From a small, one-building, boys-only school of fifty-nine students in 1924 to a college-style co-ed campus of eight buildings serving 450 students, Saint Raphael Academy (SRA) is thriving into its 100th year!

Saint Raphael Academy will begin a year-long centennial celebration this fall that will include events for students, alumni, and friends. The school has grown and changed over the last century, yet the tenets of faith, service, and community still ring true. Today, there is a strong Lasallian spirit throughout our faculty and administration, carrying on the teachings of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and the traditions of the Christian Brothers.

Principal Daniel Richard has been at the helm for twelve years, and has overseen a thirty-five percent increase in enrollment, an expansion of the campus footprint, and a highly successful capital campaign. In addition, SRA welcomes international students from seven different countries (including another Lasallian school in Spain) who come to Pawtucket to experience an American education.

Saint Raphael Academy is poised to continue providing a strong college-preparatory education for students. The last capital campaign, “The Next 100 Years,” which began just before the pandemic hit, well exceeded its $5 million goal. Funds are being used to establish an endowment and for classroom improvements. The school just completed the ten-year renewal of its New England Association of Schools and Colleges accreditation, earning the highest ratings. It is also participating in Catholic University of America’s new Lumen Accreditation program through the Diocese of Providence.

The school is still known for its excellent athletics program. In the last five years, SRA athletics has seen nearly twenty state division championships, eight state Gatorade Players of the Year (six in the running program alone), and a School of the Year recognition from the RI Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (RIIAAA).

SRA has robust extracurricular offerings ranging from newer clubs like robotics, Spikeball Club, and Dungeons & Dragons, along with clubs that have spanned the decades like Model Legislature, Future Business Leaders Association, and Mock Trial. The SRA Cultures Club was formed to celebrate and recognize the varied cultures at the Academy. The ever-popular drama program has been going strong and has represented Rhode Island at the New England Drama Festival twice in the last two years. Saints Drama was proud to receive twelve awards during the first annual PPAC Rising Star Awards for its production of Mary Poppins Jr. in 2023.

Saint Raphael Academy is extremely proud of its alumni, and the Hall of Fame inducted its third class of honorees in April, recognizing alumni for their commitment to service and to the academy. The Lasallian heritage lives on through approximately ten thousand SRA graduates.