PAGE
A.. Mission Statement............................................................................................................................ 2
B.. Philosophy...................................................................................................................................... 2
C.
Admissions and Fees
a. Admission
Policy................................................................................................................. 2
b. Fees/Payment
Schedule......................................................................................................... 2
c. Care
of Materials, Property, and Books.................................................................................... 3
D.
Daily Services and Procedures
a. Attendance
requirements........................................................................................................ 3
b. Early
Arrival Services............................................................................................................ 3
c. Dismissal............................................................................................................................ 3
d. Supervision
and Safety Procedures........................................................................................... 4
e. Illness................................................................................................................................ 4
f. Medication.......................................................................................................................... 4
g. Lunch................................................................................................................................. 4
h. Backpacks........................................................................................................................... 5
i. Lost/Forgotten
Items............................................................................................................. 5
j. School
Volunteers................................................................................................................ 5
k. Birthday
Celebrations............................................................................................................ 5
E.
Curriculum...................................................................................................................................... 5
a. Religion
Program................................................................................................................. 5
b. Special
Services................................................................................................................... 5
c. Homework.......................................................................................................................... 6
d. Field
Trips.......................................................................................................................... 6
e. Physical Education............................................................................................................... 6
f. Testing............................................................................................................................... 6
F.
Communication and Reports of Student Progress................................................................................... 6
a. Reports
to Parents................................................................................................................ 6
b. Report
Card Criteria.............................................................................................................. 6
c. Retention Policy.................................................................................................................. 7
d. Home/School
Communication................................................................................................ 7
e. Use
of Telephone.................................................................................................................. 7
G.
Awards........................................................................................................................................... 7
a. Honor
Roll.......................................................................................................................... 8
H.
Code of Conduct.............................................................................................................................. 8
a. Middle
School Discipleship Plan............................................................................................ 10
b. Participation
in Middle School Co-curricular Activities............................................................... 12
I.
Computer/Internet Acceptable Use Policy.............................................................................................. 12
J... Playground
Rules............................................................................................................................. 12
K.. Dress
Code...................................................................................................................................... 12
..... a. Uniform Policy...................................................................................................................... 12
L. Emergency
Procedures/Preparedness
a. Emergency Closing................................................................................................................ 14
b. Fire/Tornado Drills................................................................................................................ 14
N.. School
Logo.................................................................................................................................... 14
O.. Transfer
of Schools........................................................................................................................... 14
P... Home
School Association (H.S.A.)..................................................................................................... 15
Q.. School
Advisory Committee.............................................................................................................. 15
R.. Athletic
Booster Club....................................................................................................................... 15
This handbook and the policies stated in it are meant to
be A GUIDE TO STUDENT ACTIVITIES AND DISCIPLINE. Since it is impossible to foresee all situations that may
arise, such occurrences are covered in the spirit of this handbook even though
they are not specifically stated.
MISSION
STATEMENT
The mission of St. Raphael Catholic School is to provide a
Catholic Christian education to the families of St. Raphael Parish and
surrounding communities. All
members of the school community will work together to create a safe, nurturing
environment in which the uniqueness of each person is respected. We will strive for excellence in
academics and in all other areas of human development. To assure that the schoolŐs program
integrates culture with faith and faith with living, Saint Raphael Catholic
School is founded on Gospel teachings and values, Roman Catholic tradition, and
the expectations of responsible citizenship in a democratic society.
PHILOSOPHY
The existence of St. Raphael Catholic School rests in the
belief that God is present in every person and that we witness to that Presence
in a loving, faith-filled community.
St. Raphael Catholic School is committed to the four-fold
purpose of Catholic Christian education:
1. To teach the gospel message
revealed by Jesus and proclaimed by the Church.
2. To build a community where
Christian values are modeled and developed.
3. To pray and worship together in
order to foster a deep, personal relationship with Jesus.
4. To practice the Christian call to
service by meeting the direct needs of the local and global community
and by promoting
principles of peace and justice.
The goal of Catholic education is to educate the total
person in a vibrant Christian community where each individual is recognized and
respected, and where religious values are central. To create such an environment, the faculty and staff promote
and proclaim the teachings of Jesus as the basis for the values they teach and
uphold. Through emphasis on
academic excellence, the school strives to help all students achieve their full
potential and become moral leaders committed to the social concerns of the times.
ADMISSION
POLICY
St. Raphael Catholic School does not discriminate on the
basis of race, sex, national or ethnic origin, or handicapping condition in the
admission of students, employment of personnel, administration of educational
policies, athletics, or other school programs.
