Jr. High
Language Arts (ELA) – Mrs. Thomas
Math – Mrs. Cheney
Religion - Mrs. Pate & Mrs. Little
Science – Mrs. little & Mrs. Thomas
Social Studies – Mrs. Pate
Newsletter
Junior High Helpful Websites
Welcome to St. Mary Catholic School Junior High! So much growth
happens between sixth and eighth grade. The skills that students develop during these years will be the ones they carry with them through high school and beyond.
Sixth graders transition into middle school by learning to navigate school with new independence. They have a locker and five academic teachers. They are taught how to organize and to manage their time to handle new workload expectations in middle school.
As Seventh and Eighth graders continue to mature in their social interactions and academic habits, they are trusted with more responsibility and independence. Teachers expect big things from them, and they deliver!
We have open communication between teachers and parents including Friday letters, SIS, Microsoft TEAMS and emails. We encourage students to email teachers with questions.
Students are expected to check their grades and assignments on Family Portal daily. They have daily homework and weekend assignments. There is more homework to do than in previous grades, and it takes time to adjust. Long term assignments are monitored by teachers with checkpoints.
Students will be assessed in reading comprehension and math skills three times per year using the Renaissance Benchmarking Tools. Data from benchmarking will be used to challenge and support continued growth across all subject areas.
Students take nine-week exams in all content areas. Teachers work with students the week before to prepare for the exams.
Junior high has recess worked into our daily schedule. We go to lunch and recess as a group.
Tutoring is offered by teacher invitation on Tuesdays. Students that need help in more than one area will alternate teachers for tutoring.
Cursive is mandatory in middle school.
Students learn note-taking skills beginning with structured forms in sixth grade and moving to more independent note-taking in eighth grade.
ELA
- Consists of Vocabulary, English, Writing, and Reading. Students will have daily practice in reading, writing, vocabulary, and grammar.
- Vocabulary/Spelling units are on a two-week rotation. The first week vocabulary cards are completed. The second week a spelling test and a vocabulary test is taken over the same unit which includes applying vocabulary words, synonyms, and antonyms in sentences.
- By middle school, students should be reading fluently. Students begin to focus on writing while reading. Students learn to develop a well thought out thesis and supporting details. Our Reading instruction uses a combination of a basal reader and novels throughout the year. Students read one novel in the fall and one novel in the spring.
- Students are expected to read AR books, complete products, and take AR tests to achieve an AR goal each nine weeks and that grade is counted as a test grade.
- Advanced grammar skills are taught using the Voyages.
Math
- Includes mastery and extension of elementary material, problem solving, and pre-algebra. Math homework should be expected nightly.
- Students are expected to have all their math facts mastered prior to beginning 6th grade to ensure success.
- Students will have access to online resources with their textbooks.
- There are two choices for 8th grade math based on grades, test scores, and teacher recommendation.
Science 
- Consists of lab stations, class projects, Texas Interactive Science, and learning to take notes.
- Some topics covered are force and motion, potential and kinetic energy, transformation, organisms, cells, classification, space, planets, lunar and star cycle, matter and energy, density, and energy source.
Social Studies
- Consists of completing projects, reading and discussing chapters, and learning how to take notes.
- Students will have access to resources from their online textbook. Students will focus on different cultures and how they influence the world today.
- Sixth graders explore different continents and countries while perfecting mapping skills, note taking, and memorization.
- Seventh grade explores the rich culture and history of Texas and does a Mission project.
- Eighth grade explores the founding of our nation and explores how the Civil War affected our nation.
Religion
- Requirements include at least 20 hours of service each semester. Some of this is achieved by helping serve at Mass. Additional service time must be completed out of school.
- Students attend weekly Mass on Fridays.
- Sixth grade focuses on introduction to scripture.
- Seventh grade focuses on Christology.
- Eighth grade focuses on church history.
- All students focus on the Old and New Testaments, study the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and complete Mass reflection assignments from Friday or Sunday Masses.
Technology
- Classes provide instruction on keyboarding skills, Microsoft Office skills, and research skills on a weekly basis. Student have their own school emails to help foster communications with teachers.
Middle school at St. Mary is unique, because we can interact with our students in many different environments. Students have leadership opportunities, work on service, and develop a strong foundation in faith.
Middle school goes on field trips such as a trip to the Houston Museum of Natural Science for a dissection lab. Eighth graders go to Washington D.C. for a week in May for their eighth-grade trip.
We are very proud of our middle school. Our students accomplish amazing things!
