Academics

The Holy Ghost Catholic School curriculum is in accordance with the curriculum of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe Catholic School Policy Manual.

Religion
The religion curriculum is based on Catholic doctrine and tradition, sacraments, Bible study, prayer, social justice, and preparation for the reception of the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist in third grade.
In addition, the religion curriculum has an emphasis on teaching students to be stewards of the earth through our Caring for Creation program in accord with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
Students in 5th and 8th grades will take the ACRE (Assessment of Catechesis/Religious Education) as required by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

Prayer and liturgical services are held on Fridays and/or Holy Days and for special events. A student-led Prayer Service begins each school day. All students registered at HGCS are required to take the religion course offered to their grade. The religion curriculum is consistent with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and conforms to the guidelines of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.

• Sacramental Program The sacramental life of the students of the Catholic tradition is an important component of the religion program at HGCS.  Catholic students in the 3rd grade receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) and the Sacrament of the Eucharist (First Communion) in the spring. The sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist are only conferred on students baptized in the Roman Catholic tradition or baptized and received into the Catholic Church. Catholic students in 4th through 8th grades who have not received these sacraments and wish to do so may make arrangements with the principal and the religion teacher. Parents are required to be active partners in the preparation of their children for these sacraments and are required to participate in the parent classes.

• Service Learning is an integral part of the religion curriculum. Students participate in community service that fulfills a goal of Catholic education: "to learn to serve others as Jesus did." Student service benefits the home, parish, school, and local communities. Students complete a Service Learning Log each semester and fulfill the requirements for their grade level.

Art and Music
Students receive formal art and music lessons weekly from our qualified Fine Arts teachers. Our art teacher works collaboratively with all classroom teachers to relate topics in art to the content areas students are studying. Our student art has been exhibited at the New Mexico State Fair and community buildings as well as during the annual All Catholic Schools Art Show.

In regular Music classes, students learn how to play boomwhackers, read music, sing, and gain an appreciation for different kinds of music and composers.

Choir
3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students are members of the school choir.
Guitar students are encouraged to perform at Mass throughout the school year.

Computer Technology
Holy Ghost maintains a computer network of one-to-one Chromebooks. The Google Apps for Education suite of applications facilitates communication and classroom instructions in grades K - 8.  Computer use and literacy is integrated into classroom instruction and support schoolwide goals. For example, students utilize computers to complete science projects, create Google Slide Show presentations, conduct Internet research, and participate in ongoing reading literacy programs.   

Language Arts
In 2019, Holy Ghost adopted Amplify® as a comprehensive literacy program. The program features digital and print components to enhance and support all types of learners. The software allows teachers to make "on-the-fly" adjustments to the level of support that best meets the need of the student in any lesson. Amplify Core Knowledge Language Arts® (CKLA) sequences deep content knowledge with research-based foundational skills for our Pre-K thru 5th grade students. Amplify ELA® engages 6th - 8th grade students in dynamic texts and lively discussion as they make observations, find evidence, and support claims. For our students needing additional reading support and intervention, Amplify mCLASS® connects screening, assessments, and lessons into a comprehensive program that integrates into the language arts lessons taught in class.  

Amplify CKLA and ELA are the highest-rated literacy curriculum, as reported by Ed Reports. Their strengths include the following characteristics:

• focused on all content areas (history, science, literature, and the arts) with systematic, foundational skills instruction.
• intentional in teaching students to apply background knowledge.
• focused on helping students build a robust knowledge base for accessing and unpacking complex texts so real comprehension can happen.
• filled with explicit foundational skills lessons, setting every student up to succeed.

In 6th-8th grades, students’ reading skills continue to develop in essential areas:

• Students are empowered to become critical thinkers.

Students can dive into complex texts and make observations, grapple with ideas, and make meaning for themselves, bringing personal relevance and previous knowledge to the table — especially given the freedom of thought that comes with knowing there is no one correct answer. Students will be exposed to relevant, real-world texts, fiction, nonfiction, and the classics.  

• Students receive opportunities and support to work “up.”

Students have multiple entry points and the right scaffolding opportunities so that every student can engage deeply with a rigorous curriculum. The challenge is meeting all students where they are, enabling access from any learning level, and allowing room for maximal growth to prepare students for grade-level expectations and year-end testing. All students work on the same text, allowing for more engaged conversation.

