Elementary Parents Handbook

Elementary Faith Development

Parents Handbook 
 

Welcome to Elementary Faith Development at St. Thomas More! Thank you for sharing your children with us and for providing us with the opportunity to help support you in the formation of your children's Catholic faith. We pray that their time in Elementary Faith Development will be a time of growth in their faith, prayer, and love of Christ.

DIRECTOR OF ELEMENTARY FAITH DEVELOPMENT
Julie Hall 919-942-6236 

Maureen Earnhardt joined the Faith Development staff in August 2013.  She has been married to David Earnhardt for 37 years and they have four girls. She lives on a family farm outside Chapel Hill.  Maureen has been a member of St. Thomas More for 20 years and has been involved in volunteering at both the church and the school over the years. She has been chair of the Respect Life Ministry and has loved being part of the music ministry for Vacation Bible School for many years.

WHAT WE DO

Catechesis is instruction and formation in the Catholic faith, both for those who are preparing to be baptized and for those who are already baptized but in need of continuing instruction and formation according to their age and their level of maturity in the Christian life. The Elementary Faith Development program:

• lays the foundation for developing Christian attitudes, values and behavior in a child's earliest years;
• presents religious concepts in accord with a child's age and capacity for understanding and growth in faith;
• approaches children with reverence for their God-given gifts and assists them in making an increasingly personal response to God;
• assists children in the growth of their personal prayer life and spirituality;
• encourages the process of formation of conscience according to age, understanding and the circumstances of life;
• integrates liturgical and Eucharistic formation with religious education;
• provides an environment for young people to grow, especially through the witness of adults;
• instills a sense of mission and concern for others;
• fosters a sense of community;
• encourages the use of imagination, critical reflection, and memory in age-appropriate ways; and
• reinforces the role of parents as the first and best catechists of their children.

Child and Youth Protection

Catholic Dioceses have made great efforts to ensure safety and security for all children and youth while in the care of Church personnel. St. Thomas More Parish abides by the Diocese of Raleigh's full Child and Youth Protection policies:

Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
Policies and Procedures for the Protection of Young People
Code of Conduct for Church Personnel in the Diocese of Raleigh
Report Suspected Abuse
Ten Points for Protecting Children - from the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
What Happens if a Priest is Accused of Abuse?
2019 USCCB Report on the Implementation of the Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People
Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina

Therefore we require that all Catechists and anyone who will ever be alone with children undergo a criminal background check before they begin their work, and all parents and other people sign a “Personal Information Sheet” declaring that they have never been accused or convicted of child abuse. All parents will be asked to sign this 'yellow form' when registering their children. All catechists also have to participate in some training in Child and Youth Protection. Anyone who refuses to do this will not be permitted to be on the premises when children are present. We also expect all catechists and staff to exercise vigilance and care at all times to ensure the children’s safety and security. We ask – and have received – full cooperation from parents in this essential matter.

Catechists will assure children from time to time that their safety and security is very important, and the children are encouraged to confide in a trusted adult is somebody makes them feel unsafe.
 

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR PARENTS

In the blessings for the parents at the end of the Rite of Baptism it says, “May God bless the parents of these children. They will be the first teachers of their children in the ways of faith. May they also be the best of teachers, bearing witness to the faith by what they say and do, in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Therefore we suggest this “job description” for parents of children in Elementary Faith Development.

Parents are called to:

• Believe that they are the primary educators of their children in their faith
• Model Christian values in daily living
• Nurture both a personal and a family life of faith and daily prayer
• Set aside a place in the home as a 'sacred space' with prayer books, a candle, statues, holy pictures or icons
• Share love openly with each other and their children
• Create a peaceful home and be quick to seek and give forgiveness when necessary
• Spend time together at home for meals, prayer and companionship
• Give the example of service to others, especially the poor
• Continue to grow in their own understanding of the Scripture and the Catholic faith
• Keep Sunday as a "Sabbath" by participating actively with their children in Sunday Mass every week, and by refraining from work as much as possible and devoting time to family and friends
• Be aware of the activities and ministries available to the children and youth of the parish and encourage their children's participation
• Support Stewardship in our parish through joyful giving of Time, Talent and Treasure, and encourage their children to do the same.

