Junior Great Books – 2nd Grade
The children explore great pieces of literature once a month. During the school day, parent volunteers work with small groups of children as they read a story from the Great Books curriculum, lead a short discussion, and help with a related project. All classroom students participate in this program.
Art Adventure
St. Ambrose participates in Art Adventure during spring. During art classes in that month they are exposed to art from the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Trained parent volunteers present the works and lead related discussions revolving around a portfolio of related art works covering a specific theme.
Word Masters – 3rd, 4th and 5th grades
This is a competitive vocabulary program. Students receive a list of vocabulary words, have three weeks to independently study, then complete a brief multiple choice test. The top 10 scores at each grade level receive a certificate, and those tests are sent in to the national program to be ranked against students across the country. There are three different lists/tests during the year.
Pullout Enrichment – Kindergarten-5th grade
Students identified by classroom teachers as needing additional challenge may take part in one or more pullout sessions during the school year. Each session covers a unique topic and meets as times decided on by the teachers. Sessions are lead by the enrichment coordinator.
Scrabble Challenge – 6th, 7th and 8th grades
Students will rotate between Scrabble boards, competing against other students. Some meetings will be “general” Scrabble, some “theme” Scrabble (Spanish Scrabble, First Name Scrabble, Sport Scrabble, Music Scrabble, etc.). Scrabble Scramble meets Jan. through March.
Minnesota Junior High Math League – 6th, 7th and 8th grades
The purpose of the MNJHML is to encourage students to participate in math contests, serve as a “farm club” for the MSHSML, enable students to meet mathletes from other schools, and to provide recognition for students excelling in mathematics.
Junior Achievement
Junior Achievement programs equip students with the skills needed to succeed in school and in life. We teach them how to manage money, how to prepare for a successful career, and how to start businesses that create jobs. JA empowers students to make a connection between what they learn in school and how it can be applied in the real world, thereby enhancing the relevance of their classroom learning.