Religious Education Handbook

2019-2020

Table of Contents

Introduction..............................................................................................1

Calendar 2019-2020.............................................................................2-4

Curriculum.............................................................................................5-8

Religious Education Faculty....................................................................9

Policies and Procedures................................................................10-15

Tuition.....................................................................................................16

Faith Formation Office Contact Information.....................................17

Contact Information:

Coordinator of Faith Formation, Monica Beck

Office Phone Number: (301)777-1750, ext. 111

Cell Phone Number: (240)727-9745

Email: mbeck@archbalt.org

Facebook: OLM Faith Formation

Inclement Weather Phone Number: (301)245-6524

Class cancellations will also be posted on OLM Faith Formation Facebook page.

Youth Activities Coordinator, Jennifer Combs

Cell Phone Number: (240)727-1098

Email: jenncombs@yahoo.com

Facebook: OLM Youth

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Policies and Procedures:

Program Tuition:$40.00 for one child, $10 for each additional child

**If the tuition payment is a hardship for your family, please let the Faith Formation Coordinator know. Be assured of confidentiality. We do not want any child/children to not be able to attend because of financial reasons.**

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Dear Families,

Welcome to Faith Formation 2019-2020!

This handbook has been prepared for you to help find information easier and become better acquainted with the program. Hopefully it accomplishes this!

A sacramental preparation handbook will be prepared at a future date. For information and guidelines, see our parish website, www.olmcumberland.org. They will also be mailed out at a later date to the appropriate families.

The success of our program highly depends on the help and support of families and the Catechist and aides that volunteer their time to teach and form the children in their Catholic Faith. We thank all of you for everything that you do!

Sincerely,

Monica Beck

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2019-2020 CalendarFaith Formation classes are held Sunday morning at St. Mary from 10:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Kindergarten to Grade 4 will be held in the OLM Office Center. Grades 5 to High School will be held in the OLM Faith Formation Center (the former convent building).

October 2019October 6: Commissioning Mass, Open

. House and Reception

October 13: Class

October 20: Class, Food Collection

October 27: Class

November 2019November 3: Class

November 10: Class

November 17: Class, Food Collection

November 24: Class

Policies and Procedures:Classroom Rules and Cell Phone Usage:It is suggested that students, in conjunction with the catechist and aide make their own classroom rules and that they are written down and posted in the classroom.

Cell phones should not be used for personal use during class time. They may be used, at the discretion of the catechist, for class purposes, for example, apps, for the curriculum or class activities.

Communication:All Faith Formation correspondence will be emailed to parent(s)/guardian(s) and posted on the OLM Faith Formation Facebook Page. There will be occasional important mailings. The Faith Formation and Sacramental information in the parish bulletin and on the parish website will be updated

weekly. **Please provide the Faith Formation Coordinator with the email address you use most often, and, if on Facebook, join the OLM Faith Formation Facebook Page.**

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Policies and Procedures:Discipline Procedure: Three Strike Method

Strike One: Teacher speaks directly to the student.

The student will be told that their behavior is disruptive and

if it happens again they will have to speak to

the Faith Formation Coordinator.

Strike Two: Coordinator will speak to the student regarding

their behavior. The student will be warned that if there is a

third occurrence, the student’s parent(s)/guardian(s)

will be contacted.

Strike Three: Contact is made with the student’s

parent(s)/guardian(s). Student will be removed from

class and will remain with coordinator or site monitor

and aide for remainder of class.

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2019-2020 Calendar

December 2019December 1: NO CLASS/Thanksgiving

December 8: Class

December 15: CHRISTMAS PROGRAM

December 22: NO CLASS/Christmas

December 29: NO CLASS/Christmas

January 2020January 5: Class

January 12: Class

January 19: Class, Food Collection

January 26: Class

February 2020February 2: Class

February 9: Class

February 16: Class, Food Collection

February 23: Class

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2019-2020 Calendar

March 2020March 1: Class

March 8: Class

March 15: Class, Food Collection

March 22: Class

March 29: Class

April 2020April 5: Class

April 12: NO CLASS/Easter

April 19: Class, Food Collection

April 26: Last Class

Vacation Bible School June 22-26, 2020

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Policies and Procedures:

Attendance:Understandably, absences will occur due to sicknesses, out of town trips, family situations and emergencies. If there are known personal or family circumstances in which your child/children will be absent for a prolonged period of time, please inform the Faith Formation Coordinator by mail, phone, or email. Arrangements can be made for make-up of missed lessons.

Once a student has four (4) absences, and there has been no communication to the coordinator or catechist, the parent(s)/guardian(s) will be contacted by mail, phone or email to see how we can work best with your family to keep your child/children caught up with class lessons.

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Policies and Procedures:

Security/Locked Doors:The following is the schedule for locking and unlocking doors:

8:20 a.m.-8:50 a.m.

Front doors of OLM Office Center and OLM Faith Formation Center unlocked for Faith Formation Teachers.

8:50 a.m.-10:00 a.m.

During Mass, all exterior doors of both buildings will be locked.

10:00 a.m.-10:20 a.m.

All exterior doors of both buildings will be unlocked and monitored for Faith Formation class arrival.

