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St. Philip’s believes in educating the whole child by providing students with the opportunities to engage and unfold their natural curiosity. Explore our STEAM, Academic Excursions and Special Programs below:

Innovation Lab/MakerSpace
Our Innovation lab/MakerSpace exposes students to a multitude of technologies. It is a space for inventing, tinkering, and dismantling. Students in grades PreK through 6th are encouraged to follow their own creative interests. The iLab is equipped with 3D printers, zSpace technology, VR equipment, wireless probeware, power tools, an array of building/construction items, gadgets, solar energy and other construction kits. 

Coding and Robotics
Coding languages and robotics have become fundamental in education and in the work force.  For that reason, we are providing students age appropriate tools to succeed and to develop fluency in our tech-centered world. St. Philip’s has hosted the FIRST LEGO League qualifier competition for over 30 schools, and our students in grades 2-6 participate each year in the Robot Game, Project Presentation and Core Values segments of the competition. The challenges are based on real-world scientific topics. We strategically help to dispel age and gender-biased ideas by introducing all students to a wide array of STEAM opportunities. Robotics takes place in our tech lab and in the iLab

Science Lab
Children have natural curiosity about their environment and the world. For that reason, science at St. Philip’s is not limited to the classroom. Through standards-based instruction and hands-on activities in our three state-of-the-arts Science labs and through outdoor/field experiences, the students are provided opportunities to do in-depth life, health, earth, and physical sciences, and engineering explorations. They learn to use the tools and equipment to develop mastery of process skills needed to be successful in science and other subject areas.

Saturday Science Camp
To heighten student’s interest in science, they are exposed to a day of high-level, inquiry-based challenges. The camps offer rigorous and fun investigations in forensics, comparative anatomy, oceanography, health and nutrition, earth science, and other STEM topics. 

Gwen's Garden
The four-fold objective of our Community Garden is to:
•    Allow students opportunities to experience food production from seed-to-harvest. Each class plants, maintains and harvests vegetables and herbs of their choice
•    Provide service-learning options through their donations and support of our school food pantry
•    Provide engaging challenges in our hands-on Investigation Stations 
•    Teach the importance of alternative energy production and use through our aquaponics system, solar energy and water conservation systems

Fabric Design Engineering
Artistic creations using fabric is offered to students in 5th and 6th grade. They have supported the theatre department by producing costumes for productions, helped with the creation of banners for the school chapel, crafted items for Community Center events, and designed and sewn outfits for personal use. Students have also created texture patch quilts which were donated to a local charity for infants and new mothers. In addition, croqueting and knitting instruction is offered.  

PK2 – Kindergarten 
There are no overnight academic excursions until students reach second grade. Early Childhood takes multiple field trips that are curriculum-based, to apply and relate lessons studied. Some places visited: Perot Museum, Crayola Experience, Ft. Worth/Dallas Zoo, Lego Land, Dallas Aquarium, Dallas Library, Dallas Children’s Theater

1st Grade
First grade students learn about special people and places of interest in the city of Dallas. At year’s end, the first graders take a DART bus ride around the city to explore the people and places they have learned about throughout the year. The year culminates with a daylong excursion to Dinosaur Valley State Park where students discover the history of dinosaurs and explore dinosaur tracks and fossils.

3rd Grade
The outdoor education program curriculum at Sky Ranch provides multiple learning tracks, including Science, History, and Team Building. The curriculum is designed to address the current standards. Content is delivered in specifically designed outdoor classrooms by entertaining and highly trained instructors. This trip extends the classroom lessons and explorations the students have engaged in all year.

4th Grade Trip 
Students and teachers attend a two-day excursion to Austin and San Antonio to enrich their Texas History lessons. They visit the state capital, President Lyndon Baines Johnson’s boyhood home, the Alamo, and several other missions.

4th Grade Retreat
In September, 4th grade teachers and students travel to Wolf Run near McKinney Texas for a 2 night, 3-day retreat. As their first middle school experience, the purpose of the retreat is to promote team building and collaboration through engaging activities and outdoor excursions.

5th Grade Civil Rights Trip 
After a year-long study of African American civil rights, the 5th grade class travels to Selma, Montgomery, Tuskegee, Birmingham and Atlanta, in an effort to allow them a deepened and more meaningful understanding of how this movement impacted the lives of all Americans.

6th Grade Team Building - Sky Ranch
As 6th grade students embark upon their final year at St. Philip's, they travel to Sky Ranch Christian Camp in Van, TX. They engage in several team building and personal growth activities such as ziplining, wall climbing, obstacle courses, etc. This excursion sets the stage for the year by encouraging students to try new things, overcome fears, and support each other in difficult times.

