5-Year Strategic Plan (PDF)


Mission Statement

St. Raphael School, in conjunction with its parish and parents, provides our children with an engaging and inspiring academic program infused with strong Christian morals and virtues. Our Catholic identity permeates each subject and daily activity in a warm and welcoming environment. Through faith and reason, our school community challenges students to lead lives of service while embracing the love of God and neighbor. We foster a strong sense of self-worth and build character in each of our students, enabling them to reach their full spiritual, intellectual, physical, and emotional potential in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

 

Christ is the reason for this school.

He is the unseen but ever-present teacher in its classes.

He is the model of its faculty and the inspiration of its students.

 

Vision Statement

We develop the mind, spirit, and body of each child through rigorous, focused, individualized Catholic education.

About Our Crest

The Holy Trinity, represented by three crosses, guides and inspires our faculty in their care and teaching of our students. The chevron signifies our home within the Catholic Church. Our patron, St. Raphael the Archangel, intercedes for us as God’s biblical healer. The green field represents life, growth, and renewal. Our motto, Faith and Reason, recalls the two basic philosophical principles necessary for understanding.

A green and white logo for st. raphael

Philosophy

St. Raphael School is a co-educational parish school that provides students with a Catholic education rich in tradition enhanced by a 21st-century classroom. Our academic standards and Catholic virtues equip students with the tools essential to lead lives of service to God and the community.


As an integral part of the parish community, St. Raphael School offers a warm and welcoming environment enriched by the time and talents offered through our partnership with parents. We recognize parents as the primary teachers in life and welcome and value their ideas and interests.


Our parish priests, administration, faculty, and staff are committed to supporting the mission of the school and fostering the development of faith and reason in every child. St. Raphael School provides a challenging curriculum, focusing on each child’s unique capabilities and talents. We provide quality education and prepare all students for the rigorous academic demands of secondary school.


Our class size affords each child individualized attention and the opportunity for differentiated learning. We instill a strong sense of self-confidence and Catholic spirituality in our students. The classroom environment is one of love, respect, and compassion. Students attend Mass weekly at school and participate in daily prayer to instill the virtues necessary to lead a moral and purposeful life. Students participate in community outreach to further develop their understanding of service while helping those in need.


Knowing that Jesus is the reason that this school exists, we acknowledge His presence in our daily life at school. He guides and encourages our teachers and inspires our students to follow in His footsteps.

Catholic Identity

Goal

St. Raphael students will share a deep understanding and love for Jesus Christ and our Catholic faith through prayer, worship, teaching, service, environment, and community.


Objective 1

By the end of the school year, 100 percent of our students will show growth on the Assessment of Religious Knowledge.


what who when statusupdate performance measure
1. Weekly lesson plans reflect evidence of teachers' knowledge of Archdiocese of Washington religion standards Principal / Teachers Weekly Ongoing Weekly lesson plans
2. Ensure Religion teachers are certified or working toward completing certification within three years in the ADW Living Catholic Program Principal / Religion Teachers Annually Ongoing Principal review, ORE review

Academics

Goal

St. Raphael will achieve national recognition for academic performance.


Objective 1

By the end of the 2028-2029 school year, St. Raphael School will obtain 2nd Blue Ribbon Status.

What Who When Status Update Performance Measure

1. Form a Blue Ribbon school committee

Teachers, parents, students

Fall 2024

 Blue Ribbon - Fall 2019

Meeting minutes, agendas, etc.

2. Apply for Blue Ribbon recognition award

Teachers

Spring 2028

 Blue Ribbon - Fall 2019

Application
Objective 2

By the end of each school year, SRS will have refined our plan to maintain small, flexible instructional groupings tailored to individual student learning needs.

what who when statusupdate performance measure
1. Annual review of resource needs and personnel Principal Summer Budget
2. Review criteria and document process for establishing instructional groupings Teachers / Principal Summer Summer Student performance and testing results
3. Identify three instructional areas of focus for each class in reading and math Teachers Fall, Winter, and Spring (annually) IP Class learning targets
4. Develop individual learning targets for each student, including accommodations for students with learning differences Teachers (Resource) Fall, Winter and Spring (annually) IP Individual learning targets
Objective 3

By the end of each school year, SRS will have planned and implemented a focused program on critical thinking and project-based learning.

