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Iona Grammar School is a private,
Catholic elementary school for boys in Westchester County, New
York. Iona Grammar was established in the tradition of the Congregation
of Christian Brothers in 1916. Iona Grammar follows the teachings of
Blessed Edmund Rice, the New York State Standards, and the Essential
Learning’s from the Archdiocese of New York. It has a Kindergarten and
goes through the 8th grade. There is one class section in
grades K - 4, which are all self-contained learning environments. In
grades 5 - 8
there are two sections of each class and students are exposed to a
departmental program in preparation for high school.
At Iona Grammar School we are committed to foster
academic excellence within a loving, Catholic, Christian
environment. Iona Grammar School has adopted a curriculum that promotes
the harmonious growth of the whole person, fosters the development of
higher-order thinking, and prepares its’ students for lifelong
learning. Our recently adopted Strategic Plan has further committed us
to meet the varying needs and learning styles of our students. Iona
Grammar School incorporates specific teaching strategies that develop
appropriate grade level thinking and literacy skills. These essential
thinking and literacy skills are coordinated in a spiral curriculum,
indicating that the skills will be developed at the Kindergarten level
and expanded and refined throughout the grades. When a child completes
eighth grade and graduates, these skills will be firmly established. The
faculty and administration at Iona Grammar have adopted this approach
with great enthusiasm.
Religion:
Kindergarten
Iona Grammar School focuses on teaching the whole
child in a student centered program, which starts in our earliest
grades. Our Kindergarten students celebrate holy days and the seasons of
the Church, and the focus is on the love that God has for each of us and
the many gifts that He gives us.
Grades 1-2
The first grade religion program continues the theme
of God’s love for us and how we are members of the Church of Jesus
Christ. Second grade students prepare for the sacraments of
Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.
Grades 3-5
In third grade, students study Catholic beliefs. The
fourth grade studies God’s Laws – the Ten Commandments. Students in the
fifth grade focus on the theme “We meet Jesus in the
Sacraments”. Students learn about the seven sacraments. Students in
grades three through five take the Archdiocesan Religion Exam in June.
Grades 6-8
The sixth grade Religion program is a concentration on
the Old Testament. The students learn about God’s plan to save all
people beginning with Genesis and the fulfillment of this plan through
the birth, death and resurrection of Christ. The seventh and eighth
grade courses deal with the New Testament, with a study of Church
history, and the importance of morality.
Language Arts:
Kindergarten
The language arts program includes reading, writing,
listening and speaking. In Kindergarten students focus on phonemic
awareness skills and letter/sound relationships. Sight words are
introduced along with a weekly spelling program.
Grades 1-2
Consonant and vowel sounds are concentrated on in the
first grade, as well as increasing the sight-word vocabulary. In the
second grade, students study the function of words in a sentence.
Phonics, vocabulary and spelling are taught. Manuscript writing is
taught in first and second grade.
Grades 3-5
Third grade students continue to learn phonics,
vocabulary and spelling patterns. Rules of grammar are taught. Students
in the third grade advance to writing sentences and paragraphs. Fourth
grade students continue to practice fundamental grammar rules and learn
to write for a variety of purposes. Fifth grade students continue the
writing process and concentrate on developing the elements of
writing. Students write in journals and collaborate on published books
in each of the grades. Cursive writing is taught in grades three through
five.
Grades 4,6 & 8
Participate in the NYS ELA testing program.
Grades 6-8
All three grade levels stress the fundamentals of
basic grammar. There is an emphasis on different types of writing, the
writing process and creative writing. Students continue to work on their
communication and organizational skills.
Reading:
Kindergarten
Students in Kindergarten begin to
practice the skills necessary to become active readers. Auditory
discrimination skills, along with daily read-alouds help students
prepare to become life long readers. Students also sharpen phonemic
awareness skills and begin to recognize the conventions of print through
shared reading and reading leveled readers.
Grades 1-2
High-frequency words, along with
decoding skills, are continued in the first grade through leveled
readers and daily read-alouds. In the second grade, a concentration on
vocabulary and reading strategies help students continue to comprehend
their reading.
