admissions_10-11 fact sheets - Saint Raphael Academy

Welcome
Welcome and thank you for your interest in Saint Raphael Academy.
Most likely, you are either a student interested in attending the Academy or you are the parent of a
student interested in the Academy. Either way, this catalog will serve as an introduction to our great
academic community. But before you start reading about the many facets of the Academy – our
mission, history and traditions, our demanding college preparatory curriculum, and our many artistic
and athletic programs -- it may be best to first take a few moments and reflect on what exactly you
want out of your high school experience or the high school experience of your child.
Certainly, you want all the things that are typical of the experience offered by a Catholic, college
preparatory high school: a school committed to excellence in academics, the arts, and athletics; a
school committed to preparing its students for the best colleges and universities in the country; and
a school committed to Catholic values, mutual respect, and self discipline. And without a doubt, the
Academy can offer you or your child all of these things.
But perhaps you are searching for more than just the typical high school experience. Maybe you
not only want a school committed to academic excellence for the sake of college acceptances, but
you want to a school committed to fostering a sense of life-long learning. Maybe you don’t want to
go to a school where you’re just a face in the crowd or another student on the attendance list, but a
school that recognizes that each student is a person with hopes and dreams. And maybe you want
the school you will attend to be more than just a place you go from 8 in the morning to 2 in the
afternoon, but a place you can call home.
If you want more than just the typical high school experience, the Academy is the place for you. I
hope you find the accompanying pages a worthy introduction to the Academy and if at any time you
have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Shawn E. McKay
Director of Admissions

History & Mission
HISTORY
Under the direction of three Christian Brothers and a local Catholic priest, Saint Raphael Academy officially
opened its doors on September 10, 1924, welcoming 59 young men into what was once a residential
home at 123 Walcott Street and is now known as the White Building. By January 1929 a two-story brick
structure, the West Building, was constructed next to to the White Building and for the next 40 years these
two buildings would make up the Academy’s modest campus.
In 1974, the Academy became a co-educational academic community and the next thirty years would
be a time of great change and expansion. First, the Academy needed to address the sharp increase in
enrollment and began to develop the East end of its campus with the leasing of St. Joseph’s Elementary
School Building; in 1986 additional classroom and artistic space, which is known as Barbara Farley
Hall, was added to the West Building; and with the launching of a capital campaign in 1996 even more
expansion was on the way: the acquisition of office space for the Administration Building at 38 Maynard
Street, technological improvements, further faculty and curriculum development, and the purchase of the
St. Joseph’s Elementary School Building.
Yet, the most recent history of the Academy has been a period of even further expansion. In 2000, the
second floor of the White Building was transformed into the Healey Library & Media Center; in 2001
the second floor of the West Building was transformed into a state-of-the-art science wing; and in 2007
Alumni Hall, the Academy’s premiere Athletic & Wellness Center, opened.
Despite humble beginnings, over the past 84 years the Academy has blossomed into one of the finest
Catholic, college preparatory high schools in Rhode Island and South-Eastern Massachusetts. Since 1924
over 7,000 men and women have passed through the storied halls of the Academy and they have gone
onto become the foremost professionals in business, law, medicine, education, science and engineering.
The Alumni of Saint Raphael Academy are deeply involved in the community at the Academy and all
remain forever proud to be a graduates of the great school on Walcott Street.
MISSION STATEMENT
Saint Raphael Academy is a Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory school founded in the tradition
of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and rooted in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Academy welcomes a
student body that is academically, economically, and culturally diverse. Through its commitment to
Christian values, the Academy strives for excellence in all programs for the spiritual, academic, cultural,
and physical development of each student. Saint Raphael Academy seeks to provide a safe environment
that places priority on mutual respect as well as self-discipline. The Academy prepares each student for a
life dedicated to learning, leadership, and service to the Church and community.

