|
|
Catechist/Co-Catechist |
| |
| Supplies |
| Please fax
the "Supply Request Form" (at least one week prior to
the day of class) for any items you may need for your class.
We will notify you when they are ready for pickup (supplies can be
picked up at the Rectory Office during the day). |
| |
| Communication |
| Catechists
are asked to inform the Director of Religious Education of any
situation in which the parent is contacted. If
correspondence is involved, the letter must be forwarded (fax or
mailed) to the director prior to distribution. |
| |
| Mass
Attendance |
| Students and
families are required to attend Sunday Mass. "You shall
attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation."
(The Precepts of the Church - CCC2042) ALL students are to pick up
a "Mass Slip" from the head usher each week. The
slip will be a different color each week. The student is
responsible to complete this slip and turn into his/her Catechist
each week. We encourage all students to attend Mass at St.
Katharine's. If a student attends a church out of the area,
a bulletin from the church is required. |
|
| Parent
Participation |
| A parent is
expected to participate in their child's class (see Contract for
Parents) by being a helper on a rotating basis. The Catechist
is responsible for scheduling the rotation or may enlist a parent
to do so. |
|
| Important
Documents |
| 1.
CONTRACT FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS |
| 2.
EMERGENCY CONTACT CARD |
| 3.
HANDBOOK ACKNOWLEDGEMENT |
| The above
must be signed, fully completed and returned promptly to the
office after the first class session. |
|
| Emergency
Treatment |
| The parent
or guardian's signature on the back of the emergency contact card
will allow you to seek emergency care should the need arise and
they cannot be contacted. |
|
| Progress
Reports |
| Parents are
to receive three (3) Progress Reports. Dates to be
determined by the Catechist. They are to be signed by the
parents and returned to the Catechist for recording. |
|
| Sacrament
Programs |
| Student enrolled in a sacrament program
will have additional requirements. |
|
| Absence |
| Catechists
are asked to inform the Religious Education Office if they are
unable to conduct the class as soon as possible so other
arrangements can be made. |
|
| Attendance
Sheet |
| Catechists
are asked to record student attendance and return the sheet and
lesson plan (if completed) each week. ONLY FOUR (4)
ABSENCES ALLOWED PER STUDENT. |
|
| Conduct |
| If there is
a problem with behavior, the parent should be advised and a
meeting between parent, student and Father will be arranged. |
|
| Tardiness |
| Class will
start promptly. Students should arrive fifteen minutes prior
to start of class. |
|
| Books |
| Catechist
will be provided a Teacher's Guide along with other resources as
needed. Each student will be given book(s) to be taken home
in order to do homework as directed by Catechist. The
students must bring their book to class every week. If the
book is lost or damaged a replacement fee of $15.00 will be
charged. |
|
| Address
Change |
| Change of
address or telephone numbers should be reported immediately to the
office of religious education. |
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Top of Page
Student/Parent |
| |
| Mission
Statement |
| We strive to
emphasize formation in a basic understanding of the Catholic faith
through doctrinal lessons based on the Catechism of the Catholic
Church (CCC) and assuring the spiritual development
(age-appropriate) of our students by participating in the
sacramental life of the church along with prayer, holiness, service
and charity within our local community. |
| |
| DAY(S) &
TIME(S) |
| Mondays:
5:00 PM - 6:15 PM |
|
6:45 PM - 8:00 PM |
| |
| Tuesdays:
3:15 PM - 4:30 PM |
|
5:00 PM - 6:15 PM |
|
6:45 PM - 8:00 PM |
| |
| MASS
ATTENDANCE |
| The family
has the most important role in communicating the Christian and human
values that form the foundation for a child's understanding of the
Eucharist. Children who participate with their Parents in the
Holy Sacrifice of the Mass experience the Eucharistic mystery and
gradually learn to join with the liturgical assembly in prayer.
We encourage all parents to participate with your children by your
example, especially in attending Sunday Mass and frequent reception
of the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion. You
shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation."
