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First Grade

First Grade

Donicia Hernandez

Donicia Hernandez

First Grade

Donicia Hernandez

Donicia Hernandez

First Grade

Donicia Hernandez, our First Grade teacher, has been in education for 18 years with six years as a classroom teacher. She worked at Our Lady of Grace for 12 years, Sacramento Montessori for two years, and has been part of St. James School’s staff for four years. Ms. Hernandez is currently working on her teaching credential and has her Catechist Certificate.

Ms. Hernandez was drawn to education when she read Hosea 4:6: “ My people perish for lack of knowledge.” As a lifelong Catholic, she felt God was calling her to enter teaching. She is passionate about helping children develop a strong academic foundation and to learn how to believe in themselves. She loves Catholic education because it allows her to share her faith, the power of prayer, and the traditions we share as a Catholic community.

Shelly Dirksen

Shelly Dirksen

Educational Academic Specialist

Shelly Dirksen

Shelly Dirksen

Educational Academic Specialist

Shelly Dirksen received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with a Minor in Reading Instruction from Dordt University, Sioux Center, Iowa in 2001. She has been in education for 23 years serving as a Special Education paraeducator, teacher, reading and writing tutor, substitute teacher, and Children’s Ministry Director grades TK-12 for Christ Church in Davis. Mrs. Dirksen is our Education Achievement Specialist (EAS), a position she has held for 3 and a half years. She is currently working toward her California Clear Teaching Credential.

Mrs. Dirksen has always known her skill set was geared toward teaching and working with children. She loves to help students reach their goals and realize how capable they truly are. She feels it is a true privilege to participate in the moment a child learns something new.

St. James is Mrs. Dirksen’s first experience teaching at a Catholic school. She loves Catholic education and finds it a joy to combine her two loves: faith and teaching.

Kari Fisher

Kari Fisher

School Counselor

Kari Fisher

Kari Fisher

School Counselor

Kari Fisher received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Sociology from UC Davis in 1995 and her Masters in Counseling from UC Davis in 2002. She has over 20 years of experience as a psychotherapist working in private practice, community, and school settings. She has additional training in emotionally focused therapy, trauma therapy, and therapies with children and families.

Mrs. Fisher is in her first year as our School Counselor. She chose Catholic education because her son attended St. James and she fell in love with the community as a parent. She has always loved working with children as a psychotherapist and feels blessed to be able to combine her work with a community she holds great fondness for.

Jordan Zuniga

Jordan Zuniga

First GradeInstructional Aide

Jordan Zuniga

Jordan Zuniga

First GradeInstructional Aide
Maddie Spangler

Maddie Spangler

First Grade Instructional Aide

Maddie Spangler

Maddie Spangler

First Grade Instructional Aide

Our curriculum is driven by the Diocesan Standards which align with the Common Core State Standards (CCSS).

Religion

Our curriculum focuses on the parts of the Mass. Within each lesson there are Bible stories that relate to each topic. First Graders also develop a greater awareness of relationships and community by learning that: 1) God communicates with His people through the Bible 2) Each person belongs to many groups such as family, parish and school 3) We worship together through prayer and liturgy and 4) Every person deserves love, care and respect.

English - Language Arts

We work on these reading skills decoding and word recognition, reading fluency, comprehension skills, and literary elements such as character, setting, plot and theme. The reading program includes the basal reader, shared reading books, independent selections, story time in class and during library time, and leveled literacy groups.

Our writing skills include grammar, sentence structure, parts of speech, and the mechanics of the sentence. In First Grade, we focus on sentence structure and then on developing a paragraph with a good topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence. The writing genres include: narrative, expository, descriptive and letter writing. Throughout the year we learn D’Nealian handwriting.

Mathematics

We adhere to the California Common Core Content Standards for Mathematics. At the beginning of the year we focus on mastering basic addition and subtraction math facts. By the end of the year we are adding and subtracting two-digit numbers. We also focus on ones and tens, odd and even numbers, time, shapes and measurement.

Science

We follow the Next Generation Science Standards and go the school’s 1600 square foot Science lab once a month for a lesson with the full-time science teacher. Some of our science topics are: states of matter, the planets, cloud formations, sound and light.

Social Studies

First Graders study maps to locate their community as well as others communities, learn about their families and different types of families in the present and in history, gain an understanding of the importance of rules, citizenship and democracy and they learn about American holidays and important events and days.

St. James School educates the whole child. Therefore, First Graders also attend classes in Music, PE, Art, and Library.