FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ) ABOUT
ST ALPHONSUS PARISH SCHOOL
Below are many common questions that have been asked over the years. Click on the question that interests you. If you don't see your question listed, please contact the school at 763-561-5101 or email Bob Terry at terryr@mystals.org
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What are the school hours?
The first bell rings at 7:20 in the morning; the tardy bell rings at 7:30 when classes begin. School is dismissed at 1:45 P.M. so that students riding the shuttle bus to Park Center can ride.
How much is tuition? How is it paid?
The in parish tuition rate for the current school year for one child is $3140.00. The rate for families who are not parishioners is $4200.00 for one year. Families who belong to a Catholic Parish without a school (St. Gerard, St. Joseph the Worker, St. Anne, etc.) are provided the same rate as St. Alphonsus Parishioners.
The tuition may be pre paid with a $50.00 discount. Most families have the payment distributed over 10 months using the SMART Program with an administrative fee of approximately $38.00.
What other fees are there?
There is a registration fee ($85.00 for one child; $125.00 for two or more children.) There are varying fees for each grade level to cover essential items or activities that are prepaid in August. There are field trip opportunities that require payment at the time of the event.
What grade levels does St. Alphonsus School offer?
St. Alphonsus School is open to students in Kindergarten through eighth grade.
When does registration begin ?
Registration for new students takes place year-round. Kindergarten families register during October and November for attendance the following year. Pre registration for current students for the following Fall takes place in March once the tuition rates and budget is set for that year. final Registration is held in August when all fees are paid and various forms and permissions are filled out.
Is busing provided ?
Busing is provided for students who live in the Park Center High School Attendance Area. That accounts for approximately 40% of our students. Many of our students live outside the Park Center High School Attendance Area and arrange for carpools to get to and from school.
What kind of lunch program do you have?
St. Alphonsus School participates in the federally funded Hot Lunch Program that is administered through the State of Minnesota.
Do the students wear uniforms?
Students wear uniforms supplied by Donald’s Department Store and Uniform Company. they are located at 972 Payne Ave.; St. Paul, MN 55101. Their phone number is 651-776- 2723 and their website is www.donaldsuniform.com. When ordering a uniform, parents identify St. Alphonsus School as the child’s school and the staff at Donald’s will send the right colors.
The uniforms are navy blue pants with a light blue knit shirt for both girls and boys through the fifth grade. For middle school students (grades 6, 7 & 8), they wear the same color pants with a light blue oxford shirt. Girls have the option to wear jumpers, skirts or “skorts”. (Most girls choose to wear pants after second or third grade.) during warm weather, both girls and boys may wear uniform shorts.
Are there opportunities for extra curricular activities?
There are not any extra curricular opportunities for the younger children. They are encouraged to participate in the local community park and recreation programs that are offered and promoted through school. Starting in fifth grade, students are encouraged to participate in activities sponsored by the North Suburban Parochial School League. There are a number of sports that are offered: soccer, volleyball, basketball, cheer leading, wrestling, softball and baseball. Several students also continue to participate in Park and Rec activities as well as traveling leagues in the various sports.
In addition to sports, middle school students have the opportunity to participate in Student Council, School Yearbook and working on the School Website.
How do the test scores compare to other schools in the area?
Although St. Alphonsus School does not offer the same standardized tests as the local Public School, the test results compare favorably with schools across the country. Test results by grade level are available for review upon request. In recent years, St. Alphonsus School has participated with most other Archdiocesan Schools in administering the Metropolitan Achievement Test, 8th edition (MAT 8) and the Otis-Lennon Student Ability Test, 7th edition (OLSAT 7.) The Archdiocese will be switching standardized tests in the near future and St. Alphonsus will do so as well.
What curriculum does St. Alphonsus follow?
The St. Alphonsus School faculty has developed a curriculum in each grade level for each subject area taught. The curriculum is based upon national standards and the knowledge that most of the students will be attending a college preparatory high school program. Our curriculum is planned in a manner that allows our graduates to compete with other college prep students for academic honors and further preparation for the colleges of their choice.
What do you do for children with special needs?
St. Alphonsus School works with the Osseo Area Schools District #279 to provide service to students with special needs. We take the responsibility of identifying whether we can offer the best and appropriate service for each child. If we can provide service, we work with parents and the district to do so. If we cannot provide service, we work with parents to seek the best appropriate education for their child.
Do you have a program for gifted children?
St. Alphonsus School doe not have an identified program for gifted children. We do provide an accelerated program for most students. There are a number of options available for students to pursue if there is a need or an ability to progress. If a child is truly gifted, school staff work with parents to seek appropriate schools and educational opportunities.
What are the class sizes?
Most class sizes are in the low to mid 20’s. We have 25 as our recommended high but there are sometimes special occasions where the number will exceed 25 students.
