Rejoice! He is risen!

Parent Handbook

Parents are the primary educators of their children. Our program is intendedto work in partnership with parents in order to assist them in living theirvocation as educators of their children. It is intended to complement, notreplace, the catechesis children should receive in the home. We cannot properlyeducate your child in the faith without your help. Your interest and assistanceis vital. Please remember that we are partners in this endeavor.

As we strive to inspire our students to practice their faith in daily lifeand to form sound habits that will serve them for the rest of their lives,please remember that Catholics are obliged to attend Mass each Sunday (orSaturday Evening Vigil Mass) and each Holy Day. This is not an option. Massattendance is MANDATORY and will be monitored year round. Barcodes for massattendance will be given to parents at Meet the Teacher night.

As prayers are not repetitiously taught in class, we ask that you pray dailywith your child at home.

PRAYERS TO LEARN

The Sign of the Cross

Hail Mary

Our Father

Glory Be

Act of Contrition

Apostles Creed

Memorare

Safe Environment

Our catechists are volunteers who share their faith with the children of ourparish, as they assist parents in their role as the child’s primarycatechist. To ensure a safe environment for all our students our catechists arerequired to:

1.Go through an interview process.

2.Agree to a background check.

3.Complete the Virtus - Protecting God’s Children - Child AbuseAwareness Course.

In addition, children in the first level are given instruction on personalsafety through the “How Can I Keep Fuzzie Safe?” program taught intheir class.

Volunteer opportunities are available for:

1.Catechists

2.Classroom Assistants

3.Ushers for Communion and Confirmation Masses

4.Security

Must be over 18 years of age

Admission

Our faith formation program is open to all children in grades K-12. We donot discriminate on the basis of race, sex, nationality or disability.

Children with Special Needs

Providing faith formation for special children is an important part of ourprogram. Every reasonable effort will be made to assist parents to provide thebest possible experience for their children.

Registration Policy

1-Religious instruction in our parish requires a formal registrationprocess. Typically, a child begins formal religious instruction when he/shestarts Kindergarten. Registrations are accepted beginning in May for thefollowing school year. Children must be re-registered each year for FaithFormation; they are not automatically moved to the next grade level with thesame Catechist.

2-Re-registration is done through the Faith Formation Office, beginning inMay, by MAIL ONLY. Forms can be downloaded from St. Jude web site;stjudemb.org. All forms will be kept in order as received. Students are placedin classes starting in June. You will be notified by mail of class assignment.If there is NO class available, your child will be placed on home study. Noregistrations are accepted after December 31st.

3-To register your child for the first time, you MUST come into the FaithFormation Office with the registration form and the child’s originalBaptismal Certificate. For older children who have received FirstReconciliation and First Holy Communion you need to provide their original

certificates for those sacraments as well. All forms will be kept in orderas received

4-Children transferring from another parish’s faith formation programor Catholic School will need to bring in their original Baptismal Certificateas well as a letter of transfer from the previous faith formation programstating levels completed and sacraments received along with the church and dateof their reception. All forms will be kept in order as received.

5-Children who have not received prior instruction may be evaluated todetermine the appropriate level at which they should begin the faith formationprogram.

Fees

1-While the parish covers a substantial amount of the cost of faithformation, a registration fee is required which must be paid at the time ofregistration. This fee covers books, DVDs, videos, mailings, photocopies andother materials used during the school year.

2-In addition, children receiving sacraments will be required to pay anadditional sacramental fee which covers the costs associated with thesacramental masses such as music, certificates, mass booklets, Confirmationrobes, retreat supplies and fees, etc. Information regarding those fees can beobtained upon request.

3-All fees are to be paid directly to the Faith Formation Office, not thecatechist.

4-No child will be denied religious instruction due

to financial concerns. Families experiencing financial hardship shouldcontact the program administrator to discuss their options.

Class Sessions

Kindergarten: To be announced.

Level 1 - 6:

Mon, Wed. & Thurs.: 4:15-5:15 p.m. or 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Saturday: 9-10:00 a.m., 10:15-11:15 a.m. or 11:30-12:30 p.m.