what who when statusupdate performance measure
1. Review and implement professional development on critical thinking and project-based learning Administration team Fall, Winter and Spring (annually) IP Scheduled professional development
2. Review and implement critical thinking and interdisciplinary project-based learning, leveraging existing practices used in each grade level Teachers and administrative team Spring IP Project-based learning plan
3. Implement project-based learning plan Teachers Fall IP Curriculum
Objective 4

By the end of the 2024-2025 school year, develop a program to enhance student writing proficiency by eighth grade.

what who when status update performance measure
1. Form a writing curriculum committee Teachers / Principal Summer 2024 IP Committee notes
2. Investigate writing curriculum at various schools and through various programs to determine best practices Writing committee and teachers Summer 2024 IP Reports and samples of writing programs
3. Develop a writing plan based on identified best practices and St. Raphael student needs Teachers / Principal Summer 2025 IP Writing plan

Students

Goal

To attract, develop, and retain a diverse group of families committed to the spiritual and academic growth of their children, both inside and outside the classroom.


Objective 1

By the end of each school year, we will have increased awareness of opportunities to make Catholic education affordable for families.

what who when status update performance measure
1. Apply for educational grants Director of Development Ongoing IP Completed applications
2. Remind parents of the tuition-assistance process through ADW Administrative Assistant/Office Manager Ongoing IP Wednesday Weekly / website / emails
3. Tuition sponsorship program Director of Development Ongoing IP Number of sponsorships
4. Provide families who qualify for BOOST with information Office Manager Annually IP Number of applicants


Objective 2

By the end of each school year, review and implement our plan to balance our resources offerings for Catholic education to meet the needs of students with developmental learning needs.

what who when status update performance measure
1. Evaluate the necessity and feasibility of increasing staff members for the Resource Room Principal Annually IP Finalized budget
2. Work with the Catholic Schools Office (CSO) to use available resources Principal Ongoing IP Increased services / increased population

Personnel

Goal

To recruit, develop, and retain qualified faculty, administration, and staff who embrace and embody the mission and philosophy of St. Raphael School.

Objective 1

By the end of each school year, SRS will have developed a plan to ensure all staff members are certified or in the process of certification.


what who when status update performance measure
1. Ensure all teaching staff are current with professional development needed to earn or retain certification in the state of MD Principal Ongoing IP Individual teacher professional development plans
what who when status update performance measure
1. Introduce team building and morale activities at staff meetings and other group level activities Principal / committee Ongoing IP Completion / implementation
2. Establish written policies for orientation and mentoring Principal / committee Spring 2025 IP Completion / observation
3. Examine schedules to determine most efficient workloads Principal / committee Summer IP Completion / observation
4. Adhere to ADW salary scale while exploring opportunities to increase salaries where possible Principal / finance council Ongoing IP Retention


Facility

Goal

To maintain a safe physical environment that inspires learning and provides enrichment opportunities for students, faculty, and members of the community.

Objective 1

By the end of each school year, St. Raphael School will ensure that security systems are updated to meet the needs in today's school environments.

what who when status update performance measure
1. Continue to review and enhance our campus security. Principal / pastor Annually IP Team identified
2. Conduct analysis to maximize the utilization of campus Administration Team Annually IP TBD
3. Research and procure an athletic field Athletic Field Committee/School Leadership TBD IP Field open for student use
what who when performance measure
1. Create additional revenue streams to offset costs for planned and unexpected maintenance School Leadership Yearly Budget
2. Create a "culture of philanthropy" throughout alumni, current families, and parish to help increase cash flow. Marketing Yearly Marketing Plan
3. Develop an endowment plan to subsidize costs for St. Raphael School Pastor, principal, Finance Council Spring 2028 Endowment Plan

Technology and Resource

To compel students and staff to responsibly and effectively use technology to accelerate learning, deepen understanding, and ensure lifelong success in a rapidly changing world.


Objective 1

Continued implementation of technology standards for students and staff.

what who when status update performance measure
1. Provide professional development to staff on technology standards for students and staff Media Specialist Ongoing IP Staff meeting attendance
2. Conduct classroom observations to ensure effective student and staff use of technology Principal Ongoing IP Classroom observation

Last updated, July 2024

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