##### *2006-2007 No Child Left Behind - Blue Ribbon Schools Program*

*U.S. Department of Education*

**Cover Sheet** Type of School: (Check all that apply) [X]{.underline}
Elementary [X]{.underline} Middle \_\_ High \_\_ K-12 \_\_Charter

Name of Principal [Mrs. Donna J. Moss]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other) (As it should appear in the
official records)

Official School Name [Sacred Heart Cathedral School]{.underline}

(As it should appear in the official records)

School Mailing Address [204 Hillsborough Street]{.underline}

(If address is P.O. Box, also include street address)

[Raleigh NC 27603-1724]{.underline}

City State Zip Code+4 (9 digits total)

County [Wake]{.underline} State School Code Number\* [N/A]{.underline}

Telephone [( 919 ) 832-4711]{.underline} Fax [( 919 )
832-8329]{.underline}

Website/URL [www.cathedral-school.net]{.underline} E-mail
[moss@cathedral-school.net]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge all information is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(Principal's Signature)

Name of Superintendent\* [Dr. Michael J. Fedewa]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

District Name [Catholic Diocese of Raleigh]{.underline} Tel. [( 919 )
821-9748]{.underline}

I have reviewed the information in this application, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
(Superintendent's Signature)

Name of School Board

President/Chairperson [Miss Geraldine Schultz]{.underline}

(Specify: Ms., Miss, Mrs., Dr., Mr., Other)

I have reviewed the information in this package, including the
eligibility requirements on page 2, and certify that to the best of my
knowledge it is accurate.

Date\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

(School Board President's/Chairperson's Signature)

*\*Private Schools: If the information requested is not applicable,
write N/A in the space*

**PART I ‑ ELIGIBILITY CERTIFICATION**

**\[Include this page in the school's application as page 2.\]**

The signatures on the first page of this application certify that each
of the statements below concerning the school\'s eligibility and
compliance with U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
(OCR) requirements is true and correct.

1.  The school has some configuration that includes grades K-12.
    (Schools on the same campus with one principal, even K-12 schools,
    must apply as an entire school.)

2.  The school has made adequate yearly progress each year for the past
    two years and has not been identified by the state as \"persistently
    dangerous\" within the last two years. To meet final eligibility,
    the school must meet the state's adequate yearly progress
    requirement in the 2006-2007 school year.

3.  If the school includes grades 7 or higher, it has foreign language
    as a part of its core curriculum.

4.  The school has been in existence for five full years, that is, from
    at least September 2001 and has not received the No Child Left
    Behind *--* Blue Ribbon Schools award in the past five years.

5.  The nominated school or district is not refusing the OCR access to
    information necessary to investigate a civil rights complaint or to
    conduct a district‑wide compliance review.

6.  OCR has not issued a violation letter of findings to the school
    district concluding that the nominated school or the district as a
    whole has violated one or more of the civil rights statutes. A
    violation letter of findings will not be considered outstanding if
    the OCR has accepted a corrective action plan from the district to
    remedy the violation.

7.  The U.S. Department of Justice does not have a pending suit alleging
    that the nominated school or the school district as a whole has
    violated one or more of the civil rights statutes or the
    Constitution\'s equal protection clause.

8.  There are no findings of violations of the Individuals with
    Disabilities Education Act in a U.S. Department of Education
    monitoring report that apply to the school or school district in
    question; or if there are such findings, the state or district has
    corrected, or agreed to correct, the findings.

**PART II ‑ DEMOGRAPHIC DATA**

**All data are the most recent year available.**

**DISTRICT** (Questions 1‑2 not applicable to private schools)

1\. Number of schools in the district: [N/A]{.underline} Elementary
schools

\_\_\_\_ Middle schools

\_\_\_\_ Junior high schools

\_\_\_\_ High schools

\_\_\_\_ Other

\_\_\_\_\_ TOTAL

2\. District Per Pupil Expenditure: [N/A]{.underline}

Average State Per Pupil Expenditure: [N/A]{.underline}

**SCHOOL** (To be completed by all schools)

3\. Category that best describes the area where the school is located:

> \[ X\] Urban or large central city
>
> \[ \] Suburban school with characteristics typical of an urban area
>
> \[ \] Suburban
>
> \[ \] Small city or town in a rural area
>
> \[ \] Rural

4\. [8]{.underline} Number of years the principal has been in her/his
position at this school.

