MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Thank you for your interest in NAPC*IS. To complete your application for membership, please observe these steps:

1. Review the Standards for Member Schools below.

2. Send the completed application, support materials/documents for submission, and a non-refundable processing fee of $50.00 to NAPCIS.

3. The Membership Department will review applications. Schools which appear to meet the standards for membership will be evaluated by the Membership Department and may be referred to the Board of Trustees for consideration and final decision.

NAPC*IS Commitments

1. Religious: The Association exists to promote the teachings of the Catholic Faith in obedience to the Pope and Magisterium.

2. Educational: The Association advocates excellence and professionalism in the curriculum adopted and the faculty employed by the schools.

3. Administrative: The Association maintains the position that a school's stability is secured by an administrator who has clearly designated responsibilities and evinces a degree of permanence.

4. Financial: The Association expects members to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and accountability.

5. Philosophical: The Association requires that member schools clearly state its mission, goals, and objectives and have the ability to demonstrate in practice the fulfillment of its philosophy.

Standards of Membership

1. The school is incorporated as a non-profit, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.

2. The school has a statement of its mission and purpose. All individuals and groups associated with the school - governing body, professional staff, parents and students - have a clear understanding of this statement.

3. The school requires the Board of Trustees, administrator and the essential professional staff be practicing Roman Catholics. The Board, administration and faculty make an annual Profession of Faith and pledge an Oath of Fidelity to the Pope and Magisterium.

4. The school informs parents of the mission and purposes of the school and secures their affirmation and consent for full support and participation.

5. The school requires all students to participate fully, without exception, in its curriculum and program, including, and, especially, those that confirm its Catholic identity – Mass and the Sacraments; devotions and prayer; religion and Theology studies.

6. The school has an established admission policy and procedure consistent with the school’s stated mission and purpose.

7. The school informs the families of their financial responsibility to the school, and the school’s policy regarding the payment of tuition and fees.

8. The school has established non-discriminatory enrollment and employment practices with regard to race, color, national, or ethnic origin in conformance with federal and state statutes.

9. The school has sufficient administration, faculty and staff to carry out the stated program of the school.

10. The school employs professionals who possess either a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent in life experience or training.

11. The school has a program for staff development and evaluating staff performance.

12. The school provides the professional staff with reasonable working conditions and salaries.

13. The school prepares a yearly calendar, which meets its State’s requirement for minimum number of school days.

14. The school designs and implements a curriculum that meets the stated mission and goals of the school.

15. The school has physical facilities, equipment and teaching materials to support its program at each grade level.

16. The school adheres to city, county and state health and safety regulations as they apply to the school’s physical facilities.

17. The school has a structure of governance with established procedures for developing school policy and program, and for defining and delineating personnel duties and responsibilities.

18. The school has an effective administration designed to implement the policies established by the governing board.

19. The school has established effective means of communication between the school and parents to inform parents of student progress and school activity and to insure parents’ involvement in the mission and purpose of the school. The school has, also, established reasonable practices and procedures by which parents may address their concerns and interests to appropriate school personnel.

20. The school gives evidence of its financial stability and has established procedures for the management of its financial resources.

21. The school maintains complete and accurate records for students, personnel and graduates.

22. A secondary school includes grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 and confers a high school diploma. It is college preparatory in its stated goals and purposes, although all graduates may not, in fact, go on to higher education.

DOCUMENTS TO BE SUBMITTED*

The following documents should be submitted in triplicate (unless otherwise noted) at the time of application**:

• Endorsed Articles of Incorporation
  
• By-Laws of Corporation
  
• Evidence of tax-exempt status with State and IRS
  
• Statement of philosophy
  
• Copy of school’s governing body's constitution, membership and structure, if different from, or in addition to, by-laws
  
• Copy of brochure and advertising materials
  
• Statement of admission policy and application materials
  
• Administration and teacher roster (include religious affiliation, degrees earned and date of hire)
  
• Current year's budget
  
• One copy of school's handbook for parents, student and faculty (one copy of each, if separate handbooks)
  
• School's statement of curriculum
  
• Current school-year calendar
  
• Statement of the school's policies on record keeping: student, personnel and alumni
  
• A statement of high school requirements for graduation, a copy of the transcript form, if applicable
  

* Not required for Associate Status (with exception of the statement of philosophy).
** If all documents are not available at time of application, submit as many as possible. Provisional Status of Membership does not require the submission of all documents at once. The school’s statement of philosophy must be one of the documents submitted with application.

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For more information about NAPCIS membership please contact NAPCIS as directed below.

2640 Third Avenue Sacramento, CA 95818 TEL (916) 451-4963 email: info@napcis.org copyright 1995-2008 NAPCIS