The Throughlines of Learning: PS-8th

At St. Matthew’s, our Schoolwide Learning Expectations are deeply rooted in the principles of Inquiry, Design Thinking, and Project-Based Learning (PBL). From Preschool through 8th grade, we cultivate a dynamic educational environment where students engage with essential questions that drive their learning.

Through two of our signature Middle School programs – our Designing Engineering Excellence Program (DEEP) and Shakespeare, Theatre, Arts, and the Renaissance (STAR) – we showcase the transformative teaching and learning experiences across several disciplines. By fostering a culture of inquiry, we aim to develop the habits and mindsets that encourage lifelong learning and critical thinking, ensuring that our students are well-prepared to navigate the complexities of the world around them. Innovation and design thinking are not just concepts; they are key modalities that empower students to explore and create meaning in their education.

In their intellectual, personal, spiritual, and social lives, graduates of St. Matthew’s Parish School will strive to be kind, trustworthy, responsible members of society and

Effective communicators who:

● articulate ideas clearly in oral and written formats

● demonstrate good listening skills and empathy
● use diverse forms of expression with confidence

Self-directed, enthusiastic learners who:
● are intellectually inquisitive
● are equipped with the solid foundation of knowledge and skills necessary for a life of learning

● maintain high standards of quality and achievement

Critical thinkers who:
● are reflective, resourceful, and creative

● use and appreciate a variety of problem-solving strategies

● possess a level of self-confidence established through persistence, endeavor, and success

Community contributors who:
● cooperate, collaborate, and compromise when working in a group
● seek opportunities to demonstrate positive leadership by being of service to others

● celebrate the diversity of peoples, beliefs, and cultures

Ethical citizens who:
● promote peace and reconciliation by respecting the dignity of all people as children of a loving God

● make responsible decisions guided by a recognition of what is good and just, based upon the values of integrity, fairness, honesty, and compassion

● understand and manifest in daily life Judeo-Christian principles, especially as reflected through the traditions of the Episcopal Church

● appreciate the traditions and practices of other Christian denominations and other faiths

While traditional schools break learning down into various disciplines, life is not so easily compartmentalized. Learning takes many forms and involves the integration of a variety of disciplines, using language skills to communicate, math to calculate, an artistic eye to design, and a scientific mind to hypothesize. Using a project-based learning approach, our students are required to apply many skills to solve a problem, build a model, or work through a series of revisions on their way to finalizing an end product.

The Design Thinking model takes project-based learning a step further and views empathy as the center and motivation for design. Understanding the “client” in the design process allows for greater clarity and understanding when trying to solve a problem. Design Thinking incorporates the iterative process, embracing failure as a valuable step along the way to success. The ability to learn through failure, to iterate and persevere are essential skills for today’s student.

Essential Questions

The Lower School fosters a learning environment that is both stimulating and supportive, prioritizing academic achievement alongside character development and community service. Children are encouraged to cultivate curiosity, collaborate with peers, enjoy the learning process, tackle challenges, and showcase their creativity and resourcefulness.

The curriculum is centered around a set of essential questions that explore students’ connections to themselves, others, culture, and community. Foundational skills in reading, Language Arts, and mathematics are taught explicitly to empower students to acquire knowledge, think critically, and express their understanding in diverse ways. This core curriculum is enriched by specialist classes in Science, Art, Library, Innovation, Music, and Physical Education. Additionally, social-emotional learning is integrated into daily routines through Morning Meetings, with further skills taught periodically by the school counselor.

Kindergarten: What is friendship? What does it mean to be a friend?

Grade 1: What is a community? How do we work together as a community?

Grade 2: How do ecosystems connect to each other? How are we stewards of our planet?

Grade 3: What is a system? How do individual parts work to make a system?

Grade 4: How can careful observations deepen our understanding of the world around us?

Technology & Innovation

Digital Literacy and Information Literacy Skills are integrated throughout the curriculum. Our purposeful and balanced use of technology both supports student learning and prepares children to thrive in an ever-changing world.

Students in Kindergarten through 4th Grade also attend innovation classes in LaunchPad, our Lower School Makerspace, where they utilize tools, materials, and the design thinking process to develop creative problem-solving, collaboration, and engineering skills. Circuitry, multimedia, basic coding, and robotics are also explored. The Middle School has a dedicated Maker & Innovation Coordinator who works with both students and faculty to facilitate the use of design thinking and making to help enrich curriculum across all disciplines. Middle School students use one of our two Project & Idea Realization Lab (PIRL) maker spaces to create projects in various disciplines, including English, math, history, science, world language and religion.

Signature Experiences

7th Grade STAR

STAR (Shakespeare, Theater, Arts, and the Renaissance)

In this exciting, interdisciplinary program, 7th Grade students read, perform, interpret, analyze, and explore a seminal Shakespeare play in English class. This work happens in tandem with the students’ Art and History classes, in which they learn important socio-historical context about the Renaissance. The unit culminates with a creative, student-driven project about either Shakespeare, Theater, Arts, or the Renaissance. Students then showcase all of their hard work at the student-hosted San Mateo Renaissance Faire held on campus.

8th Grade DEEP

DEEP (Developing Engineering Excellence Program)

In this 8th Grade program, math, science, technology, and inquiry skills are used by students to develop experiences, test prototypes, or author personalized research. All students design and create websites to document their work and publish their findings.

Over the last decade, DEEP students have built underwater robots, created echo-location devices, and studied the aspects of ocean acidification and aquatic ecosystem resilience. DEEP alumni have published their research in scientific peer-reviewed journals, pursued careers and advanced degrees in science and engineering, and many have dedicated their lives to the protection of the ocean and earth’s natural resources.

Middle School - Spring Musical

The Spring Musical is a cherished annual tradition that involves the entire Middle School. 8th Graders shine in lead roles and contribute as lighting, sound, and stage crew, while students from 5th to 7th Grade enrich the production through engaging ensemble performances.