Religious Education Handbook

ATTENDANCE
ABSENCE
PARKING
DEPARTURE
INCLEMENT WEATHER
SECURITY
SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS
CHILDREN'S LITURGY OF THE WORD
COMMUNICATION
TUITION AND FEES
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
EXPECTATION FOR PARTICIPANTS' BEHAVIOR

ATTENDANCE
Sunday classes: begin at 9:00 a.m. and are dismissed at 10:15 a.m. Kindergarten and Grade 1 dismiss at 10:10 p.m.
Wednesday Afternoon classes: begin at 4:00 p.m. and are dismissed at 5:15 p.m. Kindergarten and Grade 1 dismiss at 5:10 p.m.
Wednesday Evening classes: begin at 6:15 p.m. and are dismissed at 7:30 p.m.

When children are late, the lesson is disturbed. We ask for your cooperation and effort in this regard.
If for some reason children are tardy, they are asked to report in to the Religious Ed Office and obtain a tardy slip. This helps free teachers from the necessity of stopping class to mark the attendance of the latecomer.

ABSENCE

• If you know your child is going to be absent, please call the Religious Education Office at
• 708-352-4555 or email:  sfxreled@sfx-lg.org.
• Calendars indicating the date and lesson to be covered are taped inside the front cover of each student's book or can be found on the website, www.sfx-lg.org, under Rel Ed, syllabi.  Please cover the class your child is missing with him/her before the following class.
• All missing work should be given to the teacher before the following class begins. (When one student has missed a class, all students are impeded.)
• Out of regard for the children's safety, the office clerk will attempt to telephone the parents of those children who are absent and have not already called.
• Regular attendance is expected of your child(ren). Please make every effort to arrange your personalcalendar so that your child is absent only due to illness.

PARKING
The basic procedure that St. Francis Xavier School uses for the arrival and departure of its students from the building has been implemented for the Wednesday Religious Education program.

The procedure is as follows:

The west parking lot is closed to motor vehicles and is used only for pedestrian arrival and departure from the building. The east parking lot, accessed from Spring Avenue, is the parking lot provided for motor vehicles.

If that parking lot is full, the alternative is to park at permitted locations on local side streets.  Adult supervision will be present on the west lot at the start and end of classes.

DEPARTURE
Out of concern for the safety of our children, ALL students will be dismissed by their teacher and walked to the exit doors.  Dismissal procedures will be as follows:

SUNDAY STUDENTS
K through Grade 5:  Parking lot doors           
Grades 6 and 7:  Church-side doors
Grade 8:  Waiola Ave. doors

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON STUDENTS
K through Grade 5:  Parking lot doors
Grade 6 thru 8:  Waiola Ave. doors

WEDNESDAY EVENING STUDENTS
Grades 1 through 6:  Parking lot doors
Grades  7 and 8:  Church-side doors

Parents of younger children are asked to meet your child on the parking lot OUTSIDE of the building AND to determine a place to meet your older  children.

INCLEMENT WEATHER
The St. Francis Xavier School of Religious Education participates in a comprehensive radio weather information hot line.

Parents will recive an automated message thru School Reach.

Parents may also access emergency closing information at: www.sfx-lg.org

www.emergencyclosings.com (Once on line enter the school's number: 708 - 352 - 4555 for information.)

Radio:     WMAQ, WGN, WBBM, WLS, WLS-FM, B96

TV:     WMAQ(5), WGN(9), FOX (32), CLTV

SECURITY
All visitors and school volunteers are to enter the building through the parking lot doors.  An adult safety volunteer should be on duty there to assist  you.  If no one is on duty, please ring the Religious Ed door bell for entry into the building.

All visitors are to report immediately to the Religious Education Office and receive a visitor's name badge. Visitors may not go directly to classrooms.

Children are instructed never to admit anyone into the building, even if they know the individual.  At dismissal time, please meet your child(ren) at their assigned dismissal location (see Departures in this handbook).

SACRAMENTAL PROGRAMS
New students who will be preparing to receive the sacraments of Eucharist and/or Reconciliation are required to be enrolled in a religious education program for at least one year prior to their year of study for the sacrament.