Library
When Holy Ghost moved to improve its reading program, it looked at its library and students’ access to contemporary, relevant, and high-interest readings. Since then, the library has undergone a multi-pronged approach to improve its collection and services. It has moved to the elementary building to provide constant access to the room and collection.

The Program's successes since 2019 are as follows:

1. Identified and purchased 300 culturally appropriate and diverse books.
2. Identified and purchased 400 up-to-date and appropriate non-fiction books.
3. Identified and purchased 120 fiction books.
4. Identified and purchased 100 young adult books.
5. Purchased 24 child friendly rocking seats for students to read and feel comfortable while in the library. The chairs are plastic, durable, and able to be wiped down, thus COVID-friendly.
6. Signed up each Holy Ghost student for an Albuquerque public library card which allows students to reserve and pick up books at their local public library branch (18 branches from the East Mountains to the West Mesa). Having a public library card also allows students to access ebooks, audio books, and the many electronic databases for research projects. Public library access also allows students to check out audiobooks to further engage students who benefit from seeing and hearing as they read
7. Taught each student and family how to access the Holy Ghost collection to be able to reserve books and pick them up during holidays and summer break.

The library will continue to expand by purchasing more of the following books:

• STEM-focused
• Multicultural 
• Spanish language
• Native American
• Local authors 
• Non-fiction, fiction, and young adult. 

Library class goes beyond checking out books:  

• Students learn how to use a library, how to use reference resources, and how to cite the various sources they use in their research projects. 
• The middle school students are able to choose from a menu of comprehension building assignments to deepen their connections with literature such as book summaries, time lines, book talks, graphic novelization of a book chapter, or a main character interview.

Mathematics
Eureka Math® is the most widely used math curriculum in the United States. This rigorous math curriculum supports productive struggle with a goal in mind of developing conceptual understanding by sequencing mathematical progressions in modules of multiple standards into a related group of lessons. The following are key components to the program’s success:

Math Minus Memorization

• Students are taught to strategize and solve math problems in place of memorizing answers to math equations.  

• Eureka Math scaffolds key concepts over time through building a more involved and connected story, with a focus on creating enduring conceptual knowledge. 
• Students gain a complete body of math knowledge, of number sense and how they interact with topics like algebra and geometry. 

There are several interrelated components to the program:

• Eureka Math In Sync™ allows teachers to access all the Eureka Math resources anytime including video lessons and fillable PDFs for students.
• Eureka Math Equip™ provides teachers with a way to ensure students have essential math skills to succeed at grade level by offering a digital pre-module assessment tool, so that teachers identify and remediate knowledge gaps.
• Eureka Math Affirm® is a digital mid- and end-of-module assessment and practice tool that provides educators with a database of assessment items and analytics tools to help track student progress and identify areas of need.

Physical Education
Promotion of healthy living is the focus of our physical education curriculum. The physical education program involves movement, flexibility, cardiovascular exercise, and games and is designed appropriately for each grade level. The PE program teaches the importance of regular exercise and healthy eating habits. In addition, it stresses cooperation among the students and the development of physical coordination and individual skills.

All students receive a minimum of two 45-minute PE classes weekly.

Science
The NextGen National Standards in Science are the foundation of the school's science curriculum. Critical thinking and hands-on learning are central to the school’s science instruction in all grades. We use STEMscopes, a digital curriculum brought to life through exploratory hands-on kits that promote inquiry and excitement as students engage in real-world scientific connections. It is built on the research-based 5E lesson model and aligned to standards.

STEM Fair
STEM Fair is an annual event. Students in Kindergarten through 3rd grades work on class projects; students in 4th through 8th grades submit individual projects. All middle school students have the opportunity to work with qualified mentors from the community. The mentors help expand the students’ understanding of the scientific method while helping them prepare their projects.

Social Studies
The emphasis in Social Studies is on understanding and appreciation of the richness of all cultures as well as preparing students to participate fully in our democracy. Geography and its relationship to the history of people is also an essential part of the curriculum. Students in 4th and 7th grades study New Mexico History as required.

Spanish
Spanish is taught from Pre-K through 8th grade. Students learn the Spanish language and culture through hands-on activities such as games, puppetry, listening activities, plays, cooking, and more, as well as writing and memorization. Middle school students learn vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure.