“MATER DEI MATTERS” It’s What’s Inside That Counts…

2018

Faith ~ EXCELLENCE ~ Service ~ COMMUNITY

Note: This document is intended as a quick reference guide of useful information and should not be considered a replacement for the detailed School Handbook or the school website,

www.materdeicatholic.com. Information in this document is subject to change throughout the school year.

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Table of Contents What should I know before school starts? ........................................... 5

School Website ................................................................................................................................... 5

Communications ................................................................................................................................. 5

Purchase Clear Contact Paper ............................................................................................................ 5

Classroom Assignments ..................................................................................................................... 5

Bus Information .................................................................................................................................. 5

Summer Reading Lists ....................................................................................................................... 7

Stationery and Supply Lists................................................................................................................ 7

First Day of School ............................................................................................................................ 7

CARES – Before and After School Care Program ............................................................................ 7

Beginning of Year Paperwork ............................................................................................................ 8

Smart Tuition ...................................................................................................................................... 8

Birthday Book Club ........................................................................................................................... 9

What should my child wear? ............................................................................................... 10

Uniforms (Grades K – 8) .................................................................................................................. 10

Uniform Exchange ........................................................................................................................... 10

What about the school day? ............................................................................................... 11

School Hours .................................................................................................................................... 11

Specials ............................................................................................................................................. 11

Safety Drills ...................................................................................................................................... 11

Cell Phones ....................................................................................................................................... 11

School Store ..................................................................................................................................... 11

Is there a certain traffic flow I should follow? ................................................. 12

School Arrival/Departure Procedures .............................................................................................. 12

Walkers ............................................................................................................................................. 12

Bike Riders ....................................................................................................................................... 12

Car Riders ......................................................................................................................................... 12

Dismissal Procedure for Special Occasions and Early Dismissal Days........................................... 12

What about snack and lunchtime? ................................................................................... 13

Snacks ............................................................................................................................................... 13

Pretzel ............................................................................................................................................... 13

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Lunch Times ..................................................................................................................................... 13

Lunch Choices .................................................................................................................................. 13

Food Days ........................................................................................................................................ 14

What are other important things to know once school starts? ................ 15

Back to School Night ....................................................................................................................... 15

Homeroom Parent Selection Process ............................................................................................... 15

Homeroom Parent Policy ................................................................................................................. 15

School Notification Systems ............................................................................................................ 15

Visitor Parking ................................................................................................................................. 16

Visitors During School Hours .......................................................................................................... 16

Can I get involved and volunteer? ................................................................................. 17

Volunteers ........................................................................................................................................ 17

PA State-Mandated Clearances for Volunteers ................................................................................ 18

Health Services ................................................................................................................................. 19

Sick Child Procedures ...................................................................................................................... 19

Absences ........................................................................................................................................... 19

Medication ........................................................................................................................................ 19

Leaving School During School Hours ............................................................................................. 19

Lateness Reporting Procedure .......................................................................................................... 20

Change in Transportation ................................................................................................................. 20

Shelter In Place ................................................................................................................................. 20

Pictures ............................................................................................................................................. 20

Monthly Calendar/Lunch Calendar .................................................................................................. 20

Are There Honors Programs offered? ........................................................................ 21

Honors Program ............................................................................................................................... 21

Are any sports teams offered? ......................................................................................... 22

CYO ................................................................................................................................................. 22

Are any music programs offered? ................................................................................... 23

Mater Dei Catholic School Choirs ................................................................................................... 23

Mater Dei Catholic School Chime Time Players ............................................................................. 23

Mater Dei Catholic School Musical Troupe .................................................................................... 23

Mater Dei Catholic School Bands .................................................................................................... 23

Are any special services offered? ................................................................................... 24

Academic Resource Centers ............................................................................................................. 24

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Montgomery County Intermediate Unit ........................................................................................... 24

How will academic progress be communicated? .................................................... 25

When does my child receive his/her sacraments? ................................................ 26

Girls 1 – 4 ......................................................................................................................................... 27

ATTACHMENT A – School Uniforms ..................................................................................... 27

Girls 5 – 8 ......................................................................................................................................... 27

Boys 1 – 8 ......................................................................................................................................... 27

Gym / K ............................................................................................................................................ 27

Pre-School Attire .............................................................................................................................. 27

All Students Grades 1-8 - Shoes and Belts ...................................................................................... 27

All Students Pre-K through Grade 8 ................................................................................................ 28

Special Notes about Proper Uniform Attire and Supplies ................................................................ 28

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School Website The official school website is www.materdeicatholic.com and is a valuable resource for

school information. Please bookmark this site and refer to it often, as new information is

added and updated regularly. The Parents page contains links to lunch menus, uniform

codes, required paperwork, etc. The Calendar page displays all the school events by month.

The Faculty and Staff page lists all of the teachers with their email addresses and webpage

link.

Communications **PLEASE NOTE: We will be introducing a new system by October. See page 16 for details.

Two important methods of communicating with families during the year are through email and

texts. Each family is automatically signed up for email and text messaging using the email

address and cell phone numbers provided at registration. It is very important to keep your

contact information up-to-date.

If you have not received any Mater Dei Catholic School emails, or are experiencing difficulties,

please follow these steps:

• Add info@materdeicatholicschool.com to your contact list.

