Parent / Student
Handbook
Religious Education Program
2009-2010
St. Thomas of Villanova
is an Augustinian,
Roman Catholic Community.
As the body of Christ,
we share our time, talent
and treasure
to fulfill our Baptismal
Commitment.
Following the example
of
St. Thomas of Villanova our
patron,
we strive to love and experience God
through
worship,
social justice,
education
and
evangelization.
Philosophy
The Religious Education
Program is committed to educating our youth in the Catholic heritage, to
form them according to the gospel values and develop in them a full sense of
participation in our Catholic community.
The Religious Education Program
supports parents, who are the primary educators, by fostering the faith of
their children and assisting them on living it daily.
It is through this proclamation of
God’s Word, within this worshipping community of St. Thomas of Villanova
Church, that we strive to serve one another and the world in which we live.
Role of the Parents
According
to the Church, parents are the first to communicate the faith to their children
and to educate them. By word and example, they form their children in the
Christian life. It is the parent’s responsibility to create an atmosphere so
animated with love and reverence for God and humanity, that a well -rounded
personal and social development will be fostered in the child.
“The
family forms the basic societal unit from which cultures and societies develop.
From New Testament days, the
Church holds the Christian family as the most basic unit of church life, too. It "constitutes a specific
revelation of and realization of ecclesial communion, and
for
this reason it can and should be called a domestic church"
Parents
can assure proper attitude formation of the child by being living models of the
Christian life. Parents who give first place to Christ in their lives,
teach their child the most important lesson they will receive.
The
vital influence of parents on the religious development of children must be
recognized. This school can only support and strengthen the values and
heritage that are already being fostered in the home.
There
must be consistency between what happens in the home and what is taught in the
Religious Education Program. Our program is based upon the teachings of
Jesus Christ as implemented by the Catholic Church and we assume that these are
the reasons you are sending your child to this school.
Parents
who choose to send their child to this Religious Education Program are obliged to
read this handbook entirely and carefully. After doing so, please sign and
return the form located on the last page to your child’s catechist.
For more information about
the
For Practical Advice for Parents On Preventing Child
Sexual Abuse go to the Parish
website section for Religious Education and scroll down.
Administration
Director: Ernie Sherretta, D. Min. 610 525-4801 ext 204
email: rel.ed@stv.comcastbiz.net
Secretary: Helen Savini 610 525-4801 ext 211
email: savini@stv.comcastbiz.net
Office Hours
Mon.-Fri. 9 AM – 4 PM Wednesday until 6 pm Sunday 8:30 am -11:30 am
Class Time
Grades 1-6, Jr High Sunday 10:10 am – 11:25 pm
Grades 1-6 Wednesday 4:30 pm – 5:45 pm
Classrooms are located
in the Parish Center
Class Cancellation or Snow Emergency
Classes
will be canceled in the event of snow, icy weather or another emergency. Since
the REP does not have a SNOW #, please listen to KYW radio. Parent
Contacts or The PHONE TREE
computer Messaging Program may call each family to notify of any cancellation.
Calendar
The
Religious Education Program Calendar of scheduled classes is
distributed at the Orientation Meeting and is on the parish website under
Education.
Communication
- Please be sure that all your
phone numbers and emergency contact information listed with us is current
and that you or another responsible adult can be reached during class time
in the event of an emergency. We do not have the facility to care for a
sick child.
Student Book Bag and Folder
Each student receives a book bag to hold the textbook and a two pocket folder to hold important flyers and other papers.
Parents should check this
folder after each class to collect whatever flyers, bulletins etc. are being
sent home. Often these flyers contain current information about events,
assignments, collections and other communications from the parish, the
catechist, or the Director.
Take Home Pages
These pages in your child’s textbook, Blest Are We, Faith and Word, open every chapter and are used to introduce your child to the chapter’s topic and provide you with an opportunity to interact with your child in the process of faith formation.
