Congratulations to the Junior High team on their 1st place finish in the Wheaton Library Young Adult Battle of the Books Competition. The team had been hard at work since June. The library provided a list of 20 books for the season. The students participated in 6 rounds of competition where they tested their knowledge of those books against other private and public schools.

There’s been a lot of research about the best ways for kids to learn how to read. This includes things like sounds (phonics), reading smoothly (fluency), and understanding what they read (comprehension). This is called the Science of Reading (and writing). It shows that kids learn best when teachers give clear and organized lessons based on what we know works. While most of this research has been used for younger kids in kindergarten to fifth grade, it can also help older students, like those in middle school, become better readers and understand their other subjects too!

What is i-Ready? i-Ready was invented in 2011 as a combination of the i-Ready Diagnostic and an online instruction program. This combo allows for assessments that are followed up with personalized instruction. Once students complete the Diagnostic, i-Ready builds a unique lesson plan with a starting point for each learner based on their individual results. i-Ready gives teachers the flexibility to add lessons or adjust the lesson sequence based on their own knowledge of their students. The tests are adaptive in nature allowing students to reach beyond what they may currently have mastered.

St Joan of Arc Catholic School is thrilled to announce the addition of “Thinking Maps” for the 2024-2025 School Year. Thinking Maps is a whole-school, brain-based approach to teaching and learning designed to build foundational critical thinking, problem-solving, comprehension, and communication skills necessary for academic success. The Maps provide a shared visual “language for learning” for our entire school. This will allow students to build upon their skills year after year and carry these traits to the next grade and beyond.

Congratulations to SJA 8th grader, Vincenzo Lucafo '28, one of the two inaugural recipients of the Sean P. Richards Memorial Scholarship at Benet High School! Vincenzo was selected because, like Sean, he chooses to live his Catholic faith, with sincere kindness, a positive influence to all, love, laughter, joy, compassion, empathy, and wonder. Congratulations!

St Joan of Arc School has a very strong and successful athletic program. Our sports calendar begins with Cross Country and Volleyball in the fall, followed by Basketball and Cheerleading. Our final sport season of the year is Track and Field. We're thrilled to announce the results of our recent track meet! 🎉 Congratulations to all the participants for their outstanding performances! 🌟

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U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recognized St Joan of Arc Catholic School as a 2023 National Blue Ribbon School based on the school's high academic performance. St Joan of Arc was honored alongside 353 other schools across the nation at a recognition ceremony held Nov. 16-17 in Washington.

A long standing and cherished tradition at St Joan of Arc - First Grade All Saints Day presentation. Our 1st graders study their Saint and learn facts about them to then share with the school and their families. Each student also dresses as a representation of their saint for the program.

"Lord, as the saints in Heaven adore You for eternity, I beg for their intercession. Saints of God, please come to my aide. Pray for me and bring to me the grace I need to live a holy life in imitation of your own lives. All saints of God, pray for us."