Religious Education
Guide & Policies
Everything you wanted to know, AND even more!
ARRIVAL: Please arrive 15 minutes prior to your class in order to prepare the room and
yourself for the class.
LESSON PLANS: Curriculum guides and lesson plans are available on line.
Go to the web site www.stannparish.org click through the following options:
> ‘Formation and Education’>’Children (k-5)>Religious Education (R.E.)
Gray box on right >Religious Ed Catechists > Grade level> Lesson number
The Curriculum Guide and two lesson plans will be supplied at Curriculum Night.
The lesson plans will be continually added to the web site over the year.
If you do not have internet access or if this is a hardship, you can request a copy
of the lesson plans from the R.E. Office.
CLASS MATERIALS: All class materials (video, craft, etc.) for each week’s lesson will be
found on the grade level tables located in the hallway outside the Children’s Religious Education
(R. E.) Office. If materials are marked “optional” in the lesson plan, then these materials come
from the catechists if you choose to do so. Also on the table are the calendar, information, and
flyers that need to be sent home with the children. Each table is marked by grade. Materials are
usually labeled by room number.
PRAYER TABLE MATERIALS: Prayer is personal. Please consider using the prayer
suggestions in the text and lesson plan. However, personalize with items from home, for
example a nativity crèche or your favorite rosary. However, please take home with you at the
end of class. DO NOT STORE IMPORTANT PERSONAL PRAYER ITEMS IN THE CLASS.
The prayer cloth is provided. There are some grade level items (Apostles’ Creed card,
seminarian picture) that are provided by RE.
SHARED SPACE: All rooms are shared space. Please be mindful of other program’s
materials that are in the room. Do not allow the children to ‘pick at’ displays. If you move
any items, please return to original spot.
INCENTIVES: We encourage you to use a variety of rewards. We have tried to
incorporate fun learning games and activities. We also have treats and candy rewards
planned in. Going outside for class is a good incentive, too. Please be sure to leave a note
in the classroom, for late comers and staff. As the year progresses, you will receive
updates on available incentives. And, of course, your praise for good effort, kindness, and
behavior is strongly encouraged.
You may need to augment this, especially with the younger grades. We have stickers that
you can request. With 10 stickers the kids can come to the office for a trip to the treasure
box.
We will update you on seasonal incentives throughout the year.
END OF THE CLASS: For security reasons, please do not allow your students
out of your classroom before the bell rings. Parents are to come to the first class to
complete the pick up permission slip. This form identifies how the parent wishes for the
child to be dismissed. (See below under “permission slips” for more details.) Keep this form
in your attendance folder.
TIP: Have forms in hand to give to parents as they walk in door with children on the first
day. If parents sign the form, you can honor on the first day.
Parents will either come to the classroom to pick up the children, or the children will go to
the designated pick up areas to wait for their parents.
Catechists, please sign up to help with monitoring the pick up areas 2-3 times during the
year. There will be a sign-up sheet in the R.E. Office. Office volunteers will also bring this
form to your class.
We have recruited a few cleared volunteers to serve as traffic monitors. They are the
volunteers wearing the safety vests.
AFTER CLASS: Ask class to police the room, prior to release. Once your class has
ended, please put room back to original state (put any furniture you moved back, etc.).
One team member should return materials to the grade level table. Help children with pickup procedures.
**IMPORTANT: PLEASE BE SURE TO RETURN ALL VIDEOS, BOOKS, ETC…
TO THESE TABLES** This is essential! We are having a lot of problems with this; all
materials must be returned to their proper places or there will not be enough materials for
the next class. Don’t assume that the class following you is the same grade in your
classroom; this isn’t always the case. Return all materials properly to avoid any confusion.
If you wish to stay to plan for the next class, we encourage your teaching team to move to
another meeting area – i.e.: the Assembly Room, Resource Room, Courtyard. Another
teaching team may be coming into the class behind you!
SAFE ENVIRONMENT
CLEARED VOLUNTEERS: St. Ann Catholic Parish adheres to the safe environment
policies of the Diocese of Dallas. All volunteers must be cleared in order to participate. If
you have any questions as to your status, please contact Loreen, ext. 1203. PLEASE
WEAR YOUR RE SHIRT AND BADGE DURING CLASS TIMES. It is a big help in
identifying cleared adults.
TWO ADULT RULE: There should always be two cleared adults present with the
children. NEVER leave the children unattended. If you do not have at least two cleared
adults, contact the RE office (ext. 1202 or 1203). An office volunteer will come to assist you
with class.
