Religious Education
Handbook
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Aurora, OH
2015 ~ 2016
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Mark Your Calendar …………………………………………………………………… ..1
Faith Development ……………………………………………………………………….2
The Faith Community …………………………………………………………………….2
Sacramental preparation ……………………………………………………………….3
2015 ~ 2016 Calendar ……………………………………………………………………4
Policies:
Admission ………………………………………………………………...............5
Attendance, Absence Reporting and Dismissal.……………………….….5
Emergency Closings …………………………………………………………….5
Classroom Behavior ………………………………………………………….....6
Discipline Code ……………………………………………………….………....6
Electronic Devices ………………………………………………………………6
Communication with Parents …………………………………………………6
After School PSR Program Information ………………………………………7
Extracurricular Policies and Forms ……………………………………………7
Health and Safety ……………………………………………….………………7
Child Protection …………………………………………………….……………7
Registration and Fees …………………………………………………………..8
Student Envelopes ………..……………………………………………………..8
Parent/Student Agreement ………………………………………………..….9
Dear Parents & Guardians,
PARENT/GUARIDIAN & STUDENT AGREEMENT
As a parent/guardian of a child in the Our Lady of Perpetual Help
PSR program, I recognize the partnership in which I share with the
parish and PSR staff in the faith development and religious
education of my child. Because of my deep concern for the
forming of my child in the Catholic faith, I pledge to support the
parish in the following ways:
 I am a registered member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish
 I and my child(ren) will join regularly with my faith community in
the Sunday Eucharistic celebration.
 I will seek for ways to serve the parish community with my time
and abilities.
 I will foster an attitude of stewardship in my child(ren) by word and
example of gratitude to God for the many gifts of our lives and a
willingness to share of our time, talent, and treasure.
 I will financially support the parish through weekly contributions in
church envelopes, parish monthly mailer or parish pay.
The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
____ _
This handbook has been prepared to make clear the intentions of religious education
at Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Please keep it handy during the year and refer to it for
general information. If you have any questions, ideas, suggestions, or concerns,
please do not hesitate to call us at 330.562.8519.
We look forward to our time this year with you and your children. We ask for your
support and prayers as we begin this year together. We pray for you, too. May we all
grow closer to God and to one another as we journey together in faith.
In Christian love and joy,
Rev. James M. Daprile, Ph.D.
Pastor
Margaret Ann Clapp
Director of Religious Education
Nancy Flanik
PSR Coordinator
________
Print Parent/Guardian First & Last Name
Parent/Guardian Signature
As a student in the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish PSR Program, I pledge to
do my best to learn and grow in my faith. I will act with respect towards myself,
other students, members of the parish, and God’s creation. I will join with my
parish community to celebrate Sunday Eucharist.
Signature of Student
Signature of Student
Signature of Student
Signature of Student
SIGN AND RETURN THIS SHEET WITH YOUR REGISTRATION INFORMATION
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STUDENT ENVELOPES
Each student will receive a box of offertory envelopes. Children will be expected to use them weekly by placing
them in the Sunday collection basket. They are meant to help the child’s reflection on how they shared their gifts of
Time, Treasure and Talent in the previous week.
PLEASE NOTE AND MARK YOUR CALDENDAR
Parent Meetings for Families NEW to Our Program (mandatory)
REGISTRATION, FEES, PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
To enroll a child in the religious education program, a parent/guardian should be a registered member of Our Lady
of Perpetual Help Parish. It is expected that families attend Mass regularly.
In an effort to pay for our program costs our fee schedule is two tiered for families who meet different levels of
Stewardship. Each family situation is looked at individually. No child is excluded from Religious Education because
of an inability to pay fees.
Fees are based on family’s annual gift donations to the parish
$10 weekly expectation.
A Parent/Guardian of students NEW to our programs or returning after three
years (PSR as well as Family Program) will be required to attend an orientation
session prior to the start of the Religious Education Sessions for the 2014 - 2015
year. At that time we will review our parish policies to acclimate our new
families to our program. This will also be an opportunity for questions and
answers. Attendance at this orientation meeting is a prerequisite before a
NEW student can begin to attend classes.
Fee Schedules
Please attend the ONE meeting that best fits your schedule:
EARLY Registration Fees apply if registration is received by August 10
Sunday, August 30, 12:30 p.m. – in the church OR
Tuesday, September 16, 6:30 p.m. - in the hall
*Schedule A
OR
Per Pupil Cost Parish Subsidy
Fee
1st child $375 - $300
2nd child $375 - $325
3rd child $375 - $350
4th child $375 - $375
$100
$ 75
$ 50
$ 25
=
=
=
=
Before 8/10/15
$75
$50
$25
$ 0
*Schedule B
Per Pupil Cost Parish Subsidy
Fee
Before 8/10/15
1st child $375 - $200 =
2nd child $375 - $250 =
3rd child $375 - $275 =
4th child $375 - $375 =
$200
$150
$125
$ 25
$175
$125
$100
$ 0
Family Program Subtract $25 per child
Family Program Subtract $25 per child
ALL First Reconciliation/First Eucharist Students …. $70
ALL Confirmation Students (Grade 8 OR older)…………..$70
High School Youth Ministry: No charge to families. Parish fundraising activities are in
lieu of fee.
Sacramental Fees
Total payment is expected at the time of registration. Each family receives their fee schedule in their
registration packet. If a family is unclear about their fees, please call the parish office for clarification.
See the registration form for payment options.
Any previously unpaid fees must be paid prior to registering a child for the current year.
If you are experiencing a financial difficulty please call the parish office to make an appointment with a
Finance Council member or Fr. Daprile.
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Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish
342 S. Chillicothe Rd.
Aurora, OH 44205
330.562.8519
WWW.OLPHAURORA.ORG
-
CHECK OUT OUR
FACEBOOK PAGE: WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/OLPHAURORAOH
TO KEEP UPDATED WITH CURRENT HAPPENINGS AT THE PARISH
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FAITH DEVELOPMENT
AFTER SCHOOL PSR PROGRAM INFORMATION
The Church teaches that we are a Pilgrim People, journeying together in faith and hope.
