CCD GUIDELINES
August 2016
Welcome and many thanks for your interest in the religious formation of your child/ren. We are most grateful to our volunteer religion teachers who have been with us for several years and to those joining us. We could not do without these very generous and dedicated catechists. We deeply appreciate each of them for giving of their time each Wednesday evening plus the many hours spent in the preparation of the week’s lesson. We are looking forward to another great year!
Religious Education classes for Pre-K - Grade 8 will begin on Wednesday evening, September 16 at 6:00. Meals will be served each Wednesday evening in the St. Rita Holy Family Center from 4:30 to 6:00. We invite you to take advantage of this hot meal for your family. It will provide you with a wonderful opportunity of quality time with your child/ren and will also give you a free evening from cooking and preparing a meal. Meals are $5.00 a plate including take-outs.
Please go over the following guidelines with your child/ren:
1. All students in grades PK - 8 are to gather in the Church Foyer each week. At 6:00 PM we will have prayers and announcements.
2. Only students who are registered will be allowed to attend classes.
3. Students are not to go to the classroom areas before class unless they are accompanied by a teacher.
4. Students are not to play near the water fountain in the courtyard at any time.
5. Students will be given all needed books and supplies each week for class. They are not to bring balls, knives, rubber bands, paper clips or other items to class - they just need to come and be present each week.
6. Students are not to bring gum or candy on the grounds.
7. Students are asked to show respect and courtesy to the teachers and fellow students at all times.
8. Students who continuously disrupt the teacher or other students will be asked to phone their parents/guardians to come and pick them up.
9. When the dismissal bell rings at 7:15 each week, the classes will move and take their places in the Holy Family Center. No student is to leave until his/her name is called. (Parents are asked NOT to come into the building to pick up their child/ren.)
10. The students’ religion books will be kept at the center until the end of the year.
11. Students with perfect and good attendance will be rewarded at the end of the year.
To Qualify for Perfect Attendance students must be present for every class including those days that we have Mass, beginning on the 1st day of classes. They must be present from the beginning to the end of each class. Arriving late or leaving early disqualifies students from perfect attendance. Students who register after the 1st class are not eligible for perfect attendance.
To Qualify for Good Attendance students cannot be absent more than 3 times during the year.
Arrival & Dismissal
Due to our annual safety inspection, the Fire Marshal has stated the following: The fire lanes at the church and Holy Family Center are not to be blocked at anytime. Therefore, we cannot park in the fire lanes at church or Holy Family Center for CCD Dismissal.
Please follow the guidelines below for dropping off and picking up your children for CCD classes:
ARRIVAL:
● Parents/guardians may drop their children off in front of the Church and they will be directed to take their places in the Church Foyer for opening prayers and announcements.
● Children should not be dropped off before 5:50 as they cannot be left unsupervised. Our teachers are volunteers who have worked all day and we cannot expect them to come early and supervise the children.
● You are more than welcome to come earlier and stay with your child/ren but please do not just drop them off or allow them to linger in the courtyard area.
● Children should not play around the water fountain in the courtyard.
DISMISSAL:
● Cars CANNOT line up before 6:30 PM. Please leave your vehicle parked in the parking lot until 6:30 PM. This allows the people who are at the Wednesday Night Meal time to leave the facility.
● At 7:15 pull your vehicle up to the overhang on the Holy Family Center. Please do not get out of your vehicle, we will call your child for you.
● There will be numbered stations where your child/ren will be waiting. Please pull all the way up if there is room and stop at the next available spot. Your child/ren will either be waiting here or on their way. This allows the line to move quickly. Also, please come into the parking lot the correct way so that we can prevent any cutting in line. If someone new is retrieving your child, please make them aware of the carpool situation.
● Please do not come inside to get your child. We WILL NOT allow any children to be dismissed to parents that come to the door unless there is an emergency. If you are waiting at the door or on the benches, you will have to wait until all of the children have been dismissed through the carpool line. Thank you for understanding that if we allow for one, we must allow for all and this causes an unsafe environment for your child and our volunteers.
This policy, with the help of the Fire Marshal and the City of Alexandria Police Department, will be enforced. Thus, we need the cooperation of everyone to enforce this policy.
Attached is a schedule of classes, Masses and holidays for the year. Please post it so you can refer to it when necessary. You will be informed of any changes when and if they arise. Thanks and God bless you for your interest and cooperation. If you have any questions or concerns, please call me (445-7141 X 215).