Please Review ALL School Policies and Procedures outlined in the subpages on this site and sign the Acknowledgement page(s) located on the School Forms page. The Acknowledgement form must be completed online prior to the start of school each year:
St. Bernadette School Philosophy
St. Bernadette School is a Catholic elementary school of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which serves the educational needs of children of varying intellectual abilities within the parish of St. Bernadette of Lourdes from preschool through the eighth grade. It is under the direction of lay teachers who attempt to create for the school community an atmosphere enlivened by the Gospel spirit of freedom and mercy in which the student is helped to reach his/her fullest potential as an individual, spiritually, intellectually, socially, and physically in immediate preparation for entrance into high school and ultimately for life and life eternal.
In the achievement of its primary purpose, the school, as an integral part of the total parish community, assists parents in the task of educating their children. As they grow academically within the parish/school community, students experience the constant interaction of a living “community of faith” through the care, example, concern, and involvement of their parents, teachers, and priests. As a result, Christ and His message permeate all areas of the students’ experience of learning and living, and they grow to acquire a sense of responsible freedom as Catholics and to accept and appreciate the heritage of American democracy.
St. Bernadette School, guided by the love of Christ and committed to the pursuit of excellence in the apostolate of Catholic education, strives to achieve the following objectives.
1. To transmit the Catholic message and to assist the students to develop a mature personal relationship with Christ.
2. To help each student to fuse religious truths and moral integrity with life in contemporary society and the world of technology; basic to this task is instruction in the authentic doctrine of our faith.
3. To foster in the students a positive self-image and a spirit of inquiry and discovery that will inspire them to attain a mastery of the curriculum commensurate with their potential.
4. To provide the students with fundamental knowledge and useful skills.
5. To encourage the children to extend their interests beyond themselves into the total community with a desire to love and serve God.
6. To give witness to the meaning of Christian service by a dedicated effort to instill Catholic truths and wisdom creating a climate of warm-hearted concern, mutual respect, and joyful enthusiasm.
7. To encourage the students in the practice of respect, proper behavior, good manners, polite speech, and appropriate dress on a daily basis.
8. To initiate those changes and innovations that will improve the education of the students, better preparing them for life in today’s technological world.
9. To respect the cultural and intellectual differences of the students and to respond sensitively to them.
10. To encourage the involvement and active cooperation of parents as partners in education, aiding them to recognize, accept, and encourage the true abilities of their children.
Please Note: The school / principal retain the right to amend the online handbook for just cause. Parents will be notified of any changes. Please see subcategory pages in this section for specific policies.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
Each parent is asked by the Archdiocese to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (found on the School Forms page of our website).
Every Catholic school student has a right to be treated as a child of God, with the love and respect that implies, regardless of family circumstances. In like manner, the believing community has the right to and education guided by Catholic teaching and identity, unimpeded by pressures contrary to Church teaching.
As parent/guardian of a student in a Catholic school, I understand, affirm, and support the following:
1. The primary purpose of a Catholic school education is two-fold: to strengthen the Catholic community in its faith, and to form students in the teachings of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Church.
2. Catholic schools are distinctive religious education institutions guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church. They are not simply private schools offering a positive moral code. Rather, they exist to advance the faith mission of the sponsoring Catholic parish(es), Archdiocese, or Catholic religious community.
3. While Catholic education places a high value on academic excellence and extracurricular achievement, its fundamental priority is fidelity to Catholic teaching and identity.
4. Attending a Catholic school is a privilege, not a right. The school and its administration have the responsibility to ensure that Catholic teaching and moral integrity permeate every facet of the school’s life and activity and that the school is able to function as a community of faith.
5. In all questions that involve Catholic teaching, morals, and Church law, the final determination rests with the Archbishop.