• Check your Spam, Junk or Deleted email folders to see if the Mater Dei emails have been

delivered there.

• Check your computer settings for filters as well.

• If you still have problems after taking these steps, please contact us at the email address above

to let us know and we will work on resolving the issue. A final interim step you can try – ask

a friend to forward the email to you as their email address is in your safe sender list.

Purchase Clear Contact Paper Clear contact paper is used to cover workbooks and classroom folders, etc. in Grades PK

to 8. The Con-Tact name brand tends to be the easiest to work with. Try to pick it up

before the school years starts because it sells out quickly. It is sold in Wal-Mart, ACE

Hardware, US Toy, and various other home improvement stores.

Classroom Assignments Teachers will send a postcard to all students to welcome them to their classrooms.

Postcards will be mailed at Noon on Monday, August 27, 2018.

Bus Information In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania your tax dollars provide transportation for students in

non‐public schools. Bus transportation to Mater Dei Catholic School is provided by the

various public-school districts, each providing transportation in accordance with the criteria

s school s

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they use for their own districts. Your district will contact you with information regarding your

child’s bus stop and pickup/drop-off schedule. All questions about busing should be directed

to that district. Below are the Early Dismissal Days each school district will provide for the

2018-2019 School Year. If your school district does not provide half-day transportation on a

specific day, parents are responsible for transporting their children.

Early Dismissals for 2018-2019 School Year

North Penn School District: Provides (4) Early Dismissals (11/21/18; 2/15/19; 6/12/19 & 6/13/19)

Souderton Area School District: Provides (2) Early Dismissals (11/21/18 & 2/15/19)

Central Bucks School District: Provides (4) Early Dismissals (11/21/18; 2/15/19; 6/12/19 & 6/13/19)

Colonial School District: Provides (2) Early Dismissals (11/21/18; 2/15/19)

Methacton School District: Provides (1) Early Dismissal (11/21/18)

Pennridge School District: Provides (1) Early Dismissal (11/21/18)

Wissahickon School District: Provides (4) Early Dismissals (11/21/18; 2/15/19; 6/12/19 & 6/13/19)

Norristown Area School District: Provides (3) Early Dismissals (11/21/18; 2/15/19; 6/12/19)

School District Transportation Information

First Student Transportation (NP) North Penn School District

3435 Trewigtown Road 401 East Hancock Street

Colmar, PA 18915 Lansdale, PA 19446

215-997-7982 215-853-1139

Central Bucks School District Colonial School District

320 W. Swamp Road 230 Flourtown Road

Doylestown, PA 18901 Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

267-893-4000 610-834-1670

Pennridge School District Methacton School District

1506 North 5th Street 1001 Kriebel Mill Road

Perkasie, PA 18944 Norristown, PA 19403

215-453-8966 610-489-5000

Wissahickon School District Souderton Area School District

800 School Road 760 Lower Road

Blue Bell, PA 19422 Souderton, PA 18964

215-619-8114 215-723-6061

Norristown Area School District Transportation Office 610-630-5022

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Summer Reading Lists

The summer reading requirements and activities for Grades K through 8 are

available on the school website. Please have your child read the required book(s)

by the first day of school. The 2019 Elementary Reading Olympics Book Titles,

2019 Middle School Reading Olympics Book Titles, and the Archdiocesan

Recommended Summer Reading 2018 list are also posted there.

Stationery and Supply Lists Stationery and supply lists for Grades PK to 8 are available on the school website

Please label all supplies with your child’s name and send in the supplies with your child on

their first day of school.

PLEASE NOTE: Additional copybooks and folders needed throughout the school year will be

available for purchase at the School Stationery Store.

First Day of School The first day of Mater Dei Catholic School for Pre-K through Grade 8 is

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

• Parents are welcome to bring their children to school and walk them to their classroom.

• If you want your child to take the bus, you are welcome to meet him/her in the

schoolyard and then proceed to the classroom.

• All parents are to park in the St. Stanislaus Church lot.

• This will be a FULL day for students. Please pack a morning snack for that day, as well

as a lunch or students may purchase lunch from the North Penn Lunch Program - please

refer to those details on page 10 of this guide.

• The Imagination Playhouse program begins on Thursday, September 6, 2018 with an

Orientation for both parents and children.

CARES – Before and After School Care Program A before and after school program is available and will begin the first day of school,

Wednesday, September 5, 2018. Please refer to the school website under the Parents

tab then CARES Program for application, fee schedule, and CARES Handbook.

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Beginning of Year Paperwork The following two forms are available as a PDF file named Beginning of Year Documents and can be

accessed on the school website under the Parents tab then Forms and Permissions.

These 2 forms need to be completed and returned to school by Friday, September 7, 2018.

• Family Emergency Form - The form can be completed using your computer and a digital

copy saved on your computer for your records. Please follow directions on the website to

download and complete. This form can be emailed as an attachment to

rotormey@materdeicatholic.com or print and send in to the office during the first week of

school.

• Handbook and Authorization Forms Agreement – Section VIII of the handbook contains

the following forms/authorizations. Please review the agreements with your child(ren), and

after careful review, print only the Handbook and Authorization Forms Agreement page.

▪ Responsible Use Policy for Technology

▪ Google Apps for Education Use Agreement

▪ Student Pledge for iPad Use for 1:1 Initiative (grades 4, 5, & 6)

▪ Student Pledge for iPad Use in School (Carts) (All other grades)

▪ Publicity Refusal Form – form should be completed and returned to school ONLY if

you DO NOT want your child interviewed or your child’s photo used in any public

forum.