Grades 3-5
In third and fourth grade students’ vocabulary is
enriched and students are challenged with meaningful reading
projects. Both a reading anthology and trade books are used. In the
fifth grade, reading is taught through author studies.
Grades 6-8
The reading program for each grade is literature
based, incorporating both classic and contemporary works. Students
discuss and write about themes and characters in literature and
interpret the assigned novels. Critical reading analysis, comprehension
and vocabulary are reinforced and expanded.
Mathematics:
Kindergarten
Mathematics in Kindergarten is presented in a
multi-sensory approach. Students are introduced to basic math vocabulary
and concepts through hands-on activities that help improve a student’s
number sense.
Grades 1-2
First and second grade students
continue to expand the elementary math topics of addition, subtraction,
graphing, measurement, time, money, estimation, geometry, fractions,
fact families, and problem solving. Working with math manipulatives
helps the young learner see concrete examples in problem solving.
Grades 3-5
Students in grades three through five continue to
expand and refine the elementary math topics practiced in previous
years. The operations of multiplication and division are included in the
third and fourth grade curriculums. Problem solving strategies are
taught to help students solve word problems. In fifth grade, the
curriculum includes fractions, mixed numbers, decimals, ratio, percent,
and probability. Writing explanations of the process of solving problems
is emphasized.
Grades 4,6 & 8
Participate in the NYS ELA testing program.
Grades 6-8
The math courses for these grade levels are broken
into advanced and regular classes. The sixth grade reviews the previous
year’s skills and expands to graphing; calculating mean, median, mode;
decimals; adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing fractions;
estimation; geometry of polygons; integers; ratios; proportions. In
seventh grade, students build on the previous year’s curriculum by
continuing with proportions; ratios; probability and patterns of
geometry; integers and real numbers. Eighth grade math stresses
algebraic reasoning, statistics, probability, geometry and
measurement. Students enrolled in the advanced eighth grade math class
complete Algebra I.
Social Studies:
Kindergarten
In Kindergarten, students learn about important people
in history and celebrate the holidays using picture books, stories and
activities. The students also explore holidays celebrated in the United
States as well as other countries. “Me and My Family” is also a
kindergarten social studies theme.
Grades 1-2
In the first grade, students study the world they live
in and their place in the world. Map and globe skills are taught. Living
in a community is the theme in second grade. Students identify different
communities and how people live in them.
Grades 3-5
World Communities is the theme in third grade. Map and
globe skills are continued along with a study of the oceans, continents
and landforms. In fourth grade, students study the history of the United
States and the main regions of our country. The theme for fifth grade is
“The Land and People of the United States”.
Students present research and mapping projects.
Grades 6-8
The sixth grade social studies curriculum concentrates
on Ancient Civilizations. Students explore the time period from the
Middle Ages through the Cold War. The seventh grade theme is Early
America (1550-1850), which includes the early Native Americans, the
American Revolution and the trials and tribulations of a young
country. The eighth grade continues the study of American history
(1850-1960). Emphasis is placed on the Civil War, Manifest Destiny and
America’s development into the role as a world leader. Theme papers and
reports are assigned. Magazines, newspapers, films, documentaries and
trade books supplement the textbook.
Science:
Kindergarten
The seasons of the year are the topics focused
on. Changes in the seasons and the weather allow for many outdoor and
hands-on activities. Kindergarten follows the “Science 21” program theme
of “Exploring Our World”. This inquiry based program-provides hands-on
activities for students to explore their senses to learn more about
themselves and the world.
Grades 1-2
The first grade and the second grade also benefit from
the “Science 21” program which encourages self directed learning through
hands-on student centered activities. First grade students follow the
year long theme of “Order in Our World”. Skills of investigating,
organizing, and identifying are emphasized. Second grade students follow
the theme “Measuring Changes in Our World”, which includes measuring
changes in energy, living things, and changes in the environment.
