St. Michael the Archangel Parish School of Religion

St. Michael the Archangel Parish School of Religion Parent Handbook 2017-2018 5750 N High Street Worthington, OH 43085 Phone: 614.888.5384 religioused@saintmichael-cd.org

Dear Parents, Greetings and blessings to you and welcome to the 2017-2018 PSR School Year! It is my honor to work with the staff and volunteers of our parish to provide your children with a religious education experience centered on Christ and the beauty and richness of our Catholic faith. If you have any questions throughout the course of the year, please do not hesitate to contact me, and I would be most happy to assist you! This year, we will continue to host our PSR classes for grades Pre-K through 8 th grade from 4:30pm until 5:45pm in the school building, with Mass offered at the parish at 6pm. It is our hope that this will make it more convenient for those coming from the northern portion of our parish boundaries to make one trip to St. Michael s for both PSR classes and Mass and still allow for family time on Sundays. St. Michael s Parish School of Religion follows the same Diocesan Graded Course of Study for religion that is used in both Catholic Schools and other Parish Education Programs. The Graded Course of Study provides structure and guidelines for all religious educators to ensure that the children are being taught the tenants of the Catholic faith in an ageappropriate, systematic and thorough way. Our Graded Course of Study employs the 6 tasks of Catechesis as a means of organizing the content of our faith, while also providing structure for its expression and comprehension. These Six tasks of catechesis are: 1) Knowledge of the Faith, 2) Liturgical Education, 3) Moral Formation, 4) Learning to Pray, 5) Education for Community Life, and 6) Missionary Discipleship and Service. These tasks of catechesis give meaning, shape, and context to our faith principles, and remind us that our relationship with Christ and understanding of our faith are strengthened and nourished through prayer and celebration of the sacraments, lived in our moral life, and expressed outwardly in our families and towards the Church at large. I think this new framework will help educators and students alike, to grow in their understanding of, and therefore ability to live, the Gospel message of our Lord Jesus Christ! As you may know, the success of our program relies on the assistance of our wonderful volunteers! I ask that you prayerfully consider helping throughout the course of the year as you are able; as perhaps a hall monitor, classroom aide, or assisting with the Retreat Ministry. Perhaps God is calling YOU to grow in your faith through teaching the children of our parish as a catechist? More information regarding volunteer opportunities and requirements will be available on our parish website, or you can contact me in the Office of Religious Education directly. I would be happy to assist you! Thank you for choosing St. Michael s PSR, and I look forward to a fun and faith-filled year! Sincerely yours in Christ, Kathleen Henry Director of Religious Education St. Michael the Archangel Parish religioused@saintmichael-cd.org 614.888.5384

I. Program Information: Office Hours: The office will be open Monday through Friday following the St. Michael School schedule. The Director s schedule sometimes calls for meetings offsite or late in the evening, so her office hours may vary. Feel free to leave a message and either the Director or Administrative Assistant will respond to your inquiry as soon as we are able! Kathleen Henry, Director of Religious Education religioused@saintmichael-cd.org 614.888.5384 x 136 Lisa Axene, Administrative Assistant, Office of Religious Education laxene@saintmichael-cd.org 614.888.5384 x 135 PSR Classes: Classes will meet on Sundays from 4:30-5:45pm. Please check your calendar for dates when classes will be closed due to school breaks, holidays, etc. If your child is ill or has some other school/family reason making it impossible to attend class, please inform your student s lead teacher of their absence, so they can relay information to you regarding chapters covered and missed work. Home School Program: The home school program will be offered on a case by case basis upon approval by the Director of Religious Education. Please note that it will not be an option for those in 1 st, 2 nd, 7 th or 8 th grades, as those are preparatory years for sacraments. For more information please contact the Director of Religious Education at religioused@saintmichael-cd.org, or by calling 614.888.5384. Arrival and Pick up procedures: To insure the safety of all children in St. Michael s PSR, all children must be dropped off at their classroom, and signed in by a parent, legal guardian, or authorized adult. At

