St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church

4921 Columbia Road

Grovetown, GA 30813

Faith Formation Parent Handbook

Education Building

TITLE PAGE

Greetings from our Pastor 2

Faith Formation Program 3

Goals and Objectives 3

Sessions 4

Attendance and Registration 5

Fees 5

Curriculum 6

Curriculum objectives 7-9

Prayers 10

Arrival /Dismissal Policy 11

Discipline and Communication 12

Sacrament Classes 13

Faith Formation Events 14

Catechist and Volunteers 15

VIRTUS Protecting God’s Children 15

Faith Formation Contacts and Office Hours 16

Parent partnership Agreement 17-18

1

Dear Parents and Guardians;

When you brought your child/children to the church for their Baptism, you received and accepted the responsibility of raising them in the Roman Catholic Faith. This is your loving response in thanksgiving to God for the incredible gift of life God has entrusted to you.

You have carried out this serious responsibility in many ways over the years. You have taught your children their prayers. You have told them the story of Jesus’ birth at Christmas and how He loved us so much that He suffered, died and rose again at Easter for our Salvation. You have taught them about forgiveness, concern and care for others, especially those less fortunate than us. You have witnessed to them so many aspects of our Catholic Faith by the way you live and share your lives at home each day.

To further deepen their understanding of our Catholic Faith, you have enrolled them in our St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church Faith Formation program. It is vitally important that you support and reinforce the efforts of our Faith Formation Program at home by reviewing the weekly class work with your children. As a parent or guardian, you must make the weekly attendance at the Faith Formation classes a top priority in your child’s life. I am very pleased and proud of our Faith Formation staff and the many volunteer Catechists who so diligently want to assist you in passing on our Catholic Faith. We have your children in a Faith Formation class or activity approximately thirty-six hours the entire year! Sports, music, art, scouting and other activities should be planned around your children’s Faith Formation class. I trust that every Catholic parent and guardian wants to give their children a rock-solid foundation based on God with which they will build their lives on.

As the Most Holy Eucharist is the center and pinnacle of Catholic life, it is most important that your family participate in Sunday Mass each week and Holy Days of Obligation throughout the year. Sunday Mass and daily prayer are a critical part of every Catholic’s life. This is certainly a huge part of our integrity as Christians that we practice what we preach and teach.

I pray that in the coming months your children will grow in wisdom, grace and age as they come to know Jesus better and deepen their understanding and appreciation of our Catholic Faith. My most fervent desire is that your children will develop an intimate, personal relationship and connection with God.

Your Servant in Christ,

Fr. Mike Ingram

2

St. Teresa of Avila Faith Formation Program

Why does my child have to attend Faith Formation every year? We at St. Teresa of Avila Parish believe that our Religious Education Program is a continuing journey of faith. It is one that begins in the home and is reinforced by our weekly classes. Parents are the primary educators of their children when it comes to raising them in the Catholic faith, but the parish provides a strong, steady reinforcement to that which is so important to the parents in teaching their children, and more importantly, in helping their children to live out their faith. One of our main objectives is to teach the students the basic principles of the Catholic faith, however giving meaning to the rituals and symbols of our faith is not enough. It is up to you, as parents, to provide a daily commitment to God by practicing the gift of faith and setting an example for your children. Our efforts will not be effective unless they are combined with your efforts.

How can parents help? Be involved on a regular basis in your child’s Faith Formation. Let your child see that you are involved, engaged and knowledgeable…also joyful, willing

and excited about the faith! Have a positive attitude about attending class. Introduce yourself to your child’s teacher; let them know you support them and are

partners with them in any way possible. Continue learning about your faith. Make religious education a life-long commitment Let

your child see you reading books and using media to learn about the Catholic faith. Share with your child your time, your attention, your knowledge, and your love of your

Faith. In this way, you will model what it means to be loved, just as God loves your child.

Pray often, participate often, laugh often …. enjoy!

Faith Formation Goals and Objectives To support parents in the formation of their children in the Catholic Faith. To provide a program that develops the participants. To nurture a student’s desire to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. To enrich their Spiritual life through prayer and the Sacraments. To encourage families to actively participate in the Parish life.