Conf. Prep. I: Wed. - 6:45-7:45 p.m. & additional large groupsessions.

Conf. Prep. II: Mon. - 6:45-7:45 p.m. & additional large groupsessions.

High School: To be announced.

Basic: To be announced.

RCIC: To be announced.

Home Study

Parents may elect to teach their children at home. Students must beregistered in our program and use materials and textbooks which we provide.Students must complete their entire home study packet and Grade Level Report toreceive credit for the year. Students in Confirmation Prep 1 & 2, RCIC 1& 2 and High School are not eligible for home study because of the intensepreparation required to receive the sacraments.

Classes

Classes are offered for students in grades K to 6, provided we have aCatechist teaching that particular grade. If no class is available or ifclasses are full, Home Study is offered. Please note that children in FirstLevel will move up to Second Level as a class. Generally, they will have thesame teacher, day and time for both years.

Confirmation Prep 1 & 2

This is a 2 year program for preparation to receive the Sacrament ofConfirmation. Please note that children in Confirmation Preparation 1 will moveup to Confirmation Preparation 2 as a class. Generally, they will have the sameteacher, day and time for both years.

RCIC 1 & 2

RCIC is a 2 year program for older children who have limited or no faithformation and need to prepare to receive the sacraments of Communion and/orConfirmation. Please note that children in RCIC 1 will move up to RCIC 2 as aclass. Generally, they will have the same teacher, day and time for bothyears.

BASIC 1 & 2

BASIC is a 2 year program for children who have had no faith formation andneed to prepare to receive the Sacraments of Initiation. These students willalso attend a grade level class or RCIC.

HIGH SCHOOL

This is a one year program for students who wish to be initiated into thefaith or to complete their initiation by preparing to receive the Sacraments ofCommunion and/or Confirmation.

Sacraments of Initiation are received at the end of year 2 for Grades 1-8 orat the end of successful completion of the High School program for Grades9-12.

Arrival and Dismissal

1-For the safety of your child, ALL students must be escorted to theirclassroom and picked up from their classroom. Parents are required to sign thechildren in and out of class.

2- Under no circumstances are side doors of the parish center allowed to beused. All parents, students, and catechists are to enter and exit the parishcenter using the main doors off the lobby.

3-No one is permitted in the classrooms unless a catechist is present in theroom.

4-Outside doors of the building will be locked 10 minutes after classesbegin. Once classes begin no one is allowed to remain in the building exceptthe classes that are in session.

If special circumstances arise and anyone else must remain in building, theywill be required to sign in and out at the main entrance and must remain in thelobby area.

5-Children arriving late to class will obtain a late pass from Security andthe PARENT will escort them to class and sign them in.

6. If a circumstance arises where you need to pick up your child early,please obtain an early release pass from Security before you sign your childinto class and let the teacher know you will be picking up your child early.This will allow you back into the building earlier.

7. A note is NEEDED for any child that is not brought or picked up by theirparent stating who will bring/pickup child. The note must be dated and signedby the parent. These notes must be given to the Catechist at the beginning ofclass.

Attendance

Students are expected to attend class each week, to arrive for class on timeand to remain in class for the entire time class is in session. Attendance willbe taken in each class. Parents are expected to take seriously thisresponsibility for their child’s attendance.

1-If a child will be absent the parent must call the Faith Formation Officeto advise of the absence.

2-Only 3 absences are allowed per school year. All work assigned by theteacher to make up these absences must be completed in a timely manner.

3-After 3 absences the parent will be called by the Faith Formation Officewith the possibility of child being taken out of class and placed on homestudy.

4- Make up work will be assigned to all Confirmation Preparation 1 & 2,RCIC 1 & 2 and High School students who are absent from any large grouppresentation regardless of the reason for their absence. Make up work must becompleted and returned to the office in a timely manner.

5-Any child which is determined to have excessive absences will be requiredby the office to take and pass an evaluation at the end of the year. Excessiveabsences for students in the sacramental classes that is; Level 1 & 2,Confirmation Preparation 1 & 2, RCIC 1 & 2 and High School level mayresult in a delay in receiving the sacraments.

