Office Hours –

Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

You are welcome to visit us in the Parish Office Building.

The Office is Closed on Saturday, Sunday and national holidays. However, because the staff is often working on weekends, we check our voicemail and e-mail and will respond to messages that require immediate attention.

Precious Blood Parish School of Religion - PSR

The PSR Program meets two Sunday Mornings a month from 9:00 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. and one Wednesday evening a month. Please call the office for a detailed calendar.

Parent & Family Participation

Mass – Because the Mass is the source of our faith, we encourage families to attend Mass every Sunday. Participation at Mass is especially important for children who are preparing for First Communion and Confirmation. To fully understand the meaning of these sacraments requires the active participation of your children. Your commitment to ensuring their presence at Mass each Sunday is essential to their faith formation.

Reconciliation – Parents and siblings (2^nd Grade and older) are encouraged to celebrate individual reconciliation during First Reconciliation on December 1st at 10:30 a.m., and the Advent and Lenten Parish Services (TBA).

1^st Reconciliation, Communion, and Confirmation Parent Meetings have a formational and informational component. These meetings are opportunities for parents to renew their own understanding of the sacraments. We encourage all parents to attend the meetings, but at least one parent must attend the meeting.

Homework and Special Projects
Occasionally, catechists will assign homework or other projects related to the subject being taught. We are aware of the homework demands placed on your children in school, not to mention extra-curricular activities. The catechists will attempt to make the homework and projects assigned a meaningful experience for students and parents. Please take an interest in the assignments.

Faith Sharing is another important aspect of the learning process. Reinforce your child’s lessons by asking them what they learned at PSR. Share with them some of your thoughts and experiences about the subject. You may be surprised at the great discussions you will have.

Constructive Feedback Welcomed
We are always looking for ways to make our program more family friendly and our classrooms the center for learning. If you have an idea or concern, don’t hesitate to bring it to our attention.

Grades 1-8 use We Believe, published by Sadlier, Inc.
The grade level themes are:

Grade 1:	God loves Us
Grade 2:	Jesus Shares Gods Life Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and Eucharist
Grade 3:	We are the Church The Church: It’s early formation, basic beliefs – The Apostles Creed
Grade 4:	God's Law Guides Us Morality: The Beatitudes and the Ten Commandments
Grade 5:	We Meet Jesus in the Sacraments Comprehensive review of The Seven Sacraments
Grade 6:	We Are God's People The Hebrew and Christian Scriptures
Grade 7:	*We Live Our Faith* (Sadlier), vol. 1 (Christian discipleship—Jesus’ life and teachings)
Grade 8:	*We Live Our Faith* (Sadlier), vol. 2 (The Church from Pentecost through its history)

Student Activities and Parent Information on the Web
Sadlier, the publisher of our text, has a great website that offers children, parent and family activities and prayers. Their web address is www.webelieveweb.com.

Attendance and Punctuality
Two things are essential for continuity of learning; they are attendance and punctuality. We ask that you make a commitment to your child and to his or her faith development by assuring that PSR attendance and punctuality are a priority. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. If your child is unable to attend PSR on a given Sunday, please notify the catechist or call the Director at 276-5954, x 2115 (leave a voicemail if necessary) or send an email to keep us informed. Persistent absences will be addressed by the Director on a case-by-case basis by communicating with the child’s catechist and parent or guardian.

Student Progress Report
Learning about one’s faith is not a “graded” activity and normally does not warrant a formal progress report; however, our catechists take their role seriously and prepare weekly lessons with great care. From time to time they might assess what the children have learned through tools provided in the curriculum, but these are not “tests” to pass, fail, or be graded. In late January Precious Blood School and PSR programs administer the National Catholic Education Association Assessment of Catechesis/Religious Education (ACRE) to students in grades 5 and 8. This assessment measures how our students as a whole respond to questions about the Church's teachings, and it provides us with information about their personal beliefs, attitudes, practices and perceptions so that we can plan and improve our religious education programs. Once the results have been returned to us, we will make available a summary of the report and would be pleased to discuss the results with any interested parent upon request. Parents of all students are welcome to communicate with their child’s catechist about their use of any assessments.

Arrival and Dismissal
Children may arrive at 8:45 a.m. Unless the catechist or the Office of Faith Formation notifies you otherwise, children are to report directly to their classrooms.