“Be My Disciples” is published by RCL/Benziger. It encourages liturgical catechesis and incorporates the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church -- creed, sacraments, prayer, and morality -- at every grade level. The program also integrates the Lives of the Saints, Catholic Social Teaching and Catholic Principles for Sexuality into regular lessons. Each child receives a Be My Disciples textbook, which is kept and used in the classroom until the end of the year, when the book will be given to students to take home. There is a tear-out page called "With My Family" every week, containing a summary of the lesson and family prayers, for students to take home and share.

The Be My Disciples website contains excellent resources for catechists, parents and children, and we encourage you to explore it.

SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION

Preparation for the sacraments of Reconciliation and First Eucharist is a two year process that normally takes place in First Grade and Second Grade, for children who have been baptized in the Catholic faith. It is essential to preparation for First Reconciliation and First Eucharist that families are committed to:

• worship together at Mass every Sunday
• participation in Faith Development
• life-long worship and faith formation after the First Eucharist celebration.

An important component of Sacramental Preparation is the family Retreats, for Reconciliation (in October and November) and Eucharist (in February and March).

Baptized Catholic Children older than Second Grade may prepare for the Sacraments through the special Sacramental Preparation program, and unbaptized children aged seven or more may prepare to become Catholics, through Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist, with their parents’ permission, through the RCIA Adapted For Children program. Please see the full Sacramental Preparation Policy.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

Parents are asked to contribute towards the cost of the Faith Development program by paying annual fees of:

• $110 for your first child,
• $100 for the second and
• $50 for the third,

up to a maximum of $250. However, the parish does not wish to lay heavy burdens upon families for whom this sum is difficult to find. Families may apply for help in paying these fees by either spreading payments throughout the year, or reducing the total amount to be paid, or both.

In order to be considered for a scholarship, financial assistance, or a fee payment schedule, you must complete the Scholarship and Financial Assistance Request Form, available from the Office of Faith Development. You must be a registered St. Thomas More parishioner to be considered for this program. The Office of Faith Development honors stewardship in the form of time and talent as well as treasure. Therefore Full-time Catechists, Catechist Assistants, and Volunteers receive free tuition for their children. Please prayerfully consider sharing your time and talent with the children of our parish.

ATTENDING MASS

As Catholics, we believe that the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our Christian lives. As parents, you are your children's teachers and witnesses of our Catholic faith. God has told us to keep the Sabbath holy so we as Catholics do just this by attending Mass on Sunday.  Do not drop your children at Faith Development and attend Mass without them. It sends conflicting message to your children to have them learn about our faith and then see it not being practiced and you are denying them all the graces that come from the Mass. It is very difficult for catechist to help children understand the Mass and sacraments when they do not participate in church. 

BEHAVIOR AND DISCIPLINE

Children learn best in a well-disciplined setting. In a well-disciplined, faith-based setting, discipline is synonymous with respect and responsibility, and love of God, of neighbor and of self. Children in Elementary Faith Development at St. Thomas More are expected to show respect for self, others, and property by

• coming to the classroom on time with a desire to learn about God;
• accepting with a positive attitude classroom guidelines and rules;
• being sensitive to the feelings and ideas of others;
• listening attentively to the person who is speaking;
• properly caring for school property and the property of others.

