Curriculum

St. Jude School is fully accredited with the Ohio Catholic School Accrediting Association. Our curriculum follows the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Graded Course of Study for each subject.

Students at St. Jude benefit from instruction that integrates core curriculum, faith, and 21st century application skills.

Academic Support

Using the Response to Intervention Model (RTI), we identify individual student needs. When specialized support is needed, the following intervention team members are available at St. Jude: three full time intervention specialists, a speech and language pathologist and a school psychologist. To ensure the physical and emotional health of our students, we also provide a full time nurse and part time school counselor.

Kindergarten

St. Jude provides a hands-on, engaging Kindergarten program with a maximum class size of 20 students per class. Beginning in the 2024-2025 school year, St. Jude offers two full-day Kindergarten classes and one half-day session in the morning.

Grades One, Two, and Three

Grades one to three make up our primary school. To build a solid learning foundation, primary students are divided into three homerooms with small class sizes. Literacy and numeracy skills are a significant focus in these grades.

Twice a week, students in the primary grades are sorted into flexible differentiated reading groups across each individual grade level to meet the needs of each student and help them grow to their fullest ability.

Our second graders take the next step on their full admittance into the Catholic Church as they make two sacraments. During Advent, these students receive their First Reconciliation and in the spring-time, they are welcomed to the Lord’s banquet when they receive the sacrament of the First Holy Communion.

Grades Four, Five, and Six

Our fourth through sixth grade classes make up our middle school. At this time, students start to change classes every day and rotate between teachers who specialize in two to three academic areas. Using the foundational skills attained in previous grades, students further extend their critical thinking while learning content appropriate for each grade level.

Beginning in sixth grade, students are placed in leveled math classes. This allows for each child to learn at a pace most advantageous to his or her ability. The levels each work at a similar pace for the first semester with different depths of skills development. Acceleration of the math curriculum begins second semester of sixth grade for the higher level.

Grades Seven and Eight

The seventh and eighth grade comprises our junior high at St. Jude. Students at these grade levels see all four junior high teachers daily. St. Jude junior high consistently prepares students for success in high school and beyond.

During their final year at St. Jude, our eighth graders have the opportunity to perform in the West-Side speech contest. In late winter, our eighth graders receive the final sacrament of initiation into the Catholic Church when they are confirmed.

The leveled math classes continue in our junior high. Students in the typical track will complete the standard course of study in seventh grade and will complete pre-algebra as eighth graders to prepare them for Algebra I in high school. The students in the accelerated track will complete pre-algebra in seventh grade and will complete freshman level Algebra I in the eighth grade. 

Technology

In the regular education classroom, students in primary grades have access to Chromebooks for use in individual and small group activities to reinforce, enrich, or remediate learning. In fourth grade, students continue to learn with Chromebooks and begin learning the various components of the Google Suite.  A great deal of the technology work done in the regular classroom from fourth to eighth grades uses this platform on Chromebook devices.

Additionally, first through sixth grade students have TECH class as a special once per week. Junior high students have this class twice per week. During this class, students learn to use technology as a tool for learning on PC laptops as they learn the Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Powerpoint, Excel, and Publisher, in addition to learning responsible and effective internet skills.

Fine Arts

Art class is taken by all students in grades one through eight. In class, students discover and practice techniques to produce their own art work while learning how to appreciate (critique) and understand art’s historical and cultural influences. St. Jude also provides a variety of mediums which allows students to explore their creativity and talent.

An after school musical theater program is offered to grades three through eight. The program offers two productions a year, one in the winter and one in the spring. In the past, the program has produced musicals such as "Annie Jr.", "The Jungle Book Jr.", and "Elf Jr".

Music

Music is offered as a specialized class each week for grades one through eight. Primary students explore musical concepts through singing, playing percussion instruments, literature and movement. Middle school students dive into more complicated concepts and learn note reading through singing and the use of recorder, xylophones, and drumming. Classroom sets of ukuleles, guitars, and keyboards help junior high students round out their musical foundation to prepare them for further participation in high school music programs.

Physical Education

Our physical education program helps students develop physical skills, balance and confidence. The curriculum includes activities that encourage children to obtain and improve upon abilities, such as running, catching, throwing, and hand-eye coordination. These skills are applicable to sports such as volleyball, baseball, soccer, and basketball.

Library

The St. Jude library is a beautiful space stocked with books for students of all ages. Homerooms have a scheduled library class which allows students to explore a variety of texts and resources. The school librarian helps students thrive by guiding them to age appropriate books and research information through the many tools and resources available at St. Jude. During the school year, the library also hosts the popular Follet Book Fair.

Spanish Elective

A Spanish elective is offered for grades six, seven, and eight during the school day twice a week. A minimal fee is required for this course. Students who complete this three year program have excellent exposure to the methodology for learning a foreign language and are well prepared to be successful in High School Spanish.

Enrichment

A pull-out Enrichment class is available from the second semester of grade four through the end of eighth grade. Students are selected by the school based upon standardized test scores, classroom performance, and teacher recommendations. Enrichment classes focus on reasoning, problem solving, research, analysis, and critical thinking. Classroom activities will include a variety of topics in multiple subject areas.