▪ Memorandum of Understanding

Smart Tuition Mater Dei Catholic School has partnered with Smart Tuition for the processing and collection of tuition

and fees for the 2018-2019 school year. The 10-month billing cycle started in July and ends in April.

Go to parent.smarttuition.com to log in. Questions can be directed to a Smart Tuition representative

24/7 @ (888) 868-8828.

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Birthday Book Club Mater Dei Catholic School began a new tradition in 2016 for our students to celebrate their birthdays

and special occasions through the "Birthday Book Club"! As a Mater Dei community, we recognize a

tremendous opportunity to promote healthy behaviors and to show the students how to enjoy special

moments without making food the focus of our celebrations. We are encouraging families to donate a

book to the school library. The children will receive a "Mater Dei Birthday Club" pin and their name

and picture will be on the "Birthday Club" bulletin board. Each book will have a sticker with your child's

name on it and it will delight children for years to come when they visit the STREAM Lab to choose a

book! Be sure to look for the Birthday Book Club link at the bottom of each teacher’s webpage!

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Uniforms (Grades K – 8) Please refer to Attachment A at the end of this guide for a detailed description of the dress code for

Mater Dei Catholic School.

Preschool students wear play clothes according to the season. Sneakers must be worn every day.

All uniform items can be bought at Flynn & O’Hara. You may order them online, by phone or

visiting the store.

The closest store is:

Flynn and O’Hara

Springhouse Plaza

901 North Bethlehem Pike

Springhouse, PA 19477

(215)-793-9436

www.flynnohara.com

Store Hours: Mon / Wed / Fri………...9:30 – 8:00

Tues / Thurs / Sat ............9:30 – 6:00

Closed Sunday

If you wish, any uniform items that do not have the Mater Dei logo (i.e. pants, shorts, oxfords, blouses,

socks, tights, shoes, etc.) you may buy from another store as long as they are the same color and style

as Flynn & O’Hara.

• The Summer Uniform can be worn from the start of school through October 31, 2018

• The Winter Uniform must be worn from November 2 through March 29, 2019.

• The Summer Uniform can be worn again from April 1, 2019 until the end of school.

PLEASE NOTE: Students must wear their formal school uniform on days when a school liturgy

is scheduled. There may be other occasions during the school year when the request for formal

uniforms will be made through an email to families.

Uniform Exchange The Mater Dei Catholic School Uniform Exchange Program will be coordinated through the Home &

School Association. Dates and times for uniform exchanges will be communicated to families during

the school year.

What should my child wear?

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School Hours

• The school day begins at 8:30 AM.

• The students are welcome to arrive at school from 8:10 to 8:30 AM.

• The school day ends at 3:30 PM.

• Half-Day Pre-K and Kindergarten begin at 8:30 AM and end at 12:15 PM.

• Early dismissals are 11:30 AM. Please note the following dates are scheduled for early

dismissal:

▪ November 21, 2018

▪ February 15, 2019

▪ June 12, 2019

▪ June 13, 2019

Specials All students in grades K through 8 will have each of the following specials once a

week: Art, Technology, Physical Education, STREAM Lab (Science, Technology,

Religion, Engineering, Art, Math), Music, and Spanish.

Safety Drills Throughout the year, the school will hold unannounced fire drills, emergency shelter in

place drills, and lock down drills. Buses also hold occasional emergency drills.

Cell Phones:

If your child carries a cell phone for safety purposes, it must be kept in his/her backpack

and turned OFF during school hours. Please also note that toys, skateboards, roller blades,

scooters, wheelies, electronic devices, CD players, iPods, iPads, etc. must NOT be brought

to school.

School Store

Students will have the opportunity to visit the Mater Dei Catholic School Store, “The Polar

Express” to purchase school spirit wear and other items. Information on items offered and

hours of operation for the store will be posted on the school website. Exclusive online sales

for Mater Dei “Spirit wear” are posted on the website several times a year…keep an eye out

for those opportunities!

What about the school day?

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School Arrival/Departure Procedures Supervision of students formally begins at 8:10 AM. For safety reasons no child is permitted in the

building prior to 8:10 without special permission. Upon arrival, all students must enter the building

through the Lower Cahill schoolyard doors (teachers will be greeting students as they arrive), with the

exception of walkers who may enter through the front door. All car riders are dropped off in the Church

parking lot. The crossing guard will see that the children cross Lansdale Avenue safely. Each morning

a teacher will greet the students in the schoolyard and guide them to the school entrance. Lower Cahill

door will be locked at 8:30 AM. Students who are late must report to the Main Entrance and a parent is

required to sign in the student.

For the safety of all students, no student may be dropped off in the schoolyard or at the front door

prior to the start of the school day.

(Siblings arriving with students participating in before-school activities must receive special permission

from the school administration to arrive before 8:10 AM.)

Walkers At dismissal, walkers are escorted by a teacher to Lansdale Avenue, Main Street, and Third Street,

where they are crossed by a designated crossing guard.

Bike Riders Fifth to eighth grade students are permitted to ride bikes to school. Bike locks are required. Students

must follow state and local bicycle laws, including the wearing of an appropriately sized helmet. A

teacher escorts bike rider to the designated crossing guard at dismissal.