6-If a serious health problem arises, it is the parent’sresponsibility to call the Faith Formation Office (not the Catechist) so thatwe may make any necessary arrangements to accommodate your child’s healthneeds.

7-As previously noted, weekly mass attendance is required of all students inthe program. Mass attendance is monitored by way of barcodes which are issuedto each child various times during the school year. If your child attends massat St. Jude, he/she must place the barcode in the baskets which are provided inchurch for that purpose. Do not bring the barcode into the office. If yourchild attends mass at another parish, bring that parish’s bulletin, withyour child’s barcode attached, to the Faith Formation Office no laterthan the Thursday following the mass you attended. Please do not accumulatebulletins for several weeks and then turn them in all at once as the computerwill not accept attendance for any but the current week and your child will notget credit for those masses.

Homework

Catechists may assign homework to their students as a way of reinforcingmaterial taught in class. Students are expected to attend classes faithfullyeach week and to complete all homework assignments.

Emergency Closings and

Individual Class Cancellations

1-When all classes are cancelled due to inclement weather the followingstations will announce the closing:

WALK Radio 97.5 FM

NEWS 12 Television

YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A PHONE CALL FROM THE CATECHIST OR

FAITH FORMATION OFFICE

2-When an individual class is cancelled by the Catechist, he/she will callthe students to notify them of the cancellation.

Books

Ignatius Press, Faith & Life series

Students receive a text book that must be returned to the office in goodcondition at the end of the year or you will incur a charge to replace thebook. If a child loses his/her book a new one must be purchased at anadditional fee. If you wish to keep your child’s textbook at the end ofthe year you may pay an additional fee of $20.00 to do so.

Discipline

Disruptive behavior in the classroom is not acceptable, it interferes withthe catechist and those students who wish to learn. Any disruptive student willbe sent to the office and the parents will be called. Repeated disciplinaryproblems will result in child being removed from class and placed on homestudy.

Student Conduct and Dress Code

1-Respectful and courteous behavior is expected at all times.

2- Students must dress in attire appropriate to a visit to the church. Ourefforts to teach reverence for God and each other include guiding students inhow to best present themselves modestly and respectfully. Please refrain fromtight fitting clothing, short shorts or skirts, bare midriffs, halter tops,spaghetti straps or any shirt/top that exposes cleavage. Pants should be wornat the waist, no sagging pants that expose undergarments, basketball jerseys orsee through mesh that does not have a T-shirt on underneath.

3-Articles of clothing which depict themes of drugs, alcohol, profanity,weapons and innuendo are forbidden.

4- Hats, caps, hoods, etc. are not to be worn in the classroom, parishcenter or Church at any time.

5-For safety reasons Heelies (sneakers with wheels) will not be allowed inclassrooms, Parish Center or Church.

6- Cell phones must be powered off and put out of sight during classtime.

7- Headphones, MP3 players, I pods or any other electronic devices shouldnot be brought to class.

8- No games or toys brought into classroom.

9- No lit candles, matches, cigarette lighters, etc. are allowed to bebrought into the classrooms.

10- ABSOLUTELY NO parties, food or drink are permitted in the classrooms orin the Church at any time. No gum chewing during class or Large Grouppresentation.

11- No unauthorized persons, guests or friends allowed in the classroomduring class. Only children whose names are on the class list are allowed inthe classroom during class time.

12-Students will be reminded of the above guidelines once. If the studentscontinue to ignore the guidelines they will be referred to the office to set upa meeting with the parents.

13-The Parish Center and Church buildings, their furnishings (tables,chairs, blackboards, pews, etc), and grounds are for the use of allparishioners. Their careful and respectful use is expected of all students.Anyone caught vandalizing Church property in any way will be immediately sentto the office and their parents will be called. The family will be heldresponsible for the cleaning, repair or replacement of any damage done by thestudent through vandalism. Depending on the extent of damage, the child mayalso be removed from the program.