ANNUAL TRAINING: Your cleared status is dependent on your annual training. EACH
year, you must attend a safe environment workshop. In addition, your background check is
updated every TWO years.
BATHROOMS: We ask that you encourage children who need to use the restroom to
use the one in the classroom. If your classroom does not have an attached bathroom, or
should you be in the church, one cleared adult should accompany at least two children
(recruit a volunteer, if needed!) that needs to use the common restroom. Please stand
outside of the restroom, while the child(ren)enters. Keep the door either open or ajar so
that you can monitor the restrooms. However, give the children privacy. Obviously, if the
child is ill or in need of assistance you may enter to help them.
CANDLES AND FLAMES: Open flames are NOT ALLOWED in the classrooms, by
diocesan and parish policy. A battery operated candle is in the cabinet for use on the prayer
table. Please DO NOT bring candles, lighters, ‘strikers’, or matches from home.
SEVERE WEATHER: We follow the closing postings of the CISD. In the case of school
closings, we will not have RE on that day. IN THAT EVENT, we will post on the web site, on
the phone system, email to catechists and parents. We ask that you contact your students
via phone. (Catechists can divide up group, so that it is only 5 or so phone calls.) It is
important that you have a copy of your class list with you (at work, at home), so
that you can call them. We have a nifty excel spread sheet posted on the web site for you
to use to gather contact information. You download this form to use on your personal
computer. You cannot access a list of your class from the website.
EMERGENCY WEATHER: We have a weather radio on during R. E. times. In the case
of severe weather you will hear an announcement to follow the safety plan. In case of a
loss of electricity, you will hear three short blasts from an air horn. A copy of the safety
plan is in your attendance folder and posted on the wall. Please be familiar with the
evacuation route for your class. Take your cell phone, your attendance folder, and the
children. Leave everything else.
FIRE EMERGENCY: The fire escape plan IS DIFFERENT from the emergency weather
escape plan. Please review the plan that is posted on the wall by the door and is in your
attendance folder. In case of a fire drill or actual alarm, please take your attendance folder,
your cell phone and the children immediately. Check that the bathroom in your room is
empty.
NURSERY: In case of fire or severe weather emergencies, please take care of the
children in your class or assigned area. The office volunteers will go the nursery to help
with the evacuation.
ABSENCES / ATTENDANCE:
LEARN THE CHILDREN’S NAMES: The best way to quickly take attendance is to
know who is in your class by name. Get to know the children and use their names.
Remember to introduce yourself. We have name tents to help you and the children. Just
ask for them.
ATTENDANCE SHEETS: The R. E. Office provides a class list. Catechists are to fill in
each student’s name on the attendance sheet. This will be done at the Planning Session
held the week prior to the beginning of R. E. classes. The attendance sheets and class lists
will be kept in the folders in each class’s basket.
Attendance code:
USE A PENCIL, USE THESE CODES ONLY:
Mark “√” for present,
“A” for absent, DO NOT MARK EXCUSED OR UNEXCUSED, ONLY Absent!
“T” for tardy, if 10-30 minutes late or if they leave 10-30 minutes early.
3 “T”’s = A, at third tardy, mark as absent
Catechists are to log their attendance, too!
If a child misses more than 5 classes total, families will be contacted. Unless there are
extenuating circumstances, the child may be asked to come in for an interview to ensure
learning or the year will not count towards sacramental preparation.
At the end of the year each catechist is to sign the attendance sheet in the space provided
prior to returning the sheets to the R. E. Office. Remember to include the names of each of
the catechists.
VOLUNTEER ABSENCES:
In advance, contact your team and the R. E. office, if you cannot attend.
The Religious Education phone # is 972-393-5544 (dial “4” then “2” if you get the
automated attendant).
This is very important, as we must be properly staffed for each class, nursery and office
time. If you have found a cleared substitute, please give the Office their information as
well.
ABSENCE FORMS (student):
“Peach” colored forms in the expanding folder in the supply cabinet.
After roll is taken, an absence form is to be filled out completely, even if no students are
absent. If all children are present, mark as ‘No Absences’. Bring form to the R. E. Office
within the first 20 minutes of class. In addition, please closely monitor each student’s
attendance.
Once a child has missed 3 classes in a row or 5 total, please notify the R. E. Office.
This is especially important for all students who are preparing for sacraments.
Also, please notify the office if a student has more than 3 tardies.
If a student that was put on the absence form shows up late, please notify the R. E. Office
so we can mark them off our absence sheets.
In R. E., the relationship between catechist and student is an important one;
it is important that catechists contact a child’s family, after he/she has missed a couple of
classes. Call, email, or, there are ‘We missed you’ postcards in the R. E. office. Please
address and we will mail them.
