Programs
Kindergarten
St. Pius X offers a full day kindergarten program that incorporates theme and play-based learning through a centres approach. Daily activities reinforce curricular areas such as literacy, mathematics, science, social studies and art. Academic skills are taught in small group lessons and reinforced through exploration and play activities. Students participate in daily literature experiences which allow them to develop important reading skills. French, music, physical education and technology are all part of the kindergarten program at St. Pius X.
Students also develop important social skills and independence while following our school code of “Reverence, Respect and Responsibility.” Formal religious instruction is taught daily and the faith message is integrated into all areas of the program.
Kindergarten at St. Pius X is an exciting place for children to discover, explore and learn in their first “formal” year of school.
Primary
The primary portion of the elementary school program, which is from kindergarten through grade 3, fosters the continuing growth of a student’s knowledge and understanding of themselves and their world. The program recognizes that each student’s acquisition and use of language, thinking and learning is different and accommodates the broad spectrum of learning rates and styles, knowledge, experiences and interests.
Instructional models, strategies, resources, and facilities support this diversity. Instruction integrates content and process, concepts and attitudes, and reflects the understanding that children learn through active involvement and play. Assessment and evaluation are integral components of the teaching-learning process and facilitate instructional decision-making. Evidence of learning is gathered through a variety of developmentally-appropriate strategies. Teachers and parents, who are valued partners in children’s education, cooperate to create the climate of safety, success and mutual respect necessary for lifelong learning.
Intermediate
The intermediate program honours the integrity of the learner by nurturing a disposition toward lifelong learning. Teaching that attends to the developmental needs of each young person enables learners to understand themselves and their world and to develop their capacities to think critically, communicate effectively, care deeply, and act wisely.
The focus of the intermediate portion of the elementary school program, which is grades 4 through 7, is on students who are active participants in their learning experiences. The varied and individual needs of students determine which instructional methods are used. This feature of the intermediate portion of the elementary school program enables students to continue developing their individual potentials, ready to meet the future as educated citizens and productive members of society.
Other Programs
St. Pius X School has a Learning Resource program led by a resource teacher, and a full-time EA support team. Academic instruction at St. Pius X is presented in all learning modalities, enabling students with various learning styles and ranges of academic capabilities to achieve success and to excel in the classroom.
Classroom teachers employ different learning strategies including direct instruction, flexible grouping, guided reading groups, cooperative learning centres, word study, music, audio-visual aids, science experiments and hands-on math activities utilizing physical and virtual manipulatives.
Teachers are aware of the special needs of the students and individual attention is provided to support student achievement. St. Pius X works diligently to ensure that students receive the attention and care they need to be successful. Parents, teachers, and the resource teacher meet regularly to develop and follow through on individualized education plans, giving each student access to all available resources.
Daily reading programs such as Reading A-Z, Great Leaps and Lexia; math programs such as Touch Math and Math U See; as well as the social and emotional learning resource, Zones of Regulation, are all regularly implemented throughout the year.
St. Pius X Elementary School offers a diverse music education which contributes to each child’s development of social skills, cooperation, sense of responsibility, respect for others, self-control and leadership.
The kindergarten, grade 1 and grade 2 classes approach music education through song, dance, acting, self-expression and fun. Within this, the students learn the basics of music, improve their listening skills and develop self-confidence. Grade 1 students begin to learn how to read music rhythms and how to perform music as a group through song, dance, and boomwhackers. Students in grade 2 start to read music and learn to play the glockenspiel.
All students at St. Pius X Elementary School have the opportunity to learn to play several different musical instruments. Students in grades 3 and 4 continue to learn the foundations of music and how to play the recorder. They develop skills practicing individually and learn to practice and perform as a group. All students in grade 5 learn to play the ukulele while continuing to learn music theory. Students in grade 6 learn to play the guitar while further developing their understanding of music theory.
Students in grade 7 play in a band where they learn to play their chosen instrument and further develop skills of working within a group.
All students at St. Pius X Elementary School are provided with many opportunities to perform. Students participate in Christmas performances, choir performances throughout the year, a year-end band concert and at our Music Performance Night.
The music education provided by St. Pius X Elementary School enables students to make music an enjoyable and meaningful part of their lives.
Students from kindergarten through to grade 7 receive two to three blocks of French as a Second Language instruction weekly. French is learned through songs and various interactive opportunities.
A combination of gesture (AIM) and thematic approaches are used in the classroom. Students are learning a second language within a context that is both meaningful and fun.
“If I was a book, I would be a library book, so I would be taken home by all different sorts of kids.”
– CorneliaFunke
“A good library will never be too neat, or too dusty, because somebody will always be in it, taking books off the shelves and staying
up late reading them.”