14-Any student found in possession of an illegal or unauthorized substanceon parish property or at parish sponsored events will be immediately suspendedfrom the program.

Bathroom

We ask that parents encourage their children to use the bathroom beforearriving for class. If your child has a physical condition that might requiremultiple trips to the bathroom, they must notify the Faith Formation Office andthe catechist.

Change of Address and/or Telephone Number

Please inform the office and the catechist of any change of address ortelephone number.

Medical Conditions

1-Parents should inform the Faith Formation Office of special medicalconditions such as allergies, asthma, auditory or visual impairments, seizures,etc. This information will be shared with staff and catechists on a “needto know” basis.

2-Medications will not be given to any child by a catechist or other staffmember.

3-In the event of an accident or incident, the Faith Formation Office mustbe notified immediately and an incident report must be filled out andsubmitted.

Custody Issues and

Orders of Protection

1-Where an order of protection is in effect, the parent must provide theFaith Formation Office with the original order of protection which will bephotocopied. If possible, a picture of the person against whom the order wasentered should also be provided.

2-Where an order of protection is in effect, the parent or guardian mustprovide a list of names of those persons allowed to pick up the child. Thislist must bear the notarized signature of the parent or guardian.

3-Where there is an order of protection in effect, anyone picking up thechild must present photo I.D.to the catechist.

4-Non custodial parents will have access to information regardingstudent’s progress and reception of sacraments and will be provided withsuch information unless the custody agreement specifically forbids this. Insuch cases, the custodial parent must provide the Faith Formation Office withthe original custody agreement which will be photocopied.

Emergency Procedures and Fire Drills

Emergency exit plans are posted in each classroom and Catechists have beeninstructed of emergency procedures. Fire drills will be conducted once ayear.

Right to Amend

The catechetical leader and the Faith Formation program reserve the right toamend the Parent Handbook for just cause. Parents will be notified if changesare made.

Monthly Calendars

Monthly calendars showing all scheduled Faith Formation activities areavailable online at www.stjudemb.org.

DAYS OFF DURING THE YEAR 2012-2013

Classes begin Monday, October 1, 2012.

All classes end week of April 22, 2013.

THERE WILL BE NO FAITH FORMATION CLASSES ON THE FOLLOWING DATES

October 8, 2012 - Columbus Day

October 31, 2012 – Halloween

November 12, 2012 - Veteran’s Day Observed

November 21 - 25, 2012 - Thanksgiving Recess

(Classes resume November 26, 2012)

December 24, 2012 - January 1, 2013

Winter Recess

(Classes resume January 2, 2013)

January 21, 2013 - Martin Luther King Day

February 13, 2013 – Ash Wednesday

February 18- 24, 2013 - Mid Winter Recess

(Classes resume February 25, 2013)

March 25-30, 2013 - Spring Recess

Classes resume April 1, 2013

St. Jude Parish General Information

Rev. Gregory Yacyshyn Pastor

Msgr. John HeinleinIn Residence

Tom GillenPermanent Deacon

Ken GeoghanPermanent Deacon

Mark HermannPermanent Deacon

Joseph Simeone Permanent Deacon

Mass Schedule

Mon.,Tues.,Thurs. & Fri. 9:00 a.m.

Wednesday 9:00 a.m. & Noon

Saturday 8:30 a.m.

Saturday Evening

5:00 p.m. (Vigil Mass)

7:30 p.m. (Spanish Mass)

Sunday

8:00 a.m. (Italian & English)

9:30 a.m. Children’s Choir

11:30 a.m. Adult Choir

5:00 p.m. (Youth Mass)

Reconciliation

Saturday 4:00 – 4:45 p.m.

Wednesdays 2:00-2:45 p.m.

or by appointment - 281-5743

St. Jude R.C. Church

89 Overlook Drive
Mastic Beach, NY 11951
(631)281-5743

Parent Handbook

Menu

St. Jude R.C. Church

89 Overlook Drive Mastic Beach, NY 11951 (631)281-5743

Parent Handbook

Menu

89 Overlook Drive
Mastic Beach, NY 11951
(631)281-5743