We are pleased to share Our School Mission, Vision Statement, and Philosophy and Profile of the 8th Grade Graduate
Mission
St. Benedict Preparatory School continues a century-long tradition of superior education in a vibrant Catholic community. We recognize that each student’s God-given gifts hold unique value, potential, and dignity. Our city block campus offers preschool through grade 8 programs to the parish, the Northside of Chicago, and all those who share our mission. With a focus on critical thinking, problem solving, communication, and collaboration, the St. Benedict Parish faculty and staff, in partnership with parents, develop the creators and contributors of tomorrow inspired by faith and informed with a global perspective. We are a welcoming and supportive community with Christ at our center. A commitment to inclusive and rigorous challenge creates a dynamic, innovative, and active learning experience in which the needs of the whole student are met. At St. Benedict Preparatory School, the strengths of each child become an inspiration to others to learn fearlessly, to lead responsibly, and to serve joyfully.
Vision Statement
St. Benedict Preparatory School will be known for the innovative approach and transformative power of its Catholic education.
Philosophy
For over a century, St Benedict Preparatory School has provided an education of the highest academic quality to our students. We serve families from the parish, the Northside of Chicago and all those who share our mission.
We are proud to provide a curriculum centered on academic achievement, Catholic values and an appreciation and respect for the gifts and talents of each child. Our school is one at which every child’s talents are valued and encouraged, and students are taught to recognize and respect the dignity of all people.
We share the belief that there should be service, learning and growth opportunity for everyone, and we work to achieve this by educating students academically, spiritually, emotionally, socially, and physically. The success of St. Benedict Preparatory School is made possible by the strong community that we constantly nurture and grow. Working as a team of faculty, students, families, and other parishioners, we closely collaborate to build and foster positive and supportive relationships that are based on the firm bedrock of our mission.
This community is nurtured by our faith, which is the foundation of all that we do. Weekly celebration of the Mass, sacramental preparation, student-led acts of worship, and spiritual experiences that are interwoven throughout the entire curriculum help each of us to grow as members of the St. Benedict family.
We joyfully accept and embrace our calling to promote peace and justice throughout the world. This is a goal that we work towards by educating students to respect and value the dignity and worth of each of God’s creations and through service to others. Opportunities for service are found across the school, and they encourage students to engage with classmates, parish, community, and the world.
A passion for learning inspires the faculty and parents of St. Benedict Preparatory School to work in partnership to create an environment of academic rigor and individual expression in which each child is educated in a way that fosters and supports his or her unique abilities, talents, and sense of self-worth.
Lessons are tailored to provide learners with both strong foundational skills and the ability to creatively solve challenging and multifaceted real-world problems. In order to support this, teachers use their planning, instruction, and assessment to constantly support children and stretch them to the next steps in their individual learning journeys. Students are prepared not just for the world in which we currently live, but also for the world of tomorrow and beyond.
Profile of the 8th Grade Graduate
The profile of the graduate at graduation represents the consensus of faculty, administration and the Board regarding essential expectations for student development and accomplishments.
Upon 8th grade graduation, St. Benedict Preparatory School students are ready to move forward with excitement about their education, with social awareness and with all the tools needed to excel in high school and as contributing members of the community.
Students solves problems with critical thinking and creativity, collaborate well within a team, communicate her/his ideas with confidence, express mastery of content, and enjoy life with the blessing and joy as a Catholic that comes from deepening her/his relationship with God.
Catholic Identity
Knowledgeably participates in prayerful experiences and activities, such as: retreats, prayer services, Mass, and reflection activities.
Demonstrates Catholic values of compassion, empathy, and respect for others.
Personally identifies with their God-given talents and uses them to grow in service to the community.
Actively applies belief systems to problems in the world and takes steps to get involved in the solution.
Content
Seeks out and critically evaluates information to help in answering own questions.
Analyzes situations from different viewpoints in order to thoroughly understand, evaluate and appreciate all perspectives.
Creatively and accurately applies knowledge gained to identify and solve complex problems.
Understands the role media plays in people’s beliefs and choices.
Builds a broad set of experiences and skills that form a foundation for success at the high school level.
Critical Thinking
Has Learned how to learn --moves from the “what” to the “why.”
Builds a new construct of ideas and thinking by connecting information and arguments.
Demonstrates the ability to ask questions that lead to new solutions.
Reflects on processes and personal experiences to analyze and draw new conclusions.
Acknowledges and understands global perspectives and diverse cultures in a context of local, national, and world issues.
Creativity
Synthesizes information and applies it in various content areas.
Expresses ideas and information through a wide selection of media.
Elaborates her/his own ideas to maximize creative efforts.
Uses a variety of idea creation techniques to show comprehension and awareness.
Collaboration
Understands the benefits to being part of a community and different perspectives.
Productively works on a team with peers in an age-appropriate manner in order to execute tasks at hand.
Compromises with peers when different perspectives or backgrounds are present in order to achieve common goals.
Leverages group roles to reach learning objectives.
Communication
Appropriately and effectively communicates with peers and adults to inform needs related to school life and course work.
Utilizes different methods of communication in order to meet a common goal.
Manages modern technology to articulate and decipher meaning.
Understands different perspectives and backgrounds to communicate respectfully.
Confidence
Uses her/his own mistakes in order to grow understanding.
Takes risks in the classroom to comprehend information and engage with others.
Willingly accepts feedback and actively engages with it to develop in and out of the classroom.
Develops a firm basis of organizational and study skills that support further learning and growth.
Perseveres with difficult tasks to overcome challenges and meet goals.
Engages in reflection on own learning and actions, and self-advocates in order to support further advances.