Car Riders Only pre-school children may be dropped off in the front of the school. It is imperative for your

child's safety that all other car riders must always be dropped off and picked up only in the church parking

lot. At dismissal, car riders are escorted by a teacher to the church parking lot. The teacher and the

students will line up along the fence opposite the parish center to wait for parents. Any adult picking

up a student must leave the car and proceed to the line-up area to pick up their children. There is

to be no parking in the fire zones or reserved areas.

Dismissal Procedure for Special Occasions and Early Dismissal Days If you are joining us for special programs or a special occasion, children will not be permitted

to leave school before the conclusion of the school day. Parents are welcome to write a note to have

their child dismissed in the car rider line and they will meet you in the church parking lot. Please know

that this policy is in effect for the safety of the children.

Is there a certain traffic flow I should follow?

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Snacks All children will have a morning snack. Parents can pack a snack for your child

or a pretzel can be purchased.

Pretzel Regular size soft pretzels are available to purchase for morning snack for 50¢. They are

provided by the Philly Pretzel Factory in Lansdale. Please have your child bring in the

money that morning.

Lunch Times Full Day Pre-School & Kindergarten……...… 12:20 PM to 1:00 PM

Grades 1 through 4..... 11:50 PM to 12:45 PM

Grades 5 through 8..... 12:55 PM to 1:40 PM

Lunch Choices The children have lunch in the school cafeteria. Please note that the hot lunch program being

offered is optional. The students are required to bring a lunch to school OR they may purchase

lunch from the North Penn School Nutritional Services. Monthly menus are posted on our

school website. Information about the cost and payment through a POS account with

SchoolCafe are posted on the school website. The North Penn Lunch program will be available

starting on the first day of school, September 5, 2018. Please refer to the school website under the

Parents tab then Lunch Program.

PLEASE NOTE: The North Penn School Nutritional Services Free and Reduced Lunch information

and application for the 2018-2019 school year is now available at the following website:

http://www.npenn.org/Page/717

• Parents/guardians will be completing the online school meal application. Please be sure to

include all school age children (Pre-K through 8th grade) on one family application. Paper

applications are available upon request.

• Families are required to complete a new meal application at the beginning of each new

school year. Once the application is processed, the family will receive a letter indicating

student’s meal eligibility determination. Previous school year eligibility for free/reduced

meal status will expire on October 16, 2018. Students without a previous status and all

students who are new to the district are required to purchase meals at full price until their

application has been processed.

What about snack and lunchtime?

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• Contact School Nutrition Services if you have a current student with an existing free or

reduced eligibility and have a new student coming into North Penn SD.

• Meal applications are available in various languages; please contact SNS for more

information at 215-853-1080.

Food Days Mater Dei Catholic School may sponsor special food days during the months of October

through May. “Food Days” will be available to the students for lunch, and the North

Penn Lunch Program will not be available. Again, please note that participation in the

Food Days is optional, however, pre-ordering is required. If students do not wish to

participate in the “Food Days,” they must pack their lunch on these days, as the North

Penn Lunch Program will not be offered.

The cost will be $6.00 per meal. The Special Food Days for the 2018-2019 school year are: October

5 & 26, 2018; November 16, 2018; December 7, 2018; January 11 & 25, 2019; February 1 & 22,

2019; March 1 & 15, 2019; April 5 & 26, 2019; May 10, 2019.

Monthly menus for the special foods days will be posted on the school website and orders are placed

through your SMART Tuition account. Please refer to the school website under the Parents tab then

Lunch Program.

PLEASE Note: All lunches on Special Food Days MUST be preordered and prepaid. No

orders are accepted after the indicated due date.

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Back to School Night The Early Childhood Orientation for Kindergarten and Pre-K3 and 4 Parents is scheduled

for Tuesday, September 4, 2018 at 6:30 PM.

Back to School Night for parents of children in Grades 1 through 8 is scheduled for

Tuesday, September 18, 2018 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. The following schedule will be

followed:

• 6:30 to 7:00 PM – Welcome and Introductions

• 7:00 to 7:30 PM – First Classroom Session

• 7:30 to 8:00 PM – Second Classroom Session

• 8:00 to 8:30 PM – Third Classroom Session

*** Please note that both meetings are for parents only. ***

Homeroom Parent Selection Process The Home and School Board will send out a request for homeroom parents in September. The

Homeroom Parent Coordinator, a member of the Home and School Board, will receive all of the

requests. Please note:

• In an effort to encourage as many volunteers as possible, a parent will not be the homeroom

parent for more than one homeroom in the same school year.

• When there are more than two volunteers for a homeroom, the selection will be by drawing.

• Ideally, one parent will not be selected as their child’s homeroom parent two years in a row.

Homeroom Parent Policy Mater Dei Catholic School’s Homeroom Parent Policy requests a $5.00 fee per child to

be collected in October by all homeroom parents. This fee will be used by the

homeroom parents to pay for all of the classroom activities and parties. You may be

asked to donate food, beverage or paper items, if your child’s homeroom teacher decides

to have additional classroom celebrations during the school year (not listed on the school wide calendar).

• During Advent, the Homeroom parents will send a letter requesting monetary donations for a

Christmas gift for the teacher.

