Campus Life

What Students Learn

Using the Orff approach, students will learn about rhythm, melody, harmony, texture, form and other elements of music. Students learn these concepts by engaging in singing, dancing, movement, acting and playing instruments. Learning music through these concepts is the gateway for more creative expression, for improvisation and composing their own music.

Students will also be introduced to using their voice as an “instrument” and will learn the proper techniques of singing. Students will focus on tone, vocal dynamics, vocal resonation, diaphragmatic breathing, and performance.

How Students Learn

Students will learn music and basic theory by learning songs, using a variety of percussion instruments, voice lessons, and many hands on musical activities that encourage active learning.

How Learning is Measured

Learning will be measured by participation and engagement in the various activities, demonstrating a positive attitude and behavior in class, and basic understanding of the music concepts.

“Since the beginning of time, children have not liked to study. They would much rather play, and if you have their interests at heart, you will let them learn while they play; they will find that what they have mastered is child’s play.” Carl Orff

All students are exposed to a variety of fine arts performances and assemblies throughout the year, and actively participate in three annual on-site performances.

Three diverse performing arts assemblies are held to accentuate the schools fine arts programs. The Anaheim Ballet, Opera Pacific and the Shakespearean Actors troupe highlight a long list of past guest performers. The ‘mad science’ assemblies enhance the science curriculum as well.

The Christmas program is all inclusive and is performed in St. Cecilia Church, adjacent to the school. Students learn unique Christmas songs in music class, which are woven throughout the traditional story of the birth of Christ. The school’s vocal and hand-bell choirs also participate in this evening of song and spiritual celebration.

“Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”
– Albert Einstein

Our Art program aims to open up the imagination and creativity of our students, while giving them fundamentals in Art concepts and techniques and Art History and building strong links between art and other academic subjects.

Each class will complete a variety of projects throughout the year, giving each student the confidence to express individual creativity, build skills, and learn art concepts and art history. Each year’s curriculum builds on what was learned in previous years. The projects I select each year represent a creative exercise for me as well as the children. In addition to including some variation on familiar projects that the students have seen done by previous classes, I introduce a few all new projects each year. For example this year we will be doing the familiar papier mache masks in the seventh grade, fish sculptures in grade five and clay and wire figures in grade six; we are also doing some new projects like the day of the dead sculptures in grade eight. More new projects will be created as the year progresses.

Students will learn concepts such as color, line, texture, shape and form. They will also become familiar with different media and techniques such as drawing, painting, collage, 3-d constructions, crayon-resist, self portraits, landscapes, city-scapes; Media include: pastel, markers, crayon, tempera paint, acrylic paint, etc.

Art genres covered include: impressionism, op art, abstract art, cubism, realism. In the upper grades we emphasize ties between Art and other subjects, such as cultural and historical aspects of art. They explore aspects of art history from many cultures. We typically do projects such as cave art, Egyptian theme art, Roman or Byzantine-inspired paper mosaics, coats of arms, medieval-inspired stain-glass window scratch art, Japanese collages, and more.

Each class has one period of Art each week. Because not all students complete projects at the same rate, I am available at many recess and lunch times to provide extra assistance. Occasionally students may need to catch up on some projects at home. Completed art will be displayed in the school and some pieces will be submitted to local art shows.

Physical Education

St. Cecilia offers a comprehensive Physical Education Program. The curriculum was created using National and California standards. It is based on sequential, developmental, age-appropriate physical activities designed to provide students with the knowledge and ability to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle from childhood through adulthood. Specifically, the St. Cecilia physical education program:

• Encourages students to be active in lifetime leisure activities within the community and/or individually.
• Teaches students how to develop social skills so they can successfully interact with their peers in all aspects of their lives.
• Exposes students to a wide variety of physical and health related activities.

As part of the Physical Education program at St. Cecilia School, all students in grades first through eighth participate in the President’s Challenge Physical Fitness Test. The challenge includes a battery of physical fitness tests such as Curl Ups, Shuttle Run, Long Distance Run, Pull Ups, Arm Hang, and Sit & Reach.

Each student receives a computer-generated report that compares their fitness test results with other students in the same age group across the United States and Canada. It also compares their test results from year to year.

After School Sports

St. Cecilia School Student Expectations The St. Cecilia School After-School Sports Program is an important element of the educational program. Students who participate in the After-School Sports program are expected to:

• Learn the fundamentals of the sport
• Model Christian values
• Play hard while exhibiting self-discipline
• Exhibit good sportsmanship and respect for fellow athletes, coaches, opponents, and officials
• Focus on giving his/her best regardless of the outcome of a game
• All students in grades five through eight have the opportunity to participate in after school sports provided they are in good academic standing. Our teams are part of the Parochial Athletic League (PAL) and play other parochial schools throughout Orange County.

All students in grades 5-8 have the opportunity to participate in after school sports, provided they are in good academic standing. Our teams are part of the Parochial Athletic League (PAL) and play other parochial schools throughout Orange County.

Catholic Action Responsibility and Education

The goal of the C.A.R.E. program is to create in our children an informed and compassionate attitude toward others that will remain with them for the rest of their lives. The program was created to build in understanding each year, and offers our children a way to make a difference. It teaches that hopeless situations aren’t to be left alone and that each child can make a difference as we are all called to do. Each grade has a focused area of concentration which is age appropriate. In teaching the students to think outside of themselves and to care for others, the environment and all of God’s creations, CARE emphasizes that action is more than giving money to causes; it is about reaching out to others and the community.

Goals and Dreams of C.A.R.E

• To create in our children an informed and compassionate attitude toward others that will remain with them throughout their lives.
• To teach the children that Christ’s words must not be only learned, but lived at home and at school, and acted upon in our world.
• That students, parents and teachers model Christ in the way we live by treating others with respect and consideration at home and at school.
• As God’s people, we will put our beliefs into action by reaching out in service to those in need in our communities, our country and the world.

St. Cecilia School believes that one of the best ways to keep learning relevant is to show students how what they learn is used in the broader community. We enrich their education by providing them with multiple opportunities to experience the world.

PS – K4

• Tanaka Farms- Pumpkin Patch

Kindergarten5 – Grade 2

• Discovery Science Center
• Heart of Jesus Retreat Center (religion- First Communion Retreat)
• Inside the Outdoors (science)
• Kellogg House in Santa Ana (social studies)
• Oak Canyon Nature Center (language arts, science)
• Ricky the Raindrop-Water District (science)
• Segerstrom Center for the Arts (arts)
• Travelling Scientists and Naturalists (science)

Grade 3 – Grade 5

• Back Bay (science)
• Mary’s Kitchen (CARE)
• Mission San Juan Capistrano (social studies)
• Pacific Marine Mammal Center and Laguna Beach Clean-up (science, CARE)
• Walk through California (social studies)
• Walk through the Revolution (social studies)
• Riley’s Farm Gold Rush Adventure (social studies)
• Segerstrom Center for the Arts (arts)

Grade 6 – Grade 8

• Bowers Museum (social studies)
• Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (religion)
• Corona Del Mar Tide Pools (science)
• Getty Museum (arts, social studies)
• Museum of Tolerance (social studies)
• Pali Mountain Camp (science and leadership)
• Segerstrom Center for the Arts (arts)