Principal's Newsletter

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Dear Parents,
 
Bullying and other harmful behaviors continue to plague our society.  Our Catholic schools are no exception, and the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program has been a valuable way to address this important issue.  Since Lynne Lang’s appointment as Director of School Climate for our Catholic Education Center, a new initiative has been developed for addressing harmful behaviors within our schools that integrates Catholic identity and virtue education as part of restorative discipline.  Restorative discipline seeks to repair relationships damaged by hurtful behavior, holding individuals responsible for recognizing what harm has been done, to whom, and taking action to make things as right as possible.  The virtue education is an aspect of this work that incorporates a deeper understanding of Church teaching and scripture while applying restorative practices.  Archbishop Robert Carlson has given the Archdiocese of St. Louis the challenge to be Alive in Christ and this model has been a well-received response to that initiative.
  
St. Raphael is among the many schools beginning to implement this Virtue-Based Restorative Discipline Program.  The school staff has already begun to reflect on personal virtue and has taken a baseline survey.  Students in selected grades will also be taking the survey.  This initiative has two goals:

• To Decrease antisocial behavior-bullying and other disruptive behaviors
• To Increase faith practices-prayer and increase in the celebration of the Sacraments

Parents will find this model helpful in disciplining children at home while the school and parish will be taking steps over the coming year to weave it into our community cultures, and for this reason it is extremely important for you to attend future scheduled meetings to learn more about it.  We will be arranging multiple, regular meeting times so that everyone will have a chance to attend.  It is our hope to schedule such meetings, and place them on the calendar for next school year so that schedules can be arranged accordingly.  Please know that Mrs. Lang, our faculty, and Diane Gewinner our SRA Olweus Program moderator, look forward to creating a climate that truly reflects our students’ potential by reflecting strong Catholic identities. 

Also, if you have not already done so, please return your child’s Letter of Financial Intent so that we can create school schedules and set up Kindergarten testing in March. To avoid a $20 registration fee for K-8, please return this form by February 28.  We greatly appreciate your prompt attention to this important request.

Thank you for your support of this very special Catholic school!

Saint Raphael the Archangel…Pray for Us!
Live Jesus in our Hearts…Forever!

Mr. Peter Abegg, Principal