Some of us have been on the road a long time, some not so long, and some only a short
distance. No matter how long any one of us has traveled, we all have something to learn from each other and our
relationship with God as individuals and as a Christian community.
Our Lady has a contract with the Aurora City Schools to transport children grades K-5 to our religious education
program on Mondays and Tuesdays immediately after school. This service cost our program approximately
$1200.00 per year.
Life in Catholicism is so rich with opportunities to express our relationship with God that we can never reach the
end of them. We have much to share with each other in prayer, in learning and in service. Generation to
generation, faith is handed on and handed back, responding always to the life-giving breath of the Spirit of God.
The Church lives and grows because of the handing on of faith.
Religious education is part of that handing on and handing back, and is meant to assist and support all the
learning and teaching that takes place in families. The Church tells us again and again that parents and those who
act as parents are the first and best teachers of children. From parents, children learn who God is, what it means
to live a Gospel life, how to pray and why we participate in the life of the Church.
Faith formation programs in the parish are meant to provide opportunities for everyone to recognize and grow in
relationship with God and with God’s people. Those of us who work in the elementary and middle school level of
the religious education program at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish are privileged to accompany you and your
children as we all answer the Gospel call. We will do our best to share with your children in developmentally
appropriate ways of understanding the person and message of Jesus Christ. At every age level we convey our
understanding of Scripture, liturgy, the Church and the natural world, and how these lead us to a living, thriving,
and vibrant relationship with God.
THE FAITH COMMUNITY
As Catholic Christians, we take comfort, inspiration, joy, and peace from our belief that God is at work in the life of
each of us and of the community gathered together in the name of Christ Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit.
We are by nature and by tradition a people who gather together, who believe that our relationship with God is
beyond the one-to-one. We recognize that our communion with God involves our communion with other people.
At the center of our lives in community is the Sunday Eucharist in which we gather. We tell the story of God’s
presence to the people of our sacred history and to us, share in the meal that is our salvation, and are sent forth to
love and serve. Our religious education program teaches that our celebration is the most important action of our
lives together as Catholic Christians. As you are the first and best teachers of your children, passing the faith on
to them means that your participation in Mass is essential.
At the conclusion of Mass, we are sent forth to love and serve the Lord and one another. We do that as individuals
and as members of a community. Through the year, there are opportunities to serve the poor, the infirmed, and
the hungry through activities at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish. Again, your participation in justice and charity
through the parish is a primary teaching activity with your children.
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Craddock School children in the 1st and 2nd grade are transported to our parish first. The same bus then picks
up children at Miller and Leighton schools. Parishioners with children who live outside of the Aurora School
District are welcome to attend our program. These families must provide their own transportation.
Aurora families are also permitted to pick up their child at school and drive them here if they so choose. Please
inform us on the child’s registration form if this is your option. Morning only Kindergarten children are also
welcome to our program providing parents transport them to Our Lady at the appropriate time.
For children transported by bus, parents must sign an “Aurora City Schools Alternate Transportation” form, and
turn it into the child’s school office. This form can be found on the Aurora schools website.
After children arrive and attendance is taken, we provide a snack and drink in the parish center. It is extremely
important we know of any food allergies. Please provide that information on the Emergency Medical form. We
then pray, have announcements, bathroom time, and give children time to socialize before returning to the
classroom. Pick up is at 5:15 p.m. See dismissal information on page 5 in this handbook.
EXTRACURRICULAR POLICIES AND FORMS
Student participation in activities away from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish property will require a permission
form, which will be supplied at the time of invitation to the activity. A copy of this form is available from the Director
of Religious Education.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
If a child becomes sick during a PSR session, he or she should report to the PSR Office who will notify the family
to come and take the student home.
In the event of an accident or injury, the parents will be notified as soon as reasonably possible. Reasonable first
aid will be undertaken if it would serve to minimize the severity of the injury. Soap, water, Band-Aids, and ice may
be applied, but no other measures or medication.
If there is a change in the emergency contact numbers you provided on your child’s emergency medical
form, please notify the PSR office as soon as that takes effect.
CHILD PROTECTION
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Religious Education Program is in compliance with all the provisions of the
Child Protection Policy of the Diocese of Youngstown, promulgated June 14, 2008. Copies of the Diocesan policy
are on file in the Religious Education office. If you would like a copy, or further information, please contact the
Director of Religious Education.
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SACRAMENTAL PREPARATION
CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR
The emphasis of classroom behavior is on the respect and dignity that belongs to each person and to creation
because God made us all. All people in the program are called by their baptism to remember that we respect each
other, we respect our subject, we respect ourselves, and we respect our surroundings. We are also willing to
accept and include others, forgive others, and accept responsibility.
The sacramental life is one of the distinguishing characteristics of Catholicism. We live in
wonder and awe of the power and love of God, which we recognize in God’s
creation, in moments when we are clear and certain that God is with us in the beauty of
our humanity here on earth.
Respect for each other means:

Teachers and leaders are to be treated with respect by students.

Students will be treated with respect by each other and by teachers and leaders.

Respect for our subject means that students and teachers come prepared, with
home assignments completed.

Respect for our surroundings means that we all attend to the conservation of the
natural resources God has given us and to the materials human beings have made from them. Therefore,
waste and damage to property is forbidden. For this reason, gum chewing is not permitted. Any damage
done by a student to the facilities must be paid for by the student or parent/guardian.
The role of catechesis is preparing to celebrate sacraments, assist children with understanding how God is at work
in our lives and how we respond as individuals and as a people.
DISCIPLINE CODE
Students are expected to act in accord with their baptismal call, respecting all people and creation. Teachers
enforce this way of behavior and may add classroom rules of their own, which students should also follow.
If a student behaves in violation of this basic stance, the catechist will speak to the student about it. If the student
continues to repeat the inappropriate action, either the PSR Coordinator or DRE will speak with the student. If the
student then continues the wrong behavior, the parent or guardian will be notified in writing. If the behavior is not
corrected by the time all of these means of correction are through, the student will not be permitted to remain in
PSR.
After removal from PSR, the student may return to the program after attending a conference with the student, a
parent or guardian, and the PSR coordinator. If all these means are unsuccessful, the Pastor will be called into
the situation.
ELECTRONIC DEVICES
No student shall use or have “on” during PSR sessions phones, radios, iPod, mp3 players, tablets, or any other
electronic equipment. Use of these items in the classroom is at the sole digression of the catechist/teacher if used
for classroom subject matter.
COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS
We will keep parents updated with the happenings in our programs via email. This email will inform you of
meetings; classroom activities; supplies needed; prayer services and plays that you are welcome to attend; and so
much more! PLEASE DO NOT USE EMAIL TO REPORT A CHILD’S ABSENCE.
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Reconciliation The Sacrament of Penance celebrates and makes real God’s forgiveness in our lives.
Catechetical preparation seeks to make clear that in relationship with God and with each other, we choose to act
rightly or wrongly; that we seek forgiveness from God and the community of faith; that we forgive and are forgiven.
Eucharist Eucharist unites us ever more deeply to Christ and to one another throughout our lives. We
celebrate and pray together in thanksgiving that Christ is with us here and now, and proclaim in our celebration
and with our lives that Christ always will be. Catechesis for children seeks to strengthen their awareness of God’s
love and of their call to participate in the Body of Christ, and in the works of charity, service, and witness.
Catechesis also encourages parents to reflect on their own Eucharistic life, how it is growing and developing, and
how to share it with children.
Confirmation Baptism brings us into the Body of Christ. Confirmation affirms and strengthens us In our
participation in the mission of Christ. Catechesis prepares the candidate to understand the message to which they
are to respond and the faith they profess. Parents and sponsors are intimately involved in parish catechesis for
Confirmation.
READINESS FOR SACRAMENTAL CELEBRATION
Parents, Catechists, and Pastors are responsible for determining when children are ready to celebrate a
sacrament.
Evidence that the child is ready includes:
 Participation in the faith community of Our Lady of Perpetual Help: weekly participation in the Sunday
Eucharistic celebration; stewardship of gifts; parish involvement and support;
 Faithful attendance for two full years of catechesis. Students with extended absence from religious education
prior to that may be required to take a year of “catch up” catechesis;
 Development in a life of prayer and service;
 And ability to express understanding (appropriate to the development level) of what the child is about to
celebrate.
Parents or guardians must attend the parent meetings for the sacrament that the child is preparing to celebrate.
The schedule for these is included on the yearly Religious Education Calendar.
If the Parents, Catechists, or Pastor have reason to believe by the above evidence that the child is not prepared,
then the celebration of the sacrament will be deferred until the child is ready.
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POLICIES
ADMISSION
Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish
2015 - 2016 PSR Schedule
Kindergarten – Grade 8
Times
Sunday
Monday
Monday
Tuesday
9:15 - 10:45 a.m.
3:45 – 5:15 p.m.
6:30 – 8:00 p.m.
3:45 – 5:15 p.m.
Grades 6, 7 & 8
Grades K – 5
Grades 6, 7 & 8
Grades K – 5
Election Day
Thanksgiving Break
Christmas Break
New Year’s Break
ATTENDANCE & ABSENTEE REPORTING