the end of class, students must also be picked up and signed out of their classroom by a parent, legal guardian, or authorized adult. This policy ensures the safety of all St. Michael s PSR children. If you choose to carpool with a family friend or other adult, their name and number must be included on their registration form, as being authorized by you to sign-in/out your child/ren. Please also list at least one other person and his/her contact information whom we can call to pick up your child in the event of an emergency, or if for any other reason in the event you cannot pick up your child/ren, or cannot be reached. Attendance Policy: While we understand that family schedules during the school year can be extremely full, and that you are juggling school commitments alongside sports and family time, we do ask that you make PSR a priority and attend classes regularly. Missed classes make it more challenging for your child/ren to keep up with the curriculum and to stay on track with the rest of his/her classmates. Should there be a concern that your child has missed too many classes, you will be contacted by the Director and further directives discussed. Please know that we have your child s best interest in mind, and want to be sure s/he can learn as much as possible in the short amount of time we gather each week. Visiting Students: At St. Michael s, we understand that at some point in your child s enrollment, they may have a friend or family member who would like to sit in on a PSR class. If so, please use the following procedure: 1. Visiting student's parents should contact the Director of Religious Education via email (religioused@saintmichael-cd.org) or by phone (614.888.5384) to request a visit. 2. Director of Religious Education will contact the student's teacher to be sure this would be a good week to have a visiting student in the classroom. 3. Director of Religious Education will then contact the parents to confirm if this would be a good time for them to visit the class, and if so, send along the required permission slip. Visiting Parents: We encourage and welcome parents to visit their child s classroom, and we understand that you may want to experience what they are learning, or support them through a transition or behavioral challenge. All parents who visit their child s classroom must sign

in to the volunteer/visitor binder, located in the PSR closet. Parents should maintain an observer s perspective, and assist only their child. If you are needed or interested in attending on a more regular basis, you will be asked to comply with diocesan Safe Environment Policies and submit to a background check and attend a Protecting God s Children course. See parish website for further information regarding the volunteer requirements. Disciplinary Policy: It is our goal to provide the optimum learning environment for all enrolled in our Parish School of Religion Program. Our faith is rich and there is much to learn, and with our limited time in the classroom, it becomes especially important that the classroom environment is as conducive to learning (and fun!) as possible. In the event that a child is disrespectful to the teacher or disruptive to the environment despite in-class reminders, parents will be notified. If needed, the Director of Religious Education will work with the student and their parents to advise a plan more suited to their learning. Bathroom Policy: While PSR is in session, the main bathrooms with multiple stalls are reserved for PSR students only; this helps maintain the Diocesan Safe Environment regulations and ensures the safety of all students. Should you need to use the facilities during your visit, please use the single restroom on the middle floor. If you need any help locating the restroom, contact the Hall Monitor. Signs will be posted on all the bathrooms. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. II. Sacrament Preparation It is our honor and joy to assist in the preparation for the sacraments of initiation for your children. Typically, children who participate in our program will receive First Eucharist and Confirmation, in the 2 nd and 8 th grade respectively. We recognize that as parents, you are your children s primary educators. We want to equip you as best we can to fulfill this role. In order to provide support to you, there will be a mandatory informational parent meeting in October, and one mandatory parent classes/meetings each semester during PSR classes to provide you with further theology on the sacrament, and tools to assist you in incorporating and discussing our faith at home. Dates/times for the meeting will be distributed at the informational meeting and will also be on the calendar.

First Communion Per diocesan guidelines, a child should receive two years of sacrament preparation and catechesis before receiving their First Communion. At St. Michael s, we require attendance in PSR classes for both 1 st and 2 nd grade. In second grade, in addition to PSR classes, children will be provided with supplemental materials to study with their parents at home and will participate in a First Communion Retreat in the spring. Both classroom and retreat attendance are mandatory. Parents with children older than 1 st grade and who need to prepare for sacraments should talk with the DRE to discuss options for their education and sacramental preparation. Confirmation Similar to First Communion, Confirmation also requires PSR attendance in both 7 th and 8 th grades, with a few additional requirements outlined below: 1. Completion of Confirmation Retreat in the Spring, date, time and location TBA 2. Christian Service: Completion of 20 service hours throughout the course of the year. Guidelines for acceptable service opportunities will be provided separately, and hours should be submitted to your child s PSR teacher. Notification regarding opportunities for service as a class or at our parish will be distributed as they become available. 3. All students preparing for Confirmation must find a Sponsor by early fall, to assist them in their preparations for the Sacrament and to be present with them at the Confirmation Mass. Qualifications of a Confirmation Sponsor are as follows: a. Be a fully initiated, practicing Catholic. This means they have received the sacraments of Baptism, Eucharist, and Confirmation, and that they participate faithfully in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church. b. Sponsors must be at least 16 years of age, and not the Father or Mother of the child. c. All sponsors must have our sponsor letter signed and verified by the pastor at the parish where they are registered, and returned to the Religious Education office by December 1, 2017. Your student cannot be Confirmed without this form! Please be respectful of this deadline and ensure that your child s sponsor returns the form in a timely manner. More information will be presented to parents and sponsors in the fall.

