Admission Policies

Admission Policies for St. Philomena School

A. St. Philomena School was established primarily to educate those parish children whose families are committed to the Catholic faith and education. Applications and registrations will be considered on the following priority basis:

1. Students of families who have children presently enrolled in the school, Catholic or not.

2. Students of families who are registered, supporting and active in St. Philomena Parish. The family must be in good standing in regard to the participation, finances, and support of the parish. Catholic families must be supportive of the parish programs.. When the applicants are equal, the following will be taken into consideration:

a. Longevity in the St. Philomena Parish

b. Siblings of alumni of St. Philomena School

c. Grandchildren of long-time parishioners

d. Birthdate of the student

e. Results of any interviews deemed necessary by the Principal

(As in all school policies, the final decision is made by the Principal and/or Pastor of St. Philomena School)

3. Students of families who are registered in and supportive of other Catholic parishes with first priority given to parish subsidized families.

4. Students of non-parish families.

5. Non-Catholic students will be eligible for admission if a place is available after April 1st. Non-Catholic students are placed on the waiting list in the order their applications are received in the school office.

As openings occur for each grade level, students will be admitted and/or placed on the waiting list according to the following criteria: (A waiting list will be established when a class reaches 28 students in grades K - 3 and 30 students in grades 4 - 8)

B. St. Philomena School admits qualified students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies and scholarships. Students possessing physical or emotional disabilities will not be denied admission solely by reason of the disability.

C. Admission of students is dependent upon the results of an interview with the principal and review of school records.

D. Final acceptance will be in writing to all new families admitted for the following school year.

E. The completion of application forms, approval of tuition contract, determination of space, and the ability to meet the needs of the individual student, are also required.

F. A child must be 5 years of age for Kindergarten by August 31 of current school year for entrance into that respective grade. There are no exceptions made to this entrance date.

G. A copy of a Baptismal certificate, birth certificate, and immunization form MUST be submitted by all new students before school begins.

H. All new students are accepted on a probationary basis. (Please refer to policy on Academic Trial Period). Students must meet and maintain academic standards and expectations.

I. Admission of students transferring from other schools is dependent upon the results of interviewing, and review of school records. Transfer students are accepted on a probationary basis. (Please refer to policy on Academic Trial Period)

Admission of Foreign Students

Foreign students will be admitted in accordance with the requirements of the United States Department of Justice. Any student who is not a citizen/legal resident of the United States must have the complete legal documentation required by the Immigration Department in order to be admitted to St. Philomena School.

Admission of Students with Special Needs

St. Philomena School strives to provide an appropriate, quality education for every child who desires a Catholic education. That includes students who have special learning needs. We believe that every child can learn when provided with appropriate tasks, environment, and support. Our goal is to enable them to achieve their potential in all areas of scholarship and citizenship. Therefore, we commit ourselves to working with the parent(s) and other professionals in an effort to identify the most appropriate educational placement for the child. No child will be turned away who can be served without adversely affecting the learning of others. We pledge to provide the highest level of support and/or accommodation possible within the financial and staffing constraints of the school. Acknowledging that "it takes a village to raise a child," we will pool our time, talent, and treasure to meet the special learning needs of every child in our school.

Students with special needs shall be given the same consideration as all applicants. However, prior to admitting a student with diagnosed special needs, St. Philomena School shall make a determination as to whether or not it feels it can provide an appropriate education for that child. Each child will be considered on an individual basis. A St. Philomena School will consider:

• The severity and degree of the disability;

• The level of support needed from special services and any special equipment the student may require
• The number of students with disabilities currently enrolled in an assigned class
• The school's resources, such as available support personnel, class size, accessibility of school facilities
• The accommodations, if any are necessary, and the school’s ability to meet those accommodations
• The child’s individualized education plan (IEP) if one exists, and the school’s ability to meet the IEP.

Parents and/or the public school district in which the student resides shall be responsible for any additional special education services that a student may require.

St. Philomena School will engage the services of the Office of Catholic Schools to assist in making a determination of whether a student's educational needs can best be met in the least restrictive environment setting.