OLPH School maintains the Texas Education Agency (TEA) accreditation standards through the Texas Catholic Conference Education Department (TCCED). The school is a National Catholic Education Association (NCEA) member.
We are proud to support our students by also providing:
Academic Interventionists – OLPH Catholic School is blessed to have two full-time and one part-time dedicated employees to help students who need extra educational guidance, including those diagnosed with academic or behavioral issues, such as dyslexia. The interventionists also administer tests and quizzes to those children whose accommodations require small group administering as well as oral presentation of all tests and quizzes. They read and review all testing from school districts as well as physicians that apply to students. The interventionists write, check and support all teachers with the accommodation binders.
Counseling Services - The School Counselor provides comprehensive counseling services to all students through the guidance curriculum, individual student planning, and responsive services. The school counselor participates in the intervention team process and works closely with administration to assist students in all grades K3-8 and includes individual short-term counseling, small group counseling, parent/guardian and family consultation and faculty and staff consultation.The counselor consults with teachers, parents and staff to enhance their effectiveness in helping students, works with individuals and small groups of children toward social and emotional growth, and consults with, and trains, teachers, parents and staff regarding children’s needs. If necessary, the counselor will refer students and their parents to special programs, specialists, and outside agencies. The School Counselor maintains an office in the main school office building.
Tutoring - Any student in grade K-8 can participate in before or after school tutoring which assists students requiring additional support, make-up or retesting, and group study opportunities. Tutoring is available in the mornings from 7:15-7:50 or after school from 3:45-4:45.
Enrichment Courses – In middle school, the daily schedule includes various enrichment courses each semester that students may choose. These courses offer a variety of ways for students to explore learning. During the school year, students can select from the following course offerings: Music (recorder ensemble or hand bells), Student Success Course, Creative Writing, Speech, Health, Catholic Social Teaching, Computer Applications, Boss Club, Computer Literacy, Introduction to Spanish I & II, Mythology, Journalism, and Yearbook. These offerings provide students with diverse choices and opportunities to excel in subject areas beyond core curriculum.
ENRICHMENT COURSE SUMMARIES
Handbells: An important part of the music ministry in the school is the enrichment choir. Regular performance leading the choral selections in liturgical celebrations will be a major component of this course. Objectives will include singing in harmonies, combining with instrumental ensembles, and working with hand bells. The choir is open for both boys and girls as students will experiment in the soprano-alto-tenor part singing format. Occasional performances outside of the school day will be required.
Community Service: This course is designed to support our school and parish service projects. Service hours cannot be acquired during school while attending this class. However, any service project requiring hours outside the school day are hours that will count towards required service hours.
Computer Applications: This course introduces the students to the fundamental concepts of computer operations and the ability to identify hardware, system and application software through the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint as tools for writing, analyzing, and presenting information. Also, there will be an emphasis on creating online and paper publications and graphics using computers. Students will demonstrate ethical and responsible use of computer technology. Class size is limited to 20 students.
Boss Club: With Boss Club we can: Inspire confidence and ignite creativity in students through the pursuit of entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship is a cross-curricular learning vehicle to build up responsible leaders equipped with work ethic, people skills, and financial literacy and stewardship. Our curriculum and business kits provide students with practical hands-on projects which demonstrate the real-world value of what they are learning. In Christian scholastic environments, Boss Club aims to build God’s kingdom through training students to view their life and career in light of God’s word and calling. Let's follow these leaders to the future.
Creative Writing: Various activities will include working with vocabulary imagery and creative ideas to produce finished projects. We will explore many types of writing ranging from poetry and essays to journalistic writing and books. Quality of writing and adherence to instructions will determine student grades. Class size is limited to 20 students.
Health: This course will be taught in the spring semester, and will grant .5 high school credit to 8th Grade students. Health and nutrition are emphasized.
Journalism: Students will explore journalism as a career and learn how to create news articles based on journalistic standards. These articles will appear in the weekly Wildcat Newsletter and students will participate in the newsletter's creation. This class provides a foundation for those wanting to take the Yearbook class. Class size limited to 20.
Mythology: Students will explore set of legends, stories or beliefs, especially ones that have a religious or cultural tradition.
Physical Education: This course provides students with exercise, health, and nutrition information, and sports performance skills. Those students interested in playing sports for the school must sign up for one of the two Athletic Physical Education classes. Required of all students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students.
Recorder Ensemble: The recorder ensemble provides beginning students a foundation in basic playing technique as well as a review for experienced students. Sacred music will be studied through performance experience in liturgical celebrations as well as popular and classical music studies. Occasional performances outside the school day may be required. 6th grade students only
Spanish - OLPH recognizes the importance of learning a foreign language and offers Spanish classes from K to 8th grade students. Our Spanish Teacher at OLPH is Mrs. Liliana Aponte. Mrs. Aponte is a native Spanish speaker, who guides students throughout the learning process using songs, videos, individual and group activities.
Students in grades K through 5 learn basic vocabulary and grammar. They practice interpretive (listening and reading), interpersonal (person to person) and presentational (speaking and writing) skills that open their minds to the language.
Middle school students, 6th to 8th grades, have the opportunity to choose Spanish as an elective for two years and have instruction daily. Spanish students in middle school not only learn vocabulary and grammar, but the culture of the Spanish speaking countries, thus giving them the tools to appreciate the diversity and understanding of the richness and the contributions of the Spanish culture to their own environment, especially here in San Antonio. OLPH Spanish students develop interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational skills which in turn enhance their foundation for the language instruction in high school.
Here at OLPH, spiritual growth is very important and the Spanish department is supporting that by teaching the students from K to 8th grade how to pray in Spanish before every class. Students from all grades not only learn the basic Catholic prayers, but also the Catholic traditions that are recognized in each of the cIasses. If further support is needed by any student, the Spanish department offers tutorials after school with Mrs. Aponte.
Please come and see bulletin boards around campus, there is always something that the students want to share with the community in Español. Español, español aqui aqui!
Speech: This course will be taught in the fall semester, and will grant .5 high school credit to 8th Grade students. Memorization of speech, voice inflection, and types of speeches are taught in this semester long course.
Student Success Course: This course assists students in note taking, annotations, listening skills.
Yearbook: This course is designed to give students an introduction into the function and construction of a school yearbook. Students will be responsible for taking pictures, designing the layout, and promoting the sale of our yearbook. Students must be self-motivated and have good computer skills. Limited to 20 students. 8th grade students only.