Mission Statement
St. Dominic School inspires children to excel as confident leaders, critical thinkers, and responsible citizens in a Catholic, values-based community.
Areas of Emphasis:
- Believe and Read Literacy Program powered by Groves Academy (K-3)
- Academic Excellence- Meeting and exceeding Minnesota State Academic Standards in all content areas
- Right-sized class sizes
- Individualized Instruction
- Enrichment Support- Tier I and Tier II interventions
- Faith and Virtue Development
- STEM Focused
- Collegiate Partnerships
School Philosophy
We believe education fosters growth in all dimensions: spiritual, intellectual, social, physical and emotional. We believe in the importance of:
- Learning the values of the Gospel and encouraging students to use their gifts in service to the Church, community, and the world
- Respecting the dignity and differences of each person
- Lifelong spiritual development and learning
Philosophy of Assessment
Assessments are an important part of the learning process. The teachers, staff, and students at St. Dominic School utilize three different types of assessments to measure student progress towards the mastery of the Minnesota State Education Standards.
Instructional Strategies: Assessment as Learning— Our students use ongoing self-assessment in order to monitor their own learning, which is identified by students reflecting on their own learning and making adjustments so that they achieve deeper understanding.
Formative: Assessment for Learning—The teacher uses this type of assessment to guide instruction in their classroom and lessons. The information is used by the teacher to inform instructional practices of Tier 1 instruction (instruction within the classroom). It is used to check for student understanding and mastery of the concepts of the lesson, and it provides guidance for changes in instructional practices in instruction or a need for differentiation. These assessments may also be used in preparation for providing Tier 2 or Tier 3 support for a student.
Summative: Assessment of Learning—The information is used by teachers and the principal to evaluate student understanding against the curriculum and instructional practices. This is accomplished through our tri-annual NWEA/MAP standardized testing in grades K-8 and our tri-annual AIMS Web literacy testing in grades K-3.