• At the end of the school year, the Home & School Association will collect monetary

donations for an End of the Year Teacher Appreciation gift.

School Notification Systems One Call Now Notification System

One Call Now is the parent notification system currently used by Mater Dei Catholic School. The

One Call Now system will be used to notify parents of school cancellations, early dismissals, and

late openings. The One Call Now system may also be used to alert families of other important

information related to Mater Dei Catholic School. Registration information for the notification

system will be provided to all families.

What are other important things to know once school starts?

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Campus Reach Notification System

Campus Reach is a new parent notification system which will be introduced at Mater Dei during the 2018-2019 school year. The Campus Reach system will be used for school cancellations, early dismissals, and late openings notifications. The Campus Reach system will also be used to alert families of other important information related to Mater Dei Catholic School, as well as the weekly emails and text message reminders. Registration information for the notification system will be provided to all families. PLEASE NOTE: As soon as we get the new system up and running, you will be notified. Families will then be required to opt-in for each of the services they wish to receive, i.e. texts, alerts, emails

School closings due to inclement weather will also be reported by KYW. KYW Newsradio will provide

school closing information in several ways:

• Scrolled on the screen of their sister stations during Eyewitness News on CBS 3 and Eyewitness

News on the CW-Philly

• Announced on KYW Newradio 1060 AM

• On kywschools.com website or at CBSPhilly.com/schools

• On the KYW Newsradio School Closing Phone Line at 215.925.1060

• Via School Closing Text Alerts to cell phones. Sign up at CBSPhilly.com/schools and click on

the subscribe link.

• The One Call Now Alert system (or Campus Reach) will also be activated. The CARES

Program will not operate if school is closed. In the event of a two (2) hour delayed opening,

the CARES Program will begin at 8:00 AM.

Visitor Parking Visitors may park in the designated Visitor Parking Spaces. Please enter through the main school

entrance on Main and Church Streets. If you are visiting Mater Dei Catholic School and need to stay

for an extended visit, please park in the Teacher Parking Lot located off of 3rd Street, the parking lot

located on the right corner of the school building on Main Street, or the St. Stanislaus Church parking

lot. Thank you for your cooperation!

Visitors During School Hours Anyone visiting school during the day must enter through the door to the Main Office which is

monitored by a security system. Out of respect for the learning process, teachers or students may not

be disturbed during the day unless there is an urgent reason cleared with administration or main office

personnel. Volunteers are most welcome and needed in our school. All volunteers must report to the

Main Office, sign the register, and obtain a visitor's badge before proceeding to their destination.

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Volunteers Volunteers are vital to the community life of Mater Dei Catholic School. Adult volunteers are welcome

to work with the school as aides in the library, classroom, lunch monitors, and as members of the Home

and School Association.

• All copies of PA Clearances must be submitted to the school office prior to the beginning of

the school year (see next section, Child Protective Services Law).

• Volunteers interested in helping at any of the Home & School Association sponsored events or

other school events should read the weekly emails for event coordinators’ contact information

and links to the signup genius on the web.

• Coordinators of these activities will contact volunteers as the need arises.

• Volunteers must enter the building through the Main Entrance to obtain a visitor's badge and

sign the register.

• In an effort not to interrupt the learning process, parents are asked not to visit the classroom.

Child Protective Services Law (Updates for 2015 PA Clearances)

The State of Pennsylvania has strengthened the Child Protective Services Law (CPSL). As of July 1,

2015, the following requirements must be strictly followed. Please note that as of July 1, 2015, according

to Pennsylvania Child Protective Service Law, absolutely no person is permitted to volunteer in any

capacity including lunch duty, parties, field trips etc. unless these clearances are on file in the school

office.

Can I get involved and volunteer?

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PA State-Mandated Clearances for Volunteers (Anyone working in the building when the children are present)

Procedure and Requirements

All clearances must be submitted PRIOR to volunteer service.

Volunteers who have lived in PA continuously for 10 years or more:

1. Pennsylvania State Police Clearance – https://epatch.state.pa.us/Home.jsp

2. Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance –

https://www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis/public/home

3. Certificate of Completion of the Safe Environment/Protecting God’s Children Course

~YOU MUST ATTEND A CLASS – Register online for a class at a convenient time and

location for you at https://learning.childyouthprotection.org/login/index.php

~If you attended a class prior to 2007, there is additional paperwork in the school office that

refers to the technology clearance and needs to be signed.

4. Certificate of Completion of the Safe Environment/Mandated Reporting of Child Abuse

Course

~Training is online at https://learning.childyouthprotection.org/login/index.php

~When you have completed the training, answer all questions and print the certificate.

5. Disclosure Statement (included in the PDF file available for download on the school website) –

Two-page document for you to read and sign. Return signed statement to the school office.

All potential volunteers who have lived in PA for less than 10 years and all paid employees need to

satisfy the five criteria listed above AND need a Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint clearance.

You can refer to the following website for a full explanation of what is required of all volunteers:

https://childyouthprotection.org/index.php/staff-volunteers/checks-and-clearances

If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Outland in the school office:

joutland@materdeicatholic.com or 215.368.0995

****** If you have lived in the state of PA for less than 10 years******

You are required to have …

Federal Bureau of Investigation fingerprint clearance in addition to all of the above clearances

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Health Services The North Penn School District provides our school with nursing services two days a week. Mater

Dei Catholic School provides its own nurse on the other three days. The school nurse provides

first aid and assists the students when they are not feeling well. The nurse checks heights and

weights of the students in all grades. Scoliosis screening is provided for children in the seventh (7th)

grade. Vision screening and auditory testing are administered according to state mandates. Physical

and dental examinations can be performed by your personal health care provider, or by a professional

supplied by North Penn School District. The physical and dental forms to be completed by your health

care provider are available for download from the school website. Please refer to the school website

under the Parents tab then Health and Wellness.

