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The Mission of St. Raphael’s School is to work in partnership with parents and the Church to educate children for participation in a

changing society.

Therefore our school should be a place where:

People feel welcome and included. Individual differences are respected and valued.

Good teaching happens. Staff are continually reviewing their work and learning

new and improved teaching methods.

Children are challenged to achieve their fullest potential. Through varied learning opportunities we encourage success, confidence,

independence and risk taking.

Children feel safe and happy. Appropriate behaviour is encouraged in a trusting and cooperative environment.

Families are supported. Children, parents and staff work together, listen to one

another and care for one another.

There are strong links between school and parish. Together we share in spreading the Good News to all.

Gospel values reinforced by Catholic doctrine are taught and modelled. We

celebrate life, prayer, sacraments and liturgy in the Catholic tradition.

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History ..........................................................4

Enrolment ....................................................5

Attendance ..................................................6

Transition ....................................................7

Early Years ...................................................8

Communication .........................................9

Uniform .......................................................10

Fee structure ...............................................11

Curriculum ..................................................12

Religious Education ...................................13

Inclusive Education ...................................14

Extra Curricular .........................................15

Personal Responsibility ..............................16

Facilities ......................................................17

Parental Involvement ................................18

Out of School Care ......................................19

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The Patron Saint of our school is Saint Raphael, the Archangel. St. Raphael’s School stands proudly on the strong foundation of strength and foresight established over a century ago by the caring Sisters of Mercy. On Sunday 20th January 1889, Bishop Reynolds, Head of Catholic Diocese of Adelaide, blessed and opened a Mission School in Young Street, Parkside, for the 130 children attending. So began the long history of caring and educating many thousands of children from many countries and all walks of life. The Sisters continued to head the school until 1985 when the first lay Principal was appointed, and in 1986, Sister Kathryn Travers was the last teaching Sister of Mercy to leave the school, after 97 years of their loyal devotion. In 1999 the school underwent a major redevelopment. The purchase of additional land, together with major building and grounds development, saw a marked improvement in facilities. The Rev. Leonard Faulkner blessed the facilities designed for a new century, on October 31st, 1999. In 2010 our physical resources have been augmented and improved by the Federal Government’s ‘Building the Education Revolution’ Programme. The school now has three new learning spaces for our Junior Primary classes, a new canopy providing year-round cover, our hall semi-converted back to its original condition and a new Library re-source centre.

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St. Raphael’s School is an inner city, Catholic school. We are committed to serving the needs of families from all walks of life and of all economic backgrounds. All people are eligible to apply for places at St Raphael’s School. Natural-ly, with places in demand, priority is given to those who support the Catho-lic ethos of the school and have a Christian faith commitment. A $50.00 per family application fee (non-refundable) is payable upon lodgement of enrolment form. Receipt of this form will be acknowledged, however this is not a guarantee of acceptance. Students are admitted following an enrolment interview between the Principal, child and the parents. Enrolment is completed with a formal letter of offer and your reply of acceptance. Children who turn 5 before the 1st of May will be eligible to start school at the beginning of the year. Those who turn 5 on or after the 1st of May will commence school in Term 1 of the following year. For your convenience an enrolment from is included. As a waiting list sometimes exists, priority is given to enrolments in order of application.

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SCHOOL HOURS 9:00am School commences 10:45am—11:15am Recess 12:45—12:55pm Eating time 12:55pm—1:25pm Lunch 3:10pm Dismissal

SUPERVISION Morning supervision in the school yard begins at 8:30am. After school all students go to a designated area for pickup. This supervision ends at 3:40pm.

PUNCTUALITY Parents should ensure that all students arrive at school ready for the morning bell at 9am.

ABSENCE/PICKUP Should any child need to leave the school grounds during school hours e.g. dental/doctor appointment, parental permission must be given. All students must be signed out of the school office by a parent/adult before leaving the school. When children are absent from school, an email or telephone call should be made to the school before 9:15am.

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As part of the important transition process from Pre-School to School: A Junior Primary Teacher visits the kindergarten or Child Care

setting. Orientation visits are organised and new students visit the school

twice before commencing school. This allows the children to become familiar with their new environment and meet their teach-er.

A parent information session is held during these orientation visits. Orientation dates and times will be forwarded in the term prior to

your child commencing school. Transition to Year 8: Year 7 students attend a variety of Secondary Schools. Transition

programmes are organised based on the needs of the student and the requirements of the Secondary School.

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RECEPTION IS A TIME FOR CHILDREN TO: Settle at school. Become familiar with rules and routines. Develop a positive self concept. Develop social skills. Develop positive attitudes towards school, work and others. Commence the important foundational steps for academic

learning.

Great importance is placed on children developing their self esteem and confidence in themselves and their ability. Stationery and equipment needs are supplied through the school year. Families need to provide a school bag, lunch box and drink bottle. It is important that all your child’s belongings, including uniforms, are labelled. We encourage parents/carers to pack a healthy recess and lunch. We have a healthy canteen that supplies food for recess and

lunch three days a week. A supervised eating time occurs at recess and lunch.

