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PARENT HANDBOOK
2008-2009
Saint Catharine Parish Religious Education
500 S. Gould Rd.
Columbus, Ohio 43209
614-231-4509
PASTOR
Fr. Michael J. Lumpe
COORDINATOR OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION
Mrs. Chris Schleicher
chriss@stcatharine.com
PARISH WEB SITE
www.stcatharine.com
Welcome to the Religious Education program at Saint Catharine Parish. We believe parents, by their example and guidance, are the primary teachers. Religion classes support the parents by providing a formal learning situation and by offering opportunities for peer group and community expressions of faith. Our education approach is a three-fold format offering MESSAGE, COMMUNITY and SERVICE.
REGISTRATION/TUITION
Families MUST be registered members of
St. Catharine Parish to participate in the Religious Education Program. New students may be registered by calling the parish office at 231-4509 or by visiting the Religious Education Office in the school lower level on any Sunday of class from 9:00 to noon.
TUITION for the 2008-2009 School year is $100/child.
The tuition covers the cost of the program. All of the items your child/ren will use during the course of the year, including textbooks, activity books, sacramental preparation books, all supplies, handouts and audio-visual items are included. There are no extra fees. Lost textbooks must be replaced at a cost of $15.
CODE OF BEHAVIOR
Students are expected to respect the rights of others, respect the property of others and work cooperatively with peers and teachers at all times.
Teachers will make every effort to discipline positively, encouraging a child to improve his/her behavior if necessary. Repeated problems will result in the student’s removal from class and a conference with parents.
ATTENDANCE
All students are expected to come to class with all necessary books and completed assignments. Students are expected to attend classes regularly and to miss class only when there is serious reason.
CLASS TIMES
Class times are as follows:
Preschool – 8th grade 9:30 – 10:45 am Sundays
Classes begin promptly at 9:30 am.
Please make every effort to have your child/ren there on time.
SYLLABUS
Each teacher will distribute a class syllabus at the beginning of the year. Parents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the syllabus and if your child must be absent, to help your child make up the work missed.
INCLEMENT WEATHER
If class needs to be cancelled due to weather emergency, teachers will notify parents. The youngest child in the family will be called.
CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER
14 Class #1
21 Class #2
28 Class #3
2nd gr. Commitment Mass 11 am
30 2nd gr. parent mtg. school gym
OCTOBER
5 Class #4
7 8th gr. parent mtg. 7 pm gym
12 Class #5
19 Class #6
26 Class #7
NOVEMBER
2 Class #8
9 Class #9
16 Class #10
23 Class #11
30 NO CLASS
DECEMBER
7 Class #12
14 Class #13
21 NO CLASS
28 NO CLASS
JANUARY
4 Class #14
11 Class #15
18 Class #16
25 Class #17
2nd gr. mini-retreat undercroft
FEBRUARY
1 Class #18
8 Class #19
14 1st Reconciliation 10 am church
15 Class #20
22 Class #21
MARCH
1 Class #22
8 Class #23
15 Class #24
22 NO CLASS
29 NO CLASS
APRIL
5 Class #25
12 NO CLASS
19 Class #26
22 Practice for 1st Communion 7 pm meet in gym
25 1st COMMUNION 10 am (pictures 9:30 am)
26 Class #27
MAY
3 May Crowning following 11 am Mass
13 Confirmation practice 7 pm meet in gym
16 Confirmation at 5 pm Mass
SACRAMENTS
1st RECONCILIATION
The sacrament of Reconciliation is received for the first time in second grade prior to receiving 1st Communion. Parent involvement includes assignments with their second grade student and attendance at the parent sacramental preparation meeting. A required parent session will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 7 pm in the school gym. We will celebrate the sacrament of First Reconciliation on Saturday, February 14th in the church at 10 am.
Important Dates- Reconciliation
Sunday, Sept. 28 - Commitment Mass 11 am church
Tuesday, Sept. 30 - Parent sacrament mtg. 7 pm school gym
Saturday, Feb. 14 - First Reconciliation 10 am church
FIRST COMMUNION
In order for a child to receive First Communion, they must have had at least one year of religious education prior to 2nd grade. They must also be attending Mass on a weekly basis. Parental support is a critical part of a child’s preparation. Parent involvement includes attendance at the parent meeting Sept. 30 and attendance with your child at the mini-retreat on January 25th at 9:30 – 11:30 am in the undercroft and reviewing the lesson every week.
Important Dates
Sunday, Sept. 28 - Commitment Mass 11 am church
Sunday, Jan. 25 - Mini-retreat for parent & child 9:30 -11:30 am undercroft
Tuesday, April 22 - 1st Communion rehearsal 7 pm meet in gym
Saturday, April 25 - 1st COMMUNION 10 am (pictures at 9:30 am)
CONFIRMATION
Confirmation preparation is a two year program usually given to students in grades 7 & 8.
