacy
From 3rd grade onwards, students receive direct instruction in keyboarding and digital citizenship. They start honing their writing skills both on paper and on the computer. Additionally, students requiring voice-text or text-to-voice accommodations for reading and writing can access these tools from 3rd grade or earlier if needed.
Social Studies
Social Studies at St. Elizabeth's encompasses the integrated study of social sciences, including sociology, history, geography, and political science. Students explore various topics such as communities, maps, Colorado history, U.S. history, and ancient civilizations as part of their curriculum.
Math
St. Elizabeth's School employs Bridges in Mathematics as its math curriculum, closely aligned with national math standards and the common-core curriculum. This program fosters math discussions among students and promotes problem-solving through diverse approaches, including both traditional and nontraditional methods. Students engage with mathematical concepts using manipulatives, models, and specific strategies to enhance their understanding and skills.
Science
St. Elizabeth’s School adopts the FOSS (Full Option Science System) Program, a K-8 curriculum developed by the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley. This hands-on, inquiry-based program follows the developmental sequence of scientific thinking, covering life science, earth and space science, physical science, scientific reasoning, and technology. Field trips aligned with scientific units enhance the learning experience. The curriculum spans various grades and includes topics like life cycles, dinosaurs, the five senses, new plants, solids and liquids, pebbles, sand, and silt, air and weather, adaptation of Colorado animals, birds, environmental care, water, the human body, and models and designs of environments.