Sick Child Procedures If your child is sick and needs to stay home, call the school office that morning before

9 AM (215-368-0995). You may leave a message if it is before school opens. If a

child becomes sick at school, the school nurse will call you. Children with a fever of

100.5 or higher will be sent home. The child may not return to school until they are fever

free for 24 hours without the aid of Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen.

Absences If your child is absent from school, an excuse note must accompany them upon their return to school.

For your convenience, blank notes are available on the website for you to download, print, and use

during the school year. Please refer to the school website under the Parents tab then Forms and

Permissions.

Medication No student may carry any type of prescription or over the counter medication. If a student

needs to take medication during the school day, a parent/ guardian must bring the medication to

the nurse's office accompanied by a signed note from the doctor or parent/guardian, with complete

instructions for dispensing the medication. The Medication Administration Form is available for

download from the school website under the Parents tab then Health and Wellness. Prescription

medication and over-the-counter medication must be brought to school in the original container. Note:

Two (2) bottles should be requested from the pharmacy - one for home and one for school. Over-

the-counter medication must be in the original container, labeled with the student's name.

Leaving School During School Hours

Parents/guardians must notify the homeroom teacher if the child needs to leave the school during

school hours. The parent/guardian must report to the office to officially sign out the child.

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Lateness Reporting Procedure Students arriving between 8:30 and 10:30 AM will be marked “late.” If arriving after 8:30 AM,

a student must report to the office with a written notification of the reason for lateness. A

parent/guardian must accompany the child and sign in the child. A late pass will be issued which

will admit the student into his/her homeroom.

Change in Transportation In the beginning of the school year, parents/guardians are asked to indicate how their child/(ren)

will arrive and leave school. Any change in transportation must be in writing, even if it is a change

for only one (1) day. Transportation changes made over the phone will be verified.

Shelter In Place At the beginning of the school year, parents need to provide the items listed below. These items

will be used in case of an emergency.

• 1 plastic shoebox (w/child’s name clearly marked on outside of box)

• 2 bottles of water

• non-perishable snacks

• tissues

• activity book, sharpened pencils, crayons

• small bottle of hand sanitizer

• small package of wet wipes

Pictures School Pictures will be taken by Life Touch. The schedule will be as follows:

• November 4, 2018 – Individual & Class Fall Portrait by Life Touch (Winter uniforms MUST

be worn) • December 10, 2018 – Retakes

• April 15, 2019 – Individual Spring Pictures (Dress of choice) and 8th Grade Graduation Pictures

Monthly Calendar/Lunch Calendar The monthly school activity calendar (Calendar tab on home page) and lunch menu (Parents

tab then Lunch Program) are posted on the school website.

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Honors Program Honors Math is available starting in Grade 4. You will be notified if your child qualifies for Honors

Math. You child’s eligibility for Honors Math is based on multiple factors:

• Terra Nova Reading Score (CSI or Cognitive Skills Index falling in the range of 125)

• Standardized test score in Mathematics of 90% or above

• Standardized test score in Reading Comprehension of 85% or above

• End of year test grade of 85 or above

• Final grade of 90 or above

• Teacher’s recommendation based on class work

Honors English is available in grades 7 and 8. You will be notified if your child qualifies for Honors

English. Your child’s eligibility for Honors English is based on multiple factors:

• Terra Nova Reading Score (CSI or Cognitive Skills Index falling in the range of 125)

• Final Grade of 90 or above

• Teacher’s recommendation based on class work

Are There Honors Programs offered?

22

CYO (Catholic Youth Organization)

Sports teams are available for Mater Dei Catholic School students through their home parish CYO

programs. The CYO programs for all five Mater Dei Parishes belong to Region 20 of the CYO for the

Archdiocese of Philadelphia. Sports are available for both boys and girls, in the fall, winter, and spring,

and depending on the sport, students are eligible from third through eighth grades. Which sports have

teams in any particular season is often dependent on student interest and availability of coaches, but

generally the sports available include:

Fall

Cheerleading (girls, grades 4-8)

Cross Country (co-ed, grades K-8)

Soccer (co-ed, JV, grades 5-6; Varsity grades 7-8)

Soccer minis (co-ed, grades K-4)

Volleyball (girls, JV, grades 5-6; Varsity grades 7-8)

Robotics (coed, grades 5-8)

Winter

Cheerleading (girls, grades 3-8)

Basketball (boys & girls, JV, grades 4-6; Varsity grades 7-8)

Spring

Baseball (boys, JV, grades 5-6; Varsity grades 7-8)

Softball (girls, JV, grades 5-6; Varsity grades 7-8)

Track & Field (co-ed. grades 3-8)

As stated, students play on their parish sports teams, however, there is a spirit of cooperation between the five

Mater Dei Parishes’ CYO programs with the goal of giving as many students the opportunity to play sports as

possible. Therefore, when a parish does not have enough students to field a team in a particular sport, the

parishes will work to combine and field a joint team for that season. For example, in the past when there was a

lack of St. Stanislaus Varsity Soccer students, those interested joined the St. Rose of Lima Varsity. Similarly,

in JV softball last year, girls from all three parishes were mixed together to form two JV teams.