Parent/Guardian Orientation Meeting
Each year the REP conducts
an Orientation Meeting for parents/guardians during the Opening Session in
September. This meeting is required for all parents/guardians.
Consultation with your child’s Catechist
Direct communication with the student’s catechist is
a necessary component of the catechetical process. Parents are encouraged to
meet with their child’s catechist and discuss any concerns or information that
will enhance the learning experience. Learning disabilities, emotional and
health problems are especially noteworthy.
In the event of a serious problem or concern, parents
should:
1.
Contact the catechist
immediately to discuss the situation to
their
satisfaction and if not satisfied, then:
2.
Contact the Director to
arrange for a conference with the parent,
teacher and Director.
Policies and Procedures
Arrival/ Drop Off
Students
are asked to arrive at the Parish Center Hallway on the first floor via the north doors which face
the Day Care Center no earlier than 5 minutes before the scheduled start of class
and remain there until the catechist arrives.. Drivers transporting students to the REP are
asked to follow the traffic pattern as indicated in the back of the handbook
and drop off students at the Drop Off Area near the Chapel Portico area. (See Drop Off Traffic Pattern
at the end of this handbook.)
Dismissal/
Pick Up
Sunday Students are dismissed from the classroom. Parents
are expected to come in the
Wednesday Students are
dismissed from the classroom. Parents are expected to come in the
Early Pick Up
Parents who wish to pick up a
student before the scheduled dismissal time must report to the Center Hall reception desk and sign the
Early
Pick Up Log and an Early Release Form to take to the
student’s catechist before the student will be released from class.
Lateness
Late
arrivals disrupt the learning process of the class and the late individual. Constant
lateness will require a conference with the student, parents and Director
before resuming attendance at class. Constant lateness will prevent
the reception of a Perfect Attendance Award since such an award is for
attendance during class time.
Absences
Please report
each absence to the office by
advance note or by calling the
Director’s Phone on the day of class: 610 525 4801 ext. 204. During the
weekday you can call Helen Savini at ext. 211. This procedure is for the safety
of each child and a courtesy to our volunteer catechists.
If we do
not receive a note or call in the event of an absence, you will be
contacted by phone to verify the absence .
Parents/Guardians/Students
are expected to contact the catechist for missed work and assignments.
Excessive Absences
Three or more absences a year may
necessitate any of the following: special make up classes on a weekday
afternoon, home schooling by the parent and evaluation by the Director, or the
repetition of the year’s work. This is
especially applicable to a grade year preceding the celebration of First
Eucharist and Confirmation.
Homework
Homework
is an important part of the student’s learning process especially since formal
instruction is only 1 hour per week. Homework is an extension of the week’s
lesson, preparation for the next lesson and a culminating activity for the
concept of study.
*TEXTBOOKS and ACTIVITY
PAPERS are important components of the learning experience. Each
student is required to have these materials for each class unless otherwise
directed by the catechist.
Outside the classroom activities
Field
trips, prayer services, service opportunities and other planned activities are
important elements of religious education. Special permission slips and
parent/guardian notification are required for off site events.
Completion /
Dismissal / Withdrawal
Once a student is registered in the REP, he/she is
expected to attend until the celebration
of Confirmation and is automatically re-registered each year with the
reception of the signed Stewardship Covenant statement.
The REP attempts to meet the needs of all
its students. Special consideration is given to students with learning or other
disabilities.
The REP reserves the right to terminate a student due to chronic
disruptive behavior, excessive lateness, a violation of any of the REP Student
Guidelines and /or constant failure to cooperate with the policies and
procedures of the program.
Withdrawal from
the program for any reason requires a written
notification from the parents/guardians to the Director.
Without this written notification, transcripts of a student’s records cannot be
sent to another parish.
Student Evaluations
Each student’s progress in the REP is evaluated
twice during the school year. These Progress
Reports are given in January and May
and are good indicators of the student’s growth in religious formation.
