Managing the Summer-to-School Transition

WASHINGTON—Saint Peter School (SPS) will host two Open Houses this fall for prospective families on Thursday, November 7 and Friday, December 6, 2024, from 9-10:30 a.m., at 422 3rd Street SE. Families considering SPS for elementary or middle school will have the opportunity to learn more about the school’s teachings and academic offerings; meet some of the school’s current families, faculty, and staff; and tour the school. RSVP is helpful but not required. Remarks begin at 9 a.m. with a tour to follow. “Saint Peter School has the distinct privilege of serving families steps from our nation’s capital by providing high-quality Catholic education centered on academic excellence and faith formation,” said Saint Peter School Principal Karen Clay . “Not only do our students matriculate into the region’s preeminent high schools, they do so with great humility, grounded in their love of God and community.” The cornerstones of Saint Peter School’s teachings include the following: Faith Formation : Saint Peter School students regularly celebrate Mass and come together for events to mark the special liturgical seasons of the Catholic Church. Academic Excellence : In 2019, Saint Peter School was honored as a National Blue Ribbon School, as one of 50 non-public schools in the country to be recognized as "Exemplary High Performing,” and our award-winning faculty and staff underpin this success: On May 12, 2023, Pre-Kindergarten Teacher Jean Zwald won the Archdiocese of Washington as a Golden Apple Award. On October 13, 2023, Principal Clay was named The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington’s Distinguished Principal of the Year. Community Service : Saint Peter School follows the Seven Themes of Catholic Social Teaching through its Student Council and Student Families program.  The application deadline for the 2025-26 school year is Friday, January 31, 2025. Decision letters are mailed on Friday, February 14, 2025. For more information about the admissions process, visit stpeterschooldc.org or contact Admissions Coordinator Jeanette Trujillo at jtrujillo@stpeterschooldc.org or 202-544-1618.

By Jessica Chamoun, Intervention Specialist A common form of performance anxiety that affects students of all ages is test anxiety. This occurs when students fear they won't do well on an assignment or test they consider crucial. Test anxiety is a common learning challenge that students may face and often has the potential to negatively impact performance. It can be brought on by high expectations, a fear of failing, performance pressure, or perfectionism. Here are some tips on how you can help your child cope with test anxiety: Preparation is key. Help your child develop good study habits that include scheduled study time for each day. This will help your child stay on track and avoid procrastinating, ensuring that they are well prepared. Children feel more confident walking into a test when they have prepped thoroughly. Study in chunks. During study sessions, help your child concentrate on smaller, more manageable portions of content, rather than studying intensively to absorb large amounts of information in a short amount of time. Teach your child to have a positive attitude. Instead of thinking of the worst-case scenario, teach your child to visualize themselves being successful. Moreover, encourage your child to use positive self-talk. Children can benefit greatly from reframing as a coping mechanism for their anxious thoughts. By teaching them to replace positive thoughts for negative ones, we can help them improve their feelings. Examples of positive self-talk include: “I can do it,” or “I’ve got this.” Practice calming strategies. With your child, brainstorm different calming strategies that might be helpful to use before, during, and after an assessment. Calming techniques such as belly breathing, counting to ten (either forwards or backwards), or mindfulness exercises, such as the five senses grounding technique can help your child be more aware of their surroundings and decrease anxious feelings. Debrief after the test. Have a conversation with your child after their test or after they receive their grade. Inquire about their feelings and how they think they could do better the next time. Remind them of the supports they have at school. Remind your child of the support they have at school and to ask their teachers for help when needed. Encourage your child to reach out to his or her teacher for tips on how to improve their study skills. Click here for additional resources.