Academics

St. Luke's offers rich academic programs which include: Religion, Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Technology, Visual Arts, Music, Sports, Drama and Special Events such as The Christmas Show and Game Night.

Pre-K Program

St. Luke's offers one of the best pre-school programs in the Bronx. Twenty children (age 4) enjoy a full day of positive affirmation and individualized, developmentally appropriate instruction in an open classroom setting under the direction of a trained Head Teacher. Assisted by an aide, the children work in the various learning centers throughout the classroom. Instruction often comes in the form of play. "Circle Time" is the highlight of the day where children gather together for special instruction.

Religion

The Religion Program follows the curriculum presented by the Archdiocese of New York. We also provide additional opportunities to share our faith as a school community, including school masses to begin and end the year and at holidays. Charitable giving is also encouraged through Thanksgiving food drives and collections for foreign missions serving the poor.

Math

Students initially develop skills that help them grasp the foundation of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In older grades, emphasis is placed on critical thinking, problem solving and logical reasoning. Teachers integrate math into other curricular areas, preparing students for success in high school and enabling them to see math as an essential life skill. By the time a student has completed our math curriculum, they are well prepared for the challenges of the intense high school math courses.

Language Arts

A balanced literacy model is used to teach vocabulary, reading, and writing. The reading curriculum is designed to help students become critical thinkers and independent readers. Higher order thinking skills are taught to all children.

Science

In the grade K-3, the curriculum includes an overview of many aspects of physical, life, and earth sciences. In older grades, classes use the science lab in order to conduct science experiments and apply the scientific method. Through a balance of text study and experiments, the curriculum develops the skills of predicting possibilities, comparing results, and explaining observations. The use of an interactive SmartBoard in the science lab enhances the lessons and offers opportunities for the children to integrate technology into their course of study.

Social Studies

Students investigate how the development of different societies and the achievements of various individuals and civilizations have shaped the world. Students learn the history of many "communities" from the ancient world to modern day. A focus on critical reading and writing enables students to develop the skills and knowledge needed for high school and beyond. The use of data based questioning is a large part of connecting social studies with the reading and writing necessary for future success in this subject.

Enrichment Programs:

Technology Programs

Our computer lab is equipped with state-of-the-art iMac computers and a library of software for students from grades Pre-K through 8. Two computers are in every classroom. Presently, there are also ten laptops that are used by teachers to integrate technology into subject areas on a regular basis. We are also equipped with five smartboards in the building, which are easily accessible to all teachers.

Visual Arts and Music Programs

Children from grades 1 to 8 attend a weekly art class. The program's goal is to stimulate "visual thinking" and creative use of materials and concepts. All children attend a weekly music class where they learn about percussion, rhythm and beats. In grades 2 and 3, children trained by a music instructor learn to play the recorder and read music. During after school hours, children also have the option of participating in band class, where they learn to play an instrument of their choice, culminating in a concert where student musicians perform in front of an audience. Children may also learn to play the guitar in a small group-setting after school.

Sports Programs

All students receive physical education instruction once a week. The school has after school sports programs, which include boys and girls varsity basketball. In addition, there is an intramural volleyball program and afterschool "open gym hours," so that the children can play basketball.

Drama

Children in the middle grades have an opportunity to participate in a school play that is selected by the club coordinators. Children are able to participate as actors/actresses or as members of the stage crew.

Special Events

Ethnic pride is an important part of St. Luke's School. Our annual Culture Day is the culmination of a school wide year-long study of countries throughout the world. The children create wonderful displays of artifacts, collect and organize information, and learn to appreciate each other's different backgrounds. Parents and community members are invited to see the children in native attire, taste the food of each country, and enjoy the celebration of heritage.

The Feast of St. Luke, on October 18th, is a big day at St. Luke's School. Always celebrated on a school day, the day begins with a school Mass in honor of our patron saint, during which we learn about the life of St. Luke. We end the day with a school-wide Hat Day parade in the school yard that students have designed themselves. Parents and teachers also join in the festivities.

School also presents an annual Christmas show. All classes participate in the performance and hear a variety of songs, traditional and non-traditional. Parents are invited to attend.

Game Night is held twice during the school year, one Friday night in the fall and one in the spring. Children are invited to come and play board games with their friends, including Bingo and Connect Four tournaments; parents are welcome to join in the fun.