Course Descriptions 2024 - 2025
First/Second Grade (ages 6-7):
Young Choristers
Teacher: Mr. Paul Thomas May, MM
Course Description: The youngest grades are taught fundamentals of singing and memorization of sung prayers. The children are instructed on how singing, and the Mass are connected, and which Mass parts are sung during different times of the year. Children in this age group do not sing in the choir loft for the Masses during the school year. They are taught one or two parts of the ordinary chants with which they can sing along from the pews either from memory (as in class) or using the hymnal in the pews.
Lives of the Saints
Teacher: Miss Aquila Forbeck
Course Description: This course will cover a variety of saints. Students will discuss each saint’s heroic virtue with age-appropriate crafts, games, and activities to aid in learning. Necessary materials will be provided.
The Story of Civilization
Teacher: Mrs. Joelle Riethmiller
Course Description: This program from TAN Books reflects “a new emphasis in presenting the history of the world as a thrilling and compelling narrative. Within each chapter, children will encounter short stories that place them directly in the shoes of historical figures, both famous and ordinary, as they live through legendary battles and invasions, philosophical debates, the construction of architectural wonders, the discovery of new inventions and sciences, and the exploration of the world.”
Volume III: The Making of the Modern World, covers “the Renaissance and quickly diving in to the history-altering events of the Reformation. But during the most tumultuous times, God gives us the greatest saints. Children will meet great figures like Sts. Pius V, Thomas More, John Vianney, and Margaret Mary Alacoque, as well as powerful leaders like Napoleon and Kings Henry VIII of England and Louis XIV of France.”
Preparation for First Penance and First Holy Communion
Teacher: Fr. Smith, FSSP
Course Description: This course will be a thorough preparation for First Penance and First Holy Communion. Its successful completion will fulfill the requirements to receive each Sacrament.
Please Note: This course is not interchangeable with the Sunday program. Students must enroll in one or the other. Students must be in 2nd grade and are to reach age 7 by October 1.
If a child is in a sacramental prep class, they will miss either gym or choir. This is subject to change based on enrollment. Please check back at the Mandatory Parent Meeting to verify your student’s final schedule.
Text: The New Saint Joseph First Communion Catechism
Gym Program
Teachers: Mrs. Laura Carney, Mrs. Jessica Rosenberg
Course Description: Practice and develop skills in activities that will help students maintain fitness throughout their life including cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. Students will also learn the rules and strategies for various games such as basketball, volleyball, and dodgeball.
Third/Fourth Grade (ages 8-9)
Young Choristers
Teachers: Mr. Paul Thomas May, MM and Dr. Lenora Cuccia
Course Description: The youngest grades are taught fundamentals of singing and memorization of sung prayers. The children are instructed on how singing, and the Mass are connected, and which Mass parts are sung during different times of the year. Children in this age group do not sing in the choir loft for the Masses during the school year. They are taught one or two parts of the ordinary chants with which they can sing along from the pews either from memory (as in class) or using the hymnal in the pews.
Stories of the Bible
Teachers: Mrs. Mary Ellen Turletes and Miss Clara Forbeck
Course Description: This course will utilize the text The Story of the Bible. Our young readers will “discover not only the sanctity and wisdom, but the excitement of the stories and events that shaped human history and brought about our salvation.”
The Story of Civilization
Teacher: Mrs. Joelle Riethmiller
Course Description: This program from TAN Books reflects a new emphasis in presenting the history of the world as a thrilling and compelling narrative. Within each chapter, children will encounter short stories that place them directly in the shoes of historical figures, both famous and ordinary, as they live through legendary battles and invasions, philosophical debates, the construction of architectural wonders, the discovery of new inventions and sciences, and the exploration of the world.
Volume III: The Making of the Modern World, covers “the Renaissance and quickly diving in to the history-altering events of the Reformation. But during the most tumultuous times, God gives us the greatest saints. Children will meet great figures like Sts. Pius V, Thomas More, John Vianney, and Margaret Mary Alacoque, as well as powerful leaders like Napoleon and Kings Henry VIII of England and Louis XIV of France.
Gym Program
Teachers: Mrs. Laura Carney, Mrs. Jessica Rosenberg
Course Description: Practice and develop skills in activities that will help students maintain fitness throughout their life including cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. Students will also learn the rules and strategies for various games such as basketball, volleyball, and dodgeball.