Comments from the teacher, student and parent are expected as part of this
evaluation.
REP Perfect Attendance Award
This award is given to each student in grades K- Jr.
High who attends every scheduled class
of the REP during the scheduled time of the calendar year. Constant
lateness can prevent the reception of this award.
Memorization
Memory
is a God-given gift which should be developed
for the good of the individual and the community. At each grade level
there are prayers and other important concepts and lists that the student
should memorize to enhance their knowledge of the Catholic Faith. These are
located at the front or back of each grade’s textbook.
Student Guidelines and Responsibilities
1. Students are expected to behave in a Christian manner.
Respect and a willingness to learn are qualities that are expected of each
individual involved in our school. Disruption or unruly conduct
has no place in our program.
2. All students are to respect their property as well as
that belonging to others. Vandalism and stealing
of any kind will not be tolerated
and are reasons for dismissal.
3. Students are expected to arrive at class on time each week and sit at the
assigned place.
Students are not permitted to roam around the room or
hallway. Students are also expected to bring textbook, pencil/pen and anything else required by the Catechist.
Students who fail to do so may be refused entrance into the class.
4. Students are expected to enter and leave the
building in an orderly and quiet manner. Walking is the norm. Students are expected to follow the traffic
patterns located at the end of this book and must always be cautious when crossing the parking
area.
5. Students may not
enter classrooms unless a
catechist/aid is present in the room. Students are to wait in the Parish Center
Hallway until they are told to go to their classroom by the Director.
6.Students are required to wear appropriate attire to class and REP events. Sport
uniforms and sport shoes are not permitted. Hats
of any kind and shirts or clothes with words/phrases contrary to Christian
values are not permitted worn in the buildings.
7. Homework and
other class assignments are to be completed
on time.
8. Eating, drinking or the chewing of gum is
not permitted in any of the
buildings without the permission of the Director.
9. Alcohol, drugs and weapons or other illegal materials
are not permitted on parish
property.
10. In the event of a FIRE or fire drill, students will follow directions posted in each
classroom and exit in an orderly and
quiet manner.
11. If an emergency
requires a catechist to leave the room unattended, students must remain seated and quiet until the catechist or adult
returns.
12. Students are
not permitted to open or close windows, move furniture or other objects without
the supervision of the catechist or another adult..
Curriculum
All text book materials are published by Silver Burdett Ginn
and approved by the Office of Catholic
Education of the Archdiocese of
Students in grades K- Jr. High receive a Blest
Are We: Faith and Word textbook with 20
chapters, and two Take Home pages per chapter, a section on Prayers,
Feasts and Seasons and a summary section titled "Our Catholic Heritage"
at the end of the book that presents What Catholics Believe, How Catholics Worship,
How Catholics Live, and How Catholics Pray. Parents should take time to review the
textbook and use the Take Home pages on a regular basis. To
review the Scope and Sequence chart of the curriculum for these textbooks go to
www.blestarewe.com . Below is a very brief summary of the
curriculum. The Archdiocesan Guidelines for each grade can be found on the
Religious Education section of the parish website: www.stthomasofvillanova.org
Grade 1
This grade focuses on the theme of the Holy
Trinity. The children are taught that God, our Creator made each
person special. They learn that Jesus, the Son of God, is our friend and
brother and that he is human just as we are. They also learn that the Holy
Spirit is our source of strength, peace and joy.
Grade 2
In grade two, the emphasis
shifts to a study of the sacraments as the children review Baptism and
prepare for the celebration of Eucharist and Reconciliation.
Their understanding of the Trinity grows as they see God presented as the
loving Father who forgives them, Jesus as the one who gives us the gift of
himself, and the Holy Spirit as one who calls us to serve others.
Grade 3
The Church is the focus of study in grade three.
The students learn about the traditional marks of the Catholic Church: One,
Holy, Catholic and Apostolic and some of the beliefs held by Catholics as
presented in the Apostle’s Creed. All seven sacraments are studied and there is
an exploration of a variety of ministries within the Church.