Hi, I’m your child’s catechist. He has been absent for a couple of weeks. We’ve
missed him. Is everything o.k.? Will he back soon?
On the ABSENCE FORM is a column asking if the catechist was contacted by the
parent concerning the student’s absences. Please indicate if you have heard from
the parent – or another responsible adult. Please include any information that you have
received from the parent. This will indicate to the office if we need to contact the parent or
not.
SERIOUS MEDICAL CONDITIONS OR SURGERY:
Should you find out that a child in your class is seriously ill or will be having surgery, please
contact the office. The Prayer Shawl Ministry makes child size prayer blankets in
appropriate colors. If you know about a surgery beforehand, you can make the gift of the
prayer shawl part of the class. Or the R. E. Department can work with you on delivering the
shawl to the child.
FORMS
CONTACT/PERSONAL INFORMATION:
You have access to important personal information. Please treat this as such.
Addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses are to be used ONLY for contact that
pertains to Religious Education. This is the ONLY authorized use.
To reduce spam activity, please send all emails using a Blind Copy feature.
All communication should be directed to the parents.
PERMISSION SLIPS: These forms are given to each student on the 1st day of class to
be filled out by their parents. Many parents, especially those whose children have been in
R. E. before, will come by before the start of class. It is o.k. to release these children after
the first day of R. E., IF you have the completed forms.
The completed forms should then be returned to the catechist and kept in
the attendance folders in the classroom. This form indicates how the parent will
pick up their child from R. E. Each child must have a permission slip filled out by a parent.
Unless you have a signed permission slip, children are to remain in your classroom with a
catechist. After 10 minutes, if a parent has not picked up the child, please bring the child to
the office. There is a sign in form for children being left in the office. PLEASE sign in the
child.
TIP: 1st) have parents at the door pick up children from classroom. 2nd) have children who
are going to pick-up zones, line up by zones. Walk them to the zones. 3rd) hold or release
children of catechists as they have requested.
If a parent is more than 10 minutes late picking up, please bring the child to the
R. E. Office. The children will wait until the parent can sign them out. Monitors and
Catechists (on a voluntary sign up basis) will help monitor the children at pick-up points.
CLASS CHANGE FORMS: Forms for a student class change request are located in the
R. E. Office. One of these gold forms must be completed for any class change. All changes
must go through the R. E. Office. The R. E. Office personnel will notify the parent if the
requested change can or cannot be fulfilled. A copy of this form will be given to the
catechists so they can update their class attendance records as required.
* Should you have a child in your class that is not on your roster, please bring
that child to the R.E. Office. All additions, deletions, or changes to the roster MUST
come through the R.E. Office. *
MEDICAL CONCERNS: In your class attendance folder, you will find a copy of the
registration forms for all students. These forms will show any medical concerns as reported
by the parent. Please be sure to give special attention to these concerns.
ALLERGIES: Respect all allergy notices. Be very aware of nut allergies. Do not think a
small amount won’t hurt! IN GENERAL, avoid nuts in foods or snacks served at R. E.
INJURIES: Use your discretion. In case of a serious injury, call 911. Then call the
office. For small, ordinary “boo-boo’s”, bring the child to the office. A First Aid kit is in the
workroom. It contains basic first aid: band aids, etc. We cannot distribute any medication,
over the counter or prescription, to children. ONLY parents may give medication.
All injuries must be reported & an incident/injury form completed. Forms are in the office.
REQUISITION FORMS: Requisition forms are yellow half sheets found in the
expanding folder in the supply cabinet. You do not need to requisition materials used in
the regular lesson plans, unless otherwise notified.
Requisitions should ONLY be used when the supply cabinet items need to be replaced or
when requesting an item to enhance a lesson. Lesson enhancements MUST be submitted
two weeks in advance, and are subject to DRE approval.
You may drop the completed requisition form in the acrylic envelope outside the
R. E. Office.
All weekly lesson items will be placed on tables in the hall, indicated by grade
level. Take enough for the students in your class. Return all unused items to the
tables after class, for use by the next class.
All items taken from the supply cabinet or drawer are to be returned at the end of each
class. The next class can then retrieve the supplies needed for their lesson.
Please do not place anything into the cabinet/drawer that wasn’t there originally. These
cabinets/drawers are used by 11 other classes and there is not enough room to keep
supplies for individual classes in them.
Please use your basket for all items that are for your class specifically.