6th Grade Grand Canyon Trip 
The week-long Sixth Grade Grand Canyon Trip takes place in early May of each year. Led by the Headmaster, students experience the magnitude of one of God's greatest creations. Before traveling to the Grand Canyon, students research landmarks, important people, and the cultural history of both Arizona and the Grand Canyon. The culmination of this excursion is a hike into the Canyon.

6th Grade Music Trip - The Promise
In September, all 6th grade students attend a music trip to Riverbend Retreat Center near Fort Worth to experience the breath-taking musical production, The Promise. This field trip provides students with the opportunity to experience growing through unity, cooperation, and leadership development. In addition, it provides first-hand knowledge of a musical production before their performance in the spring of their 6th grade year.
 

Project Excel
Assemblies bring the business world into the academic world. African-Americans in various professions are invited to speak to students. They share information about the work they do, why they chose to enter their particular field, how they prepared academically and then entertain questions from the students. Project Excel assemblies are held every other month during the school year.

Young Strings
This program, sponsored by the Dallas Symphony, provides students who have exhibited a noticeable interest in music classes an opportunity to participate in a general music class. Students are selected and may continue in this program based on self-discipline, general music aptitude and interest, parental involvement, and social skills. Upon completion and with recommendation by the Dallas Symphony teacher, the student will continue in the program and receive private lessons on a cello, violin, or viola. They perform at various recitals and events throughout the city.

Lone Star Wind Orchestra
The Lone Star Wind Orchestra partners with St. Philip's School and Community Center in Dallas providing valuable classroom learning and mentoring relationships as well as after school programming for the school's outstanding young students and their families. As part of the organization's Lone Star Kids Program, the LSWO provides in-class and after-school interactive musical educational experiences with LSWO musicians; administrative costs of preparing educational curriculum; new percussion equipment (hand drums and marimbas), and percussion instructors. 

Student Council
Many opportunities for student involvement and leadership exist in the Middle School. We believe that integrity, ethics and respect for the customs of the school and the law of the land are reasonable minimum expectations for all students. Members of the Student Council are elected by their peers and, by accepting leadership roles, agree to represent the school both on and off campus.

Saints of the Week
St. Philip's believes in rewarding students for daily accomplishments. We believe children learn best in an environment that is challenging and filled with opportunities to express their feelings about their newfound knowledge. Students are rewarded each Friday during Chapel for their classroom participation and overall academic and behavioral success during the week.

TITANS Award
The Titan Award is one that strives to recognize students in grades 3 - 6 who embody characteristics of citizenship, trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness and caring.  It is one of the highest honors that a St. Philip's student may achieve. 

Math/Science Competition
Students in grades 5-6 participate, locally and state-wide, in the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association (TMSCA) math and science competition. The team develop mastery and compete against other students in categories such as mental math, number sense, calculator proficiency and science concepts and skills.
Science concepts through 8th grade, such as: Earth Science, Life Science, and Physical Science.
Students win trophies, medals, and ribbons for individual performance, as well as team performance. Students in grade 5 through 8 take the same exams, but only compete against students in their own grade level.

Grandparents Day
St. Philip's acknowledges the impact that many of our students' grandparents play in their lives.  We celebrate their contributions each year during a special Chapel service, a reception, and visits to the classrooms.

School-wide Service-Learning Projects
Students at each grade level are required to participate in community/service learning projects throughout the year. We believe the projects reinforce the philosophy that "to whom much is given, much is required", and students leave St. Philip's knowing the importance of gratitude and service.

Project-Based Learning
PBL supports St. Philip’s efforts to empower students for servant leadership and community/global awareness. Students in all grade levels learn by collaboratively addressing complex, real- world issues through research, investigations, and relative product design. Students engage in scaffolded learning and reflection throughout long-term projects and meaningful contributions, and they respond to complex driving questions.

Early Childhood Students Learn through Fun
"I-AM" Day features students who dress as favorite story book/nursery rhyme characters. - Valentine's Day Sock-Hop is another day for expressing love and gratitude. Each student is required to bring donations of canned goods for our Community Center food Pantry.

1st Grade African American Heritage Program
Each year in February, the 1st grade students participate in an assembly where they showcase famous African-Americans through oral presentations.  Students from neighboring schools are invited to witness the enlightening presentations. Each year in February, the 1st grade students participate in an assembly where they showcase famous African-Americans through oral presentations. Students from neighboring schools are invited to witness the enlightening presentations.

Robotics
Students in grades 1-6 who are interested in robotics apply and try out for the robotics teams, which compete through First Lego League (FLL). The two divisions, grades 1-3 and 4-6, program robotics, create a project representative of the assigned challenge of the season, and learn to cooperate utilizing the core values termed “Coopertition” by FLL.

Other Opportunities
The annual Oratorical Contest, Kidpreneur, Science Fair, Sixth Grade Musical, Spelling Bee, Heritage Celebration, Books of the Bible Contest, Annual Fall Event and various programs throughout the school year provide students with an opportunity to showcase their knowledge and talents.