3

SESSIONS

Sunday Sessions (August - May)Sunday session is for Kindergarten through Fifth grade.Time: 10:30 AM – 12:00 noonWhere: Education Building Please have your child arrive to their assigned classroom on time with the necessary materials.

Wednesday Session (August – May)Wednesday session is for the Middle School Sixth grade through Confirmation 2.Time: 6:30PM – 8:00PMWhere: Education Building Please have your child arrive to their assigned classroom on time with the necessary materials.

High School Faith Formation (August – May)Grades 10-12th Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Where: Parish Life CenterHigh School Faith Formation is for those students who for one reason or another have not received their Sacraments. Please have your child arrive to their assigned classroom on time with the necessary materials.

Summer Session Information: The Summer Faith Formation session is the condensed session for Kindergarten through Confirmation 2 and serves as an alternative to the school year Faith Formation. Each daily session begins with Mass and has three instructional periods divided by recess, lunch break and completing each day with a para – liturgy in the Parish Life Center. This session runs Monday – Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:00PM and will run two weeks in mid-July. Full two-week attendance is required for this 10-day program; chronic tardiness and /or early pick-ups will result in your child not receiving a completed level of curriculum due to the shortened length of the program. Confirmation 1 students will be required to attend 10 EDGE nights, and Confirmation 2 students will be required to attend 12 LIFE-TEEN nights. In addition, all families will also be required to attend four other parish events throughout the year for the completion of grade course credit.

4

Attendance and Registration

Attendance: Punctuality and regular attendance is necessary. Excessive class absenteeism will contribute to the child having to repeat the grade. If a child has three or more consecutive unexcused absences, they will be removed from the class and will not be promoted to the next grade, and will result in postponing the Sacraments in second and ninth grade. To receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation, Eucharist and Confirmation students must have completed two consecutive years of basic instruction.

Sports’ and other extracurricular activities are not acceptable excuses for an absence.The Faith Formation Office will be following up with all students who have excessive absenteeism by phone, mail or email to ascertain why they were absent and to assign the make-up work which is expected to be completed by the next class session. We kindly ask the parents/guardians to help their child(ren) with this work and to have it completed, ready and on time. In an effort to keep parents involved in the Faith Formation of their child(ren), homework may be assigned. Please help your child(ren) with this.

Mass Attendance : Parents and children should attend Mass weekly and pray at home. Mass attendance helps strengthen relationships with Jesus and the larger community and is our greatest prayer. It is a precept of the Church. It is why we are here.

Registration: Families wishing to register their children for Faith Formation classes are required to be registered members of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church. Our Faith Formation Program runs from Kindergarten through High School. Students must be five years of age on or before September 1 of the year in which he/she will be entering Kindergarten to register for Kindergarten Faith Formation. Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist are celebrated in the second grade, and Confirmation is celebrated in the ninth grade, provided the students have completed two consecutive years of basic Confirmation Prep.

Fees:The cost of attending Faith Formation is as follows: $35.00 1 child$30.00 2 children$30.00 3 children$115.00 for 4 or more children Sacrament Fee: $10.00 (1st Communion and Confirmation 2)This fee includes text books, and any extra supplies the children will use during the Faith Formation year. Those in need of scholarships may contact Miriam Martin to schedule a meeting.

5

Change of Address, Telephone Number and/or Email Address: Please notify the Faith Formation Office immediately if you should have a change of address, telephone number and/or email address.

Switching Classes: There will be no switching classes once the roster is complete. Please annotate on the registration form if you desire your child to be placed in a certain classroom with a certain teacher. Please do not sign your child into another classroom without approval.

New to our Parish: Any student transferring to the parish from another location, or has been away from the parish program for a significant period of time, must bring written verification of attendance at another parish program. A copy of the child’s baptismal record is necessary for those preparing for the sacraments.

Closing or Cancellation of Class: In the event of a cancelling or closing of class or any other Faith Formation event, an email will be sent to each family. In General, if Columbia County Schools are closed due to bad weather, so will we.

Faith Formation Curriculum : Please visit http://www.loyolapress.com/ for additional information on these and other Faith Formation topics that may be of interest to you.