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PARENT COMMUNICATION Newsletters are distributed fortnightly and contain information about school life and events. They can also be accessed on the school’s website. Connect with us through our email—info@raph.catholic.edu.au, visit our website at www.raph.catholic.edu.au, or simply make a phone call to talk to staff. At the beginning of the year R/1 parents have the opportunity to attend an information evening giving families information about the school, classroom routines and expectations. Parents of students in Year 2-7 are invited to attend a ‘meet and greet’ interview with the classroom teacher early in Term One. At this interview they will be provided with an information booklet outlining information about the class routines and expectations. Staff keep regular communication with parents via communication books, class newsletters, diaries, interviews and email.

ASSEMBLIES AND CELEBRATIONS Community gatherings give us an opportunity to pray together and to highlight the various gifts and talents, which each student brings to the school. Assemblies are held fortnightly and lead by our Year 7 leaders as well as a designated class.

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The wearing of school uniform is an expectation at St. Raphael's School. The school uniform, as well as being attractive and practical, helps to develop a sense of belonging and pride in our school. The uniform is outlined below. WINTER: GIRLS Pinafore - up to size 14 (Reception to Year 3) Pleated skirt - size 10 up (Year 4 to Year 7) (Fabric Description) Light grey with pale blue and navy stripe. Shirt: Sky blue long sleeve Jumper: V-neck navy blue Tie: Cross-over Tie Socks: Grey ankle length or grey tights. Shoes: Black

WINTER: BOYS Shirt: Blue long sleeve jac shirt with

school monogram Jumper: V-neck navy blue Trousers: Grey school trousers Socks: Grey ankle length Shoes: Black

SUMMER: GIRLS Dress: TAB Front - Mid blue pin-striped dress. Shoes: Black shoes or brown sandals. Socks: White ankle length with shoes, no socks with sandals SUMMER: BOYS Shorts: Blue school shorts. Shirts: Sky blue - short sleeve, jac shirt with school monogram Socks: Grey – with shoes only Shoes: Black shoes or brown sandals.

SPORTS UNIFORM - UNISEX Navy track pants Navy sports shorts with school monogram Double blue striped polo-shirt with school monogram Windcheater with school monogram SCHOOL BAG - Navy monogrammed school bag - medium or large COMMUNICATION FOLDERS - Navy monogrammed LIBRARY BAGS - Navy monogrammed HAT - Navy bucket hat monogrammed

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2014 RESOURCE FEE PER CHILD PER STUDENT $770.00 P.A.

2014 TUITION FEE

ONE CHILD FAMILIES: $1,910.00 P.A. TWO CHILDREN $3,343.00 P.A. THREE CHILDREN $4,298.00 P.A. BUILDING LEVY PER FAMILY: $354.00 P.A.

The Resource Fee is an annual fee that covers all consumable costs and levies for every student. This fee must be paid on or before the commencement of school. Tuition fees and Building Levy are billed and payable over three terms. Payment can be made by cash, cheque, credit card or direct debit. School Card Discount is 40% off all Tuition Fees. Fees are necessary to fund the programmes offered at St. Raphael's School and it is expected that all students contribute to these costs. Nevertheless, it is our intention that no one will be deprived of a Christian education because of an inability to pay fees. Enrolment - Following a formal interview and upon acceptance of a place at St. Raphael’s School, a $100.00 non-refundable deposit is due. This amount is deducted from the first fee payment.

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EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS We believe that the needs of each child are of paramount importance. We endeavour to provide an atmosphere in which the child will develop attitudes of caring, responsibility, achievement and a desire to learn. Our curriculum is based on guidelines outlined by SACSA and the new Australian Curriculum based on the Melbourne Declaration on Ed-ucational Goals for Young Australians. This includes appropriate and se-quential learning experiences in the following curriculum areas:

Religious Education English Mathematics Science Society and Environment The Arts—Performing Arts and Visual Arts Health and Physical Education Languages other than English—Italian Design and Technology

HOMEWORK It is the expectation that children carry out certain tasks at home. Teachers will inform parents of their expectations and responsibilities. We strive to set homework appropriate to the age and ability of the students. Part of the rationale for homework is the development of sound home study habits.

ASSESSMENT Each child’s progress is continually assessed by the teacher. Oral or written tests and observations are used to create an understanding about a student’s progress. Formal records of children’s progress are kept and parents may arrange for an interview with the class teacher at any time. Formal interviews are conducted in Terms 2 and 4 to enable parents and teachers to work together to help the student achieve success. Formal written reports are sent home in Terms 2 and 4.