1. To enter kindergarten, a child must
be five years old by October 16. Students will be conditionally accepted into
Kindergarten with full acceptance contingent on displayed readiness on the
Kindergarten assessment.
2. To enter first grade, a child must
have successfully completed kindergarten and be six years old by October 16.
3. A birth certificate and baptismal
certificate (for Catholic students) must be presented at the time of
registration. Transfer students
must present a transcript of test scores and the most recent report card from
the previous school. These will be evaluated to determine if Saint Raphael
Catholic School can meet the educational needs of the student. New students may
be given an assessment to determine appropriate grade or course placement.
4. In determining the acceptance of
new students into the school, preference will be given to children of staff
members, brothers and sisters of children attending St. Raphael School, to
members of St. Raphael parish and other Catholic parishes, and to those coming
from other Catholic schools.
5. All incoming students must present
proof that they have fully complied with North Carolina immunization laws and
have up-to-date medical records.
6. All new students in grades one and
up are admitted for a nine-week probationary period.
FEES/PAYMENT SCHEDULE
Because fees are subject to change, only the types of fees
charged are described here. Exact
amounts and due dates for payments are provided on a separate sheet which is
updated annually.
Fees required:
1. An application fee is due at time of application to the school.
2.
The New Student Fee is due at the time of formal registration. This fee is non-refundable.
3. A re-registration fee for students presently attending the school and
their siblings is due each January.
This fee is also non-refundable.
TUITION PAYMENT OPTIONS
1. Payment in full by June 1st
2. Semi-annual payments - First payment equal to one half year tuition due
June 1. Second payment equal to
one half year tuition due on January 1.
Withdrawal of a student requires 30-day advance written
notification to the office.
Families using payment Options 1 or 2 who move out of the county are
eligible to receive a tuition refund.
Refunds will be calculated 30 days after written notification to the
office. Final school records will
not be transferred to another school until all monies owed are paid in full.
CARE
OF PROPERTY, MATERIALS, AND BOOKS
Each student is responsible to care for the school facility
and for school equipment.
Textbooks are to be kept covered and clearly identified. Parents are financially responsible for
the loss or damage of any school-owned books, equipment, or furniture in
proportion to the expense involved.
The same rule applies to damage caused to another studentŐs property or
clothing. If a library book or textbook is lost or damaged, replacement costs
to the student will be based on the price of a new book.
ATTENDANCE
REQUIREMENTS
1. North Carolina law requires 180
student days annually, exclusive of holidays.
2. Students are required to attend the
school day in its entirety. The
instructional day begins at 8:30 A.M.
The school doors open at 8:05.
á Tardy
students must be walked into the office by a parent/guardian.
á If
a child is late three (3) times a quarter, the parents will be officially
notified of the problem. If the tardiness continues, the Principal will hold a
conference with the parents to determine whether the student should be
permitted to continue his/her education at St. Raphael Catholic School because
of the disruption caused to the teachers, other students, and to the child who
is tardy.
3. Absence from school is detrimental
to a studentŐs progress no matter what the reason. Parents must call the office no later than 9:00 AM on the
day their child is absence.
4. School law requires that students
present a written excuse on the first day they return to class after an
absence. This excuse should
include the date(s) of absence and the reason for the absence. Absences not explained in this written
form will be marked ŇunexcusedÓ in the attendance record.
5. Parents are strongly encouraged to
make appointments for their children outside of school hours. Parents taking a
child from school for appointments or illness must report to the office to sign
a release for the childŐs dismissal.
Children must be signed out before 2:45 pm.
6. Family vacations which do not
coincide with the school calendar are strongly discouraged. Teachers will not provide work in anticipation
of a studentŐs absence. Makeup work may be obtained from the
teacher(s) when the child returns to school and must be completed within seven
(7) days.
7. Chronic or excessive absence may be
grounds for non-promotion of a student.
EARLY
ARRIVAL SERVICES
Early arrival service is available from 7:00 A.M. to 8:05
A.M. A fee is to be paid to the
person in charge. A monthly rate
is available. This service is
available monthly or on a drop in basis.
It is not available on days school is closed or if there is a delayed
opening. For more information,
contact the school office.
DISMISSAL
The school day ends at 3:15 P.M. and children must be picked up promptly. Carpool and dismissal procedures are reviewed and established prior to the beginning of each school year, and parents are required to follow them for the safety of all students. Students not picked up by 3:35 P.M. will be sent to the After-School Program and a fee will be charged. The office must be informed of any student leaving with a person other than the studentŐs parent/guardian. In the event of an emergency, please call the office.