Following is a list of items that we keep in the supply cabinets/drawers in the classrooms:
1 Boom Box
1 battery operated candle
NO MATCHES, LIGHTERS OR CLICKERS
Chalk / Eraser
20 Classroom Scissors
2 Teacher Scissors
Crayons
Markers
Glue
15 Glue Sticks
1 One-Hole Punch
1 Three-Hole Punch
25 Pencils
1 Electric Pencil Sharpener
Masking Tape
Tape Dispenser with one extra roll of tape
Stapler with One Box of Staples
1 box of Kleenex
Grade Specific Music CD’s
Classroom Bibles
1 Standing Crucifix
3 black Sharpie Markers
RE Forms (Absence, Question for Mrs. K,
Supply Requisition) in expandable file
1 Altar Cloth
Scrap Paper
Flashlight
Hand Sanitizer
Items available by special request:
The following items are available by special request. The quantities are limited
and they are used in some lesson plans, so may not always be available. Please
request a week in advance.
Mr. Potato timer
Rubber chickens
Toilet Plunger
Fly swatters
Hula hoops
Tug of War ropes
Parachutes
Maracas
Toy microphones
Clip on & wrist bells
Beach Balls
Play balls
Blue Buckets
Large tubs
Jump ropes
Frisbees
Pom Poms
Bean Bags
Large brooms
Puppets
Bucket Blast game
Hyper dash
Duck hats
Cards
Egg & spoon set
Indoor Bowling
Ring Toss
Cones
Toilet Paper
Costumes: lots of fabric to drape, sheets, Roman soldier gear, GoGo Hat, Police Helmets,
cowboy hats, Sherlock Holmes hat, top hats
MRS. K: Our Director of Children’s Religious Education is Debbie Kaluza. Please refer to
her as ‘Mrs. K’ when speaking to the children. Her role is explained to the children as the
‘Principal of R. E.’
A QUESTION FOR MRS. K: Should you have a question for Mrs. K (Debbie Kaluza,
Director of Children’s Religious Education), please fill out the form (found in the expanding
file in the supply cabinets) and drop it off in the acrylic envelope outside the R. E. Office.
Debbie will respond either with a personal visit to your class or with a written response to
the student or catechist.
CLASS MANAGEMENT
HOW YOU WILL BE ADDRESSED: This is a decision of the catechetical team.
Please be consistent in how the adults will be addressed. You can choose from: your first
name (Bob); title with first name (Mr. Bob); title with last initial (Mrs. M); or title and last
name (Mrs. Hill). All have been used.
HOW TO ADDRESS YOUR CLASS: This is a decision of the catechetical team.
Some examples: class, children, disciples, church, friends. For the third grade year, church
is especially appropriate. For second and fifth grade, ‘disciples’ fits well with the curriculum.
‘Friends’ is always nice.
PARTIES: There are two official parties, Christmas and end of year celebration. You
have options as how to provide food and drink. A) divide responsibilities among the class;
B) suggest a donation from the class to cover the cost and you purchase; C) you provide
part or all. Just make sure that you let the families know at least two weeks in advance.
SNACKS: Regular snacks are not allowed during RE. It became a dominating factor in
the classes. You can send home a note suggesting that children get a snack before class.
You are welcome to provide a nutritious treat, as a reward or as reinforcement to the
lesson (Goldfish to tie with Christian symbol of a fish, etc.)
COORDINATORS: We appreciate our grade coordinators! These volunteers are
experienced catechists who help at a specific grade level by giving a ‘heads up’ on
upcoming events, serving as a resource, gathering feedback from the catechists, giving
input on lessons, and organizing the Big Event.
Our goal is to have a coordinator for each grade. We thank Bob Palmer, 4th grade
coordinator and Jackie Stewart, 5th grade coordinator.
Anyone interested in 1st, 2nd or 3rd grades?
THE RELIGIOUS EDUCATION OFFICE: The staff in the Religious Education
Office is here to support you in whatever way we can. If there is a need or concern, please
let us know as soon as possible so we can help.
Ruth Rivadeneyra
Loreen Shillinglaw
Mary Leonard
Kim Cesario
Tena Allain
Jessica Borges
Debbie Kaluza
Monday and Tuesday nights
Tuesday nights
Wednesday nights
Thursday nights
Sunday
Sunday
Monday-Thursday, Sunday
Bilingual R. E.
R. E., database
R. E., Fees, Bills
R. E., CLW
Sunday School
Sunday School
R. E., Bilingual R. E.
The Religious Education phone # is 972-393-5544 (dial “4” then “2”).
RELAX AND HAVE A GREAT YEAR!!!