– Lemony Snicket
Welcome to our library, an inviting and positive place for students to come and develop a love of reading, as well to develop skills for identifying, locating, and evaluating varied information sources. It is also a somewhat messy place to find many happy books and our share of delightfully sleepy-eyed children.
Through a collaborative effort between the teacher-librarian and the classroom teachers, an effective school library program has been created (and continuously updated), to promote avid readers and information-literate citizens. Our library program provides instruction in the areas of curriculum support, information literacy, and literature appreciation.
Our library is more than just books; it is a place where meaningful experiences can foster the love of literature and learning. Various school-wide events and activities throughout the year help to achieve this – such as our Book Fair, Speech Arts, and Readers are Leaders.
I look forward to working with your children this year and to helping them grow as readers.
Please feel free to contact me at school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
You can now access the school library catalogue online! Please click below to search our library collection:
Religious Instruction
Learning and living the faith are essential in the Christ-centred learning environment of St. Pius X. Each day starts with school-wide prayer and classroom prayer. Daily formal religious instruction is conducted in the classrooms and is reinforced as teachers incorporate Catholic values throughout the day. The school code of Reverence, Respect and Responsibility and sacramental preparations are the cornerstones of building our faith community.
The entire school attends Mass together each month. Students prepare the liturgy and participate as lectors, gift bearers, and members of the choir.
Our pastor, Father John Horgan, is actively engaged in school activities and is thoroughly supportive of St. Pius X School.
Special religious events include :
- All Saints Day celebration
- Remembrance Day assembly
- Advent Paraliturgies
- Catholic Schools Week activities
- Lenten activities including prayer services, Stations of the Cross, and Reconciliation
- Sacramental retreats
- Grade 2 Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
- Grade 7 Confirmation
- School-wide assemblies
Reconciliation and First Holy Communion
Preparation for and receiving the sacraments are unique aspects of faith formation at St. Pius X.
Students in grade 2 spend the school year preparing for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion.
In preparation for Lent and Reconciliation, grade 2 students celebrate a day-long Reconciliation retreat.
In late April, grade 2 students celebrate a First Holy Communion retreat in preparation for the Eucharist.
Confirmation
Confirmation preparation formally begins in grade 7. It is a year-long journey involving both parent and student, culminating in the conferring of the sacrament at the Confirmation mass.
Students participate in a Spirit Day retreat conducted by the Archdiocese of Vancouver and a Spring School retreat conducted by the National Evangelization Team Ministry.
Students perform many service projects and complete mass journals as part of their preparation for reception of the sacrament
Extracurricular
| Cross-Country: | Students grades 2-7 |
| Soccer: | Boys grades 4-7 |
| Volleyball: | Girls grades 4-7 |
| Basketball: | Students grades 5-7 |
| Track & Field: | Students grades 3-7 |
At St. Pius X we pride ourselves on offering a variety of extracurricular activities that meet the needs and interests of our students.
Art Club
Students are welcome to join the Art Club, where they come together to share in an appreciation of visual art activities. Students have opportunities to look at various artist styles while examining art elements, techniques, and medias. Past projects have included practice in the use of watercolours, acrylics, paper, and mixed media.
Guardian Gazette, School Newspaper
Students at St. Pius X publish “The Guardian Gazette” newspaper, which highlights all the wonderful learning opportunities, activities and events throughout the year. The Guardian Gazette is published two times per year and is open to all students at the school.
R.C. Challenge
Roman Catholic Challenge is an exciting, fast-paced “Jeopardy” style challenge game open to students in grades 5-7. Teams of students respond to questions about the Catholic faith.
Readers are Leaders
“Readers Are Leaders” is a fun, competitive, reading trivia program open to students in grades 5-7. Students participate by reading six novels that have been selected by CISVA librarians. Students meet regularly to discuss the novels and create questions in preparation for local and regional competitions.
As a Catholic school, faith is the foundation upon which our school is built and the predominant influencing factor in our development as compassionate human beings. Students at St. Pius X take an active leadership role in community service projects and fundraising initiatives.
Some of these initiatives include:
- Assisting/volunteering at St. Pius X Parish
- Volunteering at Parkgate Community Centre and Kiwanis Senior Care Centre
- Making and serving sandwiches at the “Door Is Open” Soup Kitchen
- Supporting various local charities and organizations: Terry Fox Foundation, Heart and Stroke Foundation, BC Children’s Hospital, BC Cancer Agency, Variety Club, Alzheimer’s Society, GGMS and Make-a-Wish Foundation.
St. Pius X has a committed Student Council made up of ten members and an active Executive Council made up of four members. The Student Council works to raise funds for various local charities and organizations.