SCHOOL OF RELIGIOUS EDUCATION HANDBOOK (2009–2010)
The following is the online handbook for St. Mark Religious Education’s Traditional Program. Parents should review this handbook with their children to fully understand the policies and procedures that have been set in place. Any questions regarding the contents in this handbook can be answered via the Religious Education office – 410-744-6560, x 224.
Hardcopies of the handbook are distributed to the oldest/only child in each family on the first day of class in September. Parents who do not receive a copy can request one by stopping by the Religious Education office in the Parish Center or by contacting the office.
ARRIVAL:
Religious Education classes begin at 5:30 p.m. Children should generally arrive no sooner than 5 minutes before that time in order to insure that their teacher has arrived and they are supervised at all times. St. Mark Church is not responsible for the supervision of students who arrive prior to 5:20 p.m. On entering school, students are to report immediately to their respective classrooms and remain in that room. Failure to observe this policy could result in dismissal from the program.
ATTENDANCE:
It is necessary for growth in faith formation that a child be regularly present. If a student should be absent for more than 5 of the 30 scheduled sessions, it may be necessary to determine that he/she cannot receive credit for having fulfilled a year of Religious Education. NOTE: Students in Grade 8 who are participating in the ‘Immediate Catechesis’ for the Sacrament of Confirmation would likewise be expected to honor a year-long commitment to participation in Religious Education classes; since these students come forward for reception of the Sacrament in February, we feel the need to further stipulate that their unexcused absence from more than 3 (three) sessions prior to Confirmation would result in it being necessary for them to delay receiving the Sacrament until such time as they have met the attendance requirement.
The students’ regular attendance is indispensable. Please do not take your child out for sports or other things that are not emergencies. When you do, it teaches that these things are more important than their regular formation. Try to schedule events around Religious Education classes and Mass on Sundays and holy days. Going to Confession regularly is also crucial to their faith formation.
If you know a week or more in advance that your child needs to be absent from a particular session, it would be helpful to the teachers in their planning if you could let them know. It is expected that students will make up any reading, chapter work, etc. that was covered in class during their absence. Moreover, perfect attendance (no absence or unexcused lateness) will be recognized.
*Please advise our office if a child is going to be regularly late in arriving; we understand how this situation may be unavoidable due to family scheduling, but we need to have these children identified for safety reasons. (These children will still be eligible for a ‘perfect attendance’ award.) Other late arrivees please note: the breezeway doors will be locked at 5:40 p.m. and unlocked at 6:35 p.m.
CHANGE OF ADDRESS, PHONE OR FAMILY STATUS:
It is necessary for us to be notified immediately of a change in address, telephone number, or family status. Any of these changes can affect a child in various ways. We can better understand a child when we have this information. Please rest assured it will always be held in the strictest confidence.
COMMUNICATION:
A school calendar appears on this website through the link preceding and at the front of the hard copy handbook. Please print it out and keep it posted as it is most important. You will be notified if any change should become necessary.
To keep parents informed, a monthly newsletter will be sent home with the oldest child in the family. Please instruct this child to be responsible for bringing all notices home. Whenever possible, important notices will also appear in the parish Sunday bulletin. In addition, we often use the Religious Ed. Bulletin Board, located in the Breezeway, to communicate important events, dates, scheduling notes, etc.
DISCIPLINE:
Enrollment in St. Mark School of Religious Education indicates a willingness by students and parents to fully cooperate in creating an environment where spiritual growth and learning can take place.
The staff strives to respect the uniqueness and value of each student, assisting each one to progress in self-realization and self-discipline. Teachers have the privilege and obligation to guide students in respect for God, their parents and other adults, and one another and the property of others.
Rules and regulations are necessary for the safety and well-being of all. Because of the broad range of students’ ages, guidelines will be interpreted at an age-appropriate level. It is the obligation of all students and parents to be familiar with the discipline policy.
Unacceptable behavior is a choice determined by the student. It is important that students realize the consequences of such choices. Parents and teachers must work together in order to develop the student’s personal responsibility and accountability.
The following are the rules and regulations as determined by the School of Religious Education:
No food or drink is to be brought to school unless a celebration is planned, or other circumstances have been determined by a particular teacher.
Students are not to chew gum on school property.
Students are to remove their hats immediately upon entering the building.
Students are to respect each other; no pushing, shoving, or any other inappropriate physical contact is allowed.
Students are to show respect to all teachers, staff, volunteers and visitors. They are to respect other people’s property at all times.
Students must obtain permission from a teacher to leave the classroom.
Students are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful, courteous and orderly manner at all times and in all places. No disruptive or inappropriate communication is allowed.
Students are prohibited from bringing the following items onto school property: pagers, beepers, cell phones, portable music players or headphones, homework from other classes, comic books or other inappropriate reading material, weapons or ‘look-alikes’ of any kind, matches, lighters or tobacco products. Neither are drugs, alcohol or medications in any form allowed on the premises; the police will be notified in this event, as well as the case of weapons.
