Questions and Answers
What is your school’s mission statement or purpose?
Our Lady of Perpetual Help is dedicated to building up the body of Christ by fostering the spiritual growth of our students in an emotionally safe and academically sound environment. Our school exists for the purpose of educating and encouraging students to be self-motivated learners who know how to make educated and positive decisions reflective of Gospel values.
Describe your religious classes and when they are taken.
Religious classes are incorporated into our daily curriculum, including School Masses and Sacramental Preparation for attending students.
Do you have a dress code? If so, what is it?
Yes. School uniforms are optional for Kindergarten students and required for students in
1st through 8th grade.
May parents request specific classes or teachers?
The class selection process is typically handled by the student’s teachers and the school principal. Placement is made based on several factors such as the student’s learning style and personality. An appropriate match is made to ensure a productive year.
How long is your school day?
The school day starts at 8:10 a.m. and ends at 2:45 p.m.
What core curriculum is offered at your school and at what grade levels?
Reading |
Math
|
Band: 4th – 8th Choir: 3rd – 8th |
What extra-curricular programs do you offer? What are the fees for these programs?
After School sports: Volleyball, Flag, Football, Track & Field, Basketball, Soccer, Softball, and Baseball
Girl and Boys Scouts, Chess Club.
Fees vary and depend upon whether the programs are school sponsored or coordinated by outside vendors.
Do you limit class size?
The Diocese of Phoenix states that class size in elementary schools is limited to 35 students (Kindergarten is limited to 25 students per classroom). However, OLPH strives to maintain class sizes below this limit. Our target is a range of 28 to 32 students per classroom, 1st through 8th grade, and 22 in Kindergarten. At OLPH, there are two classrooms for each grade.
Do you have Teacher Aides?
Yes, OLPH has one Teacher Aide in each Primary Grade. Teacher Aides are available for several other classrooms as needed.
Do you encourage or require parent participation?
We strongly encourage 20 hours of parent participation. Our school offers many opportunities for parents to become involved in their child’s educational experience including: classroom celebrations and activities, Art Masterpiece, field trips, parent committees, playground supervision, family events and socials.
For the well-being of our students, all parent volunteers are required to attend Called To Protect training established by the Diocese of Phoenix. This training session provides volunteers with parent-student behavioral guidelines and information on effective ways to interact with school children.
What is the annual tuition?
2010-2011 Tuition is based on a tiered structure determined by the number of students in a family.
| One student Two students Three students Four or more students |
$ | 4,460 |
If possible, each family is asked to commit to the annual tuition rate.
For those families who are registered, active and participating members of OLPH, reduced tuition is available through our Parish Scholarship program, which is discussed in more detail below.
Families not registered, active and participating members of OLPH will be required to pay the annual tuition fee.
Annual tuition for non-Catholics is $4,460 per student.
Families may choose to pay tuition and fees in full, semi-annually, or monthly. Monthly program tuition and fees are paid in 12 equal installments through FACTS Tuition Management Co. The FACTS plan offers payment by electronic debit or credit card (with a fee of $2.50 per $100 charged).
Our school is always willing to work with families who show a good faith effort in managing their tuition account. If you have any questions regarding tuition, other tuition payment arrangements, or your tuition account, please contact Mimi Robertson at (480) 874-3715.
Bus services are also available for our students. Fees for this service are dependant upon the bus route designated to the student.
Is financial assistance available?
Yes. We encourage you to apply for financial assistance.
Families who are registered, active and participating members of OLPH will be granted a Parish Scholarship of $520 that is applied to their annual tuition. For the 2010 - 2011 school year, a registered OLPH family is considered active and participating when it contributes at least $520 between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010.
The Catholic Tuition Organization of the Diocese of Phoenix (CTODP) makes Tax Credit Scholarships available to OLPH School families. CTODP allows the family, friends, and sponsors of OLPH students to make a donation of up to $1,000 for married couples and $500 for singles. The donors receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on their Arizona personal income tax return. The CTODP School Code for OLPH is 124.
There are additional scholarship opportunities available from the Catholic Community Foundation and the OLPH School Endowment Fund. These scholarships can only be considered for families who have applied for financial assistance through CTODP on a financial need basis.
