B.V.M Queen of Peace Parish Religious Education Program

PROGRAM POLICIES

Admission

You must be a registered parishioner of B.V.M. Queen of Peace Church and/or St. Veronica’s. Your child must be baptized in a Christian faith, or you show a willingness to have the child baptized, to be admitted to the Religious Education program. A copy of your child’s baptismal certificate is required. Transfer students from another parish must present a copy of their sacramental certificates along with a letter from their former parish stating their last completed grade.

Arrival and Dismissal

Grades 1 - 2 - 3 classes are held Thursday afternoons at B.V.M. Queen of Peace in the Religious Education Center and the Parish Center. The students are bussed from Wallenpaupack North PRIMARY school at 2:15 p.m. Parents are to pick up students at 4:00 p.m.

Grades 4 and 5 classes are held Tuesday afternoons at B.V.M. Queen of Peace in the Religious Education Center and Parish Center. The students are bussed from Wallenpaupack North INTERMEDIATE school at 2:15 p.m. Parents are to pick up students at 4:00 p.m.

Kindergarten and Grades 6 - 7 - 8classes are held Sundays. Starting with ATTENDANCE at the 9:15 a.m. Mass, classes begin immediately after Mass. Students are dismissed at 11:20 a.m. Please make sure, if your child did not attend 9:15 a.m. Mass, that he or she is in the classroom by 10:00 a.m. It is very distracting to have students walking in after the class is started and attendance is taken.

It is mandatory that we receive a written note from you if you will not be picking up your child personally. This letter will be kept on file and states who has permission to pick up your child. This rule is for the safety of your child. Please have consideration and be on time, since someone must stay until all the students are picked up.

Cancellations

On Thursdays for grades 1 - 2 - 3, and Tuesdays for grades 4-5, if school is canceled or has an early dismissal, there will be no Religion classes that day. On Sundays, Kindergarten and grades 6 - 7 - 8 classes, an announcement will be made at 8:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Mass or call the Rectory at 226-3183.

Attendance

Attendance is required for each student enrolled in our program. The role of the catechist is one of a presenter. The principal responsibility for Religious Education remains with the parent. If your child MUST to be absent from class for any reason, you MUST NOTIFY the Religious Education Office by telephone at 226-2955. The student, with the parents’ help, will be required to make up the missed lessons. The importance of regular attendance cannot be overemphasized. Every effort should be made to have your child attend class weekly. If a child needs to be absent consistently because of parental visitations, the parent must speak with the Director, so that arrangements can be made for home assignments or special instruction. Any student who has 5 inexcusable absences may be required to repeat the year.

Please do not make doctors or dentists appointments on the day of Religion class!!

Mass Attendance

The liturgy of the Mass is at the heart of our Catholic faith. Catholics are expected to participate in Mass each week and on Holy Days of Obligation. Attendance at Religious Education classes without the experience of the Mass is learning only part of our Catholic faith. A requirement of our religious education program is that weekly Mass and Holy Days of Obligation are attended. We will send home a notice for the Lenten season letting you know when your child will attend Mass with their class. For your child’s sake, try to attend this scheduled Mass. We understand that sometimes it becomes a conflict when you have more than one child in our program.

WE CANNOT CONSIDER OURSELVES PRACTICING CATHOLICS, IF WE DO NOT PARTICIPATE AT MASS AND RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS OF RECONCILIATION AND EUCHARIST ON A REGULAR BASIS.

Prayers

Our catechists are concerned that many of the children do not know their prayers from year to year. Please encourage your child to pray.

Student Progress Report Cards

The parents are responsible for contacting their child’s catechist regarding his/her progress in religion class during the year. Your child will receive a Progress Report card twice during the Religious Education year. The first will be sent home in January and MUST BE SIGNED AND RETURNED. Please review it and make every effort to assist your child where help is needed. Together, you can learn and put our Faith into practice. The final Progress Report card will be mailed at the end of May. This will include your child’s end of the year test grade that is 25 percent of their final grade mark. The other 75 percent will be based on their effort, attitude, class participation, completion of assignments, attendance, knowledge of prayers, understanding the curriculum (this will be based on the chapter reviews in their book), observing classroom and bus rules, following directions and the return of the progress report in January. It will show your child’s attendance for the year and state if your child will be repeating the religion year or promoted to the next grade. If your child is in the seventh grade, it will state their Confirmation test grade too.

Bus Rules

Rules that apply to the school bus for your child will be the same rules enforced on the Church bus.

Golden Rule

DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO TO YOU!

Classroom and Safety Rules

Students are to acknowledge the catechists and classroom aides as they enter their classroom.

