Religious Education Guidlines

Mission Statement: Our Religious Education Program is a cooperative effort between the catechists and the parents of our parish community. It is to be a vital support to the lived-faith present in the child's home environment. Our program provides instruction to our students in Catholic teachings and traditions and also meaningful prayer, sacramental and liturgical experiences. Our Religious Education Program strives to lead students to recognize Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, especially in His True Eucharistic Presence; and challenges them to live the teachings of Jesus as revealed through the Roman Catholic Church. This we hold as important so that our students may grow in their relationship and love of God, in their Catholic faith, and their desire to share that with others.

Enrollment: Families who enroll their children in the Religious Education Program must be registered members of the parish before enrollment will take place.

Registration Fee: In addition to contributions for Church support, a fee of $110 per child with a maximum of $300 will be payable at the time of registration. If a financial situation prevents such payment, then arrangements should be made with the Religious Education Administrator or the Pastor. A late fee of $35 per family will be charged if registered after April 23rd, 2003, unless the family is a new parishioner of Christ the King.

Location of classes: Christ the King School and parish property where applicable.

Day: Wednesday evenings as stated on the yearly calendar.

Time: 6:30p.m. - 7:45p.m.

Late Arrivals: Late arrivals are to be discouraged as they are disruptive to the class. If you bring your child to Religious Education class later than our starting time of 6:30, you must park your car, walk them into the school, and check them in at the office.

Absences: Regular attendance at Religious Education classes is an important factor in deepening a child's lived faith. If a student is to be absent, please notify the Religious Education Office at 391-3624 before 6:30p.m. on Wednesday, or have one of your other children drop off a note at the office when they come for class.

Cancellations: If class is canceled, it will be announced on KFAB AM 1110 as soon as possible that day. Whenever Christ the King School is closed because of the weather, the Religious Education Program will be canceled for that evening. If you have any questions about cancellation, please call 391-3624 before bringing your child to class.

Dress Code: Students need to maintain a respectable appearance. This appearance may be casual, but shorts are not allowed as well as any attire that may have holes or inappropriate messages. Capri pants below the knee are acceptable. Shirts for both boys and girls must be long enough to cover their midriff and sleeveless shirts must have two inches across each shoulder. Students will be sent to the office to call their parents to bring them a change of clothing if they do not follow this dress code. Appropriateness of all attire worn to Religious Education Class will be left to the discretion of the Religious Education Administrator.

Dismissal-Late Charge: There is no extended-care program. If students are not picked up by 8:00p.m., they will be brought to the office. There will be a charge of $5.00. After 8:00p.m., parents must come into the school and pick up their children. For every fifteen minutes later than 8:15p.m., an additional $5 will be charged. Payment will be paid upon pick-up of students.

Fire Safety and Tornado Preparation: Being prepared is the first step in keeping safe. 

Fire Safety a. Fire drills will be conducted twice a year. All students, staff, and catechists will depart the facility to the parking lot next to Shamrock Road in front of the school. b. In case of a real fire emergency, children will be taken from the parking lot to the church to wait safely for further instructions.

Tornado/Natural Disaster Preparation a. In the event of a tornado or other natural disaster, catechists will be warned, if possible, of the approaching danger. If a tornado warning is sounded, everyone will move to the music room. This room is adjacent to the cafeteria in the lower level of the school and has no windows or doors to the outside of the building. Catechists and students will remain there until the warning has expired.

Care of Building & Respect for Property: Students will show appropriate respect for all parish property and furnishings or belongings of others. Great care needs to be taken by all to maintain the building so it will serve students well into the future. Parents will be held financially responsible for any damages that may incur as a result of their child's actions.

Visitors: If parents/guardians have made prior arrangements with the teacher, parents/guardians are welcome to visit their child's classroom during Religious Education class. The office must also be notified of this. Siblings or friends of the student will not be allowed in class during our Religious Education Program. *Note: All parents or other visitors must check into the Religious Education Office upon entering the building. This is an important safety precaution for everyone in our building.

