Photo above: Third grade students and teacher Keren Laudadio gather in St. Raphael Church, holding the 75th anniversary banner for St. Raphael School.
By EmmaLee Italia |Contributing Editor
As St. Raphael School, Hamilton, marked its 75-year anniversary with a Golden Ticket Event April 24, faculty and families reflected on its impact in their lives, with its deep roots in the Catholic faith, strong academics and service.
“St. Raphael School is a faith‑filled community where we truly live our wider Catholic mission,” said Cecilia Chludzinski, St. Raphael fourth grade religion and ILA teacher. “We foster respect, reverence and responsibility … empowered by the Gospel message to serve the Lord.
“This is who we are, every day,” she continued. “At St. Raphael School, we don’t just teach academics. We form souls for Christ.”
Community and Achievement
Chludzinski has always thought of St. Raphael’s as a “sleeper school” with a quiet but meaningful presence in the Diocese and in Hamilton. “Our students excelled in Scholastic Olympics, often winning in multiple categories, and our sports teams were known for their competitiveness and heart.”
That presence has included service – collecting food and supplies in the aftermath of catastrophic storms for families in need; a “Hearts for Haiti” project for relief efforts; contributing to the Missionary Childhood Association through coin boxes and supporting Visitation Home and unwed mothers through Penny Wars.
“What makes these efforts so special is that they came from our children’s own piggy banks,” she said. “We never sought attention; we simply served. And even under the radar, the impact was unmistakable.”
Academic achievement in SRS begins with “God-given gifts” and encourages development into lifelong learning, said Chludzinski, who arrived in 2005 as technology was ramping up.
“The computer lab had just been established, and it quickly became a vibrant hub of learning,” she said. “Pre‑K through eighth grade came in once a week for a full 50‑minute session,” learning keyboarding skills, research techniques and working on digital projects. SRS also launched an after-school Technology Club to explore additional skills.
“It was an exciting time of growth, innovation and expanding opportunities,” Chludzinski said.
Family Loyalty
Some families have been a part of St. Raphael’s for generations, including the Kellys, whose four daughters, their father, uncle and grandmother, have all attended.
“It’s not just about the academics, but the values that stay with the students once they leave,” said David Kelly. He and wife Elizabeth, who were married at St. Raphael’s, have two daughters currently in the school – seventh-grader Shannon and fourth-grader Erin – and have enjoyed the “long tradition of the faith” and “the impact that all of these teachers have had.”
Deacon David and Karen Colter have had four children graduate from SRS; daughter Lucia is a current fourth grader. For them, the centrality of the Catholic faith at SRS is key.
“Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is literally in the center of our school … the whole school attends Mass every Friday,” Deacon Colter said.
Another factor keeping the Colters at the school for 20 years is “individualized attention … they truly treat every student as part of the SRS family on day one.”
The Colters’ eldest son, Dominic, class of 2015, said that SRS taught him “how to look beyond the struggles and see the hope.”
The foundation of faith and reason woven together, while learning all subjects, “formed the discipline and grounding we hoped for in their lives,” Deacon Colter said. “It has shown them that one can fully engage with the world while remaining rooted in something greater.”
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