[N/A]{.underline} If fewer than three years, how long was the previous
principal at this school?

5\. Number of students as of October 1 enrolled at each grade level or
its equivalent in applying school only:

  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------
  **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of                **Grade      **Grade**   **\# of   **\# of     **Grade
              Males**   Females**              Total**                  Males**   Females**   Total**

  **PreK**    10        9                      **19**       **7**       14        11          **25**

  **K**       14        13                     **27**       **8**       10        9           **19**

  **1**       14        9                      **23**       **9**       N/A       N/A         N/A

  **2**       9         19                     **28**       **10**      N/A       N/A         N/A

  **3**       11        17                     **28**       **11**      N/A       N/A         N/A

  **4**       12        18                     **30**       **12**      N/A       N/A         N/A

  **5**       12        3                      **15**       **Other**   N/A       N/A         N/A

  **6**       12        6                      **18**                                         

                                    **TOTAL                                                   232
                                    STUDENTS                                                  
                                    IN THE                                                    
                                    APPLYING                                                  
                                    SCHOOL**                                                  
  ----------- --------- ----------- ---------- --------- -- ----------- --------- ----------- ---------

***\[Throughout the document, round numbers 1 or higher to the nearest
whole number.***

***Use decimals to one place only if the number is below 1.\]***

6\. Racial/ethnic composition of [68]{.underline} % White

the students in the school: [20]{.underline} % Black or African American

[8]{.underline} % Hispanic or Latino

[4]{.underline} % Asian/Pacific Islander

[0]{.underline} % American Indian/Alaskan Native

**100% Total**

Use only the five standard categories in reporting the racial/ethnic
composition of the school.

7\. Student turnover, or mobility rate, during the past year:
[3%]{.underline}

> \[This rate should be calculated using the grid below. The answer to
> (6) is the mobility rate.\]

  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------
  **(1)**                   Number of students who      2
                            transferred ***to*** the    
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year.  

  **(2)**                   Number of students who      5
                            transferred ***from*** the  
                            school after October 1      
                            until the end of the year.  

  **(3)**                   Total of all transferred    7
                            students \[sum of rows (1)  
                            and (2)\]                   

  **(4)**                   Total number of students in 214
                            the school as of October 1  

  **(5)**                   Total transferred students  .03
                            in row (3) divided by total 
                            students in row (4)         

  **(6)**                   Amount in row (5)           3%
                            multiplied by 100           
  ------------------------- --------------------------- ------------------

8\. Limited English Proficient students in the school:
[N/A%]{.underline}

[N/A]{.underline} Total Number Limited English Proficient

Number of languages represented[: N/A]{.underline}

Specify languages:

9\. Students eligible for free/reduced-priced meals: [N/A%]{.underline}

Total number students who qualify: [N/A]{.underline}

> If this method does not produce an accurate estimate of the percentage
> of students from low‑income families or the school does not
> participate in the federally‑supported lunch program, specify a more
> accurate estimate, tell why the school chose it, and explain how it
> arrived at this estimate.

10\. Students receiving special education services: [0]{.underline} %

[0]{.underline}Total Number of Students Served

> Indicate below the number of students with disabilities according to
> conditions designated in the Individuals with Disabilities Education
> Act. Do not add additional categories.

\_\_\_\_Autism \_\_\_\_ Orthopedic Impairment

\_\_\_\_Deafness \_\_\_\_ Other Health Impaired

\_\_\_\_Deaf-Blindness \_\_\_\_ Specific Learning Disability

\_\_\_\_Emotional Disturbance [\_]{.underline} Speech or Language
Impairment

\_\_\_\_Hearing Impairment \_\_\_\_ Traumatic Brain Injury

> \_\_\_\_Mental Retardation \_\_\_\_ Visual Impairment Including
> Blindness
>
> \_\_\_\_Multiple Disabilities

11. Indicate number of full‑time and part‑time staff members in each of
    the categories below:

    **Number of Staff**

**[Full-time]{.underline}** **[Part-Time]{.underline}**

Administrator(s) [1]{.underline} \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Classroom teachers [10]{.underline} \_\_\_ [1]{.underline}\_\_\_

Special resource teachers/specialists [1]{.underline} [4]{.underline}

Paraprofessionals [8]{.underline} [1]{.underline}

> Support staff [2]{.underline} [3]{.underline}
>
> Total number [22]{.underline} [9]{.underline}

12. Average school student-"classroom teacher" ratio, that is, the
    number of

students in the school divided by the FTE of classroom teachers, e.g.,
22:1 [23:1]{.underline}

13\. Show the attendance patterns of teachers and students as a
percentage. The student dropout rate is defined by the state. The
student drop-off rate is the difference between the number of entering
students and the number of exiting students from the same cohort. (From
the same cohort, subtract the number of exiting students from the number
of entering students; divide that number by the number of entering
students; multiply by 100 to get the percentage drop-off rate.) Briefly
explain in 100 words or fewer any major discrepancy between the dropout
rate and the drop-off rate. Only middle and high schools need to supply
dropout rates and only high schools need to supply drop-off rates.