At 10:20 a.m. All exterior doors of both buildings, except for the front door of the OLM Office Center, will be locked during Faith Formation class time. The interior door to the main office and the interior doors to the hallway in the Office Center will be locked. If you come early to pick up your child, please come in the front door of the Office Center.

At 11:25 a.m. For dismissal, all locked doors will be unlocked and monitored.

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Religious Education Curriculum:

Grades Pre-School to Grade 8Pflaum Gospel Weeklies

The Pflaum Gospel Weeklies Curriculum connects catechetical lessons to Sunday Mass with the Sunday Gospel being the heart of each lesson. Each student will receive a lesson booklet, that is different each week, and a catechism handbook that are both at age appropriate levels. The catechism handbook is titled, “What the Church Believes and Teaches.” The titles of the booklets are as follows:

Preschool: Seeds

Grades K-1: Promise

Grades 2-3: Good News

Grades 4,5,6: Venture

Grades 7-8: Visions

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Each lesson has three parts:

Part 1: Sharing our Life Stories

Interesting real-life stories, fun activities and children’s/teen’s own life experiences are used to help prepare them for the Gospel and the Catholic doctrine experience.

Part 2: Listening to the Gospel

Children/Teens proclaim, dramatize, and celebrate God’s Word for that Sunday. After reading and discussing the Gospel, Catholic doctrine concepts and teachings that flow from the Gospel will be explored.

Part 3: Building Christian Community

Young people are encouraged to put the Gospel to work in their lives. Parish activities and community service are suggested. Information from the handbook, “What the Church Believes and Teaches” will also be integrated during this part.

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Policies and Procedures:

Dismissal: At 11:30 a.m., Faith Formation dismissal time, there will be less car and pedestrian traffic. You may use the parking lot. The Prince George Street drop off area will only be used at arrival time. For Kindergarten to Grade 6, please come into the Office Center building or Faith Formation Center to the classroom to get your child/children. Catechists will not let the child leave until a parent/guardian or appropriate person is present (Those listed on the Faith Formation registration form). For Grades 7 to High School, they may meet you in the parking lot. If you would like your child/children dismissed in another way, please put that in writing and give to your child’s teacher.

Handicap Access:St. Mary Church – Side Door facing A street

St. Mary Social Hall – Lower level door to left of steps in front of Church

OLM Office Center – Side door facing Grand Avenue

Faith Formation Center – Ramp and door in back of building

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Policies and Procedures:

Arrival: PLEASE NOTE: The one-way entrance to St. Mary Church parking lot is from A Street, and the one-way exit is onto Grand Avenue.

For safety purposes, during the 10:00 a.m. time of Mass dismissal and Faith Formation arrival, there will be a child/children drop off area on Prince George Street. This is located behind the OLM Office Center and Faith Formation Center. If you are dropping your child/children off for Faith Formation, please use this drop off area. There will be cones designating the areas along the sidewalk where your vehicle can pull in for drop off. From the sidewalk, there are steps which lead to the back door of the Faith Formation Center. If you are not dropping off children and are parking to come into one of the buildings, proceed into the parking lot from A Street, being mindful of pedestrian traffic. If you are attending the 9:00 a.m. Mass at St. Mary, you may escort your children to their classes from the Church.

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Religious Education Curriculum: High School

The High School Curriculum will use “Ascend,” a companion to the Sunday Mass readings, by Life Teen. As the Pflaum Gospel Weeklies, Ascend will also connect catechetical lessons to the liturgy, with God’s Word as the center. Each student will receive the Ascend booklet which covers the Sunday reading for the entire liturgical year.

Included with each Sunday lesson is some background information about the Scriptures for that Sunday, word definitions, facts about the narratives, focused questions for journaling reflection, and a challenge.

Additional material and resources that will be used for the class are: Catholic Youth Bible, Catholic Youth Bible Teaching Activities Manual, YOUCAT (Youth Catechism).

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Family Life Curriculum

Grades K-8 - Benzinger Family Life Series

As part of the elementary and middle school curriculum and as required by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Benzinger Family Life Series is used in our program. The sessions are covered during the months of January and February. This series focuses on God’s gifts of family, self, life, love and community. Child protection is also covered and discussed in age appropriate manners. In grades five and six, the human reproduction segment is sent home to the parent/guardian.

High School - Created to Love

As part of the high school curriculum and as required by the Archdiocese of Baltimore, the Created to Love series is used in our program. This program focuses on healthy relationships

and an understanding of the need of a family

environment of love, virtue and respect for the

2019-2020 Faith Formation Team

Kindergarten: Amanda Davis, Alice McCullough

First Grade: Carol Deckerhoff, Julie McCormick, Candice SmithSecond Grade: Katie Arias, Denise Lowery

Third Grade: Nicole Bonner, Kristie Wilhelm

Fourth Grade: Vickie Hagenbuch, Amy Williams

Fifth Grade: Elizabeth Bergman, Jennifer Combs

Sixth Grade: Debbie Harris, Amy Robinette

Seventh Grade: TBA

Eighth Grade: Gretchan Rose

Ninth Grade: Tammy Deatelhauser, Kathy Farrall

Tenth Grade: Mark Dignan, Jeff Loar

Youth Aides: Mia Diaz, Jesse Farrall, Brenna Jackson, Joel Marinelli, Gabby SalasSite Monitor: Tim Vollmerhausen

Parent Connections Coordinator: Emily Jackson

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