HOLY TRINITY PARISH
OFFICE OF FAITH FORMATION
PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK
WESTFIELD, NJ 07090
Rev. Msgr. Joseph P. Masiello:
Pastor
Sr. Kathy Burton, SSJ:
Director of Faith Formation
Mrs. Kathy Zawislak:
Administrative Assistant
Ms. Patricia Martin:
Dir. Of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
Contact information:
Office of Faith Formation:
Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry
1-908-233-7455
1-908-233-6151
Fax: 1-908-233-0837
Fax: 1-908-233-6204
RECTORY: 1-908-232-8137
CATECHETICAL SESSIONS OFFERINGS
- Grades Pk-5: Sunday: 10:15am-11: 45am or
- Small Groups in the
home: day and time determined by the Catechist
- FIRE: Family Intergenerational
Religious Education: day and time determined by the participating family clusters
- Family Catechesis:
Parents instructing their children at home
- Summer Sessions: children come to the parish for two weeks in July from 9am-12: 30pm Grades 1-6
- Summer Session: Junior High : come to the parish for two weeks in July: 2-5pm
Grades 7-8
§
Grades 6-7-8
Monday Evening: 7:15pm-8: 30pm
or
At home during the week (at
the discretion of the catechist)
We believe that the family is the mini-Church where our youth develop their
faith, understanding of Church, and formation of values. The Catechetical Ministry
of our parish is designed to assist and support the parents whose influence is primary.
Aware of the many demands of time on our families, we strive to provide catechetical opportunities that will nurture
each person’s relationship with God and with the Church. The following
is a description of the various catechetical models provided by Holy Trinity parish
DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIOUS
MODELS OF FAITH FORMATION
Traditional weekly sessions: For Grades PK-5
These sessions meet once a week: either in the classroom setting at Holy
Trinity Interparochial School
or in a more informal setting in the catechist’s home.
F.I.R.E: Families
come together in clusters or groups: 4-6 families per cluster. They
commit to meet 16x per year and follow an established theme for the year. Sessions
incorporate both adults and children. Each session is 90 minutes. For more information or for a brochure on this program, please contact the Office of Faith Formation
SUMMER SESSION: Offered to children in
grades 1-6 . The children meet in the parish for two weeks in July from 9am-12: 30pm.
Through classroom instruction, games, crafts, and ritual, children are introduced to the richness of their Catholic Faith.
FAMILY CATECHESIS: For those parents who
wish to catechize their children at home; Holy Trinity offers tools and support to fulfill this task. Parents commit to meetings with their children weekly for special prayer and sharing time. Materials for this are obtained from the Office of Faith Formation
and the Internet. Parents commit to attending at least 3 of the family
sessions provided during the year and handing in assignments on a monthly basis.
FOR GRADES
6-7-8
Because community
and peer relationships are so important to you youth, our formation process assumes a slightly different structure, based
more on the components for youth ministry. The youth have a choice in the way
they participate in their faith formation.
WEEKLY TRADITIONAL
MODEL: The youth commit to meeting
with a catechist on a weekly basis either in Holy Trinity Interparochial School or in the home of a catechist. A Catechetical
theme is completed every six weeks
ADMISSION POLICIES
Registration forms are emailed in
February for the summer sessions and
in April for the following catechetical year.
ALL STUDENTS MUST RE-REGISTER EACH YEAR. Please note: All families registered in Holy Trinity Faith
Formation must be registered members of Holy Trinity Parish Community. A registration form may also be obtained from our parish website: http://www.htrcc.org by clicking on FAITH FORMATION, Forms.
NEW STUDENTS:
Parents registering children for the first time, must present a copy of the child’s baptismal certificate
upon registration
Parents registering children from another Religious Education Program or Catholic
School must supply the following
Information when registering:
- A copy of the Child’s
Baptismal Certificate
- Dates and places where
all the sacraments were celebrated
- A letter of prior religious
education or Catholic school completion. The letter may be obtained from the previous parish’s Director of Faith Formation
or the Parochial School Principal.
Children who enter our program without having celebrated the sacraments
of initiation, beyond the usual age for reception of these sacraments, are provided with special transition classes. Parents are asked to contact the Director to make the necessary arrangements.
FINANCIAL POLICIES
Tuition is based upon the number of children per family and is found on the
registration form emailed in the spring.
There is also a family activity fee to help defray the costs of the Advent and Lenten kits.
Families enrolled in our program are asked to pay all tuition by Oct. 1
of the Catechetical year. We appreciate you cooperation in this matter.