Academics
COLLEGE PREPARATORY CURRICULUM
The academic curriculum at the Academy is college preparatory, and each year, 98% of the Academy’s graduates
go onto study at some of the best colleges and universities.
The Academy is sensitive to the fact that each student possesses different abilities, talents, and interests. Students
are initially placed into honors or standard college preparatory level classes based on their performance on the
entrance test and prior academic performance. (Applicants for grade 9 whose prior academic performance is not
indicative of their true academic potential are initially placed into the college preparatory Signum Fidei program.)
Further placement will be based on a student’s performance at the Academy and is monitored by the Academy
Principal, the Academy Faculty, and the student’s guidance counselor.
12:1 STUDENT-TO-TEACHER RATIO
The Academy is committed to the value of a small academic community. The 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio allows
each student at the Academy to receive the individualized education and attention they deserve.
ACCREDITATIONS
In 2003, the Academy was re-accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges. The Academy
is also accredited by the RI Department of Education and holds membership in the De La Salle Christian Brothers
Educational Association and the National Catholic Education Association.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Students are required to take 6 academic courses each semester and a total of 25.5 credits are required for
graduation. Specifically, students must accumulate the following number of credits in each of the following
subjects of study:
Theology: 4 credits; English: 4 credits; Mathematics: 4 credits; Laboratory Science: 2 credits
required, but 3 recommended; Foreign Language (French or Spanish): 2 credits required, but
3 recommended; Social Studies: 3 credits (includes 1.5 in U.S. History; 1 in Western Civ.; and 0.5
in Grade 9 Social Studies); Computer Competency: 0.5 credit; Arts: 0.5 credit required, but 1
recommended; Physical Education/Health: 1 credit (0.25 per year); & Electives: 2 credits (some
students may need to accumulate more than 2 credits of electives in order to accumulate the 25.5
credits required for graduation).
COURSE OFFERINGS
GRADE 9
Required: Introduction to Catholicism; Literature & Language Arts; Algebra 1, Algebra 1 (Part 1), or
Geometry; Foreign Language (French or Spanish) or Academic Foundations; Physical Science or
Biology; Fine Arts; World Civilizations; P.E./Health; & Computer Applications 1.
GRADE 10 Required: Sacred Scripture; American Literature & Language Arts; Algebra 1 (Part 2), Algebra 2, or
Geometry; Biology or Chemistry; Foreign Language; Western Civ.; Computer Applications 2;
& P.E./ Health.
GRADE 11 Required: Morality & Christian Lifestyle; British Literature & Language Arts; Algebra 2, Geometry,
or Pre-Calculus; U.S. History or EEP U.S. History; Physics, Chemistry, or AP Biology; P.E./Health;
& electives to complete 6 credits.
GRADE 12 Required: Christian Action; World Literature & Language Arts or AP English; Algebra 2,
Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus, or Math Reasoning; The U.S. in the 20th Century; P.E./Health;
& electives to complete 6 credits.
ELECTIVES AP Biology; Anatomy; Physics; Forensics; Foreign Language (French 2, 3, 4, or EEP 4/Spanish 3, 4,
or EEP 4); American Government; Film Studies; Creative Writing; Public Speaking;
Psychology 1 & 2; Sports & Entertainment Marketing; Business Management; Advanced
Computers; Drawing & Painting 1 & 2; Sculpture; Intro. to Theater Arts; American Popular Music;
Chorus; Music Theory; & Acting.

Athletics & Arts
ATHLETICS
The Academy’s tradition in athletics is well established; since the school’s founding the Academy has won
48 state titles and countless divisional and class championships. Most recently, SAINTS captured state titles
in Division III Boys’ Tennis (2009), Division II Girls’ Soccer (2008), Division I Boys’ Football (2007, undefeated
season), and Division I Girls’ Fast-Pitch Softball (2006). During the 2009-2010 academic year over 65% of the
SAINTS varsity athletic squads made it to post-season play.
The Academy holds membership in the Rhode Island Inter-Scholastic League.
The Academy offers a wide-array of athletic programs, below is a listing of each program:
FALL
Boys’ Football (V, JV, F)
Boys’ Soccer (V, JV)
Girls’ Soccer (V, JV)
Boys’ Cross Country (V)
Girls’ Cross Country (V)
Girls’ Tennis (V)
Competition Cheerleading (V)
WINTER
Boys’ Basketball (V, JV, F)
Girls’ Basketball (V, JV)
Boys’ Ice Hockey (V)
Boys’ Indoor Track (V, JV)
Girls’ Indoor Track (V, JV)
Competition Cheerleading (V)
SPRING
Boys’ Tennis (V)
Boys’ Baseball (V, JV)
Girls’ Fast-Pitch Softball (V)
Boys’ Outdoor Track (V, JV)
Girls’ Outdoor Track (V, JV)
Golf (V)
ALUMNI HALL
In the Fall of 2007 the Academy opened a new Athletic & Wellness Center. This 30,000 square-foot building
is the premier high school athletics facility in RI and South-Eastern Massachusetts. It houses two basketball
courts, including the SAINTS home court, a Weight Training & Fitness Room, locker rooms, office space for the
Athletic Director and Physical Education Department, a coaches conference room, a multi-purpose classroom,
and an athletic training and treatment suite.
ARTS
The Arts are very much alive at the Academy: with academic classes like Introduction to Theater Arts, Acting,
American Pop Music, Materials of Music, Voice, and American Dance Movement; co-curriculars like the
Academy’s award-winning Drama Club that has triumphed in 12 out of the last 17 RI State Drama Festivals, the
SAINTS Choir, the Art club, the Guitar Club, and the SAINTS Drumline; and performance opportunities like the
annual Fall Musical, the RI State Drama Festival, and the Spring Arts Gala.
At the Academy students will find foremost instruction in visual arts, music, dance, and theatre and a long
history of commitment to the arts. The Academy has prepared many of its graduates for the most prestigious
art, theatre, and music schools in the country and even a few for prestigious careers on Broadway.
The current facilities for the Arts at the Academy are located in the West Building and Barbara Farley Hall and
include a music room, a visual art studio, and performance space in the Lynch Gymnasium. Since the addition
of Alumni Hall to the campus in 2007, several improvements have been made to the Lynch Gymnasium,
allowing the space to be converted from a shared athletic and artistic space to become a space solely reserved
for the Arts. Plans for further renovations are underway to continue these improvements, specifically in the
areas of sound, lighting, and seating, so as to best support and showcase the talents of our arts program.