A one year service requirement begins in January of 7th grade. A one day retreat is part of Confirmation preparation. Students are required to attend. Parental involvement includes attendance at sacramental meetings.
Important Dates
Tuesday, Oct. 7 - Parent mtg. 7 pm gym
Tuesday, January 20 - 7th gr. Commitment Service 7 pm church
Confirmation Retreat - TBA
Wednesday, May 13 - Confirmation rehearsal 7 pm start gym
Saturday, May 16 - CONFIRMATION 5 pm
POLICIES – DIOCESE OF COLUMBUS
FINGERPRINTING/PGC
All catechists, aides and chaperones are required to have a criminal background check, fingerprinting and attendance at “Protecting God’s Children” seminar.
PARENTAL PARTICIPATION
Parents must be welcome to participate and be present in all activities for children and youth sponsored by the parish. While efforts should be made to create an environment where children and youth are comfortable expressing themselves, “..the right and duty of the parents to educate their children are primordial and inalienable.” (CCC 2221)
Parents should never be denied the right to observe programs in which their children participate.
HARASSMENT POLICY FOR THE COLUMBUS DIOCESE
1. Harassment can take many forms. Harassment can occur at any parish activity, and/or can take place in classrooms, halls, cafeterias, gymnasiums, or even at programs sponsored by the parish at other locations. It does not include compliments of a socially acceptable nature. Harassment is verbal or physical conduct that embarrasses, denigrates, or shows hostility toward a person because of his/her race, color, religion, gender, sex, national origin, age or disability or other protected characteristics.
2. It is the policy of the Diocese of Columbus to maintain a spiritually enriching environment in all programs and activities, free of all forms of harassment and intimidation. No participant, volunteer adult leader, or parish staff member-male or female-should be subject to unlawful harassment in any form, and specifically not to unsolicited and/or unwelcome sexual overtures or conduct, either verbal or physical.
3. Conduct which constitutes sexual harassment is prohibited. Sexually harassing conduct includes, but is not limited to, the following:
· Offensive sexual flirtations, advances, propositions;
· Continued or repeated verbal abuse of a sexual or gender-based nature;
· Explicit or degrading sexual or gender-based comments about another individual or his or her appearance;
· The display or circulation of sexually explicit or suggestive writing, pictures or objects;
· Any offensive or physical conduct which shows hostility or aversion toward an individual because of gender or sex;
· Graffiti of a sexual nature;
· Fondling oneself sexually or talking about one’s sexual activity in front of others;
· Spreading rumors about or categorizing others as to sexual activity.
Sex harassment is not limited to conduct that is sexual in nature- it also includes harassment that is based on gender. Gender-based harassment, which is also prohibited, is conduct that would not occur except for the sex of the person involved. An example would be referring to a woman by or as a female body part, or a demeaning sex-based term, or treating people differently because of their gender. The same prohibitions apply with regard to inflammatory or offensive comment or behavior which are based upon race, color, age, religion, disability. Or national origin. In short, working relationships between employees and volunteers must be based on mutual respect.
Sexual harassment also includes the taking of, or refusal to take, any personnel or other action on the basis of a person’s submission to or refusal of sexual overtures. No person should so much as imply that an individual’s “cooperation” or submission to unwelcome sexual activity will have any effect on the individual’s employment, assignment, compensation, advancement, development, program evaluation, participation in parish programs or activities, or any other condition of employment or achievement.
Not all physical conduct is necessarily considered sexual in nature. (For example, a coach hugging a student after an accomplishment, a youth minister consoling an adolescent with an injury or physical conduct during athletic events would not be considered sexual conduct.) However, peer-based sexual harassment is a form of prohibited conduct where the harassing conduct creates a hostile environment.
4. A sexually hostile environment can be created by a parish employee, volunteer, youth participant, or visitor to the parish activity.
5. Any person who believes that he/she is subject to unlawful harassment or intimidation must contactg the (a) program administrator (b), or (c) diocesan director of religious education. A complaint must be filed in writing. In the event that an individual alleges harassment by a director of religious education, or a pastor, the individual may file the complaint with the diocesan director of religious education. All complaints will be promptly investigated, and the person initiating the complaint will be advised of the outcome of the investigation.
6. Where it is determined that harassment has occurred, the appropriate authority will take immediate disciplinary action against any program administrator, volunteer, or staff engaging in harassment. The response shall take into account the individuals and circumstances. Such action may include, depending on the circumstances, disciplinary measure up to and including termination of service.
7. No retaliation against any one who reports harassment will be tolerated. The diocese prohibits such retaliation and will take appropriate responsive action if retaliation occurs.
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