  -------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------
                             2005-2006   2004-2005   2003-2004   2002-2003   2001-2002

  Daily student attendance   97%         97%         97%         96%         97%

  Daily teacher attendance   97%         97%         97%         98%         95%

  Teacher turnover rate      12%         0%          22%         6%          6%

  Student dropout rate       0 %         0 %         0 %         0 %         0 %
  (middle/high)                                                              

  Student drop-off rate      N/A %       N/A %       N/A %       N/A %       N/A %
  (high school)                                                              
  -------------------------- ----------- ----------- ----------- ----------- -----------

14\. **(*High Schools Only*):** [N/A]{.underline}

**PART III ‑ SUMMARY**

Cathedral School has been proudly serving students in the capital city
of Raleigh, North Carolina since its founding in 1909. An integral part
of the parish of Sacred Heart Cathedral, the "mother church" of the
Diocese of Raleigh, Cathedral School has had a rich history. It began in
a two-room schoolhouse and moved into its current location, a majestic,
three-story granite building, in 1939. Cathedral Latin School served
students in grades first-twelfth until 1962 when a separate high school
was built. Adding pre-kindergarten in 1990, Cathedral School currently
serves 232 students in grades pre-k-8^th^. Cathedral School has always
played a dynamic role in the North Carolina educational community. It
was the first area school to educate Native American children and it was
also the first Catholic school to integrate when it merged with St.
Monica's school in the 1950's. As the most racially diverse school in
the Diocese of Raleigh today, it is recognized as the benchmark of
ethnic and racial diversity among Raleigh's private schools. Since the
school has "grown up" with downtown Raleigh, the students' academic
experiences are enriched by being able to use the museums and government
buildings as an extended campus.

The mission of Cathedral School is "to provide a family atmosphere that
nurtures the bodies, minds and spirits of its students as they pursue
academic excellence. As a Catholic school we recognize that each child
is a unique creation of God." Everything that happens at Cathedral
School must meet the tenets of this mission statement. Each child's
journey through the school is called "The Cathedral Experience." The
faculty has worked hard over the years to develop a "seamless staircase"
divided into three clusters -- Prek-2^nd^, 3^rd^-5^th^, and 6^th^-8^th^.
Each cluster has the responsibility to build upon the instruction and
experiences provided by the previous cluster. With only one class of
each grade level, teachers work in vertical cluster teams with much
coordination and collaboration between clusters. In the middle school,
students will have the same teacher from the beginning of grade 6 until
the end of grade 8 for the core subjects of literature/language arts,
history/ religion, and math/science. This structure is highly beneficial
to students and explains the consistently high academic achievement of
Cathedral students year after year. As a Catholic school, the spiritual
development of the students is of the utmost importance. The program
blends instruction of the Catholic faith tradition with hands-on service
projects that enable students not only to provide service to those in
our community but also to learn why such problems as hunger and
homelessness exist. For a small school, an impressive array of
extra-curricular activities from athletics to music to clubs is offered.
None of these accomplishments would be possible without the dedication
of parent volunteers. Recently, Cathedral School's Home and School
Association (PTA) was recognized as one of only eight nationally, by the
National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), for financially and
spiritually supporting a sister school in San Ramon, Nicaragua. The
parents also accepted the challenge in 2003 of securing the long term
viability of the school by recognizing the need to restructure the
system of charging tuition to reflect the challenge confronting most
Catholic Schools today -- the unavailability of nuns who require very
small salaries. Tuition restructuring coupled with an exemplary
development/marketing program, prepares Cathedral School to meet the
challenges of the next century.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) initially
accredited Cathedral School in 2001. During its reaccreditation in 2006,
Cathedral School received a rating of exemplary for the demonstration of
continuous improvement, as well as exemplary for providing quality
assurance. The school regularly convenes a nineteen member School
Improvement Team that represents all stakeholder groups, including
parishioners. As Cathedral School looks to its upcoming 100^th^
anniversary and beyond, it envisions "a future where students from
diverse backgrounds can attain a forward looking, traditional Catholic
learning experience preparing them to become academic, spiritual, and
moral leaders."