Grades 3-5
In third grade, students investigate the “Cycles in
the Natural World”. The cycles of plants, electricity, water, and
animals are explored. The fourth grade focuses on “Organization in the
Natural World”. Units include the organization of the scientist,
organization of the earth, simple machines, and the digestive
system. The fifth grade theme is “Interactions in the Natural World.”
Topics in the fifth grade include cells, controlled studies, the
respiratory, circulatory, and muscular systems, genetics, and the
transfer of energy. Units of study in each grade level are linked to the
New York State learning standards for mathematics, science and
technology.
Grades 6-8
The sixth grade science program also uses the “Science
21” program. Students learn by asking questions and discovering answers
for themselves by following the scientific method. Students make
discoveries while exploring earth science and energy topics. The seventh
grade course explores human biology and ecology. Students in the eighth
grade study earth science and basic astronomy. Students in both the
seventh and eighth grade have hands-on experiences in weekly labs and
supplement the curriculum with “Current Science” magazine.
Spanish:
The Spanish program at Iona Grammar School mirrors a
FLEX (Foreign Language Exploratory Program). Flex programs aim to give
students a foundation in the foreign language of choice. Our program
also offers cultural information that helps students develop an
appreciation of the Spanish culture and customs. Spanish is offered to
students in grades two through eight. Students in grades two and three
receive Spanish once a week in a combined class. Students in grades four
through six take Spanish twice a week, and students in grades seven and
eight receive it two times a week. Christian values are integrated
into all level of instruction, and the curriculum for grades seven and
eight aims to prepare students for intermediate level Spanish in high
school.
Physical Education:
All students at Iona Grammar School participate in
Physical Education class twice a week. The main focus for students in
grades Kindergarten through second is the development of gross motor
skills. The activities also promote the ability to follow directions,
and good sportsmanship. Students in grades three through eight are
introduced to soccer, basketball, hockey, softball, and football. The
program is designed to develop a sense of self-worth, self-discipline,
and fair play in a safe environment.
Art:
Art class is held once a week for all
grade levels. The objective for students in grades Kindergarten and
grade one is to introduce basic art elements. Examples include: the
color wheel, paints, crayons, lines, texture, and shape
elements. Students in
grades two through four expand on these basic elements and are
introduced to various works by many artists. When the children reach
grades five through eight the painting and drawing process is developed
to provide each student with the opportunity to expand creatively on his
experiences. Art
is 2 days a week for grades K-4 and once for grades 6-8.
The Art room is
supported by the generosity of the Joseph P. Corpina Foundation.
Technology:
Currently Iona Grammar has one main computer lab
equipped with (25) Dell Optiplex computers, all networked, for student use.
Our website has been recently remodeled and offers teacher emails, links
to student homework and helpful links for our parents. Every classroom has internet access and is
outfitted with at least two computers with the exception of the science
lab that has four workstations with the capacity to hold four additional
computers. All workstations are networked and Iona Grammar utilizes a
full point to point T1 line for Internet admittance. Our website has
been recently updated to include teacher e-mails, weekly homework
assignments, and monthly lunch and activities calendars. Our “Safe and
Acceptable Use Policy” on the Internet is taught and reinforced. A
weekly period is scheduled for each class in every grade level to use
the computer lab under the supervision of the computer teacher. Students
in Kindergarten through grade four are instructed in hardware
maintenance, and use various software titles that reinforce skills
taught in the classroom. Students in grade five through eight are
instructed on how to use Microsoft Office Products. Keyboarding skills
are taught at every grade level. Iona Grammar hopes
to move to a wireless environment in the future to
provide the students with the opportunity to use the most current
technology.
All classrooms are equipped with a computer, an interactive whiteboard
and Internet access.
Music:
Music meets twice a week for all grades. Grades K-4
are a choral based program. Grade 5 introduces
instrumentation through the recorder and grades 6-8 are
instrumental programs as well as continuing the choral program. Students
in all grade levels are introduced to music theory, history and
appreciation.
