GODFREY - St. Ambrose Catholic School in Godfrey is expanding its middle school curriculum with accelerated mathematics classes and new foreign language and personal finance instruction for eighth-grade students, Principal Bob Baird announced.
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Baird said the changes, set to take effect in the 2025-2026 school year for math and already implemented in the 2024-2025 school year for language and finance, aim to provide a more challenging academic environment while maintaining the school’s mission of sharing the message of Jesus Christ.
Several years ago, St. Ambrose prioritized improving math education and standardized test scores by adopting the Sadlier Math curriculum. After three years, the school closed the standardized test gap with other Catholic schools in the Diocese of Springfield.
During the 2024-2025 school year, St. Ambrose students surpassed the average test scores of most diocesan schools, positioning the school among the highest performing in the Diocese.
To build on this success, the school will offer accelerated math classes for students in grades six through eight. According to Baird, students will be placed either in traditional math classes, which cover grade-level benchmarks, or in accelerated classes that include these concepts plus higher-level material at a faster pace.
In addition to math enhancements, the school introduced foreign language instruction for eighth graders during the 2024-2025 academic year as an extension of the Social Studies curriculum. Students could choose between Spanish and French, with Spanish taught by middle school Social Studies teacher Justin Johnson and French taught by Dr. Janis Robinson, a longtime local physician and former French instructor affiliated with St. Ambrose Parish.
Eighth-grade students also received personal finance instruction one day a week using the Junior Achievement program. This curriculum included a field trip to the Junior Achievement Biztown center in Chesterfield, Mo., where students engaged in simulations of real-life experiences such as purchasing a car or home and applying to college.
Principal Baird emphasized that these curriculum updates are designed to prepare students for success in high school and beyond while fostering a welcoming environment grounded in the school’s Catholic values.