The OLPH Scrip Program offers school families the opportunity to purchase gift cards from a variety of grocery and retail stores, restaurants, and entertainment businesses. These businesses give a percentage discount from the total dollar amount of the gift card. School families then purchase these cards at face value. The percentage discount given from the businesses (e.g., 8%) generates a profit that is shared with OLPH families and the school. A portion of the school families’ profits can be applied to their tuition account each year.
For any questions about financial assistance, please contact Mimi Robertson at
(480) 874-3715.
When is registration and how is it handled?
We are currently accepting registration forms throughout the 2010-2011 school year. However, our official registration period begins in January. OLPH holds an Information Meeting/Open House in January segmented into K-1 sessions and 2nd to 8th grade. Prospective families interested in attending our school can download our registration form on our website and mail it directly to:
3801 N. Miller Rd,
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
Registration forms can also be obtained by calling the school office at
(480) 874-3720. Families interested in becoming a part of our school community can call the school office and arrange for a tour of our campus throughout the school year.
Once the registration process is complete and prospective families are accepted to our school, they are assigned an OLPH Guardian Angel Family. The OLPH Guardian Angel family helps new families make the transition into the OLPH school community by becoming a resource and a friend.
Do you require that students be assessed prior to acceptance into your program? If so, how is this done and when?
Kindergarten and 1st grade students are given the Gesell Developmental Observation set by the Diocese of Phoenix. This screening assessment is held in February with a scheduled appointment after registration forms are received and reviewed. Each child takes the assessment individually in the classroom with an assigned teacher; parents are permitted to observe.
Results are compared to normative patterns created for each developmental age. Children are not screened on a wrong or right answer. The assessment is designed to look at the processes, organization, underlying neurological-motor patterns, overt behaviors, and verbalization of the child. It provides an overview of a child’s developmental age to ensure he/she is prepared for Kindergarten or 1st grade.
How are students evaluated throughout the school year?
Quarterly report cards and/or progress reports are issued to students. Individual evaluations through observation, class work and projects are also conducted throughout the year.
Iowa testing is an academic measurement used among Catholic Schools in the Diocese (view our September 2009 Iowa Test results).This standardized evaluation is given to 2nd through 8th grade students in September of each year to determine the school’s academic performance. Test results are used by our teaching staff to help plan the curriculum for the year based on performance scores that may require further emphasis in the classroom.
Do you provide lunch?
Students are asked to bring their own lunch.
The Wednesday Lunch Club, an optional catered lunch program, is served to our students by parent volunteers every Wednesday from October to May. The cost ranges from $3.00 to $5.00.
The menus comply with the Diocese of Phoenix School Wellness Policy. Food and beverages sold or served on school grounds, or at school-sponsored events, during normal school days meet Dietary Guidelines for Americans and other nutrition guidelines as set forth by the Arizona Department of Education Child Nutrition Programs.
This program provides support for Catholic High School Student Scholarships and the 8th Grade gift to our school.
How is discipline handled?
Discipline at OLPH aims to lead children to self-discipline. We believe students can be taught self-discipline skills as a part of the total school curriculum. To this end, the school implemented a program called Discipline With Purpose (DWP), a positive approach to discipline based on the developmental level of the student that is a part of each student’s daily class work. We expect students to conduct themselves in a manner that falls within the DWP guidelines and one that is becoming of a Catholic student.
Students that do not follow the school’s guidelines are put through a four step process which involves: a commitment from the teacher, the student, the student’s parents and the school administration to resolve any issues.
May parents observe your school at any time? When do you have an Open House for prospective families?
We feel an observation in the classroom during normal school days has the potential to be an interruption and can lead to disruption in our student’s learning process. Tours can be arranged after school hours throughout the year.
There are currently two Open Houses throughout the school year: our January Information Session and our Annual Open House and Art Walk held the first Sunday in May. Prospective families attending our Open House sessions can learn more about our school, visit our classrooms and talk to our teachers.
Parents interested in receiving information about our school before our Open House sessions take place, can contact the school office to obtain additional information and/or make an appointment for a tour.