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At St. Raphael’s School, the Religious Education programme is set up to support parents in bringing up their children in the Catholic faith. The school has a Religious Education coordinator and together with the staff and Parish staff, provide a comprehensive programme. The school follows the Catholic Education South Australia (Crossways and MITIOG) Religious Education Framework. Religious Education is not confined to classrooms but is integrated into all the day’s activities. Celebration is a key note of our Religious Education Programme and masses, liturgies and prayer services are held regularly to enrich the students’ appreciation of their faith. Students in Year R-7 attend Mass twice a term and on some Holy Days at St Raphael’s Church, Parkside.

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMME Again, the focus of our programme is to support parents in the prep-aration of children for the Sacraments. All Sacraments are con-ducted as part of the Parish programme and parents are invited to enrol their children after discerning their readiness.

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St Raphael’s School endeavours to maximise access to the curriculum for all students by catering to a variety of learning styles and needs. Our ongoing commitment to Inclusive Education principles has seen St Raphael’s School sustain and build a number of learning initiatives which aim to allow our students to access the curriculum in a meaningful manner. Small classroom group work and one on one support is offered to students as well as social skills programmes. Students can access ‘user pay’ speech therapy sessions from Speech Pathologists and Tutors who access our facilities.

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EXTRA CURRICULAR SPORTS Extra Curricular sports programmes are offered to students from Reception to Year 7. Swimming, athletics, cross country, netball, soccer, football, touch football, cricket and volleyball are all encouraged and fostered by the school. With the support of a co-ordinator, parents volunteer to coach and manage out of school hours sports teams.

CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES The school is involved in numerous extra activities that provide an extension to the learning environment. Examples include: Instrumental Music Programme Inter school sporting carnivals; swimming, athletics, cross country touch, volleyball, netball, soccer and football Camps and overnight stays for students

in Year 3-7 Aquatics sessions for Middle School students. Swimming lessons for students in Year R-5 Year 7 Retreat Learning Expos Charity events Mother’s Day and Father’s Day celebrations Curriculum related activities such as Book Week, Italian Day School Fair

CONCERTS-MUSIC/DRAMA Music and Drama are activities encouraged and conducted as part of the educational programme. Children are given the opportunity to display their expertise during concerts and end of year celebrations. In odd years there is a musical at the end of Term two, and in even years there is a Christmas concert at the end of Term four.

OTHER MUSICAL ACTIVITIES AVAILABLE: Beginners Rock Band Instrumental Programme School Choir performing at school events and the CSMF

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At St Raphael’s School we believe that all members of our school need to respect each other. More specifically: The yard should be an area which is safe and enjoyable for

students to play. Students need to be taught and practise relationship skills in order

to address their needs. All members of the school (staff, parents and students) need to

know school expectations. Procedures relating to behaviour management need to be

consistent. Students need to make appropriate choices and accept

responsibility for their own behaviour. School rules at St Raphael’s School are established to ensure that each person is treated with respect, dignity and courtesy in a happy and safe environment.

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The school’s grounds and play equipment are well maintained and set in a safe and pleasant environment. Areas include a Junior Primary and Primary playground, grassed play area and netball/basketball courts. The school also has a library, performing arts room and a hall used for assemblies, gatherings and sport. A modern outdoor covered canopy area is a central meeting place for students, parents and staff.

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The school community values parent participation and involvement. We believe the school is a place for students, staff and parents. St. Raphael’s School is well known as a school which values community and fosters all parties working together. We aim to build an environment in which parents feel welcome and which fosters the growth of a mutually beneficial partnership between parents, teachers and students. We believe that only then can a child receive the maximum benefit from his or her education. Parents are encouraged to join in at a variety of levels.

SCHOOL BOARD The School Board is the governing body of the school. It meets once per month and deals with matters such as policy development, master planning, facilities and finances. Members are elected to the Board from the parent body at an AGM held in March each year.

PARENTS AND FRIENDS This group considers the needs of children and parents and works as the social backbone of the school community. It has a fund-raising and social element and often supports the wider school by raising money for a particular target.

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St Raphael’s School OSHC aims to provide a friendly, flexible service for families needing before and after school care. OSHC is located in the newly renovated hall. Care is provided by a small team, with a keen interest in working with children and ensuring that OSHC is a fun, inclusive time for all. At St Raphael’s School OSHC, we believe that children should be active and therefore involvement in outdoor play is encouraged. Other activities offered include art/craft, science experiments, cooking and indoor games. There is a designated homework area in after school care where children can sit and complete their homework tasks before playing. Staff members are more than happy to assist children should they need the help. BEFORE SCHOOL CARE Before school care opens at 7:30am. Between 7:30am and 8:10am breakfast is offered to children. Breakfast consists of toast, with a choice of spread and a selection of cereals.

AFTER SCHOOL CARE After school care commences at 3:10pm and concludes at 6:00pm. Up-on arrival at after school care, children are offered a snack and fruit.

At approximately 4:30pm, a second more substantial snack is provided. We aim to provide healthy snacks that are low in salt, fats and sugar, with treats on the odd occasion. A menu is displayed in OSHC at the be-ginning of each week so parents and children can keep up to date with what’s being served each day.

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