Student Life
Student life at the Academy is vibrant and in no-way confined to the classroom. On any given afternoon
the majority of the Academy’s students are not going home at 2:09 when the academic day ends. In
fact, over 95% of all students take part in one or more co-curricular activity. All students are encouraged
and invited to participate, and as can be seen from the list on the right, there’s plenty to choose from.
THE CAMPUS & LOCATION
One of the most distinct features of the Academy is the fact that it offers
students a campus-style school. Academy students do not remain in
the same building all day for their classes; instead, in between classes
students walk across a beautiful suburban campus and from building to
building, much like at a college or university.
The Academy is located in the historic, residential neighborhood known
as the Quality Hill District of Pawtucket, minutes off of the Interstate 95.
STUDENT POPULATION
The Academy attracts students of diverse ethnic, religious, cultural, and
socio-economic backgrounds. Today the Academy is the educational
center for just under five-hundred students from all over Rhode Island
and South-Eastern Massachusetts.
PASTORAL SERVICES
The Academy’s Pastoral Services Department offers various programs
for the personal, spiritual, and pastoral needs of the entire community.
These programs include liturgies, prayer services, service projects, and
one-day retreat programs. Each junior and senior must also complete a
total of 20 Christian Service hours each academic year as an additional
graduation requirement.
DRESS CODE
The Academy has a dress code, which is depicted in the many
photographs in this catalog. All school uniforms can be purchased
through Donnelly’s Apparel.
HERE, IT’S FAMILY
The community at the Academy is more than just an academic one, it’s
a family. With dedicated faculty and staff, 50% of whom have served the
Academy for 5 years or longer, a vibrant and close-knit student body, and
84 years of tradition; the Academy is not just a school, it’s a place you can
call home and where life-long friendships will be made.
CO-CURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES
• Ambassador’s Club
• Art Club
• Chess Club
• Choir
• Drama Club
• Drumline
• Forensics Club
• French Honor Society
• Future Business Leaders
of America (FBLA)
• Guitar Club
• Instrumental Band
• Intramural Dodgeball
• Intramural Volleyball
• Junior Prom Committee
• Lasallian Youth
• Literary Society
• Math League
• Mock Trial
• Model Legislature
• Moore Scholars
• Multicultural Club
• National Honor Society
• Recycling Club
• Rhode Island Honor Society
• S.A.D.D.
• Science Club
• Senior Prom Committee
• Spanish Honor Society
• Student Government
• Technology Club
• Winter Ball Committee
• Yearbook

Admissions
Saint Raphael Academy admits academically qualified students of any race, color, nationality, or ethnic origin
to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students.
All applications are reviewed by members of the Admissions Committee and admissions decisions are based
on prior academic performance, standardized test scores, and a recommendation from the applicant’s
current school.
ENTRANCE TEST
All applicants applying for the 9th grade must take the Catholic High School Entrance Test. It is
recommended that all applicants take the Entrance Test at the Academy. If you are taking the Entrance Test
at another Catholic High School please be sure to list the Academy as one of your top-three choices for high
school to ensure that your test scores are forwarded to the Academy.
OPEN HOUSE
To learn more about the Academy please attend one of our Fall Open Houses. Contact the Admissions Office
for more information.
SAINT FOR A DAY
Another way to learn more about the Academy and what has to offer is to spend the day “shadowing” one
of our student ambassadors. All applicants are encouraged to visit the Academy as a Saint For A Day. Please
contact the Admissions Office to schedule your visit.
ADMISSIONS CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER • Join the Academy’s mailing list by submitting your contact information to the Admissions
Office and begin to gather information about the Academy.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
TRANSPORTATION
• Call the Admissions Office and schedule a day to visit the Academy as a Saint For A Day.
• Attend the Academy’s Fall Open House on October 3, 2010 from Noon to 3:00 p.m.
• Attend the Academy’s Fall Open House on October 31, 2010 from Noon to 3:00 p.m.
• File an Application with the Admissions Office by submitting a completed Application for
Admission, a signed Transcript Release Statement, and the $25 Application Fee.
• Sign up to take the December Entrance Test at the Academy (applicants can sign up to take
the Entrance Test at the Academy on the Application for Admission).
• Take the Catholic High School Entrance Test on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 8:00 a.m.
at the Academy (makeup test on December 11, 2010).
• File for Financial Aid at FACTSTuitionAid.com
• Admission Decision Letters are sent out the last Friday of January.
• Register for the Academy.
The following cities and towns provide free busing to the Academy: Barrington, Bristol/Warren, Cranston,
East Providence, Johnston, Lincoln, North Providence, & Smithfield. The City of Providence also provides free
transportation to the Academy, in the form of a free RIPTA bus pass.
Please contact the Admissions Office for more information.
TUITION, FEES, & TUITION ASSISTANCE
For information regarding tuition, fees, and tuition assistance please refer to the pamphlet included
with this catalog.