Traffic Flow for Arrival and Dismissal:

• All students should be dropped off and picked up in the school parking lot unless previously instructed otherwise.
• Traffic enters off Shamrock Road and exits on 88th Street.
• All cars should pull forward as far as possible to allow the maximum numbers of cars to load and unload.
• If students are dropped off at the curb next to the front entrance, they need to exit the car on the passenger side and not cross the line of traffic.
• No parking on 88th Street.
• If you like to park and walk in with students, please park in either of the two front parking lots.
•  IF YOU PARK AND STUDENTS HAVE TO CROSS THE DRIVE OR TRAFFIC AREA TO GET TO OR FROM THEIR CAR, THEY MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT.

Arrival: Class begins promptly at 6:30p.m. Students may wait in the hallway by the office between 6:15p.m. and 6:25p.m. They will then be allowed to walk down to their classrooms at 6:25p.m.

Dismissal:

• PLEASE BE PROMPT IN PICKING UP YOUR CHILD AT 7:45p.m.
• Students are dismissed by their catechist through the front entrance of the school building. If you park your car, you may wait for your children in the corridor by the office. Parents of younger children may wish to pick up their child at their classroom door at 7:45p.m.
• Please be patient. Occasionally a class is late in dismissing due to a special project or clean-up. You may need to park or drive through a second time in order to keep traffic flowing smoothly.
• If you would need to pick up your child early from class, please send a note stating the time and come into the office to pick them up. Students will not be allowed to wait outside the building for you.
• There will be parent volunteer Dismissal Helpers. They will assist the catechists as children are waiting to get into cars.

Treats: Food, candy, chewing gum, soda pop, etc. are not allowed in the building unless special permission is given by the Religious Education Administrator.

Health: Notify our office if your child has a health problem that may affect them during our Religious Education Program. This should include allergies, hyperactivity, hearing or sight difficulties. Learning disabilities need to be stated in writing on the registration form and discussed with the Religious Education Administrator and the designated child's catechist.

Medications: Due to our short time together for class, medications should be administered at home by the parent prior to coming to Religious Education. If a child needs to use an inhaler or other emergency medical device, it needs to be dropped off in the office. This medication must be in the original pharmaceutical container, labeled with the child's first and last names, date prescription filled, name of prescribing physician, medication expiration date, and directions for administration and storage of medication. Parents must also complete a Medical Authorization Form in the office before we can dispense a medication to a student. Non-prescriptions medications will not be administered. Christ the King Religious Education Program assumes no responsibility for side effects of medications administered.

Child Abuse: All staff members and catechists are required each year to complete and sign a volunteer application. Within this application, each person affirms that he/she does not use illegal drugs, has not been convicted of a criminal offense, has not been charged with child abuse or neglect, and has not had their driver's license ever suspended or revoked. The United States Council of Catholic Bishops has mandated a "Safe Environment Program" that all staff and catechists are to attend during the school year 2003-2004. This program will provide education and training about ways to make and maintain a safe environment for children, which includes the issue of abuse of children, to include sexual abuse. In cooperating with Law Enforcement Personnel or other Government Agents requesting access to students, administrators will grant such access with the expressed wishes of the student's parent(s) or legal guardian. Exceptions to parental wishes must be made in the case of warrants for arrest and in the case of suspected child abuse as defined in Nebraska statutes. Pursuant to state law, we are required to report suspected child abuse, and we will also follow diocesan policy on such matters.

Discipline: Religious Education at our parish is a privilege, not a right. Students are to be respectful of themselves and others in order to maintain a high standard of Christian behavior. Students are to contribute in a positive manner to the learning environment. Students are to follow our overall program and classroom procedures. The following steps will be implemented for inappropriate behavior that warrants removal from class:

• (1) The student will be sent to the Religious Education Administrator along with a referral form describing their behavior. The student will not be sent back to the classroom that evening, but will remain responsible for the assignments given. The child will notify the parent(s) by phone or with a written note to inform them of the incident and the plan laid out for changing the behavior.
• (2) If a child is sent to the office more than one time in a one month period, a conference will be set up with the teacher, parent, child, and Religious Education Administrator to review the purpose of our mission and consequences if a plan of action is not followed. The pastor will be informed of this type of conference and may attend, or be a part of, the decision-making process.