Grade Publisher Series Title

Kindergarten Loyola Press1st Grade Loyola Press Finding God/Bilingual 2nd Grade Loyola Press Finding God/Bilingual3rd Grade Loyola Press Finding God/Bilingual4th Grade Loyola Press Finding God/Bilingual5th Grade Loyola Press Finding God/Bilingual6th Grade Loyola Press Finding God/Bilingual7th Grade Loyola Press Finding God/BilingualConfirmation 1 Loyola Press Finding God/BilingualConfirmation 2 Loyola Press Confirmed in the Spirit/BilingualHS Program (10th -12th) Ascension Press CHOSEN

Diocesan Curriculum Guidelines6

Kindergarten Goal: Help children develop a relationship with God through knowledge and experience.Outcomes

To help students acquire a basic knowledge of the teachings, practices and beliefs of theCatholic Church. Students will demonstrate that knowledge on informal assessments(class discussions, recitations, art projects, etc.)

To help students to know that they are special persons created by God To help students respect themselves and others because God made them To help students respect all creation as a gift from God To have students show reverence of the Bible as a special book about God and all God’s people To have students show some knowledge of Church rituals and their meanings

First GradeGoal: Help children to know and appreciate that God is their loving Father and creator of all things Outcomes

To introduce the concept of the Holy Trinity To continue to realize, through everyday experiences, that God is present in each person’s life To understand that everyone can trust in God’s love To recognize that people become members of God’s Church through the Sacrament of

Baptism. To understand that love and concern for others is part of being a member of God’s Church To recognize the Sacred Scripture as the living word of God To recite grade - appropriate prayers

Second GradeGoal: Further the understanding that the Church is a community of God’s people; we become a member of the Church family through the sacrament of Baptism, are strengthened through the sacrament of Eucharist, and reconciled through the sacrament of Reconciliation.Outcomes

To foster positive growth development and an awareness of the importance of the sacramental gifts, particularly through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist

To understand the importance of liturgical celebrations To have a good understanding of God’s love and how each person responds to that love To understand that all people are special gifts from God To understand the importance of respecting the environment and the responsibility to be environmentally

conscious

Third Grade Goal: Help students understand the revelation of God through Jesus Christ, Sacred Scripture, and through Church TraditionsOutcomes

To give a simple explanation of the three persons of the Blessed Trinity To expand the understanding of the church and its mission To understand and participate in the liturgical year To name and explain briefly the seven sacraments To introduce students to the evangelical’s activities of the parish community To introduce and develop the structure of church leadership To introduce the social teachings of the church to define a healthy and holy family To explains some major events in the New Testament

Fourth GradeGoal: Help students live more fully their Christian faith through participation in the life of the Church

7

and understand Sacred Scripture, as a means of growing closer to GodOutcomes

To explain the Ten Commandments To learn the Beatitudes To differentiate between Old Testament and New Testament To understand the role of Mary in the Church To make moral decisions with the Church’s teachings To explain the role of the Catholic Christian To identify personal talents and their uses in the Church

Fifth Grade Goal: Help students become more responsible members of the Church and their family through thestudy of the sacramentsOutcomes

To develop a deeper understanding of each of the seven sacraments To become acquainted with the Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy To study Mary, her feast days and the mysteries of the Rosary To assist in planning a liturgy or Para- liturgy To explain why our bodies are sacred To explain the liturgy of the Word and the liturgy of the Eucharist To locate simple Bible passages To exercise responsible stewardship of time, talent, and treasure To use effective community building skills in relating with others

Sixth GradeGoal: Enable the students to recognize and understand that their faith journey is a covenant process beginningwith Hebrew Scriptures (OT), fulfilled by Jesus in Christians Scriptures (NT), and lived out instewardship, communal worship, and prayerOutcomes

To understand that the Bible is the inspired Word of God To demonstrate the skill of finding particular books, divisions, sections, and stories/passages in the Bible To explore God’s Spirit as seen in the Old and New Testament To understand that there are various literary forms used in Scripture To compare and contrast Jewish worship and prayer with Christian worship and prayer To demonstrate stewardship by completing class or school sponsored service projects To understand the liturgical calendar/seasons in light of our Jewish heritage To appreciate various types of worship and prayer

Seventh Grade Goal: Enable the students to understand the life and ministry of Jesus as revealed in scripture and to help themappreciate the meaning and significance of the sacramental life of the Church