Students will be courteous to the catechists, classroom aides, and fellow students and will respect the rights of others.

Students will stand respectfully during class prayer services.

Students need to raise their hand at all times to speak or they will not be recognized.

Destruction or defacement of any church or parish property by any student will not be tolerated. Parents will be held responsible for any damage their child has done.

Students will be respectful of classmates and behave in a manner that reflects the moral teachings of the Catholic Church.

Students are to sit and stay in their assigned seats correctly.

Students should work neatly and quietly. Students are to finish and return all assignments.

On Sundays, students should be on time for class. Tardiness is distracting to the catechist and other students.

Students are expected to attend every class.

Students are not to leave the classroom or the church grounds until dismissal time.

Students are to refrain from physical and verbal abusive behavior.

Students are to clean up the classrooms before they leave.

Students are to turn into the office anything they find that does not belong to them or that was left by another student.

Discipline

Every member of the Religious Education Staff is committed to giving your child a positive experience of our faith and our Church. In fairness to those children who come to class prepared, ready to learn and are cooperative, disruptive behavior cannot be tolerated. Children who present a discipline problem will be given a verbal warning from the teacher. If the problem continues, the student will be sent to the Coordinator, and maybe the parents will be notified. If there is still a problem a conference will be held with the parent, teacher, coordinator, and possibly the Pastor. When a conflict occurs, every effort will be made by all to resolve the problem.

Fire Drills/Fire Safety

The Religious Education students will be required to participate in regular fire drills. All classrooms have escape routes that the catechists are aware of.

Fees

Every family is expected to pay to the Religious Education office a family fee of $15.00. A book/supplies fee of $10.00 for each child attending grades K thru 8. This is a small token of the actual cost for your child in this program. If this is a hardship please contact the Director of Religious Education so she can let you know how you can make up your share of the cost.

The students in the Communion class need to purchase a Banner Kit for $6.50 from us. A $5.00 fee is charged for their Retreat. There is a $10.00 rental fee for Communion Robe.

The students in the Confirmation class will have an additional $10.00 book and supplies fee for Confirmation. A $15.00 fee is charged for a Confirmation Retreat. There is a $10.00 rental fee for Confirmation Robe.

Notices will be sent home when these fees are due.

See the Class Times & Related Information page for additional religious education policies.

Return to Religious Education home page.