Homework assignments from individual teachers are expected to be completed; at a teacher’s discretion, a student who fails to complete an assignment may be sent to the Director.
“Wheelie” type shoes are not permitted.
DRESS CODE:
We don’t have an official Dress Code, as such; but we rely on the parents and students to observe limits and guidelines similar to those required by the students’ regular day schools. As noted in the ‘Discipline’ section, ‘skate/wheelie’ shoes are not permitted, nor are short shorts, nor very short skirts. Blouse and shirts may not be cut low in the front, and must be long enough to cover the entire midriff at all times. At any time, a Catechist may choose to have her/his class pay a visit to the church, in which case students must always be dressed respectfukky enough to be in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament.
DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP:
As always, this will be done only through the breezeway doors. As there is no parking in the courtyard, this area will be blocked by cones. Please pull up to these cones [or the sidewalks before and past the cones] to discharge your children. This is the same procedure used in the morning by our parochial school parents, and it has always worked well. You are more than welcome to park in the large lot and walk your child in, but this extra chore should not be necessary past the first week or two. Please obey ‘One Way’ signs on the property, and drive at speeds that do not exceed 15 MPH.
IMPORTANT: Kindergarten and Grades 4 through 8 will be dismissed by bell 5 minutes earlier than 1 through 3 in order that the older students have the option to walk out on their own; this also will allow for some cars/families to depart sooner, expediting traffic flow. Older students who are responsible for picking up younger children will also leave at this time, taking their young charges with them. We prefer that these ‘early dismissal’ students leave the building using one of the two courtyard doors, as the breezeway area is being used by classroom teachers escorting the younger children to meet a parent. All other students in grades 1 through 3 will be instructed to remain in their rooms until the second dismissal bell. At this time, teachers will walk down to the breezeway hall and wait until each student has been released to a parent or designated ride. If it is necessary for your child to leave early, please send a note to the teacher; children will not be dismissed early without this request in writing.
Please note: We ask that parents not walk to the classrooms as it is very difficult for us to maintain security when adults other than teachers are in the building. The safety, welfare, and security of our children are of the utmost importance to us. In light of some catastrophic occurrences that have taken place in school settings in recent years, we are proud to know that our procedures for Arrival and Dismissal are in total compliance with recommendations that have come from the office of Dr. Ron Valenti, Director of the Archdiocesan Department of Catholic Education Ministries. Please do everything you can to observe these procedures.
FEES:
$125.00 per family. Includes:
- Consumable Religion textbook
- Rental of human sexuality text
- Archdiocesan Student Service Fee (fixed by Archdiocese)
- Cost of administering A.C.R.E. (Assessment of Catechesis/Religious Education) to Grades 5 and 8
- Art materials
- Dittoed and mimeographed materials for students, and letters and communications sent to parents
- Miscellaneous expenses incurred by the ‘special class’ sessions
If a book is lost, or a non-consumable book is marked in any way, the full price of the book is paid by the student to Religious Education.
Re-registrations were due by June 1. We offer a reduced tuition rate of $100.00 if your registration is received by the due June 1st deadline.
If any family needs tuition assistance, please contact the office so that a payment plan can be set up to meet your individual family needs. We ask that requests for assistance be made in writing in order that we can reconcile at budget time; as always these written requests will be handled confidentially.
The balance of tuition will be due by October, so that our materials can be paid for in full before the end of the year. If you do not send in the payments, a reminder will be sent to you via the oldest child. If the first notice is unsatisfied, a second notice will be sent. Any balance at the end of the year will be carried over to the following year.
GUESTS:
In order that we can be assured that no unauthorized person is ever in the building, please report to the secretary in the Religious Education office in the school building, which is located next to the girls’ lavatory on the first floor, before visiting any other room once the class session has begun. This would include parents who might need to pick their child up early on some occasion.
Also, please make an appointment if you need to speak to a teacher. If a teacher is engaged in an impromptu talk with a parent, proper supervision cannot be given to the students.
PLEASE NOTE: Friends of students are generally welcome to visit from time to time, but prior permission (at least one week) from the teacher is required. We also need permission, in writing, from the parent of the visiting friend.
HUMAN SEXUALITY:
Every parish Religious Education Program is required to include a Human Sexuality component in their curriculum. Even before this became an archdiocesan requirement, our program here at St. Mark has offered this catechesis. We think it is a vital importance that our students receive this information not only from a purely clinical or scientific perspective, but even more importantly, in light of the teachings of Jesus and the Church. Our hope is that the information we share with the students provides them with a deep understanding of human sexuality from a Catholic perspective.
To this end, we set aside the month of February every year to present this particular subject matter. We are currently using the Archdiocesan approved ‘Benziger Family Life Program.’ Parents are more than welcome to inspect these materials at any time. Since we only use the texts for a maximum of four weeks, the children do not write in the books, nor carry them home; this way, we are able to use the same books with the students from year to year, keeping our book bill a little lower.
As an annual culminating activity to this unit of study, our 8th Grade hosts one evening every February with a representative from the Archdiocesan ‘Respect Life’ Committee. This presentation is only available to the students in Grade 8, but parents of students from any grade level are more than welcome to attend this informative session.
