"Let yourselves be captured by Christ; heed his invitation and follow Him!" John Paul II
|
"Let yourselves be captured by Christ; heed his invitation and follow Him!" John Paul II
|
|
|
School History: St. Paul Grade School, a member of the schools of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, has served the Catholic and general population of Weirton since 1917. The school, currently preschool through eighth grade, was established from a mission need for the immigrant population of a growing industrial area. As a northern West Virginia town of Weirton grew into city status, the educational needs for the Catholic population increased as well. Later, two other parishes grew out of St. Paul, St. Joseph the Worker and Sacred Heart of Mary. As the population of the city shifted from the visual sights of the Weirton Steel proper, St. Paul School moved its facility from northern Weirton to its present site on Main Street in the southern end of the downtown area. School Enrollment: Over the years, St. Paul School has served a student population ranging from a high of 486 students in the 1050's and 1060's to a low of 184 in 1997. Current enrollment is slightly on the rise with a stable population of 211 students. School Mission: St. Paul School proudly displays its mission in every room of the school. The school administration and faculty support and encourage the mission: "Excellence in education is Christ-centered in values, curriculum and environment. Our faculty, students and administration challenge and support each other to excel academically, spiritually, emotionally and socially for the benefit of each other and the community, now and in the future." A seven-member advisory board supports the principal and pastor iin communicating and evaluating this mission. This mission is accountable through improvement plans, yearly evaluation of staff, administration and curriculum, and through parent, student and board evaluations. Walking through St. Paul School it is evident that it is a Catholic School From the banners that adorn the walls to the statues, trophy cases and classroom decorations, the school supports its missions statement. Religion classes are taught by teachers certified by the Diocese and is based on the Christian / Catholic doctrine. Students attend mass weekly as a school body and are scheduled to serve at mass on the weekends. St. Paul School proudly displays its Catholic identity. School Faculty: St. Paul boasts a faculty of 10 full-time certified teachers (eight female and two male), four part-time teachers, two aides and three staff positions. Teachers range in experience from 25 years to a first year teacher. The average experience is 14 years while the median is 6 years. Educational backgrounds vary from a Masters in Education to Bachelor of Arts. All not currently at a Masters level are working towards a BA + 15. The faculty is certified by the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston in Religious Education and are active in educational in-service opportunities offered by the Diocese. The K-8 teacher to student ration is 1:16. School Curriculum: The curriculum of St. Paul School is based on the Instructional Goals and Objectives of the Stare of West Virginia and the Catholic Philosophy Objectives of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. The school boasts of its innovative approach to curriculum with all textbooks adopted within the last three years. All series have been completed, and all series have been implemented using all the ancillary and manipulatives associated with each series. Basic skill instruction is the basis for the school. The school does offer special classes in art, music, physical education and choral music. Exploratory classes in language are offered in various grades. Grades five through eight are structures in a Middle School concept with teachers departmentalized in Language Arts, Science, Social Studies and Math. The school has a 20 station computer lab which is internet accessible. A Science Lab equipped with modern innovations such as a mobile multimedia center with video cam capabilities. This lab is used by students in grades 1 - 8. A separate art room is utilized by all students where art is taught one day per week. Special feature of the school include a partnership with the Mary H. Weir Public Library located next door to the school. Students have direct access to the library offerings and its facilities. Test scores for students graduating from eight grade continue to increase. 80% of the graduating students scored an 87% or higher on the Math and / or Reading sections of the SAT-9. 71% of the student population achieved the third and forth quartile of the Basic Skills Battery in the most recent SAT-9. St. Paul student regularly win essay and writing contests on county and regional levels. St. Paul was singled out as on of the 25 "Most Innovative Catholic Schools in the United States" by the NCEA for service work coordinated into the curriculum in 1997. School Tuition: School Athletics: St. Paul School participates in the Wheeling Catholic Athletic Association. After school sports include basketball, football, weight lifting and cheerleading. Plans are being established to offer volleyball and wrestling in the coming year. A Learning League is also in place for the 4th grade to teach basic concepts as well as teamwork and sportsmanship. School Care Program: St. Paul has a Before and After School Care Program used by 15% of the student population. This service is offered to families who have the need to extend the school day beyond the normal school hours of 8:40 am to 3:00 pm. This is typically due to work schedules of one or both parents. Student may arrive as early as 7:30 am and depart as late as 5:30 pm and are supervised by a certified specialist during this time. It is stressed that homework is completed at this time and assistance is offered as needed to do so. School Infrastructure: The physical plant was completed in 1962 and was designed with great foresight. The ceramic tile hall and cafeteria walls enhance the beauty of the school. The u-shaped design is perfect for departmentalization and pre-school separation. Even though the school is located in the downtown area, it is recessed behind the church and is safe and aesthetically isolated from downtown traffic and distractions. Over the past three years, the building and furniture have undergone an extensive revitalization project. Through community, parental and parish support, all of the rooms have been repainted the blinds have been replaced and all new student desks and chairs have been purchased. Truly the building and grounds are one of the nicest in the area, providing a wonderful environment for your children's education.
|
Last modified: 08/16/05 |
