For 4 year old families: Monday, August 19th, 6:00 PM in the multipurpose room 
For 3 year old families: Tuesday, August 20th, 6:00 PM in the multipurpose room 

The closing of Saint Raphael School has saddened many in our community, and we must keep them in our prayers. The vibrant Catholic faith community that is blossoming in our grouping has the spiritual resources to reach out to comfort them, and the material resources to welcome all of the students and school families. Saint Raphael and Sacred Heart are becoming one energetic parish with TWO active and alive campuses. Jesus calls us to support one another in sorrow and in joy.

 Below is a list of the immediate steps regarding the closing of our school:

• We will provide severance to assist the beloved and dedicated faculty members as they transition into their next role. Details will come soon.
• We will work with Sacred Heart School to offer as many Saint Raphael faculty members as possible the opportunity to continue to work with the children of our grouping.
• We will remain fully engaged with Father Kris Stubna, Mr. Joe Rosi, and the Regionalization Board members to align diocesan priorities with the needs of our grouping.
• We will encourage the larger Catholic community to understand that these actions are being taken to promote the well-being of every family and each child involved, without exception.
• We will ensure that all families of Saint Raphael School, wherever they enroll their children this fall, receive our emotional and spiritual support, as well as financial assistance with enrollment in the Catholic elementary school of their choice.
• We will follow the guidelines to determine how school equipment, textbooks, supplies, etc., will be made available to other Catholic schools in our diocese. Teachers are able to remove their personal supplies and possessions.
• We will report expenses involved in closing our school to our entire grouping as that information becomes available.
• We will create a committee to plan a beautiful, meaningful celebration of the legacy of Saint Raphael School (perhaps in conjunction with the feast of Saint Raphael on September 29). This celebration will include many people who made Saint Raphael such a fine school, especially the Sisters of Saint Joseph who taught in our elementary school and parish high school for years.
• We will inform everyone of how the Saint Raphael School buildings will be used by vibrant Catholic organizations. Final decisions will follow consultation with the Saint Raphael Finance Council and the On Mission Pastoral Council.
• We will pray for God’s blessing on the school regionalization process throughout the diocese, that Catholic school education will flourish and many families will again provide their children with the incomparable foundation of a Catholic school education.

We are particularly grateful for principal of Sacred Heart Elementary School, Mrs. Kate Taylor, and her staff members for giving individual attention to each family enrolling at Sacred Heart.

For questions about Catholic School Regionalization, please email rosij@perces.org.
To register your child at Sacred Heart School, please email ktaylor@sacredheartpgh.org.
For any other questions or concerns, please email saintraphaelclosing@gmail.com.