Catechesis
March 31, 2008
CATECHESIS REGISTRATION 2008 – 2009
Dear Parents,
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our families for allowing us the joy of being with your children and for all the many ways in which you show your appreciation for St. Paul Parish and for all the hard working volunteers that we have within it. We are truly blessed to have your children as they have consistently proven to be loving and enthusiastic.
This coming year, I am proud to say that we are going to continue offering our varied options which respect and take into account different learning styles and family needs. Please read over the following information carefully before making your choice. Also realize that our Program is volunteer based and if we are going to be able to offer multiple options, we will need the help of our families. Being involved in Catechesis is a great way to meet some of the most wonderful people around and to effect change and constructively influence the quality of our Program. The children depend on you. Your participation can make all the difference. Please call the office if anything in this packet is unclear or if you have any questions.
Also please remember that this and other information is on our website: www.spc-catechesis.net
Sincerely,
Anna Mae Parkhill
Director of Catechesis
REGISTRATION
Registration will be taken from PARISHIONERS ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE BASIS. No one is guaranteed a particular day, even if your child went on that day this past year. Some options are very limited and fill up almost immediately – these include Sundays and Catechesis of the Good Shepherd.
Therefore, get your registration in NOW, so that you stand a better chance of getting the day or option of your choice, but again there are no guarantees. Carpools also need to get registrations in at the same time, so that you stand a better chance of everyone in the carpool getting the same day and time.
Volunteer choices are considered first, if their registration is in before the June 1 st deadline. So volunteer!
You will only be notified by phone if your choice(s) CANNOT be filled. Otherwise you can assume you received your choice and you will be mailed your confirmation of dates at the middle or end of August. If you wish, you may call the office to confirm your child’s class time.
OPENING DAY DATE – Our first session of Catechesis is still to be determined, but it will be after Labor Day. The calendar and Program policies will be sent home at the middle or end of August.
SIGNATURE– Your signature is required on the back of the Registration form for medical release and photo release. Please do not forget this or your registration is incomplete.
CLASSROOM BUDDY – GRADES 1 thru 5 – On your Registration form you will notice a line called Classroom Buddy. Only if you want, you may place the name of ONE child that your child would like be with in class. This is optional and we ask that you do not place children together that will distract each other during class. Sometimes friends are better seen outside class if they are going to talk to each other at inappropriate times. We cannot promise that each child will get their choice of buddy due to the difficulty involved in arranging 1,300 children into classes. We will do what is humanly possible. This becomes more difficult if your child, or their buddy, hands in a late registration. We have also discovered that students in grades 6 – 8 have mature social skills and do not need to be with friends. They are very good at making friends. Therefore, the Classroom Buddy option is for Grades 1 thru 5.
BEGINNING BAND – If your child is thinking of entering Beginning Band, they begin to meet after Christmas on Thursdays. Therefore, do NOT sign up for Thursday Catechesis as changing Catechesis classes in mid-year is very difficult if not impossible. Again, do not delay in sending in your registration as Tuesday fills up very fast.
CHOICES
Place your number/letter choice in appropriate location on the Catechesis Registration form.
1 Grades 1 thru 5: Tuesday 4:00 – 5:30
2 Grades 1 thru 5: Thursday 4:00 – 5:30
3 Grades 6 & 8: Tuesday Evening 7:00 – 8:30 (there are no afternoon options for 6 & 8 grades)
4 Grade 7:
4A – Tuesday 4:00-5:30 4B – Thursday 4:00-5:30 4C – Tuesday Evening 7:00-8:30
7 th Grade follows a special calendar of reduced classes & due to that reduction MANDATORY homework is required as well as Service Hours assisting in the lower grades of the regular program (see Service Hours section for detail). Each of these time slots will be strictly limited to 30 STUDENTS. Classes are NOT interchangeable.
If you want a traditional classroom setting, sign your child up for
the Option 5, Sunday class.
As always Directed Study and Family options are also available for 7 th
Grade.
