CHILD/YOUTH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OFFICE: 361-0940

HANDBOOK
2009-10

GOAL
To help the youth of All Saints Parish develop Catholic Christian attitudes in daily living
through our own witness of love and compassion:

TO TEACH AS JESUS DID

THE PHILOSOPHY OF THIS PROGRAM IS BASED ON THE UNDERSTANDING THAT CHRISTIANITY IS A WAY OF LIFE TO BE LIVED ACCORDING TO THE BODY OF TRUTHS, WHICH ARE LEARNED, UNDERSTOOD, ACCEPTED AND PRACTICED OUT OF LOVE FOR GOD, OTHERS AND SELF.

The saying is: Religion is caught easier than it is taught. Good example given by parents, especially assisting at Mass on Sundays or Saturday evenings, morning, evening, and meal prayers, receiving the sacrament of Penance, and a positive attitude toward the Catholic Faith are of great significance. Children look up to their parents and trust they will not let them down.

REGISTRATION AND FEES
Registration blanks will be given at the first class.  Announcements will be made in the church bulletin.  All families in the program are highly encouraged to be active Catholics - weekly Mass, sacraments, and support = time, talent, and money.

Fees are listed on the registration form. There are extra fees for those receiving First Eucharist and Confirmation. Plans for payment of fees will be made at the time of registration. All fees must be paid by the end of December of the current school year. NO STUDENT WILL BE TURNED AWAY BECAUSE OF AN INABILITY TO PAY. All such cases are to be settled with the pastor. Fees cover the cost of all materials – books, paper, pencils, pens, crayons, glue, markers etc, as well as the special activities such as retreats, youth group, and the general administration of the program.

PRE SCHOOL PROGRAM
The pre school program develops religious awareness in four-year-old children by capitalizing on their natural sensitivity and wonder. It is designed to draw the little ones to know and love God by focusing on the world God created. The goal of the program is to shape attitudes in the children to prepare them to be committed Catholics who understand the truths of the faith and live by these truths. This is achieved through play, games, sensory experiences, stories, and songs with religious themes.

ELEMENTARY PROGRAM – Grades K - 8
Kindergarten is an integral part of REP. The curriculum stresses God’s love for us, and our love for God, others, and self. It gives an introduction to faith concepts and formal prayer.

Grade 1 presents God’s goodness and presence. The church as God’s family is taught and formal prayers are stressed. The students are introduced to Mary and the lives of the Saints.

Grade 2 prepares the children to receive the sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist for the first time. Materials will be provided by the teacher. Meetings for the parents and students are listed on the calendar.

Grade 3 focuses on the life of Christ as portrayed in the mysteries of the Rosary. Bible stories are also included. The Sunday readings are also part of each class.

Grades 4 – 8 presents the beliefs of the Catholic Church as contained in The Catechism of the Catholic Church. Through both content and activities, students learn about the beliefs and traditions of their Catholic identity. The content and activities are appropriate for each grade level. Scripture from both the Old and New Testaments is presented to help students grow in knowledge and develop a sense of their Catholic identity through Scripture. The Bible is used in conjunction with the text. Each student is required to bring his/her Bible to class each week. Grades 5 – 8 have a Bible from the previous years. Bibles will be supplied for Grade 4. Grade 4 is also prepared to receive the sacrament of Penance privately.

The students in Grades 1, 3-8 will receive a weekly lesson based on the Scriptures of the Sunday readings.  These will be started in class, but it is the responsibility of the parents and students to complete each lesson.  Time will not allow the entire lesson to be done in class.  This is the homework - each teacher will have specific directions how this is to be completed and checked.  However, please make sure that the papers are checked each week at home.

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM – Grades 9 – 10
Grades 9 – 10 of the high school program are dedicated to developing all interested youth of the parish spiritually, morally, and socially. It is structured to seek out those less interested and invite them into the faith community. The teachers’ task is to form a living faith community based on three-fold sharing:
• Sharing the message of Jesus and its meaning in our lives
• Sharing our talents in answering the needs of those about us
• Sharing prayerful and belonging events.
A variety of materials are used, which include activities and discussions enabling teens to see that learning about their faith is important. They provide the youth with goals, a vision of life rooted in Christian values and Gospel truths, which in turn enable them to make decisions in faith to live Catholic lives.

Each session begins with an opportunity for the students to gather as a group and pray together.  The students change teachers with each new course.

Students are to do make-up work for any classes they miss.  This make-up work is to be completed before the end of each course.   It is the responsibility of the students to get the work from the DRE.