**PART IV -- INDICATORS OF ACADEMIC SUCCESS**

**1. Assessment Results:** Cathedral School administers the Iowa Test of
Basic Skills (ITBS) to students in grades 3-8 in October of each year.
Cathedral School also administers the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT)
to students in grade 2 (optional) and grade 5 (required). These
nationally recognized standardized tests are used by all schools in the
Diocese of Raleigh and scores are reported as NPR (national percentile
rank). The benefit of using nationally normed tests is that they can
compare their students to students across the nation as well as know how
well their school is doing when compared to schools across the nation.
Another benefit is that they are provided with the LPR (local percentile
rank) and can gauge how they compare to students and schools in their
own Diocese.

The school scores from 2001-2005 in Total Reading (vocabulary and
comprehension) and Total Math (computation, problem solving, estimation)
indicate that Cathedral School has successfully embraced the challenge
of maintaining consistently high scores. Educators know that this
requires conscientiousness and attention to detail.

It is important to note that Cathedral School did away with the practice
of administering admissions tests in 1996. Therefore, the students
enrolled are not excluded based on lower ability/achievement, but
welcomed and encouraged to benefit from their academically rigorous
program. Interestingly, as they maintain an enviable racial diversity
rate (currently 68% majority, 32% minority), as well as an economically
diverse student body, they do not find noticeable disparities among
subgroups. Also, the 5^th^ grade is the only grade that takes both the
ITBS and the CogAT. It is the one year where they can actually compare
whether a student attains an achievement level commensurate with his/her
ability level. Using the 2004 5^th^ grade scores as just one example, on
average the class achieved at a higher level than their ability scores
predicted they should on all thirteen subtest. They find this fact to be
the rule rather than the exception year after year.

There are three other tests that are given to their students. In
February, eighth graders take a test that is required for students in
North Carolina to receive a public high school diploma. The North
Carolina Computer Competency Test measures computer literacy through an
on-line exam where students have to perform tasks involving
spreadsheets, databases and word processing. Each year at least 95% of
the students pass. Writing proficiency is measured in March of each year
by a statewide test developed and scored by the Catholic schools of the
Diocese of Raleigh and the Diocese of Charlotte. Fourth and Seventh
graders write on a prompt and because the total test time is about one
hour, it is recognized to be a draft version. Scorers are looking to see
if students can successfully address the prompt by crafting a response
that is coherent and grammatically correct. Lastly, the advanced math
students take the North Carolina End-of -Course Algebra Test in May.
This is also a requirement for students who may attend a public high
school. In 2004, 2005, and 2006 Cathedral students had the highest class
average of any school in the diocese.

Cathedral School believes that these successes are indicative of what
can be accomplished when research-based teaching methods are delivered
by a strong and stable faculty. With the support of caring staff and
high expectations for the behavior of students, as well as the
participation of parents, its students are able to accomplish
extraordinary things.

**2. Using Assessment Results:** When the results of the annual
standardized testing arrive, the principal gleans all the pertinent
information she needs for school wide analysis and then passes
individual and class results to the homeroom teachers. Teachers are
required to work with the data in a variety of ways. First, they sort
students into one of four quartiles based on the percentile earned on
different subtests. Next, they disaggregate each quartile by gender and
race to look for disparities among subgroups. Last, they complete a
cumulative summary sheet for each student, where comparisons are made to
the results from previous years. Teachers are looking for at least a
year's worth of growth in each child. Grade equivalents are used to
determine if that growth took place. Each teacher meets with the
principal to review each student's sheet. Teachers are then able to
review item analysis reports to look for strengths and weaknesses in
their class on specific test items. Classroom instruction decisions are
often made following this review, thus saving valuable time by being
able to concentrate on skills that may still need to be mastered.

When this work is completed, the entire faculty gathers to look for
school wide trends and to draft performance goals for the next year's
school improvement plan. It is essential to use this information to
improve individual student performance and by extension school
performance. A specific example of what the teachers did with the 2004
results revolved around planning remedial instruction for all students
who did not achieve at or above the 50^th^ percentile in reading and/or
math. Supplemental materials were purchased for these students and
teachers provided small group instruction. Parents also followed through
by helping with at-home assignments. In January 2007, students scoring
below the 50^th^ percentile in reading and or math will be enrolled in
the IOWA Increase Program (I2P) to better address their weaknesses.

