St. Mary Catholic Church
Williamston, Michigan
These Holy Mysteries
St. Mary Catholic Church
Office of Religious Education
157 High Street, Williamston, MI 48895
(517) 655-2520
Father Peter Clark, Pastor
Adam Janke, Director
Angela Mattoon, Secretary
Parish School of Religion
Home School Supplement
September 2012
Dear Home School Parents,
Peace be with you! The Catholic Church recognizes your right to
home school your children as the primary educators of your children.
We are excited you have taken up this responsibility and are choosing
to teach your children the Catholic Faith. The Religious Education
Office here at St. Mary Catholic Parish is here only to help you in this
process, not to hinder.
We are going to keep you informed of upcoming events this year that
you may want your child to participate in, outside of the regular
classes. You can see a schedule of upcoming events at the end of this
packet of information.
Sacramental prep for First Communion and First Reconciliation can
easily be done at home. Sacramental preparation for Confirmation is
normally done in community with the whole parish. If you wish to do
sacramental prep for Confirmation (8th grade) at home, special
arrangement must be made to complete all of the work at home. The
retreat remains mandatory by the bishop.
Please review the home schooling guidelines enclosed as well. If you
have any questions, please call the Religious Education Office at 517655-2520.
In cordibus Jesus et Mariae,
Adam Janke
Director of Religious Education
Home School Resource Person
Contact me with any questions about the content or curriculum. I am
here to help you in your home school journey this year! I will usually
get back to you within 24 hours if I am not in my office when you call
or email me.
Adam Janke, MA Candidate
Director of Religious Education / Catholic Youth Minister
157 High Street
Williamston, MI 48895
Phone: 517-655-2520
Fax: 517-655-3933
Email: ajanke@stmarywilliamston.com
Follow-ups: You are welcome to contact me any time, but I will follow
up with you at least three times a year with a short survey on your
progress. It is important to keep our office informed of your progress
for sacramental purposes.
Textbooks
You will receive a copy of both the Student Textbook and Student
Workbook for each child you register and any other grade specific
books and manuals. The textbooks is to be returned at the end of the
year. We do not provide a copy of the teacher’s manual, but you may
purchase this separately. We do provide copies of the home school
lesson plans written by the publisher. You will have these with your
packet.
New this year, every family will receive free online access (paid for by
the parish), you will receive separate information granting you access
to the online component of the textbook. All testing is done online
and sent to our office for record keeping.
St. Mary Church Ministry & Resource Room
We have accumulated hundreds of resources in our ministry room at
the church. These resources are available for anyone to use at the
parish, but only catechists and home school families may check them
out.
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Books have a 2 week loan period.
Movies have a 1 week loan period.
Sacred Art & Prayer Space Materials have a 1 week loan period.
You may borrow one Bible for the year if you do not have one at
home.
You may use the copy machine for religious education needs.
Access to Religious Education Supplemental Programs
Miraculous Medal Program: Included in this start up packet. This
program helps children memorize the faith while earning holy medals
along the way. Testing needs to be done at the parish by a member of
the pastoral team as the student passes through each level.
Spiritual Adoption Program: Included in this start up packet. Every
child in the parish is adopted by another family who agrees to pray
for them for the rest of the year. It is comforting for parents to know
that another Catholic family is praying for their family every day.
Free On Site Testing Services
You are welcome to test at home or test here at the parish. We will
help you administer regular tests for the material and give you
feedback on the results. Testing in our curriculum is up to you and
how you decide to pass on the faith to your children. Some parents
choose to test more than others.
Access to all Extra PSR Programs
Online Access
See the schedule for more information.
My Catholic Faith Delivered offers online access to the textbooks and
a wide variety of supplemental material. It is included free of charge
and home school families working through our program are expected
to use it.
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Opening Eucharistic Liturgy – A parish wide family oriented hour of
Eucharistic Adoration and praise and worship.
Family Game Nights – Casual family board game and pizza nights at
the parish.
Parent Sacramental Meetings – For parents of 2nd and 9th graders.
Sacramental Retreats – For parents of 2nd and 9th graders.
May Crowning – Our end of year family oriented celebration and
liturgy.
http://www.mycatholicfaithdelivered.com/home.aspx?pagename=Fai
thAndLife
Included with Online Access
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No Additional Cost for Sacramental Preparation
2nd grade and 8th grade are sacramental years and include intense
sacramental preparation through the regular in class program. As
home school parents we both recognize your right to be your child’s
catechist and encourage you to use that right as home school
parents. To facilitate the communal nature of receiving the
sacraments in the life of the Church we will assist you in assuring that
you have completed all of the required preparation so your children
receive their sacraments when you believe they are ready.
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Full Text Voiceover
o Think of the benefits for those audio learners and for
addressing readability level issues
Instant Test Results
o Pre and Post-Assessments for all chapters
o See how your students are doing before and after learning
each chapter
Rich Multi-media
o Videos from Steve Ray, music from the Benedictines of
Mary, etc.
Links to Primary Sources
o All Catechism and Scripture quotes link to the full text
document
Interactive Maps
Engaging Games
o Bible facts games
o Vocabulary flash cards
Online Communities
Video Prayers
Accessible Vocabulary
Supplementary Readings
Recommendations for Weekly Lesson Plans and Yearly
Outline
Most of you already have experience with lesson planning and are
familiar with the texts your child uses. If you are new to the program
though, sometimes a little guidance can help with setting up your
lesson plans. Remember that your creativity will be stretched since
you are teaching at home. A textbook is not a teacher; it is a tool that
will equip you with resources you need to teach.