Grade 4
In the fourth grade, the students study morality.
This is accomplished through an extension of the concepts learned in third
grade plus a study of the 10 Commandments and the Beatitudes. Throughout
this year students look at the lives of individuals who exemplified the moral
values learned this year.
Grade 5
Grade five centers on a study of grace and
all seven sacraments, which are presented as sacred signs, gifts of
life, as well as celebrations. Trinity and Church are presented as they relate
to the sacraments. The Liturgical Year gets much attention this year.
Grade 6
The Old Testament is the basis for the
sixth grade curriculum. Students learn that it is in the study of the Hebrew Scriptures
that we find Salvation History, the roots of our Christian faith. God is
taught as the Creator who cares deeply for His people and interacts in their
lives. Jesus is seen as the fulfillment of the Old Testament.
Grades 7/8
Jesus and
the New Testament is the focus of
grade seven. Students learn about the mystery of the Incarnation, the meaning
of the
Special Education Classes
Arrangements
on or off site* can be made to instruct students who have special needs due
to a disability. Materials are chosen to suit the needs
of the particular student or group of students.
Any such material will be approved by the Office of
Catholic Education.
*A student may be required to attend another parish better staffed to meet the needs of some disabilities.
Home Study Program
Families who wish to instruct
their children in their home in place of attending the scheduled REP Program
will be provided with the
Orientation
Manual which contains Parish Guidelines, a Home Program Guide booklet for the respective grade level
and additional materials once they have paid Home School REP Tuition and
attended the orientation meeting. Students in this program will be evaluated by
the Director twice a year, once in January and once in April.
Worship
Students in the REP are expected
to attend Sunday Mass each week.
Opportunities
for the celebration of the sacrament of Reconciliation are scheduled in
the Rosemont Chapel after the 9 am Mass on Saturday mornings and on a
scheduled evening in Advent and Lent in
the Villanova church.
Prayer services may be
arranged by each grade or classroom as needed. Catechists will inform parents
of such events by a letter.
For
information about Sacrament preparation
and celebration go to:
http://www.stthomasofvillanova.org/celebrating_sacraments
Service and Ministry
The
Religious Education Program encourages students and families to participate in
the many opportunities provide by the parish. The Faith in Action pages
in the student textbook are valuable lessons about the Christian’s
responsibility to serve.
Individual classes may
arrange for projects or collections with permission from the Director.
Check the parish website for all of the service and
ministry opportunities
Shelter in Place
- Shelter in Place is a plan to avoid
exposure to chemical/biological releases.
- This plan is implemented as directed by
the police/fire department.
- The
- Students will be escorted to a central,
safe location: first floor hall- as directed by the Director.
- The building is equipped with emergency
food and water supplies.
- The
- Students are not released until directed
by the police/fire department.
- Pick up will be at the usual place.
Evacuation
of the Building
- In the event of a fire or other
emergency that requires the students and teachers to leave the building,
all will be evacuated to the area between Ken Crest and Mary’s House. In
cold or rainy weather all will go into Mary’s House to await pick up.
- Parents/guardians will be notified immediately of such an evacuation.
Emergency Dismissal
- We must have a number where you can be reached during class
in the event that your child is sick or hurt while he or she is here.
- In the event of a civil or other emergency parents/guardians will be notified immediately.
- In the event that a student experiences sickness or a medical
emergency, parents/guardians will be contacted immediately. Please be sure that all your phone
numbers and emergency contact information listed with us is current.
Drop Off
Catechists
and Room Assignments
2008-2009
Session
I
Sunday 10:10 AM – 11:25 AM
|
Grade |
Room |
Catechist |
|
REP S1A |
PC 5 |
Mrs.
Marguerite DeSanctis |
|
REP S1B |
PC 4 |
Mrs.