CHILDREN'S LITURGY OF THE WORD
Children's Liturgy of the Word offers children the opportunity to experience the Liturgy of the Word at their level while parents experience the Liturgy of the Word at the adult level.  Children's Liturgy of the Word takes place at the 5:00 p.m. liturgy on Saturday.  Catechists have discovered that children benefit from participation in this program.

St. Francis celebrates liturgies at the following times each weekend:

Saturday:        5:00 p.m.

Sunday:           7:30 a.m.
9:00 a.m.
10:30 a.m.
12:00 p.m.
6:00 p.m.    (May-August excluded)

COMMUNICATION
Throughout the year, parents are encouraged to communicate freely with their child's teacher.  Teachers gladly welcome any information that will help with your child.  In January, your child (grades 1-8) will receive an evaluation from his/her teacher regarding participation and cooperation.

TUITION AND FEES
Appropriate tuition and fees will be established for parish catechetical programs.  Tuition and fees may change from year to year.  Families who may have difficulty making payments are asked to call the Religious Education Office at (708) 352-4555 and to complete a Tuition Assistance Application.

Tuition rates for the 2011/2012 school year are:

After May 31, 2011
1 Child                 $200.00                       $210.00
2 Children            $270.00                       $280.00
Family Plan          $315.00                       $325.00

Sacramental fees for the 2010/2011 school year are:
Grade 2            $ 40.00
Grade 4            $ 35.00
Grade 6            $ 12.00   (Bible)

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
Parents are expected:

• to continue their own ongoing formation through prayer and adult education and by sharing of talents and treasure in the ministries of the parish and especially in the Parish Religious Education Program. The Program calls for the Gifts of Teaching, Hospitality, Support, Organization, and Time
• to review and enrich what has been presented in class each week, including the weeks when your child has been absent. It is impossible for a child to learn something if it is only presented once a week.
• to help children be conscientious about homework.
• to help students come prepared for class by bringing their texts and/or activity books, homework, paper, and pencil to class and coming well rested and fed.
• to attend and participate in the parent formation sessions, meetings, and family liturgies as listed in the calendar.
• to pray with your children. Throughout the program, prayer is recognized as personal contact with God. Students are taught and encouraged to pray in their own words. In addition, the common prayers each child needs to know are found in the last pages of the text.
• to participate actively in liturgy and ministry with your children.
• to support the needy through prayer, service, and contributions to the missions, especially during Advent & Lent.

St. Francis Xavier is the patron of the foreign missions.

EXPECTATION FOR PARTICIPANTS' BEHAVIOR
Participants in the Religious Ed Program will behave appropriately, showing respect for other participants and catechists, as well as for the regulations established for the program.  Repeated failure to show respect or to observe classroom rules will result in disciplinary action.

Program Regulations:
1) Arrive five minutes before the start of your scheduled session so that class can begin on time.
2) Each student is to treat others with respect.  They are to:

• be courteous in speech -- inappropriate language is never acceptable;
• be courteous and respectful in action -- inappropriate physical contact such as shoving, pushing, etc. will not be tolerated;
• maintain a noise level in the halls and on the stairs that allows others to work undisturbed in          classrooms;
• walk, never run, in the halls and on the stairs so that everyone's safety can be assured.

3) Students are required to follow the classroom rules formulated by their catechists and classmates.
4) The cleanliness and care of the building is the responsibility of all.  Students and parents will be held responsible for any damage to parish property.
5) Personal property belonging to teachers and students in the Day School have a "hands off" policy.
6) Gum chewing is not allowed in the building.
7) Each student is expected to have all the materials they need for each class.
8) Items that could prove to be harmful to others, or that can be used as a weapon, are never permitted on parish premises.

The following mode of action will take place if a child fails to abide by the stated regulations: a conference will be held between catechist and student; if infractions continue, the student will meet with the coordinator of the Religious Ed Program; when a child shows no indication of improved behavior, parents will be notified.

The Coordinator of the Program is the final recourse in all disciplinary situations and may waive any and all disciplinary rules or procedures for just cause at her / his discretion.