Fifth/Sixth Grade (ages 10-11)
Choristers
Teacher: Dr. Lenora Cuccia
Course Description: For girls and boys with unchanged voices. Students are taught the tools they need in order to be able to teach themselves new chants. They study chant notation, singing techniques, solfège, intervals, and sight singing. These skills will help them learn new music, whether Propers, Ordinaries, or hymns, more quickly and easily should they join the Acolyte Schola or Cantor group for singing Masses. These students learn will review selected chants and hymns and may audition to sing in the choir loft for the three Masses each semester as space allows at the Music Director's approval.
The Story of Civilization
Teacher: Fr. Cortes, FSSP
Course Description: This program from TAN Books reflects a new emphasis in presenting the history of the world as a thrilling and compelling narrative. Within each chapter, children will encounter short stories that place them directly in the shoes of historical figures, both famous and ordinary, as they live through legendary battles and invasions, philosophical debates, the construction of architectural wonders, the discovery of new inventions and sciences, and the exploration of the world.”
Volume III: The Making of the Modern World, covers “the Renaissance and quickly diving in to the history-altering events of the Reformation. But during the most tumultuous times, God gives us the greatest saints. Children will meet great figures like Sts. Pius V, Thomas More, John Vianney, and Margaret Mary Alacoque, as well as powerful leaders like Napoleon and Kings Henry VIII of England and Louis XIV of France.
Gym Program
Teachers: Mrs. Laura Carney, Mrs. Jessica Rosenberg
Course Description: Practice and develop skills in activities that will help students maintain fitness throughout their life including cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. Students will also learn the rules and strategies for various games such as basketball, volleyball, and dodgeball.
Bible: Old Testament
Teacher: Fr. Zachary Barry
Course Description: The textbook for this class is: The Story of the Bible, Volume I: The Old Testament – Paul Thigpen, Ph.D (TAN pub.).
This textbook covers almost the entire text of the Old Testament, presenting the story of Salvation History leading up to the time of Christ. These Old Testament Bible stories will be examined and discussed with the object of getting a fundamental understanding of God’s message to the world before the birth of Jesus Christ.
Homework will consist of chapter readings from the text in preparation for the weekly lessons, occasionally interspersed and supplemented with other Scripture reading.
Students are responsible for bringing to class their Parish issued textbook The Story of the Bible, Volume I: The Old Testament, as well as a Bible (RSVCE or Douay-Rheims are preferred), notebook, writing utensils and a folder or binder for class papers.
Seventh/Eighth Grade (ages 12-13)
Story of Civilization
Teacher: Dr. Phillip Cuccia
Course Description: The course is based on the textbook: The Story of Civilization, Vol III, The Making of the Modern World by Phillip Campbell. The Class will get supplemental readings and each student will give a three-to-five-minute presentation during the year on a topic they will select from a list of topics discussed during the year. In addition, the students will write two short papers: one in each semester.
The textbook continues the journey, picking up at the Renaissance and quickly diving into the history-altering events of the Reformation. Children will meet great saints like Pius V, Thomas More, John Vianney, and Margaret Mary Alacoque, as well as powerful leaders like Napoleon and Kings Henry VIII of England and Louis XIV of France. This volume brings us through present-day Europe, showing us the effects of two world wars and how the Church responded to these changing times.
The text consists of 35 Chapters. During the course of the school year, we will normally take a chapter a day but on six days we will cover two chapters to complete the textbook.
Students are responsible for bringing to class their Parish issued textbook The Story of Civilization, Vol III, The Making of the Modern World, Students will also bring something to write with, notepaper and a binder to retain notes, syllabus and handouts.
Choristers
Teacher: Dr. Lenora Cuccia
Course Description: For boys with unchanged voices. Students are taught the tools they need in order to be able to teach themselves new chants. They study chant notation, singing techniques, solfège, intervals, and sight singing. These skills will help them learn new music, whether Propers, Ordinaries, or hymns, more quickly and easily should they join the Acolyte Schola or Cantor group for singing Masses. These students will learn selected chants and hymns and may audition to sing in the choir loft as space allows at the Music Director's approval.