**3. Communicating Assessment Results:** Cathedral School purchases
parent reports and sends them to parents in sealed envelopes for the
obvious reason of insuring the privacy of each student. The principal
and teachers are available to discuss results with parents as needed.
The school wide results are communicated via a power point presentation
delivered by the principal during the January Home and School
Association (PTA) meeting. During Catholic Schools Week in late January,
the principal speaks at each weekend Mass and communicates the school's
accomplishments. In May, all stakeholders are invited to attend the
annual Town Hall Meeting where the principal and director of development
and admissions present the annual report of the school. Attendees are
welcome to submit questions about any aspect of the workings of the
school and answers are provided in this open forum. Each family is
provided with a hard copy of the report in their Friday envelope. This
is a communication tool that is used weekly. Included in the Friday
envelope are pertinent handouts and the "Friday Knight News"- a chatty
newsletter that parents say they can't live without. It hangs on the
refrigerators in most homes as it provides a weekly calendar update,
announces upcoming events and celebrates the accomplishments of students
and teachers. The school web site is also a way for the school to
communicate. It provides photos of school events and individual class
pages as well as information about the school for current parents,
prospective parents, alumni, and business donors. Four times a year the
director of development and admissions publishes "The Quarterly." This
publication reviews the school's accomplishments from the business
perspective, while also highlighting through photographs and articles
how the students "live" the motto -- "At Cathedral, we love God,
learning and each other."

**4. Sharing Success:** The principal, director of development and
admissions, and teachers of Cathedral School are always excited and
proud to share the successes of their school with anyone who asks. This
is an outward expression of what they do everyday in their school --
helping, sharing and working together as a team.

Locally, the principal recently in-serviced the principals of the
diocese on how they use standardized test results to drive decision
making and student/school improvement. Regionally, she became certified
as a Quality Review Team Visitor for the Southern Association of
Colleges and Schools so she can help schools receive SACS accreditation.
Nationally, she presents and consults on the subject of Cost Based
Tuition/ Need based Tuition Aid, a funding model which will probably be
adopted by most financially viable private schools during the next
decade, as Cathedral School did in 2003-04.

The director of development and admissions is the "go to" person in the
diocese whenever information is needed regarding how to begin a
development program, how to market one's school, or how to run a
successful annual appeal. She shares sample materials and expertise with
other schools without hesitation, as she is hopeful that all schools
will enjoy the successes that Cathedral School has.

The faculty regularly attends diocesan or regional in-service days that
often have grade level breakout sessions where teachers share what is
working in their classrooms with their students. They have a trained
mentor teacher who gives generously of her time to assist initially
licensed teachers receiving continuing licenses.

Cathedral School has been educating students for almost 100 years, yet
it continues to improve and grow. Newer schools recognize this
achievement and often seek them out for advice on policy and curriculum.
The decision to apply to be recognized as a Blue Ribbon School will let
them "enlarge their territory" and thereby share their success story
with schools both public and private throughout our nation.

**PART V -- CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION**

1\. **Curriculum:** Cathedral School uses the curriculum provided by the
Diocese of Raleigh Catholic Schools Office. This curriculum is developed
by using the North Carolina Standard Course of Study (NCSCS) as a
starting point and then enhancements are made to make this basic
curriculum more challenging for its students. It is the framework for
instruction that should assist teachers in identifying and implementing
the appropriate instructional methodology. Under the guidance of the
diocese's director of instruction, teachers from across the diocese form
a committee and engage in a systematic process of reviewing national
standards that impact each curriculum area. Each curriculum area is
revisited on a five-year cycle. Additionally, a values and attitudes
component enables students to develop a critical conscience in each
content area.

At each grade level, Cathedral School teachers have chosen to integrate
technology into all areas of the curriculum. Their belief is that
technology is a tool rather than a separate curriculum area and should
be treated as such. Through the establishment of a flexible schedule for
the use of the media center, the media specialist collaborates with each
teacher to incorporate the use of technology for the completion of
authentic tasks. Students locate information/reference materials and
create multimedia presentations using appropriate software and hardware.

