St. Louise de Marillac Parish Policies & Procedures for Religious Education

+Family First

WELCOME! YOU, the family, are holy. You are the First Church, the Domestic Church, the first teachers of the Faith for your child(ren). You are the critical members in this process of formation. We, the Faith Community of St. Louise de Marillac, are so blessed to have you join us! We are here to support you in the nurturing and strengthening your youngsters on their Faith journeys. Our Parish mission is stated to enable all persons to form community, learn about Jesus Christ and His Church, serve others, and worship as the living Body of Christ.

Our Catechetical Programs offer various models and opportunities to echo and re-echo the Good News of Jesus Christ through: Message – The Holy Gospel; Community – Brothers and Sisters joined as the Family of God; Worship – Prayer & the Eucharistic Liturgy; and Service – Charitable Outreach to & with others. We, as a Catechetical Team, are here to work collaboratively, in concert with YOU the parent(s)/guardians, and family members in helping the young people to grow in Faith, develop a prayer life, and have an understanding of Church teachings.

+Enrollment

Religious Formation Programming is offered to all young people of catechetical age who are registered within St. Louise de Marillac Parish. The students are taught by volunteer Catechists who are in complete compliance with the Safe Environment Policies for the Protection of Children and Youth by the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh. Families who are registered outside the Parish may be accepted into one of the sessions, with the proper permissions of the pastors of both parishes, if there is space. The following forms must be completed in order to participate in our programming: =St. Louise de Marillac Parish Registration =St. Louise de Marillac Religious Education Registration =Baptismal Certificate for each child participating

+Attendance

A minimum of 30 hours of formal religious formation will be provided for students. Attendance records will be maintained. When several absences occur, the Staff of Religious Education Center will be notified, and a phone call will be made to the parent(s)/guardians to assure that all missed classwork is completed. Students with inconsistent or chronic lack of attendance or chronic tardiness will be asked to move to our Home School Program, and meet with the Director. All course work must be sufficiently completed before advancing to the next level.

Late enrollment in grades inclusive of immediate or proximate preparation for the celebration of the Sacraments of Initiation, The Sacraments of Initiation: Policies for the Diocese of Pittsburgh is to be consulted to assist in determining pastoral decisions and judgment on the catechetical readiness of the child by the pastor in consultation with the families and all those responsible for sacramental catechesis.

+Photos

Pictures of your child(ren) in action with religious formation class sessions, sacramental celebrations, service projects, field trips, etc., can only be posted on St. Louise de Marillac Parish website, religious education pages, or the St. Louise Parish Magazine, The Herald, with your permission. Please complete and return the Photo Release form to the RE Center for each child. Thank you.

+NO Food Policy

Due to numerous students with very serious allergies, we have instituted a “NO FOOD” POLICY for ALL CLASSES. No food can be brought into the building by any student to share or even give out at dismissal. It is a critical risk for too many of the children. Please adhere to this practice for the wellness of all our youth We still have classroom celebrations with stickers, service projects, DVD’s/movies, games, etc. Thanks for your attention to this matter and for understanding. 

+Arrival and Dismissal

For the safety of all our children: New security doors have been installed. All students and family members are to enter and exit through the school building MAIN DOORS IN THE FRONT, or the RELIGIOUS ED CENTER DOUBLE DOORS IN THE BACK FAR LEFT, (closest to Johnston Road.) DO NOT block the accessible parking spaces for persons with disabilities or the fire lanes at front and side of the building. Those who do not comply will be ticketed by USC Police. We appreciate your cooperation with procedure, as this protects our children & families.

For Arrivals: We request that children arrive on time. Kindergarten through Fourth grade students are escorted by an adult or designated older sibling to their classrooms. (Permission forms for this are available on line, stlouisedemarillac.org under EDUCATION at the RELIGIOUS EDUCATION page, if not yet submitted with registration forms.)

For Dismissal: All children in Grades Kindergarten through Four are to be picked up in their designated classroom. Parents are asked to kindly wait in the lobby area upstairs by the Main Entrance or the hallway or stairwell by the Religious Education Center downstairs. Once the bell rings, all may proceed to the classrooms to meet your child(ren.)

Early Dismissals: Due to the limited amount of class time, early dismissals are strongly discouraged. ALL early dismissal requests MUST be brought to the RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CENTER PRIOR TO THE START OF CLASS. PARENT/GUARDIAN MUST SIGN THEIR CHILD OUT from the Religious Education Center. Staff only will go and retrieve the student from classes in order not to disrupt the session. The early dismissal form is on-line, stlouisedemarillac.orgat the RELIGIOUS EDUCATION Page.

+Behavior

We recognize that each and every child is created in the holy image of our loving God. Our goal as a catechetical team is to engage the students in their formation, and help everyone recognize a deep respect for God, others and self. Students are expected to:

  • Bring their Religion Book, Folder and Pencil to class each week.
  • Arrive on time.
  • Respect the presence and authority of their Catechists and Catechetical Team Staff
  • Respect the thoughts and feelings of other students in the class.
  • Actively participate in the class experience.
  • Demonstrate respect for all books, materials, furniture and equipment in the class.

Complete Guidelines and all Regulations specified in the Principles, Policies and Guidelines for the Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh will be strictly enforced. (They can be found on line at diopitt.org under the Department for Religious Education.)

Procedures for Noncompliance are as follows:

Student/Teacher Conference

Student/Catechetical Administrator Conference

Student/Parent/Catechetical Administrator Conference

+Reinforcement of Learning

Families are asked please to discuss with their child(ren) the topics of their class each week. Reviewing material, looking at their books and worksheets will be most helpful to keep you “in the loop.” Fliers and information from the Religious Ed Center will be sent home in the folders, as well. Please check folders each week. Please, also, pray with your children every day: while in the car, out at play, doing laundry, waiting for the bus…Every opportunity helps them to learn the prayers of their Faith. Also, children will learn the wonder of God’s love in the Eucharistic Liturgy, if taken to Mass. Know that you all are welcome to share in this Love Feast of the Lord. We ask your prayers for us, as we pray every day for each of you and all those intentions that you hold deep within your heart. God bless us all! OF THE SCHOOL BUILDING