OR
Cantors:
Teacher: Mr. Paul Thomas May, MM
Course Description: This group is responsible for singing three Masses each semester and are assigned chants of the Mass both Ordinary and Proper. Girls of all ages are given this assignment for additional academic rigor and younger treble voices (both boys and girls) may audition into this group if they have sufficient singing ability. Students are given listening assignments and strategies for practicing at home. Technical singing instruction and tips are given by the Music Director to this group; all are asked to sing to the best of their ability and are always given proper preparation for their responsibility.
Preparation for Confirmation
Teacher: Fr. Cortes, FSSP
Course Description: This course will be a thorough preparation for Confirmation and its successful completion will fulfill the requirements to receive the Sacrament.
Please Note: this course is not interchangeable with the Sunday program. Students must enroll in one or the other. Students must be in 8th grade and age 13 by time of reception on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
Text: The New Confraternity Revised Baltimore Catechism III, by Rev. Francis J. Connell, from Seton Press.
Gym Program
Teachers: Mr. Brian Whittaker, Mrs. Laura Carney, Mrs. Jessica Rosenberg
Course Description: Practice and develop skills in activities that will help students maintain fitness throughout their life including cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. Students will also learn the rules and strategies for various games such as basketball, volleyball, and dodgeball.
Drama- Fundamentals of Acting
Teacher: Dr. Lenora Cuccia
Course Description: This class will build students’ basic acting technique through practical exercises including voice, diction, movement, pantomime, memorization, and vocal recitation, culminating in the performance of a one-act play. No homework most weeks. Once roles are distributed, students may expect 15-20 minutes of memory work per week.
Note: girls must wear leggings under their dresses since this class involves active movement.
High School Courses
Saints of the Roman Canon
Teacher: Fr. Zachary Barry
Course Description: This course will examine saints of the Roman Canon throughout the school year. The class starts with a brief introduction to the Roman Canon and continues with an examination of the lives of these saints, studying one or more in each class meeting.
Note: No textbook. No homework. Students are responsible for bringing to class an orderly folder or binder with all class materials and handouts as well as a notebook and writing utensils.
Mater Dei Choristers (Choir)
Directed by Mr. Paul Thomas May, MM, assisted by Dr. Lenora Cuccia
Acolyte Schola: For older boys who have changed voices. With the Cantors, this group sings for three Masses each semester. Since this group of students is older on average, more difficult chants are assigned. Students are given listening assignments and strategies for practicing at home. Again, students have varied experience with singing, but all are expected to sing to their own capacity and are given professional instruction from the Music Director and/or another qualified musician when possible. These students have the added responsibility of vesting in cassock and surplice and may also be a part of the Mass procession.
Cantors: This group is responsible for singing three Masses each semester and are assigned chants of the Mass both Ordinary and Proper. Girls of all ages are given this assignment for additional academic rigor and younger treble voices (both boys and girls) may audition into this group if they have sufficient singing ability. Students are given listening assignments and strategies for practicing at home. Technical singing instruction and tips are given by the Music Director to this group; all are asked to sing to the best of their ability and are always given proper preparation for their responsibility.
Gym Program
Teachers: Mr. Brian Whittaker, Mrs. Laura Carney, Mrs. Jessica Rosenberg
Course Description: Practice and develop skills in activities that will help students maintain fitness throughout their life including cardiovascular endurance, flexibility, muscular strength, and muscular endurance. Students will also learn the rules and strategies for various games such as basketball, volleyball, and dodgeball.
Drama- Fundamentals of Acting
Teacher: Dr. Lenora Cuccia
Course Description: This class will build students’ basic acting technique through practical exercises including voice, diction, movement, pantomime, memorization, and vocal recitation, culminating in the performance of a one-act play. No homework most weeks. Once roles are distributed, students may expect 15-20 minutes of memory work per week.
Note: girls must wear leggings under their dresses since this class involves active movement.
Preparation for Confirmation
Teacher: Fr. Cortes, FSSP
Course Description: This course will be a thorough preparation for Confirmation and its successful completion will fulfill the requirements to receive the Sacrament. Please Note: this course is not interchangeable with the Sunday program. Students must enroll in one or the other. Students must be in 8th grade and age 13 by time of reception on Sunday, March 16, 2025.
Text: The New Confraternity Revised Baltimore Catechism III, by Rev. Francis J. Connell, from Seton Press.