Families experiencing financial difficulties are asked to contact the Office of Faith Formation to explain their situation and a request
a partial or full waiver for the year. Such requests are kept in strict confidence. No child will be denied religious instruction due to a financial situation.
SACRAMENTAL FEES:
In addition to the registration and activity fee, there is a fee for all children
celebrating the sacraments. This fee will defray the cost of the Experience Days and Retreats the children and parents will attend during their preparation period. Fees are found
on the registration forms.
ATTENDANCE POLICIES
The Christian principles learned in the classroom and home only make sense
if they are practiced regularly. ATTENDANCE AT MASS IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF FAITH FORMATION. It is expected that the families who have enrolled in any of our Faith Formation programs be fully aware
of their Sunday Mass and Holy Day Obligation and fulfill the obligation faithfully
by participating in the Eucharistic Celebration (Mass). We consider this
practice to be fundamental for successfully instilling the seeds of our Catholic Faith in our children.
Because of the variety of models of faith formation provided, it is expected
that a child enrolled in any of these models will attend class regularly. There
are times, however, when absence from class is necessary due to illness or family
emergencies. In such cases, parents are asked to send a note to the child’s
catechist explaining the reason for the absence. When a child is absent
from class twice in a row, the catechist will call inquiring about the child’s absence.
Excessive absence is a cause for repeating the grade. NO MORE THAN
3 ABSENCES unless there are extenuating circumstances determined by the Director after a meeting with the parents.
Please note that LATENESS is disruptive to the class and we stress that
every attempt be made to arrive for class on time. 3 LATE OCCURRENCES will
be marked as 1 ABSENCE.
CLASS CANCELLATIONS
Whenever inclement weather forces school closings, Parish Religious Education
classes will be cancelled.
In the case of weather emergencies that occur toward the end of the school
day, we will do our best to notify the local schools to announce our cancellation. We
will also post the cancellation notice on our voice mail system so that you may obtain that information by calling our office. When possible, we will also email all families informing them of the emergency closing
DISCIPLINE POLICIES
Every person is worthy of being treated with care and the respect made in the
image and likeness of God. Classroom behavior needs to be characterized by genuine
Christian care, mutual respect, and honesty. Disruptive behavior prevents learning
from the whole class and can be frustrating for the Catechist who is volunteering his/her time for the good of the children/youth.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL A CHILD/YOUTH OR AN ADULT BE PERMITTED TO STRIKE
ANOTHER OR USE ABUSIVE LANGUAGE FOR ANY REASON. Lack of self discipline
will be addressed promptly. Removal of a child/youth from the classroom setting
may result in asking the parents to provide home instruction.
NORMAL STEPS FOR DISCIPLINARY ACTION:
1. Verbal
correction by the Catechist
2. Child/Youth
will be sent to the office to meet with the Director
3. Parent
will be notified by the Catechist and a conference will be held
4. Parent
and Child/Youth will meet with the Director
5. Child/Youth
may be removed from the Program
A CHILD/YOUTH WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE CLASSROOM or HOMEGROUP OF A CATECHIST
IMMEDIATELY FOR ANY OF THE FOLLOWING VIOLATIONS:
- Drugs/Alcohol/Substance
abuse
- Verbal or Physical Harassment
- Stealing or damaging parish/school
property or the property of the home based Catechist
- Jeopardizing a person’s
safety
- Fighting
A written notice will be given to the parents indicating the reason for the removal from the
classroom or Catechist’s home group
SUBSTANCE ABUSE
POLICIES
Substance abuse is defined as the possession of, use of, or trafficking in
any unauthorized, illegal drug, chemical, alcohol, or tobacco-like substance which can be introduced into the body through
ingestion, inhalation, injection, or percutaneous means. Anyone found in possession
of an illegal drug or unauthorized substance will be immediately dismissed from the program.
Anyone trafficking illegal substances will be formally removed from the program and the matter turned over to the local
authorities.
CHILD ABUSE POLICY
Child abuse includes but is not limited to the following:
- Engaging in sexual activity
with a child
- Denial of proper or necessary
substance, education, medical care, or other care necessary for the child’s health
- Use of restraint procedures
on a child that cause injury or pain
- Administration of prescription
drugs without ongoing supervisions of a licensed physician
- Providing alcoholic beverages
or controlled substances
- Commission of any act,
other than by accidental means that threatens or results in any injury or death to a child.
The Parish Director of Faith Formation is required by the New Jersey Code and
Diocesan Policy on Child Abuse to report suspected or actual child abuse or neglect to the proper authorities. Catechists and parents who observe actual or suspected child abuse are encouraged to report this matter
in confidence to their Director of faith Formation immediately.