Cathedral School has great autonomy when it comes to the methods of
instruction and the resources used to meet the curriculum goals and
objectives as indicated in the following curriculum area summaries:

[Mathematics:]{.underline} Curriculum is divided into five strands --
the first four being content with the fifth strand being the processes
used in each strand to reason mathematically. This strand includes
problem solving, using strategies, and generalizing to other situations.
An advanced math class is offered for 7^th^ and 8^th^ graders who are
ready for the challenges of pre-algebra and algebra.

[Science:]{.underline} Curriculum is divided into three broad strands --
Life, Earth and Physical.

Students spiral up and back through the topics as age and skill allow
them to delve deeper and broader into a topic. Young students use a
thematic approach as a means by which to expand their background
knowledge. All students participate in labs and/or other age appropriate
hands-on activities. An annual science fair focuses on the use of the
scientific method. Another activity that Cathedral School participates
in is Science Olympiad. By placing in the top five regionally, they have
qualified for state level competition for the last three years even
though they are one of the smaller schools competing. In the spring of
2006, the team placed 9^th^ in the entire state of North Carolina.

[Social Studies:]{.underline} Students move through this curriculum area
by enlarging the area of study from families, neighborhoods, and
communities in the lower grades to North Carolina and U.S. history and
world history. Geography, economics, citizenship, civics and governments
are studied as well. Recently, the students participated in
International Week. The sharing of cultures and customs of countries
around the world helped the students appreciate each other and the
diversity of their student body.

[Foreign Language:]{.underline} Spanish is offered to all students in
grades 5-8 with a bilingual teacher. Students in grades 7 and 8 have
Spanish three periods per week. The goal is to teach not only the
fundamentals of the language but also an appreciation for the Spanish
speaking cultures around the world.

[Music:]{.underline} All students take a weekly music class where they
participate in both the study of secular as well as religious music.
Music history is incorporated as they study composers and musical
genres. Instrumental band, keyboards, hand bells and choir let students
apply their skills and have opportunities to

perform at school and church events.

[Art:]{.underline} Art is also offered weekly and focuses on creating
art by using the great masters for inspiration. Even the youngest
students are aware of famous pieces of art through the teacher's
exceptional use of technology to bring these works into the classroom
via a laptop and projector.

2a. **(Elementary Schools)** **Reading:** Cathedral Schools reading
curriculum looks different in each of the three clusters as students
master skills needed to be successful at each level. Teachers understand
where they and their students are in the continuum of skill acquisition.

In pre-kindergarten through grade two their focus is on "learning to
read." Students are acquainted with print concepts, letter sound
recognition, sight vocabulary, an organized and sequenced approach to
phonics that also benefits their ability to write fluently, vocabulary
building and grammar rules. Even at this young age, students routinely
compare stories and characters and respond to literature. Read aloud is
popular as teachers model for students how to think about what they are
reading and recognize and apply the rules of phonics and strategies for
comprehension.

In grades three through five the focus is "reading to learn" with an
emphasis on the type of reading skills needed to comprehend social
studies and science material. Reading for information requires a
specific set of skills. Students learn to outline and produce study
guides. Novels play an important part in reading instruction and are
used in literature circles. Novels are used to challenge small groups of
readers who may be reading above grade level and also to supplement the
work with a particular genre. For example, a fantasy unit may include
the reading of [The Borrowers]{.underline}. Students are taught the
strategies of meta-cognition -- making text connections, visualizing and
inferring.

In grades six through eight the focus is on preparation for the academic
challenges of high school and college. Students apply the skills of
analysis, synthesis, and evaluation to literature selections and content
area materials. Students summarize through outlining or the creation of
a narrative to move through a selection. Vocabulary is developed through
the learning of Latin/Greek roots to help students define unfamiliar
words when context clues are not present or helpful. Vocabulary and
writing prep for the S.A.T. is an important activity for all 8^th^
graders. Also, the students are experts at diagramming sentences, a lost
skill that actually makes them proficient writers.

2b. **(Secondary Schools)** **English:** N/A

3\. **Religion:** "At Cathedral, we love God, learning and each other".
This is the schools motto and is recited every day at the school wide
morning assembly. It sets a positive tone and reminds students about the
Gospel mandate to love. As a Catholic school, their mission is to impart
knowledge to their students of their faith traditions. The religion
curriculum centers on the four broad areas of message, worship,
community, and service. At each grade level students hear and read Bible
stories, learn about the Mass as well as key figures such as saints,
experience what it means to be a part of a school and church community,
and have opportunities to take an active part in both class and school
service projects. The children show their love for each other by
fulfilling high expectations for their behavior and by older students
being assigned younger students as "buddies" -- where they can learn by
example how to be a "Cathedral Knight."