INVOLUNTARY WITHDRAWAL POLICY:
Sometimes the unusual needs of students are beyond the expertise of the faculty, and affect the rights of other students. St. Mark School of Religious Education reserves the right to request the involuntary withdrawal of any student who is unable to conform his/her behavior to the school’s standards. If a student repeatedly chooses to ignore any of the above rules and regulations, the following procedure will ensue:
1st contact – The teacher will call the parent and discuss how to deal with the problem.
2nd contact – If the student continues to display behavior that is disruptive in any way, he/she will be removed from the classroom, and a parent will be called in to confer with the Director.
3rd contact – After repeated attempts by teacher, parent and Director to modify inappropriate behavior, the student will be required to withdraw from the classroom program and continue religious education in an alternative setting.
NOTE: The Director and Pastor are the final recourses in all disciplinary situations and may waive any and all regulations for just cause at their discretion.
SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION:
In accordance with Archdiocesan guidelines, sacramental prep programs are free-standing whole-parish programs, which means that they are conducted separately from a student’s formal religious education classes. It is true that all religious education lays the groundwork for an understanding of the sacraments, thereby providing the “remote preparation” needed; however, the “immediate preparation” is accomplished in separate learning sessions apart from the graded classes of the parochial school or the school of religious education. This immediate preparation generally takes place over the course of one ‘school year;’ a pre-requisite for enrollment in a sacramental prep program is that the child has been enrolled and regularly attending one of the two above-mentioned options for at least one year prior to the prep program and continues in one of these same programs during the actual preparation process.
As a student becomes age-eligible for the reception of a sacrament, the coordinator of that particular sacramental program will contact the student’s parents and invite them to a formal information meeting.
SPECIAL CLASSES:
In order that the students can experience a real sense of community at St. Mark School of Religious Education and to celebrate different special seasons and/or Seasons of the Church, from time to time we will begin our evenings with all the students and teachers meeting in the church for an appropriate para-liturgy which will often include an aspect of celebration to be continued in the individual classrooms. Parents are always invited and strongly encouraged to attend these para-liturgies.
NOTE: Children who arrive late on evenings when we are attending an event in the Church are asked to sit in the side pews on the Tabernacle side of the church, rather than walk in front of the main altar from which someone may be speaking, leading prayer, etc.
SUPPLIES:
In order that the students make the best use of their time in Religious Education, it is imperative that they bring their book to every class session unless otherwise instructed by the teachers.
If it becomes necessary to replace any supply item due to loss or damage by a student, he/she must pay for the replacement. It is strongly suggested that the younger students be provided with some sort of small [inexpensive] tote bag in which to carry their books, handouts, art creations, etc. Please put your children’s names on their textbooks and all other materials.
TESTING:
In order to affirm and challenge both the students and the Catechists in our program, we will be administering the A.C.R.E., Assessment of Catechesis/Religious Education, annually to our students in Grades 5 and 8. This assessment is not a test, but rather a survey which is designed to provide us with some insight as to how our students would respond to questions based not only on their knowledge of the Catholic Faith, but also on their individual religious attitudes, beliefs, practices, and perceptions. The tests are scored and evaluated by the National Catholic Educational Association, and the results are returned to us as ‘class domain averages,’ so each student’s individual responses are entirely confidential. We look forward to sharing these results among students, parents, and Catechists in order to both celebrate our program’s strengths and assess any areas in our curriculum where there may be need for growth or change.
WEATHER:
Our policy for canceling classes due to inclement weather is as follows:
- If Baltimore County Public Schools have canceled classes any time during a particular day, our classes will also be canceled. Our classes will not be affected if the schools have delayed openings.
- If inclement weather begins later in the day than regular school hours, listen to WBAL radio for a cancellation announcement.
A FINAL NOTE:
What we offer in our religious education program is a supplement to your efforts as your child’s primary religious educator. His/her regular attendance at Mass, participation in other spiritual activities, regular prayer, reading the Bible, reading and modeling stories of the saints, involvement in Christian service, and individual faith discussion with you are of great importance. Please avail yourselves of the many opportunities here at St. Mark to participate in the life of our wonderful parish. Our office also offers an extensive collection of religious videos, audio tapes and books for loan at any time. Working together, we can help each child to build a solid faith foundation. If we can ever be of any assistance to you in this, your greatest work, please do not hesitate to call on us.
Please note: For a complete list of the Catechist List, please contact the Religious Education Office at 410-744-6560, ext. 224. Due to the nature of the Internet, some catechists may not want their name and phone number posted here, since this web page can be viewed by anyone with Internet access. Thank you for your understanding.
DISCLAIMER: St. Mark School of Religious Education reserves the right to amend the Parent/Student Handbook, and parent(s)/legal guardian(s) will be notified if any changes are made. This Parent/Student Handbook is an informative booklet for parents and students, setting forth the rules and policies of the program and is not intended as an expressed or implied contract.