St. Ambrose School
Offering superior academics in a Christ-centered, family atmosphere

"We take pride in our school and have high ideals"

 
Middle School Honors Program

Our Middle School Honors Program is for students who have demonstrated high achievement and who would benefit from a more challenging curriculum. We try to meet each student at their own individual level and bring them up from there to be the very best they can be. We hope that the following summary helps you understand the honors program here at St. Ambrose School:

Any program that is developed must include with it a window of criteria that must be met before participating in it. This is to ensure the success of the program's goals so as to best benefit the students. The criteria for programs with many specific goals need to have specific guidelines met to qualify an individual to participate. Any qualification or disqualification is not a reflection on an applicant's personality, abilities, or future success.  It only indicates that a student would not get the greatest benefit from that program at that time. A student's goals and abilities need to be constantly assessed and evaluated to see where they would benefit most.

Criteria: Any student being considered for entrance into the honors program will be evaluated by a combination of the following criteria:

  • Current grades in all course work
    Generally all above 90% in all subject areas taking into account all other criteria.
     
  • Effort and enthusiasm applied in school.
    Should have a desire to learn, participate in class, help others, and strive to overcome.
     
  • Standardized test scores (IOWA, NYS Math and ELA)
    Math - above grade level
    English - above grade level
     
  • Conference with current and former instructors.
    Assess development over time
    Personal assessment of success and work ethic.
     

The St. Ambrose School Science Honors Program will involve all grade levels, 6th-8th. The following briefly outlines the program:

  • 6th grade - All 6th grade students will be combined in the same class and will be learning the same material (Earth Science) as set forth by the NYS curriculum. Honor students will be given additional assignments and projects to encourage a high level of critical thinking. This will help them take the knowledge being presented and learn how to apply it to answer more higher-level thinking problems that we feel they are capable of.
     
  • 7th grade - The honor students will be learning material at a grade level higher than they are chronologically (Physical Science).
     
  • 8th grade- The honor students will be at a 9th grade level (Earth Science) and will be in a class by themselves.
     

The St. Ambrose School Social Studies Honors Program will require all students to maintain a minimum quarterly average of 90% to stay in the honors program.  An honors student must have 100% on homework assignments. A student must also maintain a 100% effort and positive attitude toward learning.

The St. Ambrose School English Honors Program will require that each student be held responsible for keeping an "honors attitude", maintaining a 90% average on tests and quizzes, and be 100% on homework assignments.  Also students will be responsible for completing enrichment activities that relate to the particular unit or book that the class is working on.

The St. Ambrose School Mathematics  Honors Program:

  • 6th grade completes the course curriculum for sixth grades set forth in the NYS syllabus. Each honor math student will be given enrichment work which will further concept knowledge in the seventh grade curriculum.
     
  • 7th grade honor students in math complete the eighth grade curriculum syllabus which mirrors the seventh grade syllabus only with higher critical thinking skills.
     
  • 8th grade honor students in math will complete the ninth grade mathematics course which culminates in the NYS regents exam in June of their eighth grade year.
     

The St. Ambrose School Spanish Program:

  • 6th grade requires all students to take the same level Spanish.
  • 7th grade honors is taking the complete Spanish I high school course.
  • 8th grade honors is taking the complete Spanish II high school course and will conclude with the NYS Spanish Proficiency Exam.