8

Outcomes To develop a mature understanding of Jesus as the fulfillment of the Messianic prophecies through

the study of the Bible To experience a variety of prayer forms to assist the students in their growing understanding of the

importance of daily prayer study To appreciate the daily and Sunday Mass readings as part of a cycle that include most of Sacred

Scripture To demonstrate knowledge of Judeo-Christian heritage through the first century of Christianity To demonstrate stewardship by completing class or school sponsored service projects To demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the Liturgical calendar To plan and participate in various types of worship and prayer services To continue to develop the students’ respect for themselves and others maintaining relationships

based on Catholic values and the meaning of Christian community

Eighth Grade Goal: Enable the students to trace the historical development of the Church from the time of Jesus to the present and to understand the mission and ministry of the Church to which we are calledOutcomes

To appreciate the rich heritage found in Sacred Scripture and Church history To outline the major period of Church history; cite important movements, developments, leaders,

heroes/heroines, and saints within each period To understand the precepts of the Church To express creatively a comprehension of the liturgical year and cycles To demonstrate stewardship by completing class or school sponsored service projects To plan and participate in various types of worship and prayer service

Prayers and Responses to LearnEach year there are some prayers or responses to be memorized.

Previously learned prayers should be reviewed each year.9

Kindergarten – Sign of the Cross, The Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, Grace before Meals, Grace after Meals.

First Grade – Sign of the Cross, Doxology (Glory Be), The Lord’s Prayer, Hail Mary, Grace beforeMeals, Grace after Meals, Morning Offering, Prayer to the Guardian Angel, Diocesan Prayer forVocations.

Second Grade – Act of Contrition, Eucharistic Responses at Mass, Grace before Meals, Grace after Meals, Ten Commandments.

Third Grade – Apostles’ Creed; Acts of Faith, Hope and Love; Mysteries of the Rosary; four types of prayer (praise, thanksgiving, contrition, and petition); Ten Commandments.

Fourth Grade – Two Great Commandments, Beatitudes, Ten Commandments, Holy Days of Obligation, Apostles’ Creed, and Nicene Creed.

Fifth Grade – Angelus, Rosary, Hail Holy Queen, Memorare, Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy, the Seven Sacraments.

Sixth Grade – Prayer to the Holy Spirit and review of all previously learned prayers and responses. Seventh Grade – Prayer Journaling, Two Great Commandments, Beatitudes, Ten Commandments, The Lord’s Prayer, and Stations of the Cross.

Confirmation 1 – Creed and Liturgy of the Hours, review previously learned prayers.

Confirmation 2 – All of the above.

Arrival/ DismissalPlease take note, this is for the safety of all our children

10

Sunday Session (Fall): Children are NOT to be dropped off at the curb. All parents are required to sign-in and sign-out their children. Siblings are NOT allowed to drop off or pick up their younger siblings. Students are to arrive no earlier than 10:20 AM and picked up no later than 12:00 PM. If someone besides the parent or guardian is designated to pick up your child, you must supply his/her name on the registration form and/or give a letter or email to Miriam Martin with this information. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Faith Formation Staff. If you are carpooling, please give the information of your group so we have on record who is allowed to pick up your child. NO PARKING IN FRONT OF THE EDUCATION BUILDING AND ALONG THE SIDE OF THE CHURCH TO INCLUDE THE CIRCLE.

Wednesday Session (Fall ): Students CAN BE dropped off and picked up without a parent/guardian signing them in or out. We will have a catechist outside before and after every class directing children and parents. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Faith Formation office. For the safety of our children we are requesting that parents DO NOT park in the circle in front of the Education Building or down along the side of the church. Please talk with and have your students meet you the big parking lot in front of the Parish Life Center.