For more detailed information on CYO, registration info, and specific contacts in each season, visit the Archdiocese of Philadelphia

CYO website or your parish CYO website as listed below:

• Saint Agnes and Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Parishes Joint CYO http://olsh-hilltown.com/jointcyo

• St. Stanislaus Parish CYO: http://www.ststanislaus.com/cyo/

• St. Rose of Lima Parish CYO: http://www.srolcyo.com/

• St. Maria Goretti Parish CYO: http://www.stmariagoretti.net/cyo.html

Are any sports teams offered?

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Mater Dei Catholic School has a dynamic music program which includes:

Mater Dei Catholic School Choirs o The Mater Dei Singer ~ Grades 6 to 8

o The Jubilate Choir ~ Grade 3 to 5

o The Cantor Choir ~ Grades 4 to 8

All school choirs are directed by Mr. Jason Strefeler. He will work with your child to fine-tune their

singing ability and work together with others to bring music to the Mater Dei Catholic School and the

greater community. Your child’s voice is needed! Cost for joining the choir is free and the rewards are

great! The Mater Dei School Choirs will be forming in September. Practice days/times, permission

slips, and additional information will be posted to the website as soon as it becomes available. You will

be notified through email.

Mater Dei Catholic School Chime Time Players o Beginner Chimes ~ Grades 4 to 6 (students who have no experience and are interested in

learning to read music and ring chimes)

o Chime Time Players ~ Grades 5 to 8 (students have at least one year of chimes/handbell

ringing or music reading skills from band/piano lessons)

All chime ensembles are directed by Mr. Jason Strefeler. Practices for both groups are held in the

mornings before school. Both ensembles perform at least twice a year.

Mater Dei Catholic School Musical Troupe Mater Dei Catholic School is proud to continue our theater club, The Mater Dei Musical Troupe

directed by Jason Strefeler. The goal of this after-school experience is to provide a quality musical

opportunity that teaches performance techniques that build self-confidence and real-world skills

while having fun. Auditions for this year's show will be open to all students in grades 5-8. We

are hoping for a great response to the Mater Dei Musical Troupe! Dates and times will be

published in an email and on the monthly activity calendar as they become available.

Mater Dei Catholic School Bands MATER DEI BANDS are open to students in Grades 4-8. Lessons on all band instruments are

offered. Students usually begin with one of the basic instruments: Flute, Clarinet, Alto Saxophone,

Trumpet, Trombone, and Percussion. Once a certain level of mastery is achieved, students may

switch or add another instrument. (Tenor Sax, French Horn, Oboe, Baritone Horn are some of the

instruments to which students may switch.) The fee schedule will be discussed at the Parent Meeting

scheduled for Monday, September 10, 2018 at 7:00 PM.

• LESSONS: Group Lessons are offered on a rotating basis once every week, during the school day.

• BANDS: The following levels will be offered:

o BEGINNER BAND: meets during lunch recess, once a week.

o JUNIOR BAND: meets after school on Tuesdays. This is for students in grades 4-5.

o ADVANCED BAND: meets before school on Tuesdays. This is for students who have

achieved the ability to play at certain proficiency. All students in grades 6-8 are eligible for

this band, as well as select younger students.

Are any music programs offered?

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Academic Resource Centers The Academic Resource Center is designed to enable students with special learning needs to participate

in Mater Dei Catholic School. Placement in the Academic Resource Center is determined by classroom

performance, extensive testing, teacher recommendation, and consultation with parents. The Program

is available for students in Grades 1 through 8.

Accommodation Program Mater Dei Catholic School is committed to providing for the needs of individual students. The

Accommodation Program is designed to provide adaptations to the curriculum so that high expectations

are maintained for all students. The administration, faculty, Academic Resource Center teachers, and

Intermediate Unit personnel work in consultation with the student’s parent to determine the need for

classroom accommodations.

Partners in Education Parent, Grandparent, or friend of Mater Dei participants join the reading, mathematics,

science, and technology teachers in a volunteer partnership to help the students. Small group

activities, individual help and laboratory set-ups are some of the tasks involved in Partners in

Education. Training is provided as part of this program.

Montgomery County Intermediate Unit The Montgomery County Intermediate Unit also provides the following services to Mater Dei

Catholic School students:

• Reading Services

• Speech and Language Services

• Math Services

• Counseling and Psychological Services

Are any special services offered?

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My Students Progress My Students Progress is a web-based system designed to provide parents online access to their student’s

academic progress. Progress reports, report cards, and attendance records will be generated by the new

system.

The faculty page on the school website lists all of the classroom teachers and “specials” teachers, along

with links to their individual webpages and email addresses. Parents are encouraged to visit the teacher

websites for homework assignments, classroom activities, etc. Please refer to the school website under

the Faculty and Staff tab.

The log in page for My Students Progress can be found at:

https://philadelphia.mystudentsprogress.com/MSP/index.cfm

Report Cards Report cards are issued to students in K – 8 three times during the school year. The report card is a

reflection of all formal and informal assessments and is designed to inform the parent(s)/guardian(s) of

the progress of the student during a period of time.

