Overview
An exceptional education is our first priority at St. Thomas School. Our students are well prepared to move on to the next grade level and high school. Our test scores prove it. St. Thomas students in every grade consistently score well above the national and Diocesan averages on MAP test scores. NWEA’s MAP shows scores averaging over 8% in language and 5% higher than Math in national norms. On average, St. Thomas School graduates represent roughly 25% of the Peoria Notre Dame high honor roll. There are over 12 elementary schools that feed into our local Catholic High School.
Our students perform well academically because of a combination of an enriched curriculum, outstanding teachers and personalized attention to student learning. Our philosophy is to blend classroom instruction with hands-on learning and the rich experiences of our faculty. All St. Thomas teachers are state-certified and more than 30% have master’s degrees. Most faculty have been teaching for more than 10 years—many in our own classrooms. Enriched Curriculum at St. Thomas, we go well beyond the basics of reading, math, English, science, social studies, and religion to offer a progressive and enriched curriculum. Our Spanish foreign language instruction is like none other in the area. Students in Kindergarten through 4th grade receive foreign language instruction once a week led by a specialized foreign language instructor. Grades 5th through 8th have foreign language class two times per week, where students focus on the more advanced skills of reading, writing and communicating in language. All students have art classes once per week where they have the opportunity to create personalized projects using a variety of mediums. Music instruction is provided once per week as well, taught by a certified teacher experienced in her specialty. Student instruction is further enhanced with a 1:1 technology and a SMART board in every K-8 classroom, and a full-time technology teacher.
Individualized Learning
Throughout the year, our curriculum incorporates Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing. Given three times a year via a computerized test, it helps teachers better gauge how each individual student is understanding the subject content—and then make adjustments to their learning as needed. Wherever your child places on the academic curve, St.Thomas offers a variety of specialized programs to assist students. Our COMET (Challenge Our Minds, Expand our Thinking) program offers an enrichment program for students who score in the 90th percentile or above on MAP and standardized tests. Our Academy of Reading Program helps students progress their reading development, with a focus on phonics, fluency and comprehension skills. At St. Thomas, we have rich history of providing an exceptional education. We offer a challenging and progressive curriculum, coupled with experienced and dedicated faculty. We invite you to join our tradition of excellence.