Classes Begin: Sept.13,14,15 2015
Last Week of Class: April 17,18,19 2016
No Classes
Nov.1,2,3
Nov.23,24,29
Dec. 20,21,22
Dec. 27,28,29
Any child who is a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is eligible to be enrolled in
the Religious Education Programs. The pastor must approve any exceptions to this.

Jan.17,18,19
Feb. 14,15,16
March 20,21,22
March 27 only
Martin Luther King Holiday
President’s Day Holiday
Spring Break
Easter Sunday
NEW Parent Orientation Meeting Aug. 30, 12:30 p.m. OR Sept. 16, 6:30 p.m.

DISSMISSAL


Special Activities
Rosary
Advent/St. Nicholas Visit
Christmas Pageant
Lent/Palm Burning
Lenten Parish Retreat
Lenten Soup Suppers
Passion Play

Oct. 4, 5, 6
Nov. 30, Dec.1
Dec. 14, 15
Feb. 7, 8, 9
Feb. 20
TBA
March 18.
Attendance is required at every session. PLEASE CALL 330-562-8519 X 333 if your child will be absent.
DO NOT EMAIL A STAFF MEMBER WITH THIS INFORMATION. Emails are not always checked.
Aurora City Schools do not notify us if your child is absent from school or went home early for any
reason.
AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM SAFETY--Please discuss with your child what to do or where to go if they get
on the wrong bus and go home by mistake, especially if there is no one home.
If a child is NOT reported absent and not at PSR, we will make emergency contact calls until that child
is found. We will make an attempt to text you if we are unable to reach you or your emergency contact
people.
7TH & 8TH GRADE- In an attempt to work with families and their busy schedules, students are able to
make up sessions missed. Due to required hours by the Diocese for Confirmation preparation, missed
classes need to be made up. Sunday classes can be made up on Monday. Missing a Monday class
requires attendance on the Sunday immediately before. Sessions not made up will result in work to be
completed at home.
TARDINESS: Children arriving late must report to the office before going to the classroom.



GRADES K-2: Parents or older siblings of these children must pick them up at the classroom door after
the bell rings. If an older sibling will be picking up a child, please notify the catechist.
GRADES 3-8: Children will be dismissed to the parish hall and are responsible for locating their
transportation home.
WAITING FOR YOUR CHILD: Please have a seat at the tables in the parish center or wait in the entrance
landing area for your child to be dismissed. We ask that you DO NOT stand outside of the classroom
doors and look in the window as this causes disruptions in the room.
PLEASE CALL: If someone else will be picking up your child.
PLEASE CALL: If you will be late. Your child gets anxious.
EARLY DISMISSAL: In the RARE event you need to pick up your child early, check in at the office to get
an “early dismissal slip” before going to your child’s classroom. This is NOT to be a weekly occurrence.
EMERGENCY CLOSINGS
A PSR yearly calendar is enclosed in your registration packet and can also be found on our website.
This calendar also contains Family Program and Sacramental meeting dates.
Announcements and seasonal information is published in the weekly bulletin.
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If classes need to be canceled due to inclement weather or building safety, tune into the Channel 3
“I Alert”, Channel 5, and other local TV stations for cancellations. We will also post it on the Parish
Website (www.olphaurora.org). If the Aurora Schools are closed, there is NO PSR. (If Monday is
closed due to bad weather, Tuesday PSR WILL be in session if schools are open)
*If the weather turns bad while children are in school, THEY WILL STILL BE TRANSPORTED TO PSR.
We cannot send children home to a possibly locked, empty house. It is up to parents if they would
like to pick up their children early from PSR due to threatening weather.
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