ACADEMICS

Saint Peter Catholic School offers an outstanding, rigorous academic program that is grounded in faith. That program begins in preschool and continues through eighth grade resulting in strong leaders as students continue their education and beyond.

The curriculum is broken down into three grade levels: Preschool/Pre-Kindergarten, Elementary School (grades K-5), and Middle School (grades 6-8). The core curriculum consists of science, mathematics, social studies, language arts and religion. Students receive instruction from specialists in computer, music and physical education. In addition, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) components are integrated into this curriculum starting with basic building concepts in preschool to robotics in middle school. St. Peter's, along with other schools in our Archdiocese, are fortunate to have a C-STEM Lending Library resource for checking out robots, virtual reality sets, engineering kits and other items vital to a modern STEM classroom. This resource is provided through a partnership between CSCOE (Catholic Schools Center of Excellence) and the University of St. Thomas School of Engineering. To learn more about the C-STEM Lending Library click HERE.

As students enter into middle school, additional courses in life science, algebra, geography, band/orchestra, Spanish, and art are offered.

Special education services are also available through Forest Lake Independent School District #831. If a child is identified as having a need for assistance, the parents, teachers and administration work together to determine the best course of action.

Students tend to shine in this type of an environment that combines faith, academic rigor, character development, and individualized attention. Our students consistently test above average and continue to perform well as they move into accelerated coursework at their respective high schools.

BELIEVE AND READ

We are a proud Believe and Read school! Generously funded by the Catholic Schools Center of Excellence and presented in partnership with Groves Learning Organization, Believe and Read is a best-in-class literacy program that transforms reading instruction. Believe and Read helps launch ALL students to the next level, supporting struggling readers and high fliers.

Here is how Believe and Read works:

  • Coaches from Groves Literacy Partnerships work with our teachers (K-2 in year one and K-3 starting year two) over three years using a “train the trainer” model.

  • In addition to their regular reading lessons, teachers incorporate a daily, 30-minute, phonics-based lesson to ensure students grasp the reading rules they need to achieve fluency.

  • Many lesson plans are scripted, so teachers know exactly how and when to introduce each letter and its sounds and how to build up to words from there.

  • Lessons use a multi-sensory approach that explicitly teaches the connections between letters and sounds.

  • Teachers will get weekly support and feedback from their literacy coach and assistance tracking student progress through routine assessments.

**We are beginning year 2 of the 3 year training period, and half of our K-3 teachers are certified already.

NWEA TESTING

Saint Peter's administers NWEA testing in the fall and spring of each school year. These tests accurately reflect the instructional level of each student and measure growth over time in math and language arts/reading. By the time they reach middle school, students are performing well above the national average, and many continue on to accelerated course work in high school.

NWEA - Fall 2024 (Grades 6-8)

87% tested average to very high in math!

84% tested average to very high in reading!

CONFERENCES

Parent-teacher conferences are held twice per year to assess the student's progress and address any areas of concern. Parents are welcome to schedule an additional conference with the teacher during the school year if needed.