ATTENDING MASS

As Catholics, we believe that the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of our Christian lives. As parents, you are your children’s first teachers and serve as examples to them. We ask that you attend Mass as a family; please do not drop your children at Faith Development and attend Mass without them. It sends conflicting messages and sets a very bad example, especially for those children who are preparing to make their First Eucharist.

BEHAVIOR and DISCIPLINE

Children learn best in a well-disciplined setting. In a well-disciplined, faith-based setting, discipline is synonymous with respect and responsibility, and love of God, of neighbor and of self.Children in Elementary Faith Development at St. Thomas More are expected to show respect for self, others, and property by

• coming to the classroom with a desire to learn about God;
• accepting with a positive attitude classroom guidelines and rules;
• being sensitive to the feelings and ideas of others;
• listening attentively to the person who is speaking;
• properly caring for school property and the property of others.

Good discipline requires the establishment of guidelines and consequences for the classroom. Appropriate behavior will be acknowledged and encouraged; inappropriate behavior, especially behavior that is disruptive to others, will be addressed immediately and directly by the catechist, using suitable methods that model Christian love. The catechist may send a child to the Faith Development “office” if his or her approach is not effective. If a child continues to demonstrate disruptive or otherwise inappropriate behavior, the catechist and/or the Director or Assistant to the Director of Elementary Faith Development will contact the parents, who may be invited to sit with their child for one or several sessions to ensure good behavior.  

COMING and GOING from FAITH DEVELOPMENT

We ask that parents and/or other responsible adults (not older siblings) bring children to and collect children from Faith Development in a timely and orderly fashion by honoring the following requests:

• Please do not bring your children to the classroom before 9:20 am (session #1) or before 10:55 am (session #2). Catechists need uninterrupted time to set up their classroom before the children arrive.
• Please go to the gym to collect your children at 10:40 am (session #1) or at 12:15 pm (session #2). Your children will be escorted to the gym and instructed to wait with their catechist until their parents arrive. If you are more than 10 minutes late in picking up your children, they will be waiting for you at the “office” with Emily or Jim.

Once they are in your care, please do not allow your children to run around in the gym or to play on the stage in the gym. Encourage them to act safely and responsibly; we will do the same.

IF YOUR CHILD is SICK

There is no need to call the office or the catechists. Please keep your child home from Faith Development. If he or she currently has, or has had within the most recent 24 hours, any of the following:

• Fever (a temperature of 100 degrees or above)
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Significant and/or persistent cough
• Copious green nasal discharge, especially if accompanied by sinus pain or headache
• Sever sore throat, ear pain, headache, and/or abdominal pain
• Sores and/or a rash that might be a sign of illness
• Red, runny eyes until cleared as non-contagious by a physician
• Any condition that you think might be or know to be contagious to others

By following these guidelines, you will protect not only the health of your child, but also the health of his or her classmates and catechists.

CHILDREN BRINGING FRIENDS to FAITH DEVELOPMENT SESSIONS

Catechists have reported children bringing friends with them to Faith Development classes on Sunday mornings. This is a concern for several reasons: health, safety and legal issues, and the disruption caused to classes. Catechists have said that they do not want to be used as babysitters for friends of children in their classes, especially if a child has a sleepover and brings several friends who are not members of the parish.

However, there is a value in welcoming a child who might genuinely be interested in joining the Faith Development classes, for whom the invitation by a friend could be the first point of contact. In this situation, please follow these guidelines:

1. A registered child may bring no more than one other child to a Faith Development meeting. If a child wants to bring a friend to FD, a parent of the child must telephone Jim or Emily to ask permission some time in the preceding week. Permission would normally be given.
2. The parents of the registered child must attest to the good behavior of the visiting child.
3. The parent of the registered child must enquire of the parents of the visiting child if the child has any medical condition which catechists need to know about, and if so, must inform Jim or Emily, who will pass on the information to the catechists.
4. No more than two visiting children will be accepted into any class on any Sunday.
5. If the visiting child comes more than once, enjoys the program and lives locally, we will consider inviting the parents of the child to register permanently for Faith Development, or RCIA-C or Sacramental Preparation as necessary.