All Students and Parents must enter the school building from the main entrance (Denlinger St) No pick-ups or drop-offs at the underpass. or the Church parking lot door.

Students in Grades 1-3 must be picked up in their classrooms by their parents, siblings, or designated carpool drivers. Please notify the catechist if your child is carpooling. This is a safety consideration, and it will be strictly enforced.

Driver Safety – Please drive slowly while on Church property, especially when approaching the school building or driving through the underpass.

The School Doors Will Be Locked from 9:10 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. If you want to enter the building while the doors are locked, please ring the bell at the front door. You may enter the school at all times through the church hallway.

Emergency Closings - If it is necessary for us to cancel classes due to weather conditions, or other unforeseen circumstances, we will make every effort to contact you personally. Phone trees are established at each grade level. Please keep us updated if your phone number changes. A recorded message at 276-5954, ext. 2115 will be available after 7:00 a.m. on the mornings of bad weather.

Sacramental Preparation

First Reconciliation and First Communion Students in the 2^nd grade have the opportunity to celebrate First Reconciliation and First Communion. Parents must attend two parent meetings. Weekly attendance is expected during this year of preparation.
Confirmation Students in the 8th grade thru high school will have the opportunity to complete their initiation into the church community through the sacrament of Confirmation. PSR students will receive catechetical instruction on Sunday mornings. Weekly attendance is expected during this year of preparation. The preparation period also includes a Rite of Acceptance at a Sunday mass in the Fall, sponsor and candidate mornings at church, a day of reflection, and an overnight Confirmation retreat.

Confirmation Preparation and Participation
8th grade youth must be registered and attend PSR or PB Day School the entire school year.

High school youth must register and participate in the high school Confirmation program and the high school youth ministry program.

8th grade and high school youth are expected to have an attendance record that reflects a minimum of 80% attendance. However, attendance at the 9 classes scheduled in January, February, and March are mandatory.

All candidates for Confirmation must participate in the activities outlined on the Confirmation calendar.

RCIA for Children Children in Grades 2 – 6 and 8 - 12 who have not received the sacraments of Baptism, Communion, Reconciliation or Confirmation may register in the fall of each year to receive instruction with other children and families in the same situation. It is timely that they register in the early fall so that they participate in all of the instructional classes necessary for reception of the sacraments at the Easter Vigil.

PSR Discipline Policy
A proper environment is essential to learning. Students must respect the rights of each other as well as the catechist. They must also respect the property of the parish. Disruptive behavior on the part of any student will not be tolerated. The following common basic offenses are included in the establishment of class rules: talking out of turn, shouting, taking things from others without permission, going into student desks, fighting, arguing, defacing property, and running in the classroom or hallways.

Creating a safety hazard or otherwise endangering students or staff, such as pulling a fire alarm or bringing any type of weapon to class, will result in immediate expulsion.

Discipline Procedures

1.	First basic offense – Student is given verbal warning given by teacher.
2.	Second basic offense – Student’s name written in teacher’s book.
3.	Third offense – Student is sent to school office. Student will phone call parent to let them know why they have been sent to the office. The Catechist will meet briefly with the parent immediately after PSR in the school office to explain why they were sent to the office.
4.	Repetition of three offenses will result in a meeting with the DRE, Catechist, Parent and student. Parent will attend class with child until disruptive behavior subsides.
5.	If the student continues to disrupt class, the student will be expelled from class for the remainder of the year. Home schooling materials will be offered as an alternative.

Copyright © 2002-2003 Precious Blood Church.
All rights reserved.
Website by: KGASTON

Office Hours –

Precious Blood Parish School of Religion - PSR

Constructive Feedback Welcomed We are always looking for ways to make our program more family friendly and our classrooms the center for learning. If you have an idea or concern, don’t hesitate to bring it to our attention.

Arrival and Dismissal Children may arrive at 8:45 a.m. Unless the catechist or the Office of Faith Formation notifies you otherwise, children are to report directly to their classrooms.

Constructive Feedback Welcomed
We are always looking for ways to make our program more family friendly and our classrooms the center for learning. If you have an idea or concern, don’t hesitate to bring it to our attention.

Arrival and Dismissal
Children may arrive at 8:45 a.m. Unless the catechist or the Office of Faith Formation notifies you otherwise, children are to report directly to their classrooms.