SUPERVISION AND
SAFETY PROCEDURES
To assure the safety of each child, all parents are expected
to cooperate fully with the arrival and dismissal procedures. Any questions
about arrival and dismissal procedures can be directed to the school office.
1. Children dropped off before 8:05
A.M. should be walked by the parent and checked into the early arrival service.
2. The school doors are locked at 8:30
A.M. Please ring the doorbell to
gain entry and report to the office to sign in. Visitor tags are required for all visitors.
3. During the school day and/or when
students stay for extracurricular activities, they may not leave the campus
without the written permission of their parents and approval from the office.
4. Children who stay for co-curricular
activities on the school grounds will be supervised by the adult in charge of
the activity for the duration of the activity only. No students are to be in the school building after dismissal
unless they are involved in a co-curricular activity.
5. The school is not responsible for
the supervision and/or safety of non-school children who accompany their
parents to school or of the children who use the playground after school. A parent must supervise any children on
the playground after school hours.
6. Children are expected to abide by
the rules of the school at all times they are on campus.
ILLNESS
Children who show signs of illness in the morning should be
kept home, as should those having bad colds or coughs. Children may not return to school
until they have been fever-free (no temperature over 100 degrees) and/or have
not vomited for 24 hours.
1. Parents must notify the school
office (919-865-5750) by 9:00 A.M. each day a student will be absent.
2. Parents or the person listed on the
emergency form will be called if a child becomes ill or is injured at
school. It is important that we
have an up-to-date emergency form from every family no later than the first
week of school. Parents are asked
to notify the school immediately of changes of address or changes of home,
cell, or work phone numbers that occur during the school year.
3. Whoever comes to take a sick or
injured child home must report to the office to sign the child out.
4. Please call the office if your
child contracts a contagious disease and consult with a doctor as to when
he/she may return to school.
5. For short term illnesses, please do
not call the school office to request work for your child. For each day missed, two days will be
given to make up missing work when the child returns to school.
6. Special arrangements may be made in
the case of a prolonged absence resulting from illness or accident with regard
to any missed work.
7. After each absence, a written note
explaining the absence must be sent in to the childŐs teacher.
MEDICATION
1. Any type of medication
(prescription or non-prescription) must be brought to school office
accompanied by a note signed by a parent or guardian. The note should contain all pertinent information about the
administration of the medication.
2. Parents are required to have a
physician complete a form available from the office if a child must take
prescribed medication on a daily basis.
3. Due to safety concerns, parents
should notify the school office about any prescription medication a student is
currently taking.
4. All prescribed medication should be
sent to school in original containers with pharmacy labels.
5. No form of medication is to be
kept on the childŐs person or among his/her belongings.
6. No other medications may be
administered by the school.
Children should be clearly instructed by the parents as to when they are
to go to the office to take their prescribed medicine under the supervision of
a responsible adult.
LUNCH
Parents are asked to provide a nutritious lunch daily for
their children. In the event your
child forgets this lunch, please do not bring Ňfast foodÓ lunches or soft drinks for
your child. If you wish to eat lunch with your child, you must report to
the office to receive a visitorŐs tag before joining your child for lunch. An order form to order milk for the
year will be sent home to each family at the beginning of each school year. The Booster Club sponsors a ŇHot Lunch
Program.Ó Parents will be notified
about the specific days, menus and ordering procedures for these lunches.
Volunteers in the lunchroom are most welcome; for safety and
supervision reasons, we request that younger siblings not accompany parents who
volunteer at lunch time.
BACKPACKS
To help keep their books and other school materials in good
condition, all students are required to have and to use some type of carrying
case. Backpacks (and lunch boxes) must
be clearly labeled with the studentŐs name. Rolling backpacks are discouraged.
LOST/FORGOTTEN
ITEMS
1. All articles, including lunchboxes,
should be clearly marked with the ownerŐs name.
2. Lost and found items are kept in
the school office and may be claimed there by the owner.
3. At the end of each quarter, all
lost and found items will be disposed of or donated to the needy.
4. If your child forgets his/her lunch
or any other item, please bring these items to the office. Do not deliver forgotten items to the
classroom. Students are not permitted to call home for forgotten items.
SCHOOL
VOLUNTEERS
Parents are encouraged to be involved in various aspects of
their childŐs education. All
volunteers who assist anywhere during the school day must sign in using the
book provided in the office and sign out when they leave. This helps us calculate and celebrate
the hours of volunteer service given by our parents. While serving on school grounds, all volunteers must wear
a visitor tag. School volunteers are required to complete a Diocesan Volunteer
Information form annually. These
are kept on file in the office for the entire year. Please do not bring siblings along when serving as a
volunteer.
BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
Money for library books may be donated in honor of a childŐs
birthday. A special name plate
will appear in the front of the book purchased. To celebrate a childŐs
birthday, parents may send individual cookies or cupcakes for distribution at
the teacherŐs discretion. Please
refrain from sending other food items to school. Birthday invitations are not
to be sent home through the Wednesday Mailers. Birthday invitations are not to be distributed at school
unless the entire class is being invited.
CURRICULUM
St. Raphael Catholic School bases its curriculum and time
allotments for each subject on guidelines developed by the Diocese of Raleigh
and the State of North Carolina.
To renew their accreditation, all diocesan schools meet the standards,
policies, and procedures required by SACS (Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools). Saint Raphael Catholic School is fully accredited.
RELIGION
PROGRAM
Saint Raphael Catholic School adheres to the traditions,
theology, and practice of Roman Catholicism as expressed in the Diocese of
Raleigh. A minimum of one half-hour daily is devoted to religious instruction
or to participation in a variety of liturgical or paraliturgical
activities. These activities
include daily school prayer, daily classroom prayers, attendance at Holy Mass,
seasonal and Marian devotions, and scriptural prayer services. Service projects, which provide a
concrete expression of Christian values, are essential to the schoolŐs
program. The religion program of
the school is effective only to the extent that it is reinforced by parental
example in the home and by a parentŐs close supervision of the childŐs leisure
time activities. Family prayer,
regular attendance at Sunday Mass, concern and support for the needy, respect
for sacred scripture, and service to the church and school are integral parts a
childŐs religious formation. Parents are expected to support the religious
education opportunities provided by Saint Raphael Catholic School. All students
are required to participate, to the extent they are able, in the religious
programs and services offered.
SPECIAL
SERVICES
1. Library classes are scheduled regularly
for Kindergarten through Fifth Grades.
Books may be borrowed on a weekly basis. Fees are charged for lost or damaged books.
2. Spanish is taught in Kindergarten
through Eighth Grades.
3. The services of a school counselor
are available to students, teachers, and parents.
4. Resource teachers provide special
assistance in reading for students in grades K-5.
5. Students with special needs are
accommodated at the discretion of the administration, under advisement from the
resource teacher. Special services may be available to students through federal
programs under the auspices of the Wake County School System.
6. Computers are available for student
use in all classrooms.
7. Before- and After-school programs are
available for all students for an additional fee.
HOMEWORK
Beginning in kindergarten, children are expected to do some
homework each weekday night. The
type and length of assignments will vary as the child advances. Homework is meant to reinforce and
provide practice of skills learned in school. It also allows students to find effective ways to solve
problems, to use creativity in designing and building projects, and to share
what they learn with family members.
Parents are asked to provide a time and space for the children to do
their homework and only as much assistance as is needed. If homework takes an excessive amount
of time, consult your childŐs teacher.
If your child leaves an assignment at school, please do not return to
retrieve it after 4:00 P.M.
FIELD
TRIPS
Educational field trips are used to enhance classroom
instruction. Parents are asked to
assist with these and are asked to cover nominal costs. To participate in a field trip a child
must have the written permission of the parent, using only the form provided by
the school. Telephone calls will
not be accepted in lieu of proper forms.
Because field trips are privileges afforded to students, participation
may be denied to those students who fail to meet academic or behavioral
requirements. All field trips must
be taken on busses that are driven by certified drivers. Siblings are not allowed on field
trips.
PHYSICAL
EDUCATION
Physical education classes are conducted two times weekly on
a regular schedule. Because physical education classes are a mandatory part of
the school program, all students are expected to fully participate in each
class. To excuse a child from participation in a physical education class
requires a written note from the parent each time the class is to be
missed. For more than three
consecutive classes of non-participation, a doctorŐs excuse is required. All
students are expected to be in regulation attire as stated in the dress
code. Athletic shoes must be worn
for these classes.
TESTING
A variety of methods is used to assess student
progress. These include:
1. Teacher-made tests or alternate
forms of assessment.
2. Printed tests which accompany
specific textbook programs.
3.