Students in Grades 9 – 10 are expected to perform at least thirty hours of parish, community, and family service each year – about ten in each category. The details, manner of keeping record, etc. will be explained in class. The purpose of this requirement is not so much a matter of doing the hours, rather to instill in youth a sense of responsibility to help others in these three areas. A yearly retreat is an important part of this program.

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM – Grades 11 - 12
The immediate preparation for Confirmation begins in Grade 11 and continues into the fall of Grade 12. Classes are held once a month on Sunday mornings. Sessions include Catholic doctrine, guest speakers, and/or question and answer periods. Mass is part of the class. Each candidate chooses a sponsor by the second session and works with him/her during the year until Confirmation. Specifics are sent in a letter to the parents regarding times, sponsors, and retreats.

HOMEWORK
Homework is an important part of the program because it enables the parents to be involved in religious education. Each student should spend at least one hour a week,
ten – fifteen minutes each day doing religion homework. In addition to the assigned work – or if no specific work is assigned – students should work on memorizing the prayers assigned to each grade level. Praying as a family is also part of the homework.

PARENT INFORMATION
No student will be advanced to the next grade in REP if he/she does not advance in the public school. This is a safeguard to avoid frustration due to the inability to handle reading the text and other materials, as well as understand concepts presented. It also enables the student to study with his/her peer group.

In Grade 2, the parents are closely involved in the preparation of their children for the sacraments of Penance and Holy Eucharist. Both parents are expected to attend the scheduled meetings. The dates, times and places are listed on the calendar.

A class on Safe Environment is taught at each grade level K – 10. Parents will be informed when the class for each grade level will be taught. More information can be obtained by contacting the DRE.

HOME STUDY
Home study is available for Grades K, 1, 3, 4, and 5 for parents who wish to teach their children at home. Books are available. Home study for the older students is highly discouraged, but available. During these years, it is important that youth study and discuss religion and related issues with peer groups. This is not likely to happen in home study. They also need to develop a sense of belonging to the parish community. This is encouraged and nurtured by attending classes.

RULES AND REGULATIONS
All Saints Religious Education Program is a Catholic, Christian institution. Christ-like behavior is expected of all participants. In order to insure an atmosphere conducive to beneficial learning, the following are part of All Saints Religious Education Program.

Attendance is very important for the continuous growth and the continuity of class experience. In case of illness or any other legitimate excuse, the parents are to help their child/children review the lesson missed. If an absence is known of in advance, notify the teacher by a note as soon as possible. Each time a student is absent, a written excuse is to be brought to the next class.

It is the aim of the program that students develop a positive attitude toward religious education and the church in general. Parents can help much by instilling this in their child/children. This includes attending Mass on weekends.  Several youth gatherings are scheduled for grades 6-12 with parishes of the surrounding areas.  These are part of the program and not an option.

Cell phone or other electronic devices are not allowed in class,  Phones are available for the students to call home, so it is not necessary to bring a cell phone to class.  If students bring them to class, they must leave them with the teacher during the class and pick them up after class.  This is mandatory.

Each student is expected to be cooperative during class. Discipline problems cannot be permitted to reoccur if meaningful learning is to take place. Specific problems will be first handled in class and then referred to the DRE. If no improvement occurs, the student’s parents will be called for a conference. At the conference, measures will be discussed to correct the misbehavior. Parents may be asked to come to class and stay with their child to improve behavior. In some of the classes parents will be asked to take a turn attending one class in order to assist the teacher in the class. Notes will be sent home in this regard.

The dress code for REP is the same as that of the public school. However, special “dress up” days at the public school are not to be observed in religion classes. No caps or hats are to be worn in the building – girls and boys. No shirt with rude, crude, or inappropriate sayings, pants are to be at the waist and not hanging at the hips and no bare midriffs are allowed in class. If students come from sports practice, they should not come in the practice attire, but must observe the dress code.

When students arrive, they are to go directly to the church hall and wait for their teachers to take them to class. Walking from Clay Lamberton is not allowed for grades K-5 because of the time element and safety factor. All may either take the bus provided for the REP students or get a ride from a parent. Bikes and skateboards are not to be brought to class. Since the students are not supervised outside before class, it is important they go directly into the school or church hall. After classes, all are to wait quietly on the sidewalk for their rides. To insure safety and because Franklin Street is a busy street, children are to be picked up on Grove Street or SW Ceresco Street only. Students will be asked to wait in front of the building on Grove Street. No one will be allowed to walk to Franklin Street or wait in front or around the front of the church. Your cooperation in this matter will be deeply appreciated. It is a safety factor.