What kind of diversity is there at St. Alphonsus?
St. Alphonsus has a diverse student population both in terms of ethnicity and finances. This is one of the strengths of the school.
Do the children need to be Catholic to attend St. Alphonsus?
Students do not need to be Catholic to attend St. Alphonsus School. We currently have about 16%of our students who are not Catholic.
How long have most of the teachers been at St. Alphonsus?
Most teachers have been at St. Alphonsus School for close to 20 years – several have been here for over 25 years.
When the students graduate from St. Al’s, where do they go to high school?
Approximately 60% of the St. Al’s graduates go to Totino-Grace High School. Each year, 2 - 5 students go to De La Salle High School. The dominant public school of choice is Champlin Park; some graduates go to Brooklyn Junior High School for ninth grade and to Park Center High School for grades 10 -12. Some graduates have attended Cooper, Armstrong, or Osseo High Schools.
How often do the students go to Mass?
Students regularly attend Mass one time per week, usually on Wednesday. Younger students attend Mass with older students to help them learn the normal routine for church attendance. Students participate in special activities at church when it seems appropriate.
Are the priests available for the kids?
The parish has four priests serving it. They belong to the Redemptorist Community and live in the adjacent rectory. All of them have presided at school Masses at varying times. We are very pleased with the homilies that they direct to the kids. A few of them are more visible in school activities and at the various events at school.
Does the school have before and/or after school care?
We have an after school program that we call “Third Base” – the last stop before home. Third Base is available every school day from after school until 6:00 P.M. We charge a flat fee of $13.50 per day or $15.00 per day on a drop-in basis. We do not have a morning program because school begins so early in the day.
How do you handle discipline issues?
The St. Alphonsus philosophy of discipline is very simple. “Since all students are here to learn, anything that interferes with learning or a child’s ability learn is unacceptable.” The principal insists that if a child is disruptive or is, in some way, interfering with another’s right to learn or the teacher’s ability to teach, the disruptive person be sent to the principal. The principal will deal with the problem while the other students in class continue to learn.
How does the school communicate with parents? How does a parent communicate with the school?
The teachers communicate with parents through conferences, phone calls and e-mail. The principal sends home a weekly parent letter. Parents may communicate with St. Alphonsus School by note, voice-mail or e-mail. We also use Edline. Edline is the password protected electronic communication system used at St. Alphonsus Parish School. Using this system allows both parents and students to communicate with school and teachers. Parents are given a separate password for this purpose. Students have their own password. Parents may also view their child/ren’s current status in class. The school calendar, current lunch menu, sports activities, current and three other most recent Parent Letters are posted on Edline.
What kind of opportunities are there for parents to get involved?
There are a great many ways in which parents may get involved. We have a volunteer coordinator and a volunteer opportunity handbook that gives a brief description of the 62 different activities and opportunities for parents to be more involved in their child/ren’s school.
Is there a parent organization?
The parent organization is called the St. Alphonsus Home and School Association. All parents and faculty of students at St. Alphonsus School are members. There are generally two meetings when all parents are invited to attend. The leadership of the Home and School Association meets once per month when school is in session. The leadership is determined through a process of discernment modeled after the Parish Council Discernment Process.
What kind of governance structure is there?
St. Alphonsus has a School Advisory Board. The School Advisory Board is committee comprised of volunteer parents who work to plan and give direction to St. Alphonsus Parish School. Its function is to advise the pastor and the principal about issues and matters brought before it. It recommends policy, helps promote a positive image of the school, and advises in areas of curriculum and finances. The members participate in a discernment process to be a board member and are restricted to two consecutive three year terms.
What kind of fund raisers does St. Alphonsus have?
There are many different opportunities for fund raising at St. Alphonsus. Fund raisers supplement school tuition in providing both essential and support materials and activities. The two major fund raisers, Marathon for Nonpublic Education and the winter/spring chocolate sale are mandatory for all families. All of the other fund raisers are considered optional. The first $30,000.00 of the Marathon proceeds goes directly into the operating budget of the school. 100% of the proceeds from the winter/spring sale ($8,500.00 – $10,000.00) are also committed to the St. Alphonsus Parish School operating budget. The remaining funds raised are available for the Home and School Association to use as the organization sees fit. In addition to the Marathon and chocolate sale, the following optional fund raisers help the school.
Pennies for Playground Earns $700.00 - $1200.00 per year to build and maintain the playground
Target Guest Cards Earns $3000.00 - $4000.00 per year
Big G Box tops Earns $1000.00 - $2000.00 per year
Sundae Sundays Earns approximately $1000.00 per year from free will offerings
Taste Tests for students Earns approximately $1200.00 per year
Taste Tests for adults Earns approximately $250 - $350 per year
Campbell Soup Labels Labels are used to redeem educational items for the school.