Special Classes

Each student in first through sixth grade has the opportunity to visit the computer lab one to two times a week. In the lab, students learn about technology and reinforce academic skills they are learning in their classroom. The computer lab also uses a projector to instruct students on the programs they will be using. A computer is provided for every student during this Technology class. A full-time Technology Teacher utilizes a dynamic library of educational software to facilitate all lessons and activities.

Each Kindergarten classroom features one computer available for students. Classrooms for grades 1 through 6 have two computers available for students. In all grade levels, each classroom is equipped with a variety of educational software that is tailored to the needs of the students.  We are currently  installing the Internet into all of our classrooms.

 All Dove Academy have access to our Library/Media Center. Students have the opportunity to visit the Library/Media Center one or two times a week. Books in the Library are available for students to check out. Other media materials are available for the staff to check out to enhance instruction. All lessons and activities are facilitated by a full time Media Specialist. The Media Specialist also oversees the process of lending materials to students and staff. The Library/Media center has four computers available to students. These computers do provide internet access.

 The library subscribes to several periodicals including Time for Kids, Sports Illustrated for Kids, National Geographic for Kids, Kids Discover, and Biography Today. These periodicals are available to the students and the Media Specialist provides instruction on how to pull information from this form of text. The library also features sets of reference materials, such as Encyclopedias, Dictionaries, Almanacs, Atlases, and Telephone Books.

The Academy offers both a music and art curriculum. Students in Kindergarten through sixth grade attend Art classes once or twice a week. Kindergarten teachers integrate music into the kindergarten curriculum and the students attend music classes once a week.  First through third grade attend Music classes twice a week. Fourth through sixth grade students attend Music on a rotating schedule. During Music class students learn about many aspects of this art form, including how to read music, music history, and how to produce music. Students also learn about a variety of instruments. For example, first grade students made paper mache drums and played them to a piece of music. Students are introduced to the symbols of music. As the child completes one grade they build upon their lessons learned from the previous year. So a first grade student might learn what the different notes are. A second grade student might use his/her voice to express how long the note lasts by singing it. Students used sticks to master keeping the beat to a piece of music.

 The Art program offers instruction from a talented professional artist. The Academy’s Art Teacher instructs young students on basic art techniques. She builds upon their skills, having them add more detail to their projects when they are older. Struggling students benefit from one on one instruction and students that demonstrate an ability to complete the activity independently are given the opportunity to do so.

 All classes (K-6) participate in a Physical Education/Health class one to two times per week, depending on their respective class schedule. The school’s Physical Education/Health class are led by a full time teacher certified to teach Physical Education and Health to the elementary grades.