Textbooks and Curriculum: The Office of Religious Education and Catechesis of the Diocese of Columbus provides a foundational curriculum intended for all religious education, both in the Catholic Schools and in the PSR programs. This curriculum sets concrete goals and learning objectives for educators of students in grades kindergarten through 12 th grade. For more information about the curriculum or its scope and sequence, visit the diocesan website (see below), or contact the Director of Religious Education at the St. Michael s Parish. http://www.cdeducation.org/religiouseducation/curriculum.aspx Our Parish School of Religion is currently using the Alive in Christ Series by Our Sunday Visitor for grades 1-8. They have great resources on their website regarding the scope and sequence of the texts, along with resources and formation opportunities for you. http://aliveinchrist.osv.com/ We are happy to be using the Called to Faith text for Kindergarten, which is also published by Our Sunday Visitor. Information regarding supplemental texts and materials used to assist in the preparation of First Communion and Confirmation will be provided at the parent meetings in the beginning of the year. Additional Reference Items: (This form may be used to communicate any classroom disruptions or behavioral difficulties to the parents of students enrolled in PSR)

St. Michael Parish School of Religion Disciplinary Action Form To the parent/guardian of We regret to inform you that your child, despite behavior reminders from his or her teacher, has been disruptive to the classroom environment with the following: Rude or inappropriate comments having side conversations and not listening to the teacher not following instructions or being disrespectful to the teacher disrespectful words or actions towards other students Notes from the Teacher: Please review the following behavior and/or notes with your child and return this form signed to his or her teacher the following class. If a child is sent home with three behavior notices, the student and parents will be expected to meet with the Director of Religious Education regarding future directives. Parent/Guardian Name (Please Print): Parent/Guardian Signature Date:

St. Michael s PSR Emergency Plan In case of Fire: All students and volunteers should quietly and calmly exit the building with their class via the closest stairwell and walk towards the baseball field. At least one hall monitor/volunteer should ensure a safe walking path between the coned area and the field. Students who exit the building through the east door should walk alongside the school building, being mindful of cars, towards the field. When students arrive at the field, they should form a line behind their teacher as attendance is taken. Teachers must send an account of their class to the DRE with the form provided. In case of tornado/hazardous weather: Move to designated area in basement floor. Teachers on the top and middle floors should leave doors OPEN. Lower level doors are CLOSED. Lights off on ALL LEVELS. If possible, crack your windows open. Bring your class roster and flashlight. Take attendance and notify DRE with form provided. The ENTIRE student body will assemble in the lower level of the building. All students should come down in single file and remain standing until your teacher gives you the signal to be seated. Absolute silence should be maintained. Once the signal is given, students are to be seated on the floor facing the wall, with knees tucked in and arms above their necks. In case of intruder: CALL 9-1-1 If it is possible to leave the building safely (i.e. it has been announced that intruder is on a different floor), exit and move towards designated exit area (the field) If exiting is not an option, secure the children in the classroom and lock the door: o Cover the windows and barricade the door with desks, etc. o Keep children safely hidden under desks, tables, or in closets if permissible. o Teachers should take attendance and notify DRE by walkie talkie or by texting Students outside of classroom and hall monitors stationed on each floor should go immediately to the nearest room If you encounter an intruder and do not have time to barricade, etc: o Yell and scream, ask questions: this could distract them and may prevent them from harming someone o Run, defend yourself, and take cover if possible. **Thank you for reading the 2017-2018 Parent Handbook. Please also review the policies outlined on the Handbook and Policy Agreement form, and sign and return the form with your child s registration paperwork. This demonstrates that you have received a copy and have reviewed all pertinent information contained therein.**