Classroom participation, class work,
homework
4. Tests to measure ability –
Cognitive Aptitude Test (CogAT) – Grades 2 & 5
5. Tests to measure mastery of
concepts/skills – Iowa Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) – Grades 3, 4,
5, 6, 7, & 8
6. Diocese of Raleigh Catholic Schools
Writing Assessment – Grades 4 & 7
7. North Carolina End of Course Test
(Algebra and Geometry students)
8. North Carolina Test of Computer Skills
– Grade 8
9. Individualized testing through
outside services when specifically requested by parents and teachers.
REPORTS
TO PARENTS
Report cards are issued quarterly in grades one through
eight and checklists are issued twice yearly in kindergarten. Interim progress reports are issued in
the middle of each quarter for grades three through eight. Formal parent-teacher conferences are
scheduled once a year, but parents are encouraged to confer with teachers as
needed.
Many problems grow out of simple misunderstandings and are
often resolved when parents and teachers communicate directly. Many times a phone conversation is all
that is needed or parents may need to schedule an appointment to confer with
the teacher. Only when this
contact has not been effective are parents advised to confer with the Principal
by phone or by setting up an appointment for a conference. Parents are asked to be reasonable in
their demands on teachers both as to the time and the frequency of reports
about a child. During class hours,
all business is conducted through the office. Teachers may not be interrupted during class time. All
faculty have a school email account to facilitate communication between school
and home.
REPORT
CARD CRITERIA
1. To make report card grades as
objective as possible, the following criteria are considered:
- The quality and
quantity of class work, both oral and written
- Scores on quizzes and
tests
- The quality and
quantity of homework assignments
- Classroom work and
study habits
- Effort and general
attitude toward learning
2. Specific codes for interpreting the
grades on the report card are printed on the report card.
RETENTION
POLICY
The Diocesan Policy regarding retention and promotion is the
following:
Retention of a student in any grade is inadvisable. However, if the developmental stages
and academic progress of the child are inconsistent with his/her chronological
age and non-promotion seems probable, parents are to be involved in the
decision during the third quarter.
If parents choose not to retain the child, retention will not take
place. After a parent, teacher and
Principal conference, all parties sign a letter summarizing the parentsŐ
decision to have the child either retained in the present grade or placed in
the next grade. This letter shall
be retained in the childŐs records.
The school may require summer work for the benefit of the student.
Rarely are students to be retained beyond grade three, nor
is a child to remain more than two years in any single grade. A student who has applied him/herself
to the curriculum of the grade, but lacks the ability to master all of the
objectives as verified by consultation with professional persons outside the
school environment can be placed in the next grade if s/he can continue to
profit from the school program.
The Principal and Teacher are to collaborate with the parent(s) of
students with identified special needs.
If a student cannot be accommodated within the school program, every
effort is to be made for placement in another academic program.
HOME/SCHOOL
COMMUNICATION
Detailed information about activities listed on the school
calendar is sent home in the weekly school memo each Wednesday. Reading the memos is the best way to
keep informed about school activities.
The mailer is to be signed by a parent and returned to the classroom
each week. If you wish to include
an item in the Wednesday mailer, it must be in the school office by Monday at
9:00 A.M. Late items will be
included in the following weekŐs mailer.
Items for the mailer must receive the PrincipalŐs approval.
Understanding the difference between home and school is of
great importance in the development of your children. In order to reach a better understanding we suggest the
following:
á When
in doubt regarding regulations, please contact the school office to clarify the
question.
á If
you wish a special conference with the Principal or teacher, you may either
send a note directly to the person concerned, send them a message via email, or
you may leave a message on voice mail.
á Parents
and guardians are asked NOT to go to the classroom unless a previous
appointment has been made.
USE
OF TELEPHONE
1. Students are not permitted to use
the telephone except in an emergency.
Forgotten work, lunches, or other items do not constitute an emergency. When
calls are necessary, students are to obtain permission to use the telephone in
the office from both their classroom teacher and the school secretary. Students are not to use cell phones during
the school day (including carpool, before/after school care). If a student uses a cell phone, it will
be confiscated and taken to the principalŐs office.
2. Parents are asked not to call the
school office with messages for students which could be taken care of with
better planning or at another time.
Only emergency messages will be delivered to students during the day.
AWARDS
Awards are distributed for eighth graders during their graduation and for all other students at the end -of-year award ceremony.
Spirit of St. Raphael Discipleship Award: This award is given to the student who, in the opinion of the faculty and administration, has displayed most consistently the virtues associated with those of a disciple of Jesus Christ: faith, charity, and service to others. (Grades 1-8)
St. Ignatius Achievement Award: This award is given to the student who, in the opinion of the faculty and administration, has demonstrated consistent effort and great character in the pursuit of academic achievement. (Grades 1-8)<