Registration for the 2007-2008 academic year will be held on the following dates:
Saturday—March 10, 17, 24, & 31, 9:00 a.m.-12 noon
Monday—March 5, 12, 19, & 26, 7:30—9:00 p.m.
Contact the religious education office at 716-937-3448
Class times are as follows:
Pre-K and Kindergarten: Sunday 9:30 A.M.
Confirmation (Grade 11) Sunday or Monday 7:00 P.M. – 8:30 P.M.
Confirmation students will receive a separate mailing.
High School students (Grades 9 & 10) Monday nights 7:30 P.M. –9:00 P.M.
Elementary Sessions: (Grades 1-8) Saturdays. There are two sessions to choose from:
Session 1 - 9:00 A.M. – 10:15 A.M.
Session 2 - 11:00A.M. – 12:15 P.M.
Early Dismissal/Tardiness: If a student needs to leave early, he/she must bring a note to the office from you, the parent or guardian. Students who are dismissed early will not be allowed to wait outside for a parent. A volunteer aide will bring your child to the office when you arrive. You, as the parent/guardian must come to the office to sign your child out. Tardiness and early dismissals are very disruptive to the class setting. Please try to get the students to class on time.
Cancellation Policies: In case of class cancellation due to weather conditions or any other emergency, please tune to WBEN or any of the local television stations. We will get announcements on as many stations as possible. The closing of school due to weather on Friday does not necessarily mean there will be no Religious Education on Saturday.
Dear Parents,
Please keep this booklet. It includes our revised policies, your family’s placements, and the class schedule for the next year. We welcome you family as a valuable gift to our parish. Our policies are for our mutual benefit so that our Religious Education Program may enrich you, your children, and our teachers. We would appreciate it if you would discuss these policies with your children. If you have any questions, please call our office.
You are the primary educators of your children. Your dedication to the faith and to their learning about their religion will help them find it important as well. Let’s work as a parish family, for the benefit of “our” children.
Peace,
Margaret McCartin-Orcutt,
Catechetical Leader
Debbie Pirog
Elementary Sacramental Coordinator
Lynn Fox
Individual Ed/ Homestudy Coordinator
Charlene Szczecinski/ Secretary
Parish Registration: All families who participate in the Religious
Education Program are required to be registered with a parish. If you are registered with a parish other than St. John’s, please inform the Religious Education office. Families registered with a parish other than St. John’s will be required to pay a higher registration fee of $60 per child.
Prayer Life: In order for the children to learn the traditional prayers of our faith, it takes practice and repetition. We would ask that you recite prayers with your children nightly. This not only helps children to learn their prayers, but also enhances the family prayer life as well. Students going into Second Grade should know the Sign of the Cross, Our Father, Hail Mary, and the Glory Be. While in Second Grade, students will need help to learn the Act of Contrition. In Third Grade the children should learn and practice the Apostles’ Creed.
Program Attendance Requirements: All students are expected to attend all of the scheduled classes. If your child must miss a class:
No more than five excused classes per year are advisable. After five absences, families will be contacted to discuss the feasibility of Home Study, monitored by Individual Education Coordinator, Lynn Fox.
There are 3 eight week mini-courses and 3 sessions on specific topics where ALL high school students must attend. No more than two excused absences per mini-course are acceptable. After two absences, families will be contacted to discuss Home Study. Students will fail if too many classes are missed or if their attitudes and/or class work are unsatisfactory. Our office does call if a student is not in class.
Elementary students are tested in January and May. January mid-term and May final exam grades ae averaged to determine if they pass on to the next grade. Ninth and tenth graders must pass all three mini-courses in order to progress to the next grade.
Individual Education: Students who have missed a year or more of Religious Education classes must discuss their situation with Lynn Fox (Individual Education Coordinator) and Margaret McCartin –Orcutt (Catechetical Leader). This situation will then be discussed with each family and a recommendation of either one-on-one tutoring or extra tutoring, or Home Study will be regularly tested by the Individual Education Coordinator and asked to hand n written assignments for grading. They cannot progress to their next grade year unless all tests are passed and all written work is handed in. Please call the office for more information or if you have any questions.
Parking Policy/Safety Of Our Children. Parking in the lot next to the school is for volunteer staff only. Please do not use this lot when dropping off or picking your child/children. When bringing the children to class on Saturday, it is required that you please drop in the church parking lot. A crossing guard and parking lot monitor are provided ten minutes before and after each session to see that the children across safely. Volunteers are always needed for this. It would be a great help for us. No child is to be dropped off or picked up at the Westwood Rd. door of the school or at that side of the school building. Please instruct your child to enter and exit through the FRONT door of the school building only. This gives us a better view of the students coming and going. Traffic gets congested at dismissal time, so we urge you to please cooperate with these safety standards. Also, The Eric County Sheriff Department are ticketing cars parked or standing illegally in front of or to the side of the building.
St. John’s is initiating a ministry to provide handcrafted shawls, lap robes, chemo and preemie caps to individuals and agencies that are in need of such items.
Do you enjoy knitting, crocheting, or sewing? Would you enjoy taking part in a weekly coffee hour and the company of other members of our parish family? We are forming a group of crafters to create these useful and much needed gifts. Does this ministry sound interesting but you find yourself unable to attend a gathering? We invite you to work on the projects at home.
We are looking for donations of yarn and material to be used for these projects. Outreach will provide the patterns or you can bring any that you might have. If you would like to participate or donate please call Marge @ 937-3448or Mary Ellen a@ 937-6905.