In order to maintain the high quality of our education, homework will be assigned on a regular and continuing basis. The student will be accountable for completing the assignments.
Homework has many advantages:
1. It teaches the child responsibility.
2. Parents are kept informed of the students’ progress.
3. An opportunity is provided for parents to work with the child. Parents are encouraged to establish a definite time and quiet place for study at home.
A. Academics Subjects
All students are instructed in the following academic areas:
Religion, Reading, Spelling, English, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science and Health, Art/Music, Technology and Physical Education.
B. Assignments
All assignments will not necessarily be written assignments.
Class work is not to be sent home as homework.
Agenda Planner – students from second grade through eighth grade will use the school agenda planner.
C. Grading
End of quarter grade averages are given in number grades in all major subjects for grades 1-8. The scale is as follows:
A - 94-100
B - 85-93
C - 75-84
D - 70-74
F – below 70
The 3K, 4K, and the 5K use a different scale to indicate progress.
D. Graduation
Students must have successfully completed the 8th grade course of study. Eighth Grade students receive their diplomas at their Graduation Mass.
STANDARDIZED TESTING
At St. Raphael Catholic School we use the Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) to test the progress of our students. St. Raphael’s does not believe in teaching to the test. We do testing twice a year. The purpose of the Fall test is to determine within the curriculum standards student strengths and weaknesses and where the school needs to focus instructional needs. The ITBS is not used as a scorecard for ranking school performance. We believe the academic excellence of St. Raphael’s speaks for itself. The test is administered to grades 1 through 8 in the Fall and to grades Kinder-8th in the Spring.
The ITBS test has been in existence for 70 years and was developed at the University of Iowa. More research has been done on this set of tests than any other wide range achievement test. The test is given in all 50 states to over 2 million students each year. Both private and public schools use this test, and in some states, it is the required assessment. Among Catholic schools, more choose ITBS than any other achievement instrument.
Strengths of the ITBS
- The test scores are compared to a large population of similar aged students.
- The tests have broad coverage of curriculum and helpful in comparing to national scores.
- Used to nominate students for gifted programs.
- Helpful in identifying students requiring intervention or remediation.