(The Precepts of the Church - CCC 2042) All students
and families are encouraged to join the community of St. Katharine
Drexel at Sunday Mass. |
| |
| PARENT
ENRICHMENT SESSIONS (NON-SACRAMENTAL) |
| As part of
your ongoing faith commitment to your child and to yourself, all
parents are required to attend TWO (2) parent enrichment sessions as
noted on the calendar. This is IN ADDITION to meetings for
Confession. First Communion or Confirmation. |
| |
| ABSENCES |
| NO
MORE THAN THREE (3) ABSENCES are permitted for all students.
More than three (3) absences require a meeting with the Director of
Religious Education before being admitted back into class.
Note: We reserve the right to require further study and/or
delay a sacrament or promotion for any student if determined they
are not adequately prepared in their understanding of the faith.
Upon his or her return, please include an explanation of
absenteeism, date, etc. At the individual teacher's
discretion, make-up work will be assigned. |
| |
|
ATTENDANCE |
| Students
are invited to participate in the continuous Religious Education
process each year from first grade through Confirmation in High
School. We are all Disciples and are called to continue
our faith journey by learning how to follow in the footsteps of
Jesus. "Learning to follow the way of Christ never ends." |
| |
|
SACRAMENT
REQUIREMENTS |
| Note:
We reserve the right to require further study and/or delay the
sacrament for any student that we feel is not adequately
prepared in their understanding of the sacrament. |
| |
|
CERTIFICATES: At the time of registration, the program
MUST be supplied with your child's Baptismal Certificate (No one
can receive further sacraments unless this is on file). In
addition, for Confirmation, we also request proof of having received
First Communion and First Penance. |
| |
|
RECONCILIATION AND COMMUNION |
| Our program
is a three year program of preparation. If your child
completed the prior 1 or 2 years at a program other than St.
Katharine, we must have a letter verifying this from the Director of
Religious Education. |
| |
|
Practices: Dates and times of additional practices for the
Communion Mass will be given to parents during the school year.
Attendance at each practice is MANDATORY if you would like your
child to receive the sacrament with the rest of the class. |
| |
| Meeting:
There are a few parent meetings that are necessary during the year.
Parental attendance is required. Parents must
not lightly hold themselves excused from these meetings. |
| |
|
CONFIRMATION: Our Confirmation program is primarily
designed for junior high through high school candidates (8th grade
thru 11). Confirmation is received after two years and three
(3) months of consecutive instruction. |
| |
| Practices:
Confirmation practice is MANDATORY for both students
and Sponsor(s). |
| Note:
Special Requirements for Confirmation will be given at the start of
the second year. These requirements must be met prior to
receiving Confirmation. |
| |
|
PROCEDURES FOR DROP OFF AND PICK UP |
- Be Prompt in arrival and pick-up
times.
- We ask that you park your car in
designated parking areas and bring your child into the church for
drop off. Cars cannot park in Weston Auto until after 6:30
PM.
NOTE: It is against the "Fire Code" to park cars in front
of the Church and along the fire zone. |
| When picking
up your child, it is required that you come into the area where your
child has class. Students from 1st-4th Grade will not be
released from their class without a parent or an individual
designated by the parent to do so. A child will not be
released without the knowledge of the parent/guardian. The
Director of Religious Education or Teacher will release the child
only to the person who has placed the child in the program.
Any other person seeking the release of the child must have the
approval of the parent with legal custody, which ordinarily shall be
in writing. |
| |
| TARDINESS |
| Late
arrivals disrupts the prayerful setting of the class.
Children are expected to be in their class on time. If you
bring your child to class more than 15 minutes late, they will be
marked ABSENT. In that case, parents are requested to
check their child in at the Religious Education office before the
class. |
| |
| BOOKS |
| The
Religious Education department will provide students with their
books along with a "Communication Folder". Parents please
check your student's folder every week. We ask that your child
writes his/her name and teacher's name on the book and folder.