Visitors: Other than students, Catechists, Catechist Aides and Parish Staff, no persons are permitted in the halls, classrooms, or restrooms during Faith Formation classes and activities without clearance from the front desk. Parents and Guardians are welcome to visit their child/(ren)’s classroom. There will be times when Catechists will invite you to observe and participate in their classes. However, to maintain the safety, security and continuity of all our classrooms, any adult visitations must be pre-approved by the Faith Formation Office prior to this visit. Summer Session: Children are NOT ALLOWED to be dropped off at the curb. All parents are required to sign-in and sign-out their children. Siblings are NOT allowed to drop off or pick up their younger siblings. Students are to arrive no earlier than 8:00 AM and picked up no later than 2:15 PM. If someone besides the parent or guardian is designated to pick up your child, you must supply his/her name on the registration form and/or give a letter or email to Miriam Martin with this information. If you are carpooling, please supply the group information to the Faith Formation office. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Faith Formation Staff.

Medical Conditions: The St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church Faith Formation program is not allowed to give children medication at any time. If your child must receive medication while at class, the parent must administer the medication for their child. It is the parent’s responsibility to let the staff and catechist know of any medical conditions your child may have by providing this information on the registration form as well as verbally letting us know. In case of an emergency, we will call 911 and call you and/or the emergency contact you have provided on the registration form.

Food Allergies: If your child has any food allergies, please write them down on the registration form. We will make sure that the catechist/volunteers are aware of any allergies.

Discipline and Communication

11

Discipline: We are commanded by Christ to love one another. It is important to know that this love flows from respect for one another. This is a good reason for rules, regulations and guidelines. Mutual respect is the basis for the love that binds Christians as a community. Enrollment in Faith Formation at St./ Teresa of Avila implies the willingness of parents and children to comply with the policies and regulations. The entire Faith Formation Staff are committed to establishing an atmosphere of love where children feel safe, secure and happy to grow as children of God. Therefore:

We expect children to be courteous not only to their peers but their teacher. To be prompt for class. To keep classrooms, clean, neat and tidy. To respect the rights and properties of others. To be considerate and helpful. To follow directions. If a child is hurtful destructive or defiant, he/she will be given one warning, if the behavior continues

he/she will be sent to the Coordinator of Religious Education and parents will be notified.

Communication: To operate our Faith Formation program as smoothly as possible, it is important to have communication between you, the parents, and the Faith Formation staff. We ask that each family provide us with a valid email, phone number and mailing address. Our program uses EMAIL and a program call “Flocknotes”. It is imperative that we have a correct email contact information for each of our families. Each Friday (during the school year or during the summer session) a “Flocknote will be sent home with current information pertaining to our programs. Grades specific information will be sent home via email. Please look at the image below to see how the “Flocknotes” will come into your email server.

ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES: We all know how important it is to provide our children with Religious Education to teach them about God, the church, and being part of the Catholic community to strengthen their faith. As a church, we are here to provide you and your family with a variety of opportunities throughout the year. So, please take the time to look at our Flocknotes, calendar, bulletin, and read the special fliers that are sent home with your child.

Sacrament Classes

12

First Reconciliation /First Holy Communion : Both Sacraments are administered in the second grade.

The Sacrament Of First Reconciliation is held in February (but subject to change if needed). Parents and children will attend a day of reflection. Our children will enjoy some breakout sessions that are age appropriate where we will reflect on the Sacrament the children are about to receive. Parents will also have their own (age- appropriate) time of reflection on the important Sacrament that their children will be receiving and possibly receive themselves. Dates and times will be announced.

First Holy Communion is held in May (Mother’s Day weekend) The Sacrament of First Holy Communion is very important for the children, parents and for our parish. Prior to First Holy Communion there will be a day of reflection day for both parent and child. More information will be sent home prior to the Sacraments.

There will not be any videotaping or photography during the Sacraments. We are in Mass and Jesus is present. Therefore, we must be respectful of the Lord. We will have a professional photographer taking pictures before First Communion. He will also be taking a large group picture, which will be available for purchase. Parents may take pictures before and after Mass in the church. There will be absolutely NO videotaping or photography during the sacrament of Reconciliation. Help us to ensure the privacy of the Sacrament.

Confirmation : Confirmation is a two-year program. For your child to receive Confirmation they must have attended both year 1 and year 2 of the Confirmation process. The Sessions will be held on Wednesday nights from 6:30PM – 8:00 PM, or our Summer Sessions in July. Along with consistent attendance to class, the Confirmandi are required to complete service hours, an essay on their Confirmation Saint name and a letter to the Bishop requesting the Sacrament of Confirmation. More information will be provided at the parent meeting TBD. The Date of Confirmation is in accordance with the Bishops schedule given to us by the diocese.

