Priory's Sixth Grade Program

Priory’s Sixth Grade Program is designed to cultivate intellectual skills and foster habits of inquiry, service, leadership, and collaboration. Grounded in Catholic, Benedictine principles, students will engage in a curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, community development, and personal and spiritual growth.

A Priory 6th grade student enters not only into a school community, but also into a faith community, which welcomes him with a true spirit of Benedictine hospitality. Our human and spiritual formation program is designed to help new students get to know our community as we get to know them. This happens through the day-to-day learning, praying, and playing together.

Priory students are cared for by our dedicated faculty and monks. They develop a sense of belonging to a community that is safe and supportive; a community that is good soil for them to grow from boys to men as they develop their full potential as a child of God.

Enrichment Activities During Exam Week
Priory’s exam weeks offer a distinctive experience for our sixth-grade students, balancing academic preparation with meaningful enrichment. With a thoughtfully reduced exam schedule, students gain exposure to cumulative assessments while developing productive study habits in a supportive environment.

In the latter half of the week, sixth graders participate in a dynamic array of activities designed to foster personal growth, collaboration, and curiosity. From overnight retreats and service projects to leadership workshops, immersive field trips, and academic explorations beyond the standard curriculum, these experiences enrich their learning journey while reinforcing key life skills.

Intentional Technology
While students will have access to Chromebooks, choices of when and where to use technology will be intentional. Emphasis is placed upon traditional pencil-to-paper learning and organizational methods to build up necessary soft skills for continued learning.

Advisory Program for Community Building
A self-contained advisory system for our 6th grade students fosters brotherhood, belonging, and servant leadership

Form A Curriculum

Dr. Bob Shaw
6th Grade Lead Teacher

Meet Our 6th Grade Lead Teacher

With a robust background in curriculum development and extensive middle school teaching and leadership experience, Dr. Bob Shaw holds degrees in Education, Curriculum and Instruction/Teacher Leadership, and STEM Education Enhancement. Recognized as Illinois Technology Teacher of the Year and Science Teacher of the Year in Missouri, Dr. Shaw has earned accolades for servant leadership from organizations like the Boy Scouts of America, Sustainability Institute for Educators, and FIRST Robotics. 

Dr. Shaw has most recently served as a Science Teacher and Curriculum Writer at STEAM Gifted Academy, Ferguson-Florissant. Before that he taught Middle School and High School Science at MICDS for 17 years, serving as Chair of the JK-12 Science Department for 12 of those years. 

The Priory 6th Grade Experience