It is the responsibility of the student to bring the book,
pen/pencil and paper in folder to class every week. If the
book is lost or damaged a replacement fee of $15 will be charged. |
| |
| ADDRESS
CHANGE |
| Please
report any address or telephone changes immediately to the office of
religious education. |
| |
|
REPORTING PHYSICAL/SEXUAL ABUSE |
| Parents
and guardians should understand that State law requires a teacher or
administrator who has reasonable suspicion that sexual or physical
abuse has occurred to report this to the Division of Children and
Family Services. The teacher or administrator who fails to
fulfill this responsibility can be charged with sexual or physical
abuse, because the silence contributes to the crime. |
| |
| SAFETY
PLAN |
| The Parish
has developed a safe environment plan for the children attending
Religious Education. A copy of this is available in the Office
of the Director of Religious Education where a parent may read it. |
| |
| STUDENT
RETREAT(S) |
| Students in
7th grade through Confirmation (C-1's and C-2's) are REQUIRED
to attend and participate in retreat(s) in addition to
their normal class schedule. (Excused from retreat(s) only
with written medical form fro doctor.) (Dates to be
announced.) If requirement(s) not met it will be necessary to
repeat the class and not move forward with Confirmation. |
| |
| EMERGENCY
TREATMENT |
| The Student
Information Card must be filled out completely. Your signature
on the back of the card will enable the Catechist/office to seek
emergency care should the need arise and you cannot be contacted. |
| |
| RIGHT TO
AMEND |
| Since
situations can arise that were not foreseen at the time of writing
this Handbook, the religious education program reserves the right to
initiate, change or modify the policies as needed. Parents and
students will be notified of any amendments. The Director of
Religious Education and/or Pastor is the final recourse in all
disciplinary situations and may waive any disciplinary rules for
just cause at his/her discretion. |
| |
| CONDUCT |
| A student
who engages in any conduct, whether inside or outside the religious
education program, that is contrary to the moral code of the Church
may be asked to leave the program. |
| |
| PARENTAL
COMMUNICATION WITH THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION PROGRAM |
| Persons with
concerns about a catechist should first attempt to address the
concern with the catechist. Only after such attemps have
failed, should the parent contact the parish Director of Religious
Education. If the parent continues to be dissatisfied, the
Director of Religious Education will advise the Pastor and schedule
a meeting. |
|
| DRESS
CODE |
| Students are
expected to dress appropriately when attending Religious Education
classes. Clothing that is too short or too tight and underwear
that is clearly visible is considered inappropriate. |
| |
| STUDENT
WITHDRAWAL |
| The
education of a student is a partnership between the parents and the
religious education program. The Church considers the parents
to be the primary catechists of their children. Just as the
parent has the right to withdraw a child if desired, the religious
education program administration reserves the right to require the
withdrawal of a student if the administration determines that the
partnership is irretrievably broken. |
| |
| PROGRESS
REPORTS |
| As in
regular school, there must be accountability. Some aspects of
our program can readily be graded: knowledge of facts,
memorization of definitions, capacity for research and reasoning,
and obvious behavior. While other dimensions escape ready
measurement such as the degree of growth in personal faith, hope, or
charity. Our syllabus is designed to reinforce the student(s)
in the basics and truths of our faith (along with reinforcement from
parents) by reviewing material learned in the prior year along with
the current material along with assessment and quizzes of their
knowledge. |
| There
will be Quizzes and Progress Reports sent home to be signed by
the parent. It is up to the discretion of the teacher as to
how these will be utilized. Parents must take responsibility
to review his/her child's progress or lack thereof. |
|
Top of Page |
|
Office
Hours for Religious Education |
| |
|
MONDAY |
1:30 PM |
- |
4:30 PM |
|
TUESDAY |
1:30 PM |
- |
3:00 PM |
|
WEDNESDAY |
10:30 AM |
- |
12:00
NOON |
|
|
1:30 PM |
- |
4:30 PM |
|
THURSDAY |
1:30 PM |
- |
4:30 PM |
|
FRIDAY |
CLOSED |
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Top of Page |
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