The following represents a brief sampling of concepts/activities
involving religion instruction at Cathedral School:

[PK-2^nd^]{.underline} : Students recognize that they are significant
members of the school and church. Prayer is introduced, practiced and
encouraged during the school day. Catholic students are well prepared to
receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist.

[3^rd^ -5^th^]{.underline} : Students are taught the Ten Commandments,
Beatitudes and Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy as examples of how
to tie scripture into everyday life. Expectations for behavior and
personal responsibility and accountability are linked to these key
concepts.

[6^th^ --8^th^]{.underline} : Students are expected to display a
Christ-like attitude towards service, the love of others and respect for
self. Concepts across the curriculum are interpreted through the
Christian worldview theory of literary criticism. For example, in
Shakespeare's [A Midsummer Night's Dream]{.underline}, all the lover
couples must be properly married according to the law, as well as
properly matched, before the play can successfully conclude.

4\. **Instructional Methods:** With ten grade levels represented at
Cathedral School, there are many effective instructional methods used on
a daily basis. Interestingly, teachers share with one another methods
and techniques that work in their classrooms and then modify them so
they can be used at different grade levels. Teachers can often be
overheard saying, "Oh, that's a great idea, I'll have to try that with
my class." A terrific example of this is the use of "performance." The
youngest students are encouraged to act out a story, and throughout the
grade levels students have many opportunities to perfect that skill.
Teachers find that this method increases confidence and incorporates
many skills, all of which are very useful in later life. The teachers
also use "cooperative learning" in all subject areas. When walking
through the building, you will always find a cooperative group somewhere
whether in the 4th grade completing a math maintenance activity together
or, as in 3^rd^ grade, doing partner reading in the hallway to improve
both fluency and comprehension. Another effective method is the use of
review games to prep for upcoming tests. Students work hard to quickly
get the correct answers for their team. Thematic instruction is common
in lower grades, but the middle school teachers use it to their
advantage as well. For example, when the 8^th^ graders were discussing
Shakespeare and the religious climate of the era in Literature class,
they studied the Renaissance and Reformation in history. Research papers
were written on the Elizabethan Era with specific reference to church
history. The music teacher then introduced them to the music from [A
Midsummer Night's Dream]{.underline}. Lastly, one of the most effective
methods that the principal requires of the teachers is the notion that
all students are actively engaged. There should not be passive learning
but active involvement. If a student is doing a math problem on the
board, then every child is working the problem at his/her desk as well.
They like to say, "All students, all the time."

5\. **Professional Development:** The professional development of their
teachers can be challenging because they are a small school in a small
school system spread out over a geographically large area (the eastern
half of the state of North Carolina). Regardless, the principal is
determined to provide top quality professional development. The faculty
feels an obligation to stay abreast on current best practices. In recent
years, our faculty has done extensive work on "Teaching Reading in the
Content Areas" and "Differentiated Instruction." The principal evaluates
teachers on their implementation of these practices during classroom
observations. They have also studied Robert Marzano's book [What Works
in Schools]{.underline}. Also, the faculty has taken on-line technology
courses, which have helped meet different faculty members' needs as to
where they are in terms of computer competency. Teachers may also
request to go to workshops that are paid for by the school, during
school hours. When teachers return from workshops, they are required to
share with the rest of the faculty what they learned, so that all can
benefit from the time spent by one. The teachers often volunteer to
serve on the diocesan curriculum revision committees. This involvement
helps them become well-versed in the particular curriculum area under
revision and that expertise benefits the students. The diocese offers an
annual professional development day where teachers from across the
diocese gather to hear key note speakers and attend break-out sessions.
Locally, the teachers in Wake County also have an area in-service day as
well as grade level gatherings where teachers can share what is working
for their students at a certain grade level. It is with great dedication
to their students and their profession that Cathedral's faculty makes
time for these learning opportunities. It is also necessary for them to
reflect on the learning and make choices about what is appropriate for
their students and what is not. With that done, then professional
development becomes a very useful tool for student and school
improvement.