RCIC: This is for Children in the 3rd grade – 7th grade who have not received the Sacraments of Baptism, 1st

Reconciliation or 1st Communion. Catechist, the Faith Formation staff and our priests will help guide these children in their instruction to receive the Sacraments they are missing. Parents must meet with our CRE Miriam Martin, times and events will be discussed.

High School RCIA High School students who are in grades 10-12th and have not received their Sacraments will have an opportunity to do so by attending our High School Faith Formation. Classes are held on Wednesday evening from 6:30 PM – 8:00PM. These students are required to complete all the Service and essay requirements. Student and parent must meet with our CRE Miriam Martin to assess their Sacrament needs.

Faith formation Events13

Living Rosary: October is the month of the Rosary. Children will participate in a living Rosary where they are actively engaged in the praying of the Rosary as a community.

All Saints Festival: Watch the bulletin! Games, food, fellowship and LOTS of candy. Dress up as your favorite Saint or Super hero.

Saint Fair: The Children of our parish will have an opportunity to discover the saints. Each student will pick a Saint, learn about the Saints and present the Saints to all the parish. More information will be sent home at a later date.

Breakfast with St. Nicolaus and Advent Fair: In support of our Youth ministry the children of our parish have an opportunity to share breakfast with St. Nicolaus and dive into some crafts and activities that help them remember “The Reason for the Season”.

Stations of the Cross : Each Lenten Season the Faith Formation classes will present and walk the Stations of the Cross as they learn about our Lord’s Passion and Resurrection.

May Crowning : May Devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary refers to special Marian devotions held in the Catholic Church during the month of May honoring the Virgin Mary as "The Queen of May". St. Teresa of Avila Parish continues this tradition on Mother’s Day at the 12:15 PM Mass. Every child in our parish can participate by carrying a flower to our blessed mother. Please keep an eye on the bulletin for more information.

Vacation Bible School : Vacation Bible School will be the first full week of June. MANY volunteers are needed to make this event a success. Orientation meetings, trainings and work days will begin in January. Watch the bulletin for more information.

NOTE: Participation as a Youth volunteer at any of these events may be used toward the required service opportunities for Confirmation 1, Confirmation 2 and HS Faith Formation students. Additional events and opportunities can be found at our website: www.st-teresa.com/service

Catechist and Volunteers

14

Catechist: We take a great deal of pride in our volunteer teachers and staff. They work as team under the direction of the Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE) to help the children develop appropriate behavior, attitudes, values and knowledge of the Catholic Faith. The Teachers are required to be VIRTUS trained, undergo a background check and sign the diocesan code of Conduct to teach in our classrooms. Our teacher and aides are volunteers who give very generously of their time and talent to serve the children of our parish. If you have any concerns about a class or teacher, please contact Miriam Martin (CRE).

Volunteers: What better way to share your faith in God than with His children? Adult volunteers/catechist are being sought year-round for our classes and other additional Faith Formation Activities. Scheduled trainings will be provided along with VIRTUS Certification. Please contact our Faith Formation Office for more information and/or to sign up.

VIRTUS: PROTECTING GOD’S CHILDREN

VIRTUS TRAINING : VIRTUS: Protecting our Youth: Diocesan policy requires all diocesan adult employees and volunteers who minister to the youth of our diocese or our vulnerable adults, attend VIRTUS awareness training, undergo a background check and read and sign the diocesan code of conduct for working with minors prior to commencing their ministry. PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON THE BULLETIN FOR UPCOMING TRAINING SESSIONS. For more information; please contact Miriam Martin (Facilitator and Administrator for St. Teresa of Avila)

Touching Safety : The Creators of the Protecting God’s children program developed the Touching safety program. This program is provided to us by the Diocese of Savannah and is part of our ongoing effort to help create and maintain a safe environment for children and to protect all children from abuse. Each year this program is presented by our Faith Formation office. As a parent, you have the right to choose whether your student participates. We encourage you to the read the “overview” and the “lesson plan” found on the VIRTUS website at https://www.virtus.org so you are aware of the nature of the program. If you have questions about the program or lesson, please contact Miriam Martin.

