Admission to St. Raphael School is based on a number of factors, and ultimately at the discretion of the Pastor. The Pastor reviews all applications to the school. The Pastor will provide an accepted applicant list to the school office.
Important factors considered for admission include extent of family involvement in parish life, and the family's support of the parish in regards to the stewardship concepts of time, talent and treasure. In cases in which the family involvement is similar, length of time registered in the parish will be considered. Any applicant who has been denied admission can appeal the decision to the Pastor.
Those applicants who are accepted will be admitted according to the following priority classification:
- Siblings or current St. Raphael Student
- Registered active Parishioner
- Non-parishioner Catholic families ranked by lottery drawing
- Non-Catholic families ranked by lottery drawing
Separate waiting lists will be kept for each classification, by grade. New student applicants will be added to the bottom of the existing waiting list according to their respective classification. Families on the waiting list will be offered an opportunity to re-register on an annual basis, maintaining their spot on the list as it "moves" to the next higher grade.
Re-registration/Pre-Registration Policies:
Students enrolled in grades Kindergarten and above, and whose families are registered in the parish will be permitted to pre-register for the following academic year. All pre-registrations will be reviewed by the Pastor to ascertain whether an acceptable level of family involvement in parish life has been maintained. If it is determined that an acceptable level of involvement does not exist, a meeting between parents and the Pastor will be required prior to re-registration for the next academic year.
A second pre-registration will be conducted for all registered parishioners with children on the waiting list the last school day preceding the pre-registration period. If openings exist in classes for the next academic year, these students will be allowed to pre-register in the order in which they appear on the waiting list. Pre-registration must be completed by the date designated by the School Administration.
Upon approval of the Pastor, families of students seeking admission after formal registration dates have passed will be placed on the appropriate waiting list in the order that the application are received.