Policies that are adhered to during our school day will be adhered to during our Religious Education Program.

• Smoke-Free Building: Christ the King School is a smoke-free facility. (Policy 3501)
• Drug Free Zone: Christ the King School is a Drug Free Zone in accordance with the city of Omaha. (Policy 3502)
• Weapons: Students are forbidden to possess, handle, transmit or use knowingly and voluntarily any instrument in Christ the King School or Parish Property or at any Religious Education event or place of instruction that is ordinarily or generally considered a weapon. Any object which could be used to injure a person and which has no Religious Education-related purpose will be considered a weapon for purposes of this code. The following are examples of instruments ordinarily or generally considered weapons: knives of all types, guns, lead pipes, chains, chuck-sticks, throwing stars, darts, metal knuckles, blackjacks, unauthorized tools, fireworks, explosives or other chemicals. Police will be contacted when there is a suspected violation of criminal laws concerning weapons. A first offense in violation of the weapons policy will result in immediate suspension and possible expulsion from our program. A second offense in violation of this weapons policy will result in immediate expulsion. (Policy 5037)

Grade Level Prayers: We have assigned prayers for each grade level K-8. Students will be responsible for knowing these prayers as part of their religious formation in our Religious Education Program. We ask that you help your child with these prayers. Informal prayer will also be a part of their religious experience.

Grade Level Texts: The Kindergarten textbook is the I Am Special, Fifth Edition which is published by Our Sunday Visitor. Grades 1-8 are using the Faith First Series published by RCL (Resources for Christian Living). If a book is lost, a fee to cover the cost of another book will be charged to the parents.

Sacramental Preparation: Students are prepared for First Reconciliation and First Communion in the second grade. We will use the Benziger Sacramental Preparation Series on First Reconciliation and First Eucharist. Confirmation preparation begins in seventh grade and continues into their 8th grade year when they are confirmed. In addition to RCL's 7th grade - Creed and Prayer, and 8th grade - Liturgy and Morality textbooks, the Confirmed In The Spirit text published by Loyola University Press will be used.

Progress Reports: These will be given at the end of both semesters with Parent/Teacher Conferences at the end of the first semester as stated on the Rel. Ed. Program Calendar. An attendance record will be given as part of this Progress Report. You are always welcome to contact your child's catechist. However, we do ask that you please respect the catechist's time before class, so they may complete preparations. Making an appointment is a good idea for all concerned. Please contact catechists through the Religious Education Office at 391-3624 or via e-mail.

Communication: Keeping our families informed is important. A weekly communication, "The Religious Ed Flash of News," will be sent home with the students listing activities and events that pertain to the families of our program. This year we would like every family to provide us with a parent's e-mail address, if one exists. Communication in the form of reminders or cancellations, etc., may be sent to families via e-mail. Parents and participants in our program are welcome to provide comments and suggestions at any time by means of a phone call, e-mail, or personal appointment with the administrator.

Altar Servers: Students in grades 6th - 8th have the privilege and responsibility to serve at mass at assigned times throughout the year. Fifth graders will be trained in the spring and then be installed to also serve. When serving, girls should wear a skirt or dress, knee length or longer. Boys should wear nice pants and shirt. No jeans, tennis shoes, hiking boots, or sandals are to be worn by girls or boys.

Right to Amend: This handbook is primarily a means of communication. It is meant to provide you, the parent/guardian, with helpful information on how we intend to go about our work. The Christ the King Religious Education Program reserves the right to amend this handbook as necessary. Parents will be notified, in writing, if changes are made to any procedures or information contained in this handbook. At least two weeks notification will be given, if possible, for changes of time or procedures.

Thank you and welcome to our program!