Photo/Video Release Form (included on your registration form)At the end of this handbook there is Video/Photo release form. We respect you and your family’s privacy and rights. Please fill out the form and circle YES to give us permission or NO to NOT give us permission to take and use photos of your child. The photos are used from time to time in the parish Sunday bulletin. This gives the parish family a visual idea what our children are doing in the Faith Formation Classes plus the children love seeing their photo in the bulletin and/or the website.

Photos are strictly used in the Parish Sunday Bulletin or the Parish Website.

15

Miriam Martin Coordinator of Religious Education

706 863 0252 Ext. 103mmartin@st-teresa.com

Kristen CroseFaith Formation Assistant (Sacraments)

706 863 0252 Ext. 112kcrose@st-teresa.com

Gabrielle Garcia Faith Formation Assistant (Registrations)

706 863 0252 Ext 104ggarcia@st-teresa.com

For more information, please visit our website http://www.st-teresa.com/faith-formation

Faith Formation Staff Hours: The Faith Formation Offices are in the main office of the Parish Life Center.

The office is open Monday through Thursday from

8:00 AM to 4:00 PM and on Friday from 8:00 AM to 3:00PM.

Any closing or time changes to office hours will be posted on the St. Teresa of Avila Website. If you have any questions, concerns or just want to talk, please feel free

to contact any of the Faith Formation staff members.

16

Faith Formation – Parent PartnershipBaptism establishes a child in an intimate personal relationship with Jesus. The child becomes one of Jesus’ disciples and a member of the community of disciples, the Church. At this same Baptism, parents, the parish community and the parish’s catechists assume together the awesome responsibility to nurture and support the child’s growth in this discipleship. This shared responsibility continues until the child is ready to enter fully into the Church’s life and mission at Confirmation.

Family Faith Enrichment:Various opportunities are provided for the whole family to enjoy together. For example: Sacrament preparation retreats, Breakfast with St. Nicholas, All Saints Festival, Stations of the Cross and Living Rosary. Keep an eye on the bulletin and Flocknotes for other parish activates for your family.

Classroom Visitation:You are welcome to visit your child(ren)’s classroom anytime or come to any of the special events. If you plan to come into a classroom, please check with the Coordinator at least one day in advance. For safety reasons, ALL visitors must check-in and checkout when visiting the program.

Volunteer:Your involvement will serve as the loudest and most significant message to your child(ren). There are many volunteer areas and levels of time commitment from which to choose. Catechists and aides are adults and older high school students who practice their faith and who are committed to the religious formation of the young people of St. Teresa of Avila.

Communication:It is crucial that the Faith Formation office has up to date contact information on each family. If you change your phone number or email, please advise us as soon as possible.

Program Requirements:

Adequate completion of the following requirements will determine the student’s placement for the upcoming school year. The type of make-up work and student advancement will be a joint decision between the Coordinator and the parents.

80% class attendance (K-9). A missed session may require make-up work. Parent must contact FF when child will miss class.

Appropriate behavior, and participating in class (K-9) Participation on retreat (Sacramental prep classes: 1st Communion and Confirmation) Displays knowledge of material (K-9)

17

We invite parents/guardians, catechists and parish representatives to enter into this agreement of partnership, pledging ourselves:

As Parents/Guardians:o To model the faith.o To participate regularly in the weekend Eucharist (Mass).o To provide family prayer, service, and other faith experiences in the home.o To ensure regular attendance in Faith Formation.o To participate in the parent sessions as required.o To cooperate with our children’s catechists and maintain open communication

with them.

As Leaders of the Parish Community:o To regard the catechetical ministry as one of the parish’s central responsibilities.o To model the faith, we seek to share with the children entrusted to us.o To help each child/youth feel welcomed and valued as a member of the parish

community.o To provide opportunities for children and youth to participate with adults in the

parish’s ministerial and social activities.o To schedule parish programs and activities with sensitivity to the family and its

needs.

We enter this Agreement faithfully with a firm determination to fulfill our responsibilities. Furthermore, we agree to abide by the policies described in the family handbook.

Parent: ____________________ Date: _____

Faith Formation CRE: ___________________

18

19