Good discipline requires the establishment of guidelines and consequences for the classroom. Appropriate behavior will be acknowledged and encouraged; inappropriate behavior, especially behavior that is disruptive to others, will be addressed immediately and directly by the catechist, using suitable methods that model Christian love. The catechist may send a child to the Faith Development Office (in the Teachers' Lounge) if his or her approach is not effective. If a child continues to demonstrate disruptive or otherwise inappropriate behavior, the catechist and/or the Director or Assistant to the Director of Elementary Faith Development will contact the parents, who may be invited to sit with their child for one or several sessions to ensure good behavior.  

COMING AND GOING FROM FAITH DEVELOPMENT

We ask that parents and/or other responsible adults (not older siblings) bring children to and collect children from Faith Development in a timely and orderly fashion by honoring the following requests:

• Please do not bring your children to the STM Hall or classroom before 9:20 AM (session 1) or before 10:55 AM (session 2). Catechists need uninterrupted time to set up their classroom before the children arrive.
• Please go to your children's classrooms to collect your children at 10:40 AM (session 1) or at 12:15 PM (session 2). We ask that you please wait in the STM Hall or entrance way till it's time to go to the classroom. If you need to collect several children from different classrooms the catechists understand this and will wait for you. However, If you are more than 10 minutes late in picking up your children, they will be waiting for you inside the Teachers' Lounge with the Director or the Assistant to the Director of EFD.

IF YOUR CHILD IS SICK

There is no need to call the office or the catechists. Please keep your child home from Faith Development. If he or she currently has, or has had within the most recent 24 hours, any of the following:

• Fever (a temperature of 100 degrees or above)
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Significant and/or persistent cough
• Copious green nasal discharge, especially if accompanied by sinus pain or headache
• Sever sore throat, ear pain, headache, and/or abdominal pain
• Sores and/or a rash that might be a sign of illness
• Red, runny eyes until cleared as non-contagious by a physician
• Any condition that you think might be or know to be contagious to others

By following these guidelines, you will protect not only the health of your child, but also the health of his or her classmates and catechists.

CHILDREN BRINGING FRIENDS TO FAITH DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS

Children sometimes have brought friends with them to Faith Development classes on Sunday mornings. These friends are welcome, but unregistered children present some concerns for several reasons: health, safety and legal issues, and the disruption caused to classes. 

However, we wish to welcome a child who might genuinely be interested in joining the Faith Development classes, for whom the invitation by a friend could be the first point of contact. In this situation, please follow these guidelines:

1. A registered child may bring no more than one other child to a Faith Development meeting. If a child wants to bring a friend to FD, a parent of the child must telephone the Director or the Assistant to the Director to ask permission some time in the preceding week. Permission would normally be given.
2. The parents of the registered child must attest to the good behavior of the visiting child.
3. The parent of the registered child must enquire of the parents of the visiting child if the child has any medical condition which catechists need to know about, and if so, must inform the Director or the Assistant to the Director, who will pass on the information to the catechists. An emergency contact phone number also needs to be left with the catechist.
4. No more than two visiting children will be accepted into any class on any Sunday.
5. If the visiting child comes more than once, enjoys the program and lives locally, we will consider inviting the parents of the child to register permanently for Faith Development, or RCIA-C or Sacramental Preparation as necessary.

Catechesis for Children with Special Needs

Here at St. Thomas More, we believe that all children are created in the image of God, and therefore can know and love God and live as members of a community of faith. Our goal is to include and provide catechesis for every child in the parish. We are guided by the words of St. Paul, speaking of the Church as the Body of Christ:

"It is precisely the parts of the body which seem to be weakest which are indispensable, and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with greater honor. ... God has so composed the body, giving the greater dignity to the weaker part, so that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is given special honor, all rejoice together." (1 Corinthians 12:22-23a, 24-26)

Parents are therefore invited to bring their children with special needs to participate in the Elementary Faith Development program. We will do our best to assess the gifts and needs of each child, and we will work with parents, siblings, catechists and other children to enable your children to participate to the greatest extent possible. In particular, we will make every effort to enable all children to prepare for and celebrate the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist and Reconciliation.

For more information please see the Special Needs page.