Melanie Lalicker, |
|
REP S2 |
PC 1 |
Mrs. Megan Clementi |
|
REP S3A |
PC 10 |
Mrs. Bonnie Mohler |
|
REP S3B |
PC 7 |
Mrs. Rebecca Glover |
|
REP S4A |
PC 2 |
Mrs. Lynn Gibbs |
|
REP S4B |
PC 8 |
Ms. Dianne Salter |
|
REP S5 |
PC Hall |
Mr. Dean Miller |
|
REP S6A |
PC 6 |
|
|
REP S6B |
PC 9 |
Mr. |
|
REP S7/8 |
Youth Room |
Mr. Don Robertson |
|
|
|
|
Session
II Wednesday 4:30 PM- 5:45 PM
|
Grade |
Room |
Catechist |
|
REP W1 |
PC 4 |
Mrs. Elizabeth Zodda |
|
REP W2 |
PC 1 |
Ms. Lisa Mata |
|
REP W3 |
PC 10 |
Mr. Mike and Mrs. Courtney Clemente |
|
REP W4 |
PC 8 |
Mrs. Alicia Farley |
|
REP W5 |
PC Hall |
Mr. Hank Bisbee |
|
REP W6 |
PC 6 |
Mrs. Mary Behler |
PC= Parish
Center PC 1, 2, 4, 5 are on the
first floor PC 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 are on the top floor
Youth Room in
Religious
Education Program
Volunteer Positions 2009-2010
Please READ CAREFULLY
and indicate your choice of volunteer position on the form below and return to
the Director.
Catechist- (Adults) We need catechists
for : Sundays and Wednesdays
Responsibilities: This position requires an adult to prepare and teach a lesson to a group of 12-15 students and enable them to learn about the Catholic Faith. Materials and training are provided.
Qualifications: This person must be a
practicing Catholic and share it with others. They should have an ability to
communicate with and manage a group of students. Attendance at training sessions, catechist meetings and positive PA
background checks are required.
Commitment: Sundays from 10:10 AM – 11:25 AM or Wednesdays from 4:30 PM– 5:45 PM September to April and at least one hour of preparation each week, for at least one year.
Classroom Aide- (Adults and Teens)
Responsibilities: This position requires a person to assist the catechist in the classroom and at times in their own home preparing activities or correcting papers. The aide records attendance, distributes and collects papers, assists individual students and helps to supervise the classroom.
Qualifications: This person should have the ability to
establish a good rapport with students while maintaining a low profile as they
assist the catechist. Organizational, clerical and creative skills are an
asset. Orientation training sessions and
positive PA background checks are required.
Commitment: Sundays from 10:10 AM – 11:25 AM or
Wednesdays from 4:30 PM– 5:45 PM September to April
Center Hall Receptionist- (Adults)
Responsibilities: This position requires a person to greet all visitors, to collect the absentee slips from each classroom, record the attendance for that session, to verify an absence or notify a parent about an ill child during class hours and assist with some light clerical matters.
Qualifications: This person should have the ability to supervise the main reception area of the Program on Sunday mornings, and possess basic organizational and clerical skills.
Commitment: Once every 5 weeks, Sunday from 10:10 AM –
11:25 AM or Wednesdays from 4:30 PM– 5:45 PM September to April PA
background checks and child Safety certificate are required.
Religious
Education Program Volunteer Form 2009-2010
Name of
Volunteer____________________________________________ ___Adult ___Teen
Phone__________________________ Email___________________________________
____Sunday 10:10 AM – 11:25 AM ____Wednesday 4:30 PM – 5:45 PM
I would like to
volunteer for the following position(s).
__________________________ ________________________________
Name of
Volunteer_________________________________________ ___Adult ___Teen
Phone__________________________ Email_____________________________________
____Sunday 10:10 AM – 11:25 AM ____Wednesday 4:30 PM – 5:45 PM
I would like to volunteer
for the following position(s).
___________________________ ________________________________