Religious Education
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Welcome to SIJ's
Religious Education Program -
Our Program
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The primary model for Religious Education & Youth Faith Formation at St. Isaac Jogues is that of age-appropriate group learning sessions held on our campus.
The year offers Masses, confessions for the children during both Advent and Lent, and other devotional practices throughout the year. These will be communicated to families. Families are invited and encouraged to participate with the children in these liturgical and devotional practices.
The SIJ Religious Education Program is taught on Wednesdays from 4:15 pm - 5:45 pm from October - March, in the school.- Each class is taught by a certified teacher using the same textbook as is used in SIJ School. (Each lesson is designed with the 1.5 hour weekly time frame in mind)
- Each week classes will participate in Mass or a devotional activity: Rosary, visit Adoration Chapel, Reconciliation and other seasonal activities throughout the year on a rotating basis.
- Weekly assessments are to be completed and will be posted in Google Classroom as evidence of the learning and participation in the program.
- All families will have access to FACTS to be able to see the progress of the child and communicate with teachers and staff.
- FACTS is the Student Information System: Tracking grades, attendance, registration and communication between SIJ RE Staff and SIJ RE Families.
- Google Classroom is the Learning Platform that is used by students to access assignments, communicate with the teacher, and access remote learning through Google Meets (a feature within Google Classroom)
- Each child will receive a login to access Google Classroom and Google Meets.
- Google Meets will be used for remote learning access.
****If a child leaves the program and returns he or she must provide evidence of Catechesis during the missed year(s) to be readmitted to the program either by providing documentation of attendance in another RE program or taking an assessment to determine the level of Catholic knowledge for placement.
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Curriculum: Grades 1 to 6
St. Isaac Jogues uses the Blest Are We Faith in Action Series published by RCL Benziger as the primary text for Grades 1-6. Blest Are We Faith in Action clearly states that it is a thematic program. Each unit clearly depicts the movement of the four chapters, which correlate to the four pillars of the Catechism: What Catholics Believe, How Catholics Worship, How Catholics Live, and How Catholics Pray.
Each grade level has a different focus:
Grade 1: themes include an introduction to Family – My Family, Holy Family, and Church Family.
Grade 2: themes focus on the Catholic Church as a Eucharistic Community.
Grade 3: themes focus on an introduction to the Catholic Church, its structure, and core beliefs.
Grade 4: themes focus on moral teaching of the Catholic Church.
Grade 5: themes focus on Sacraments.
Grade 6: themes focus on the Old Testament.Through exploration, discovery, and decision-making, students are invited to accept the challenge to follow Jesus. Opportunities are provided for students to learn and practice the skills needed to be active disciples.
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Curriculum: Grades 7 and 8
St. Isaac Jogues uses The Didache Series from Midwest Theological Forum in 7th and 8th Grade. The Didache is a catechetical summary of Christian sacraments, practices, and morality. The Didache is the teaching of the Apostles and, as such, it is the teaching of the Church.
Seventh Grade focuses on The Blessed Trinity and our Christian Vocation. The Blessed Trinity takes an in-depth look at the mystery of the Blessed Trinity as revealed in Sacred Scripture. This book presents a detailed look at the Person of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of Divine Revelation, the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life, and how we can know the Father through the Son. It also examines the Christian voaction and how God invites us to be in communion with him.
Eighth Grade focuses on The Sacrament of Confirmation. The Sacrament of Confirmation was designed for preteen and early teens to bring them toward a closer union with Christ and a deeper intimacy with the Holy Spirit, "in order to be more capable of assuming the apostolic responsibilities of Christian life" (CCC1309). The eighth grade uses the Who is the Holy Spirit? book which deepens ones understanding and relationship with the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. This book teaches Lectio Divina (Divine Reading) a way to guide a meditative way of reading Scripture.
Seventh and Eighth graders are encouraged to live their Catholic faith through Mass, devotions, Adoration, and serving others in the community.
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Sacramental Program
First Communion/ First Reconciliation Program
This is a two year program offered in first and second grade.
Parents must:- provide a baptismal certificate
- see that child completes two years of catechesis (First and Second Grade)
- attend parent meetings
- attend retreats with child
Confirmation
This is a two-year program offered in seventh and eighth grade.
Candidates must:- Complete two years of catechesis in a satisfactory manner (Seventh and Eighth Grade)
- Attend "What is Confirmation ?" Retreat
- Complete Journals indicating that they are actively living the Catholic Faith (4 to Explore)
- Submit Confirmation Registration Form
****If a child leaves the program and returns he or she must provide evidence of Catechesis during the missed year(s) to be readmitted to the program either by providing documentation of attendance in another RE program or taking an assessment to determine the level of Catholic knowledge for placement.
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The Blended Program (formerly known as the At Home Program)
If a family cannot participate in the primary program, then they may educate and form their children in the faith through the Blended program. Participants in this program are encouraged to join in the liturgical and devotional events scheduled on campus throughout the year. At Home families are guided to follow a calendar that parallels the on-campus program, completing a chapter from the text each week, along with submitting chapter reviews in a timely manner. Even though the at-home learning is done within individual families, it is very important that families stay on schedule, so the child experiences systematic and consistent learning; participation in the on-campus liturgical and devotional events is also important so that the child and his/her family can recognize that they are a vital part of their parish community, their church family.
- The Blended Program is designed for teachers to partner with the family to offer guidance for delivery of the Religious Instruction. Teachers will create the timeline for instruction.
- Students will be assigned to a Remote Learning Classroom through Google Classroom and Google Meets.
- Each week the class will meet virtually on Wednesdays beginning at 4:30pm.
- If a child cannot attend the class in real time the class will be recorded and posted on Google Classroom to be be viewed at a time before the following class.
- Weekly assessments can be turned in electronically through Google Classroom. It is important for children in this program to keep up week to week with assessments.
- Families will be required to participate in the liturgical and devotional practice (Mass, Reconciliation, Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration....)
- Families are required to attend 2 mandatory workshops
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General Program Guidelines
It is expected that all grade-level assignments for the year be completed. In order to register for the next grade, the prior grade should be fully completed. A permanent record is kept for each child.
St. Isaac Jogues Religious Education & Youth Faith Formation program abides by the provisions of the Buckley Amendment with respect to the rights of non-custodial parents. In the absence of a court order to the contrary, the Religious Education Office will provide the non-custodial parent with access to religious education records and other related religious education information regarding the child. If there is to be no information given, it is the responsibility of the custodial parent to provide the Religious Education Office with an official copy of the court order.
On-Campus Program Guidelines
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