In conjunction with the guidelines set in the public school, no gum, candy, soda or sweets will be allowed in the classrooms. Grades K – 5 will get a milk and cracker snack when they arrive which is provided. No other food should be brought in. It is hard to handle a situation when children bring all kinds of goodies and pass them around. If any treat, such as a birthday or holiday are brought to class they must be a healthy one, enough for each student and be cleared with the teacher before class. The teacher will determine when and how it will be shared.

Pencils, papers, and pens are supplied for each student in each class. Students do not need to bring any supplies to class. All students will be given a folder, which is to be taken home each time and returned for the next class.  Grades 4 – 8 also have bibles that go home each week. They have been supplied with a bag for this purpose. Parents are to check that this is done and also check for any work in the folder that is assigned. Any student failing to bring a folder, bible or bag will receive a warning and a call to the parents will be made. Parents may be asked to bring the materials to class.

If for a valid reason a student must leave class early or arrive late, a note or phone call from a parent or guardian is to be made to the DRE. Students are expected to be on time so classes can run smoothly without disturbances caused by students arriving late. No student will be dismissed early without a written note from a parent or guardian. All early dismissals are to be cleared with the DRE.

Announcements pertinent to REP are made weekly in All Saints Parish Bulletin. Please make sure you get one each week. Notes are sent home with the students as needed. Announcements of cancellations due to inclement weather will be made on the local radio station (WISS). The policy for inclement weather is, if the day school closes or dismisses early because of bad weather, REP classes will also be canceled. A schedule of the current school year is included in the handbook. Should any changes occur, a note will be sent home and/or a notice will be printed in the parish bulletin.

Parents are encouraged to communicate any comments, questions, suggestions, or complaints concerning the REP classes with the DRE as well as the teachers. All parents are welcome to attend any of the classes with their children. Contact the DRE to obtain a pass to enter the class. Your cooperation is deeply appreciated and it is only with the help of the parents that the program will continue to make progress.

CHILD/YOUTH RELIGIOUS EDUCATION

CALENDAR  2009-2010

PRESCHOOL

These classes are for 4 year olds and held on Sunday mornings from 9:00 - 9:45 AM in

All Saints Preschool building.  Times and dates to be determined.

GRADES K - 12

All classes in Grades K-12 are held at St. Michael hall and All Saints Catholic School which also serves as All Saints Religious Education Center

Grade K – 5 (meet on Wednesday afternoon from 3:30 – 5:00 PM)

Grades 6 – 8 (meet on Wednesday evenings from 6:00 - 7:10 PM)

Grades 9 – 10 (meet on Wednesday evenings from 7:30 – 8:30 PM)

September 9, 16, 23, 30

October 7, 14, 21, 28

November 4, 11, 18, 25

December 2, 9, 16 (Communal Penance)

January 6, 13, 20, 27

February 3, 10, 17, 24

March 3, 10, 17, 24

April 7, 14, 21, 28

May 5, 12 (Last class)

Grade 11 (meets on Sunday mornings from 8:00 AM – 11:15 AM)

September 13

October 11- Enrollment Mass at 10:00 AM with sponsors, 25

November 8, 22

December 13

January 10, 24

February 14, 28

March 14, 28

April 11, 25

Three classes and a retreat in the fall of 2010

Grade 12 (meets on Sunday mornings from 8:45 AM – 11:15 PM)

September 27

October 18

October 25 - Confirmation practice with sponsors 11:15

October 29 - Confirmation Retreat – 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM - Mandatory

November 1 - Confirmation

Communal Penance Service

December 16

March - TBA

ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT DATES

Grade 2 – First Penance and First Eucharist     

October 13 – General Meeting for parents and students – 6:30 PM – St. Michael Hall

October 25 – Enrollment Mass for parents and students – 10:00 AM

November 10 – First Penance Meeting for parents and students - 6:30 PM – St. Michael Hall

November 21 – Retreat for students only – Preparation for First Penance – 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM – St. Michael Hall    

December 5 – Reception of the Sacrament of First Penance – parents and students – 9:00 AM

March 2 – First Eucharist Meeting for parents and students – 6:30 PM – St. Michael Hall

May 1 – Jesus Day for students only – 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM – St. Michael Hall

May 2 – Reception of the Sacrament of First Eucharist – 12:00 PM Mass

May 3 – May Crowning – 6:30 PM

Special Events for Youth

October 3 - Youth Rally at Holy Hill – Grades 6 – 12 (mandatory for grades 7-8)

Additional information on all these events will be given as the event draws near.