Academic Program

Our Lady of Charity School is an Illinois State-recognized institution. Teachers are licensed with a minimum of a bachelor's degree, and most have master's degrees. Subjects taught include religion, English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, music, physical education, Spanish (daily), and library. Students are issued their computers beginning in kindergarten, and teachers use interactive whiteboards in their teaching.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS PROGRAM

Kindergarten - 1st grade:

We use Jolly Phonics at Our Lady of Charity. This is a systematic program for teaching phonics. Making Meaning is another program used in kindergarten and first grade. It is designed to teach whole group lessons in reading comprehension skills. .

Grades 2-5:

We use McGraw Hill’s Wonders program. Research-based print and digital resources provide support for building strong literacy skills using fiction and nonfiction texts. This program features phonics, phonological awareness, high-frequency words, spelling, handwriting, grammar, and vocabulary practice.

Grades 6-8:

Our middle school Language Arts curriculum offers a blend of modern-day and classic literature. Skill lessons include comprehension skills, writing, and research. Lessons emphasize vocabulary instruction, language acquisition, and reading comprehension.

MATHEMATICS PROGRAM

The OLC math curriculum follows the i-Ready Classroom Math program. i-Ready Classroom Mathematics is a robust mathematics program that will help your student become a strong, independent mathematical thinker. The program uses a different approach to math instruction than many of us had as children.

The program:

Focuses on learning through problem-solving and student-to-student conversations about mathematical thinking (called discourse)
Uses a set of learning routines each day, called the Try–Discuss–Connect routine, that helps students engage in discourse as they develop a deeper understanding of mathematics
Ensures that your student develops the problem-solving skills needed to become an independent and confident mathematical thinker

RELIGION PROGRAM

Students in grades 1-8 use Alive in Christ, and kindergarteners use Allelu!: both programs are published by Our Sunday Visitor.

To build a foundation for a lifelong relationship with Jesus, our religious curriculum teaches students how to live as Catholic disciples. Students are challenged to relate knowledge of our faith with their life experience so they can apply the many ways we worship, live, pray, and serve together as Catholics. We begin each day as a school to share prayer and the Gospel, read by students each morning over the public address system.

Preparation for the Catholic sacraments of reconciliation, first holy Communion, and confirmation is conducted as part of their respective grade levels in partnership with our priests, parish religious education leaders, and faculty. Reconciliation and First Communion occur in the 2nd grade, while confirmation occurs in the 8th grade.

Beginning in third grade, students at Our Lady of Charity School have the opportunity to altar serve at Mass. Students are trained and serve one or two school Masses per month. Altar servers are also invited to serve weekend and special Masses, such as weddings and funerals.