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The Curriculum – It is helpful if you familiarize yourself with
the student textbook and what the Catholic Church expects
the student to learn this year. Then set up how often and
what time you will meet to teach your child religious
education.
The Textbook – Teacher lesson plans are available on the
digital that will allow you to teach the course at home once a
week. If you would like to purchase the full teacher’s manual
to teach every day at home, you may do so as well.
Lesson Plans
o My recommendation is to start with a prayer &
proclamation, with a scripture reading. The
proclamation is the one thing you want your child to
remember more than anything else. It could be said
that the proclamation of the Mass is the Eucharistic
consecration. All things flow to and from the Eucharist.
In your lesson plan, all things flow from and to your
proclamation.
o Then work through the textbook chapter with your
child, reading it together and explaining and answering
questions along the way.
o After that, have them complete the corresponding
activities from the activity book. You are welcome to
help them in this task. The activities are set up to help
you identify areas from the textbook they did not fully
understand.
o Use your own experience and creative know how to
add extra activities and discussions to the lesson.
When your child sees your own faith and your own
witness to that faith they are much more likely to live
out their own faith as well.
o Finally, close with another prayer, thanking God for
what you learned today, and asking Him to help your
family incorporate it into your own life. Perhaps reread the scripture passage you started with.
 At Home Evaluations: As your child’s educator you will need
make a decision about using the evaluations. You will already
have an idea of how much they are learning and what you
need to review with them as you get into teaching. Remember
that a quiz and test packet is available on your digital disc.
Parish Home School Guidelines
(The Technical Stuff)
Events: Home-schooled children are welcome and encouraged to attend various
events such as festivals and ceremonies throughout the year. Check the website,
bulletin, and master calendar for dates and times.
St. Mary Church welcomes and encourages parents to take up the task of educating
their children in the Catholic faith in their home. Parents have the primary
responsibility to educate their children and the office of religious education is here
to help parents in any way we can.
Testing: Students will be tested during 5th and 8th grade around the same period
that other students in religious education are tested.
Registration & Materials: The student(s) need to be registered in the Religious
Education Program as home schooled children with the required fees. There are
some instances when these fees will be waived. Failure to register each year may
cause a delay in the reception of the sacraments at the discretion of the pastor.
Textbooks and other materials will be provided for home-schooled children. Our
office has a list of approved textbooks. Parents are never required to use our preapproved materials within the normal REP program, however they are required to
use materials approved by the Catholic Church and the Diocese of Lansing.
1. Parents have the freedom to undertake systematic catechesis of their own
children in preparation for the sacraments. For this reason, parents may use other
means to catechize their children in the place of parish-sponsored programs,
subject only to the doctrinal authority of the Church and to the virtue of prudence.
Evaluation: If you have not been previously enrolled in the PSR program at St. Mary
you will need to meet with the DRE to ascertain the readiness of the student to
enter a grade level or for preparation of a particular sacrament.
You will also need to meet with the DRE once each during November, January, and
March to discuss the student’s progress and assist with any questions. These
meetings can take place over the phone.
Sacraments: For Confirmation, we strongly encourage in class participation. If this is
not possible we can arrange for an acceptable textbook and we will work with you
to ensure that they complete all of their requirements for the Diocese of Lansing.
They also need to go on the Confirmation retreat to fulfill that requirement.
You will need to also complete any required paperwork for any of the sacraments
your children are receiving.
We also will ask you to attend all parent meetings in preparation for sacraments as
listed in the regular schedule.
We need you to furnish us with Baptismal Records if your child was not baptized at
St. Mary, Williamston.
If your child will not be receiving the sacraments this year (if you do not feel they
are ready) please let us know as soon as possible. Children normally receive first
reconciliation and first Eucharist in 2nd grade and confirmation in 8th grade.
HOME SCHOOLING PROGRAMS (Diocesan Administrative Regulation 6141.3)
2. Pastors have principal practical authority over the administration of the
sacraments. For this reason, pastors are to judge the eligibility and proper
disposition of the candidates for the first reception of the sacraments and they are
to set the time, place, and manner of the reception of a sacrament, subject only to
the doctrine and discipline of the Church regarding sacraments.
3. When pastors or their representatives require that children must attend parish
religious education programs or that home schooling parents must accept nonessential parish and diocesan regulation of their home catechesis as a condition for
receiving a first sacrament, the pastors violate, not only the parents' right to be the
principal educators of their children, but also the parents' right to religious
freedom, two rights that are morally guaranteed to parents by the teaching of the
Second Vatican Council and subsequent papal teaching.
4. Pastors or their representatives, respecting parents’ rights to be the principal
educators of their children, may not require children in home schooling religious
education to attend parish religious education programs as a condition for the
reception of the sacraments.
This is an example of questions will be asked during evaluations. Evaluations are
held at the end of each November, January, and March.
Home School Evaluation Questions
1. What materials are being used for home study?
2. What have you been studying with each of the children this
year? Have they attended any extra curricular events of a
religious nature?
3. How has that been going? Are you running into any difficulty
or questions that we can help with?
4. Sacramental Years: How has sacramental prep been going?
How else can we help? Has student turned in appropriate
forms? Will they be joining the other students for retreats?