Library:
The library is available for all students to use when
supervised by a faculty member; however students in grade Kindergarten
through five have a formal library class once a week. The objectives are
as follows: To instill a love for reading and books at all levels; to
encourage borrowing of library books; to demonstrate and encourage use
of Westchester Library system and online catalog; to develop language
skills that include interpreting and evaluation of stories for main
idea, sequencing, predictions, genre characteristics, and themes; and to
coordinate with classroom teachers lessons to expand knowledge of
particular curriculum topics and foster a sense of comfort within a
library setting. Through the generosity and
hard work of our parents we have recently automated the library as well
as refurnished it with new tables and chairs. See the
Photo Gallery page for a few photos from
our library benefit.
Early Childhood Program
The
Early Childhood Program offers time and space for young children to be
children where they are free to play, explore and imagine. It is
designed to lead them from wonder to discovery and from investigation to
affirmation. It provides the opportunity for all children to associate
pleasures with learning so that each one feels good about himself.
The Early Childhood Facility at Iona Grammar School is
comprised of Kindergarten - Grade 3. The focus is put on children’s
developmental strengths and needs. In Kindergarten children are
instructed through discovery learning and guided practice. The program
is language rich with strong attention to each child’s educational
growth and development. The Kindergarten and first grade teacher work
closely together to coordinate the two programs assuring smooth
transition from one program to the next
Kindergarten - This program is a
full day session which meets five days a week. The hours of this program
are 8:20 am to 2:20 pm
Middle and Upper Programs
Iona Grammar School follows
the course of study prescribed by the University of the State of New
York Board of Regents for elementary
schools
and the Essential Learnings of the
Archdiocese of New York. Although exceeding all New
York State Education Department requirements, Iona's curriculum is far
more broad based in its scope. Using the Religious Education Guidelines
of the Archdiocese of New York as a guide, Iona Grammar School develops
in the school community an atmosphere animated by the spirit of liberty
and charity based on the Gospel.
Iona Grammar School students are
instructed in human knowledge and skills valued indeed for their own
worth, but seen simultaneously as deriving their most profound
significance from God's plan and love. Principles of faith are the
foundation for learning in Iona Grammar School, the inspiration for
teaching and for creating an environment in which Catholic values are
pervasive. The very care of our mission as Catholic educators is to
permeate the curriculum with religious values.
Grades 1-5
Math
Religion
Reading/Phonics (2 track:
mainstream & small group)
Social Studies
Language Arts (spelling,
penmanship, vocabulary, grammar)
Science/Health
Spanish (Grades 2-8)
Physical Education
Art/Music
Computer Literacy
Library Science
Grade 6-8 (same as above except)
Math (2 track: Regular &
Advanced) Math 9
Integrated Reading
(literature appreciation)
Art
Music
Summer School Requirements
Upon
failing a mandated course(s) of study at Iona Grammar (69% or lower) the
student is required to make up the work during the summer months.
Parents must choose from the following two options.
1. Private tutoring that must include:
-
30 hours of course work per
subject area, over a four-week period.
-
An approved
(by
Iona Grammar School) tutor.
-
An approved (by Iona Grammar School)
curriculum.
2. An approved summer school
program for each course subject failed:
-
Parents can call local school districts for
information.
-
Upon completion of the summer school
program(s), the school or school district must provide documentation to
Iona Grammar School stating the required course work was finished.
**If a student fails Spanish class for the year please contact Iona
Grammar to arrange the proper curriculum work, because Spanish is a
mandated course particular to Iona Grammar School.
Option 2 as stated above would not apply to Spanish.
If a student does not make up the required course work during the
summer, he will not be allowed to return to Iona Grammar for the current
school year.
A few faculty members at Iona Grammar may
be available for instruction during the summer. If you wish to inquire
about a private tutor, please call Mr. Blanco.
| School
hours: |
Office hours: |
Extracurricular activities: |
After
school programs: |
| 7:30am - 2:35pm |
8:00am - 3:00pm |
Run until 4:00pm |
Run until 5:30pm |
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