Parent Teacher Conferences Communication between parent/guardian and teacher is vitally important to a child's progress.

Mandatory conferences are held for all students in grades pre-K through eight (8) during the first

trimester.

Parents / guardians may schedule individual conferences at any time during the school year. Scheduling

should be initiated through email or written request. The teacher will contact the parent / guardian to

confirm both the date and time of the conference. A teacher may request a conference as the need arises.

Due to the daily responsibilities of the teacher, unscheduled conferences are not permitted.

Standardized Tests Mater Dei Catholic School adheres to the program for standardized testing as determined by the

Archdiocese of Philadelphia. This year’s standardized Terra Nova testing for Grades K through 8 is

scheduled for March 22 and March 25-29, 2019. Please do not schedule family vacations during

testing.

How will academic progress be communicated?

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The students of Mater Catholic School will receive their sacraments in their home parishes.

Preparation for all sacraments will be incorporated into Mater Dei Catholic School classroom

instruction. The following time frame will be followed:

• First Penance and Reconciliation: Grade 2

• First Holy Communion: Grade 2

• Confirmation: Grade 7 (beginning in the 2019-2020 school year)

Dates for rehearsals and sacraments for each of the parishes will be posted on the

individual parishes’ website calendars. Links to each parish can be found at the bottom of

the school website home page under Resources.

When does my child receive his/her sacraments?

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Girls 1 – 4

• Fall / Summer: Navy, White and Khaki Glen Plaid Jumper, short sleeve blouse with Peter Pan

collar ‐ or ‐ Khaki skort/short with white polo logo. White socks that cover ankles.

• Winter: Navy, White, and Khaki Glen Plaid Jumper, short sleeve blouse with Peter Pan collar.

Navy crew neck cardigan with logo. Navy tights or navy knee socks.

• Shoes & Belt: Solid-color Navy or Brown dress shoe with non-skid sole. Brown belt with Khaki

shorts.

Girls 5 – 8

• Fall / Summer: Navy, White and Khaki Glen Plaid Kilt or Khaki skort/short with white polo with

logo. White socks that cover ankles.

• Winter: Navy, White and Khaki Glen Plaid Kilt. White oxford. Navy V-neck sweater or vest

with logo. Navy tights or navy knee socks.

• Shoes & Belt: Solid-color Navy or Brown dress shoe with non-skid sole. Brown belt with Khaki

shorts.

Boys 1 – 8

• Fall / Summer: Khaki pant or short. White polo with logo. White socks that cover the ankle.

• Winter: Khaki pant. White oxford (long or short-sleeve). NO polo shirts with winter uniforms.

Navy V-neck sweater or vest with logo. School tie. Khaki or white socks that cover the ankle.

• Shoes & Belt: Solid-color Brown dress shoe with non-skid sole. Brown belt.

Gym / K

• Fall / Summer: Grey t-shirt with logo. Navy nylon short (no logo). White or black socks that

cover the ankle.

• Winter: Grey t-shirt with logo. Navy sweat pants (no logo). Navy nylon sweat pant optional for

girls (no logo). Grey hooded or crew neck sweatshirt with school name in large letters. White or

black socks that cover ankles.

• Shoes: Sneakers. (no lights)

Pre-School Attire • Pre-school students will wear play clothes according to the season. Sneakers must be worn

every day.

All Students Grades 1-8 - Shoes and Belts • Solid-color brown or navy blue rubber-soled shoes with backs must be worn. Oxfords, loafers,

docksiders (no sneakers or sneaker-type shoes, chunky or high heel shoes, dress boots, hiking

ATTACHMENT A – School Uniforms

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boots, canvas shoes, clogs or crocs). Sperry brand Top-Sider (solid-color brown or navy) shoes

are acceptable. All shoes must have a flat heel. Boots over the ankle are not acceptable.

• Belts: All short or long pants with belt loops must have a brown belt.

All Students Pre-K through Grade 8 Hair: Hair should be neat, clean and trim.

Boys’ hair needs to be in a traditional cut, kept to the top of the neck and above the collar, off the ears

and from mid-forehead to above the eyebrows.

Girls’ hair must be off their face. No beads, sequins or unusual hair adornments are allowed. Simple bow

or headband is acceptable.

All hair should be natural color.

Accessories: No make-up or nail polish is acceptable. One ring may be worn on each hand. Girls may

wear only one pair of small post earrings (NO hoops). Boys may not wear earrings to school. Students

are permitted to wear a thin necklace with a Christian religious symbol. Watches may be worn; but only

ALERT bracelets are permitted.

Special Notes about Proper Uniform Attire and Supplies • All blouses and shirts must be tucked in – not rolled or folded.

• Only opaque blue tights are acceptable - not stockings.

• Only plain white undershirts may be worn under a boy’s/girl’s shirts.

• Uniform length cannot exceed 1 inch above the knee.

• Knee socks must be pulled up to the knee.

• Shoes must be properly laced and tied.

• Head coverings are not permitted to be worn with the uniform.

• Students are permitted to carry cell phones to school, but phones must be turned off and stored in the

student’s backpack during school hours.

• Toys, skateboards, roller blades, scooters, wheelies, electronic devices (other than cell phones as stated

above), CD players, iPods, iPads, etc. must not be brought to school.