Catechists or parents who witness an act of child abuse perpetrated by a cleric,
employee, or volunteer in the parish, suspect that such an act has occurred, or receive a report of such an act, must report
the incident to one of the following:
- Pastor of the parish
- Director of Faith Formation for the parish
- Archdiocesan Chancellor
All Catechists have participated in Checkpoint, the Archdiocesan Screening
Process and have read and signed an agreement to abide by the Archdiocesan Policies on Professional and Ministerial Conduct
RIGHTS OF NON-CUSTODIAL PARENTS
Both parents have the right to access their child’s religious education
progress and achievement information unless one parent produces a legal document (court certified) to the contrary. Upon reception
of such a document, it will be attached to the child’s record and all Catechists to whom the child/youth is assigned
will be informed of all special directions. All communications from the Office
of Faith Formation will be done with the custodial parent unless otherwise indicated in writing. A change in the child’s normal routine must be approved by the custodial parent to the Office of
Faith Formation and the Catechists will be notified of these changes. No child will be dismissed from the program to the non-custodial parent without the written consent of the custodial
parent.
DROP OFF-PICK UP PROCEDURES:
GRADES PK-5: SUNDAY :
The safety of our children is the most important responsibility we have. In order to provide the safest atmosphere for our children, we have instituted the
following procedures for dropping off and picking up.
Drop Off:
When coming to faith formation classes on Sunday Morning , all
children will enter through the Watterson St. doors and
proceed directly downstairs to the cafeteria. Children may enter from either
side of the building. Children will go directly to their assigned table in the cafeteria and report to the catechist or aide. 5 minutes before the beginning of class, the aide/catechist will take the children
to their assigned classes.
Please note: The Watterson
St. doors will be locked 15 minutes after the scheduled beginning of class. Anyone entering after this time must enter through the front doors of the school and
report to the Office of Faith Formation before going up to class.
Pick Up
When picking up the children, the parent/guardian/designated adult must come into the building through the Watterson
St. Doors and meet his/her child at the calss table in the cafeteria. Please note this change. Because our numbers have increased,
we can no longer safely dismiss the children onto the street. Parents picking
up children may park in the municipal lot across the street. This has been cleared with the Town of Westfield.
GRADES 6-7-8: Monday Evening
· All
6-7-8 graders will enter through the Waterson
St. doors by the Rescue Squad.
· The classes will be dismissed through these same doors.
LEAVING CLASS EARLY
Because families have been given the option to choose the most effective model
of faith formation for them, it is assumed that each family has made a commitment of time to that model. Therefore, only under special circumstances should a child/youth
have to leave class early. If, however, a special circumstance arises, the parent
will indicate the circumstance in writing and give it to the Catechist.
When picking a child/youth up early, the parent must report to the Office
of Faith Formation and someone from that office will go for the child. At
no time, will a child be released early from class to an adult other than the Director of Faith Formation or her designated
office assistant.
SUMMER SESSION:
Children enrolled in our summer sessions will be dropped off by the Watterson
St. doors and go directly to their assigned sessions. The
children will be dismissed from the Front Campus of the school on First St.
SUNDAY FAMILY GATHERINGS
The Sunday Family Gatherings are an integral part of our Faith Formation
Program. These offer families an opportunity to experience and celebrate together
some of the important traditions of our faith. While we sincerely invite and urge families to participate in all of the gatherings,
we expect that every family will make a commitment to attend a minimum of three. All family gatherings, with the exception of the Christmas Pageant and the Peasant
Supper take place on Sunday Mornings after the 9am Mass.
SPECIAL ACTIVITIES FOR CHILDREN/YOUTH
Formal classes are suspended during
the liturgical seasons of Advent and Lent. During this time, families are provided
with season kits, containing activities and suggestions for incorporating their family and faith traditions. In addition to these kits, the children will be asked to participate in special liturgical events at the
parish. These events will normally take place on Tuesday afternoons and are noted on your family calendar.
All children are expected to participate in these events regardless of the
catechetical model they have chosen. This includes those enrolled in the summer
session.
CLASS CONTENT
YOUTH MASSES
There will be special youth Masses scheduled over the
course of this catechetical year. . We
strongly encourage our youth to participate and support these liturgies. Adults
are also welcome to participate with their youth. These Masses are noted on your calendar
RECONCILIATION
All 6-7-8
graders will have the opportunity to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation in Advent and Lent. The celebration of this sacrament will take place on a Wednesday evening in Advent and in Lent in conjunction
with the CYO celebration of Reconciliation.. Those dates are on the calendar.