	PROGRAM POLICIES *Admission* You must be a registered parishioner of B.V.M. Queen of Peace Church and/or St. Veronica’s. Your child must be baptized in a Christian faith, or you show a willingness to have the child baptized, to be admitted to the Religious Education program. A copy of your child’s baptismal certificate is required. Transfer students from another parish must present a copy of their sacramental certificates along with a letter from their former parish stating their last completed grade. *Arrival and Dismissal* Grades 1 - 2 - 3 classes are held Thursday afternoons at B.V.M. Queen of Peace in the Religious Education Center and the Parish Center. The students are bussed from Wallenpaupack North PRIMARY school at 2:15 p.m. Parents are to pick up students at 4:00 p.m. Grades 4 and 5 classes are held Tuesday afternoons at B.V.M. Queen of Peace in the Religious Education Center and Parish Center. The students are bussed from Wallenpaupack North INTERMEDIATE school at 2:15 p.m. Parents are to pick up students at 4:00 p.m. Kindergarten and Grades 6 - 7 - 8classes are held Sundays. Starting with ATTENDANCE at the 9:15 a.m. Mass, classes begin immediately after Mass. Students are dismissed at 11:20 a.m. Please make sure, if your child did not attend 9:15 a.m. Mass, that he or she is in the classroom by 10:00 a.m. It is very distracting to have students walking in after the class is started and attendance is taken. It is mandatory that we receive a written note from you if you will not be picking up your child personally. This letter will be kept on file and states who has permission to pick up your child. This rule is for the safety of your child. Please have consideration and be on time, since someone must stay until all the students are picked up. *Cancellations* On Thursdays for grades 1 - 2 - 3, and Tuesdays for grades 4-5, if school is canceled or has an early dismissal, there will be no Religion classes that day. On Sundays, Kindergarten and grades 6 - 7 - 8 classes, an announcement will be made at 8:00 a.m. and 9:15 a.m. Mass or call the Rectory at 226-3183. *Attendance* Attendance is required for each student enrolled in our program. The role of the catechist is one of a presenter. The principal responsibility for Religious Education remains with the parent. If your child MUST to be absent from class for any reason, you MUST NOTIFY the Religious Education Office by telephone at 226-2955. The student, with the parents’ help, will be required to make up the missed lessons. The importance of regular attendance cannot be *overemphasized.* Every effort should be made to have your child attend class weekly. If a child needs to be absent consistently because of parental visitations, the parent must speak with the Director, so that arrangements can be made for home assignments or special instruction. Any student who has 5 inexcusable absences may be required to repeat the year. Please do not make doctors or dentists appointments on the day of Religion class!! Mass Attendance The liturgy of the Mass is at the heart of our Catholic faith. Catholics are expected to participate in Mass each week and on Holy Days of Obligation. Attendance at Religious Education classes without the experience of the Mass is learning only part of our Catholic faith. A requirement of our religious education program is that weekly Mass and Holy Days of Obligation are attended. We will send home a notice for the Lenten season letting you know when your child will attend Mass with their class. For your child’s sake, try to attend this scheduled Mass. We understand that sometimes it becomes a conflict when you have more than one child in our program. WE CANNOT CONSIDER OURSELVES PRACTICING CATHOLICS, IF WE DO NOT PARTICIPATE AT MASS AND RECEIVE THE SACRAMENTS OF RECONCILIATION AND EUCHARIST ON A REGULAR BASIS. Prayers Our catechists are concerned that many of the children do not know their prayers from year to year. Please encourage your child to pray. *Student Progress Report Cards* The parents are responsible for contacting their child’s catechist regarding his/her progress in religion class during the year. Your child will receive a Progress Report card twice during the Religious Education year. The first will be sent home in January and MUST BE SIGNED AND RETURNED. Please review it and make every effort to assist your child where help is needed. Together, you can learn and put our Faith into practice. The final Progress Report card will be mailed at the end of May. This will include your child’s end of the year test grade that is 25 percent of their final grade mark. The other 75 percent will be based on their effort, attitude, class participation, completion of assignments, attendance, knowledge of prayers, understanding the curriculum (this will be based on the chapter reviews in their book), observing classroom and bus rules, following directions and the return of the progress report in January. It will show your child’s attendance for the year and state if your child will be repeating the religion year or promoted to the next grade. If your child is in the seventh grade, it will state their Confirmation test grade too. *Bus Rules* Rules that apply to the school bus for your child will be the same rules enforced on the Church bus. *Golden Rule* DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO TO YOU! *Classroom and Safety Rules* Students are to acknowledge the catechists and classroom aides as they enter their classroom. Students will be courteous to the catechists, classroom aides, and fellow students and will respect the rights of others. Students will stand respectfully during class prayer services. Students need to raise their hand at all times to speak or they will not be recognized. Destruction or defacement of any church or parish property by any student will not be tolerated. Parents will be held responsible for any damage their child has done. Students will be respectful of classmates and behave in a manner that reflects the moral teachings of the Catholic Church. Students are to sit and stay in their assigned seats correctly. Students should work neatly and quietly. Students are to finish and return all assignments. On Sundays, students should be on time for class. Tardiness is distracting to the catechist and other students. Students are expected to attend every class. Students are not to leave the classroom or the church grounds until dismissal time. Students are to refrain from physical and verbal abusive behavior. Students are to clean up the classrooms before they leave. Students are to turn into the office anything they find that does not belong to them or that was left by another student. *Discipline* Every member of the Religious Education Staff is committed to giving your child a positive experience of our faith and our Church. In fairness to those children who come to class prepared, ready to learn and are cooperative, disruptive behavior cannot be tolerated. Children who present a discipline problem will be given a verbal warning from the teacher. If the problem continues, the student will be sent to the Coordinator, and maybe the parents will be notified. If there is still a problem a conference will be held with the parent, teacher, coordinator, and possibly the Pastor. When a conflict occurs, every effort will be made by all to resolve the problem. *Fire Drills/Fire Safety* The Religious Education students will be required to participate in regular fire drills. All classrooms have escape routes that the catechists are aware of. *Fees* Every family is expected to pay to the Religious Education office a family fee of $15.00. A book/supplies fee of $10.00 for each child attending grades K thru 8. This is a small token of the actual cost for your child in this program. If this is a hardship please contact the Director of Religious Education so she can let you know how you can make up your share of the cost. The students in the Communion class need to purchase a Banner Kit for $6.50 from us. A $5.00 fee is charged for their Retreat. There is a $10.00 rental fee for Communion Robe. The students in the Confirmation class will have an additional $10.00 book and supplies fee for Confirmation. A $15.00 fee is charged for a Confirmation Retreat. There is a $10.00 rental fee for Confirmation Robe. Notices will be sent home when these fees are due. See the Class Times & Related Information page for additional religious education policies. Return to Religious Education home page.
	Information and church pictures Copyright 2002 B.V.M. Queen of Peace Parish. Site designed by Nikola Vrtis.