5 Grades PK thru 8: Sunday Morning 8:45 – 10:15
6 Family Catechesis Program – Grades 1 – 8 Follows regular Catechesis Calendar
6A – Tuesday Evening 7:00 – 8:30 6B – Thursday Evening 7:00 – 8:30
This is an intergenerational program for the whole family. Children 5 and up & their parents together and with the help of a facilitator, discuss various religious topics and do various crafts and game activities. Call the office if you need additional information.
7 Directed Study Program – Grades 1 – 8 Special Calendar
7A– Tuesday 4:00 7B – Tuesday 6:30-7:30 7C – Tuesday 7:45-8:30 7D – Thursday 4:00
Parents that want to home school their children will be handed a syllabus, at the first session, with chapters to be completed by specific dates. About every 6 weeks, the parent and child/children will meet with a catechist and share what they have learned over the six weeks and hand in their work.
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
This Montessori method of Catechesis utilizes a hands-on approach with special materials and lessons, focusing on Scripture, liturgy and the liturgical year. If you are interested in your child being in Good Shepherd, call the office and check space availability. You are required to assist the class, in some form, through-out the year.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
All Registrations MUST BE POSTMARKED BY JUNE 1. This is a very large Program and we cannot stress enough the need for timely registration, so that we may better serve you and be well prepared for your children in the Fall. We understand if you cannot register in time (No it is not a sin!) but it does create additional expense and overtime. Therefore we are imposing a LATE FEE.
LATE FEE DEADLINES – FOR RETURNING STUDENTS
Registrations postmarked BY JUNE 1 - NO Late Fee
Registrations postmarked JUNE 2 – JULY 15 - $30.00 LATE FEE
Registrations postmarked JULY 15 on - $40.00 LATE FEE
We appreciate your understanding of this matter. The only exception to the late fee are people new to the Program, otherwise Late Registrations will NOT be processed without the late fee included in the payment. We do follow through on this stipulation.
TUITION– Tuition MUST BE PAID IN FULL AT THE TIME OF REGISTRATION, unless other provisions have been discussed with the Director of Catechesis. The Catechesis budget is decided by the Parish Finance Committee, in light of all the expenses the Parish has to meet. However, tuition alone does not cover the total expense of running the Program. The Parish does subsidize Catechesis. The tuition is doubled for non-parishioners.
Tuition for the 2008 – 2009 Catechetical year will be as follows:
GRADES 2 & 8 MUST ADD ADDITIONAL SACRAMENTAL FEE TO THE TUITION AMOUNT.
1 CHILD - $178
2 CHILDREN - $257
3 OR MORE CHILDREN - $336
SACRAMENTAL FEES:
GRADE 2 - $35.00 GRADE 8 - $45.00
TUITION IS WAIVED FOR THOSE VOLUNTEERING AS FULL TIME CATECHISTS (teaching alone); BUT ALL VOLUNTEERS PAY ANY SACRAMENTAL FEE.
SERVICE HOURS – Next year’s 6 th and 8 th Grade students will be working on service hours. They have all summer to get started on their service hours for the 2008-2009 Catechetical year. Summer is a great time to begin the hours because there is so much free time. Go to our website ( www.spc-catechesis.net) and click on Community Service and then download the Service Hour Form. This year, we are again continuing with eight (8) activities from four (4) different categories. Your child must fill out a form for each activity. The student must write what he/she specifically did on the back of the form and get all the needed signatures.
As in past years, 7 th Grade students help out five (5) times in the younger grades during Catechesis, since they do not come for as many classes. It gives them a chance to model their faith and keeps them connected to us. At the first class of the year, they are assigned dates. If they want to complete their service hours over the summer, they may sign up to help out in Vacation Bible School from June 16 – 20, from 8:45 – 11:30, Monday through Friday for one week.
The other grades may also help out during Catechesis. We have had great success with this and it is fun to see the kids in this role. 6 th and 8 th graders may also help out at VBS, however, they will still need to complete 3 additional activities in the other categories (please see Service Hour Form for details).
