Category: Uncategorized

• Stewardship: 7th Grade partners with the Lynnwood Food Bank for a year-long service project
• Liturgies: 7th Grade prepares the Ash Wednesday Mass each year as well as leading Stations of the Cross on Fridays during Lent
• Camp: A three-day trip to camp for a class retreat each spring focuses on individual, communal, and spiritual growth
• Leadership: Each year 7th graders are active as Student Council officers and safety patrol
• STM Speech Program: Students research, write, and deliver “Oratory” and Editorial Commentary” speeches on persuasive topics of their choice
• Study Skills: Organization, note-taking, and use of daily planner are emphasized
• Block Scheduling: Afternoon classes follow a block schedule for more in-depth projects and preparation for high school

Religion:

• Theme: The overall theme for the year is New Testament
• Scripture: Learning throughout the year tied to specific scriptural passages
• Prayer: Students experience a variety of prayer including memorizing four traditional prayers unique to 7th grade
• Stewardship: Participate in the Archdiocesan sponsored Missionary Discipleship Institute. Service experiences at the Lynnwood Food Bank support the year-long lessons of this program

Language Arts:

• Grammar instruction includes a study of phrases and clauses building to sentence fluency in writing
• Writing programs includes emphasis on the Six Traits, the Writing Process and incorporation of Stylistic Techniques
• STM Speech Program is an integral part of Language Arts instruction; this includes research, constructing logical arguments, use of evidence and speech delivery
• Reading instruction includes the analysis of both fiction and nonfiction texts
• Vocabulary instruction is done through reading texts as well as an independent vocabulary program

Math:

• Understanding and applying proportional relationships
• Operations with rational numbers
• Working with expressions and linear equations
• Solving problems based in key relations in geometry
• Statistics and data analysis

Middle School Science

• Smithsonian Education Program; Lessons apply science concepts to NGSS engineering design with hands on investigation in the real world.
• Physical Science, Life Science and Earth/Space Science units are explored

Social Studies

• 7th grade focuses on Washington State history. Including studies of geography, civics, economics, and history – from Native Americans and growth towards statehood, to contemporary WA State.

Dave Rehberger has been a member of the St. Thomas More School community as our seventh grade teacher since 2008. Born and raised in Tacoma, Dave is a product of Catholic education from kindergarten through his undergraduate years at Gonzaga University (Go Zags!). He has been teaching in Catholic schools since graduating from GU in 2001. This has included middle school teaching experiences in St. Louis, MO, as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps; in Seattle Catholic schools; and in rural Colton, WA. He earned his Masters in Education at Washington State University (Go Cougs!). His wife Jennene is a veterinarian at Perrinville Animal Hospital, and their children Audrey and Noah are both STM students.