**PART VI - PRIVATE SCHOOL ADDENDUM**

*The purpose of this addendum is to obtain additional information from
private schools as noted below. Attach the completed addendum to the end
of the application, before the assessment data tables.*

1.  Private school association(s): [National Catholic Educational
    Association (NCEA)]{.underline}

> (Identify the religious or independent associations, if any, to which
> the school belongs. List the primary association first.)

2.  Does the school have nonprofit, tax exempt (501(c)(3)) status? Yes
    [X]{.underline} No \_\_\_\_\_\_

3.  What are the 2005-2006 tuition rates, by grade? (Do not include
    room, board, or fees.)

\$ [4700.]{.underline} \$ [4700.]{.underline} \$ [4700.]{.underline} \$
[4700.]{.underline} \$ [4700.]{.underline} \$ [4700.]{.underline}

K 1^st^ 2^nd^ 3^rd^ 4^th^ 5^th^

\$ [4700.]{.underline} \$ [4700.]{.underline} \$ [4700.]{.underline} \$
[N/A]{.underline} \$ [N/A]{.underline} \$ [N/A]{.underline}

6^th^ 7^th^ 8^th^ 9^th^ 10^th^ 11^th^

\$ [N/A]{.underline} [\$ 5700.]{.underline}

12^th^ Other (pre-kindergarten)

4.  What is the educational cost per student? \$[5523.]{.underline}

(School budget divided by enrollment)

5.  What is the average financial aid per student? \$[1737.]{.underline}

6.  What percentage of the annual budget is devoted to [6]{.underline} %

scholarship assistance and/or tuition reduction?

7.  What percentage of the student body receives

scholarship assistance, including tuition reduction? [19]{.underline}%

**PART VII - ASSESSMENT RESULTS --**

**Cathedral School**

Iowa Test of Basic Skills

Form A, 2005, 2004, 2003/Form A/© 2001-2002/ Norms Fall 2000

Riverside Publishing

Scores are reported here as percentiles.

No students are excluded from the test.

+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
|                                     | 2005     | 2004     | 2003     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| Testing Month                       | October  | October  | October  |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| **Grade 8**                         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | 83       | 91       | 81       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | 80       | 90       | 79       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | 16       | 24       | 20       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of total students tested  | 100%     | 100%     | 100%     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students excluded       | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of students excluded      | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > SUBGROUP SCORES                   |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > African-American Students         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | \<10     | \<10     | \<10     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| **Grade 7**                         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | 85       | 87       | 92       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | 77       | 82       | 88       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | 19       | 16       | 26       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of total students tested  | 100%     | 100%     | 100%     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students excluded       | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of students excluded      | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > SUBGROUP SCORES                   |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > African-American Students         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | \<10     | \<10     | \<10     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| **Grade 6**                         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | 77       | 77       | 80       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | 75       | 71       | 74       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | 27       | 17       | 17       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of total students tested  | 100%     | 100%     | 100%     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students excluded       | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of students excluded      | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > SUBGROUP SCORES                   |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > African-American Students         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | \<10     | \<10     | \<10     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+

**Cathedral School**

Iowa Test of Basic Skills

Form A, 2005, 2004, 2003/© 2001-2002/ Norms Fall 2000

Riverside Publishing

Scores are reported here as percentiles.

No students are excluded from the test.

+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
|                                     | 2005     | 2004     | 2003     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| Testing Month                       | October  | October  | October  |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| **Grade 5**                         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | 89       | 84       | 86       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | 84       | 85       | 76       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | 21       | 23       | 27       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of total students tested  | 100%     | 100%     | 100%     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students excluded       | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of students excluded      | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > SUBGROUP SCORES                   |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > African-American Students         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | \<10     | \<10     | \<10     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| **Grade 4**                         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | 88       | 87       | 84       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | 90       | 80       | 79       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | 18       | 20       | 25       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of total students tested  | 100%     | 100%     | 100%     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students excluded       | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of students excluded      | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > SUBGROUP SCORES                   |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > African-American Students         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | \<10     | \<10     | \<10     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| **Grade 3**                         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | 76       | 88       | 82       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | 77       | 89       | 80       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | 25       | 22       | 24       |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of total students tested  | 100%     | 100%     | 100%     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students excluded       | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Percent of students excluded      | 0        | 0        | 0        |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > SUBGROUP SCORES                   |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > African-American Students         |          |          |          |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Reading                           | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Mathematics                       | \--      | \--      | \--      |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+
| > Number of students tested         | \<10     | \<10     | \<10     |
+-------------------------------------+----------+----------+----------+