Interparish Religious Education
DOWNLOAD REGISTRATION MATERIALS:
Registration Form 2007-08
Response Form
Calendar
“Catechesis” or Religious Education is the process of communicating the beliefs, values and practices which make people Catholic Christians. It is the work of handing on, from one generation to the next, the faith that has come down to us and the way of life this faith calls us to embrace.
Growing in the faith is a life-long process that begins in early childhood and continues throughout one’s life. On-going formation in the faith, therefore, is vitally important for every age of life. Our catechetical program assists parents to educate and nurture the faith in their child(ren). For this reason your active participation and involvement play a role that is integral to the program at St. Ignatius.
Here is some important information about our program:
Our program is an on-going formation process ranging from Kindergarten to 8th grade students. This means that there should be NO interruption in your child’s religious education. The Sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation and Confirmation are received during these years after the completion of required periods of preparation.
Children attend classes each week on either Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Classes extend from 4:00-5:30 (Monday and Thursday) or 4:15 - 5:45 pm (Tuesday and Wednesday) for grades K-6 and from 6:00 - 7:30 pm for grades 7 and 8. Classes for K-6 are held in St. Ignatius Grammar School (48 East 84 Street) on Tuesday and Wednesday. For grades 7 and 8 classes are held on Tuesday and Wednesday at Loyola School (980 Park Avenue).
We will continue to offer classes at our off-site center at St. Joseph Grammar School on 87 Street between First and York Avenues for Kindergarten, First and Second and Third Grades. These classes at St. Joseph’s are held on Monday afternoons from 4:00 - 5:30 pm. We will also offer classes at Marymount School on Fifth Avenue and 84th Street for First and Second Grades. These classes are held on Thursday afternoons from 4:00 - 5:30 pm.
We begin classes the third week of September (Monday, September 17 /Tuesday, September 18 / Wednesday, September 19, Thursday September 20, 2007) and finish May 19/20/21/22, 2008.
Meetings for parents, ESPECIALLY FOR NEW PARENTS, are scheduled throughout the year. Attendance is required at a fall orientation session. In addition, periodic evening meetings are scheduled for parents of children preparing to receive the Sacraments of Eucharist, Reconciliation and Confirmation.
Every Sunday from October to June, at the 10 am Mass in the Church and at the 11 am Wallace Hall Mass, the children process to the Lady Chapel or Loyola Chapel where the Liturgy of the Word is conducted especially for them.
Tuition is $350 per child per year. (Additional fees for first communion and confirmation are not included in this figure.) We ask you to remit tuition payment before September 28, 2007 or at the time of registration. Financial aid is available for those who demonstrate need. If you wish to pay by installment or request financial aid, you must denote this on the response form in the space provided.
In early September a schedule of classes and events for the year will be available.
If you need further information or have any questions, please call me at (212) 861-4764 I very much look forward to meeting you and your child(ren).
Sincerely in Christ,
Joanne Cunneen, Director
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS
2007-2008
PRIMARY ROLE OF PARENTS
Parents are the primary religious educators of their children. What an awesome responsibility! The role of catechists as religion teachers is to help parents meet their solemn obligation. Our expectation in the Interparish Religious Education Program (IREP), therefore, is that all parents will become immersed with their children in an on-going faith development. Parents are enthusiastically encouraged to set aside time each week to review the chapter which was presented in class. (There are special notes at the end of each chapter.) The focus of each book is its strong scriptural foundation - Bible reading is encouraged. Each book also has a prayer and reference section which is age appropriate and a glossary of important words to be understood.
Parents are encouraged to attend the various prayer services, social events and sacramental celebrations during the year. Your participation in these celebrations fosters a strong community of dedicated parents and strengthens our faith in Jesus as our risen Lord.
ORIENTATION FOR PARENTS
Thursday, October 18, at 7:30PM
WALLACE HALL
Church of St. Ignatius Loyola
Park Avenue at 84th Street
All new parents are required to attend the orientation meeting to learn more about our goals, visions and expectations for the 2007-08 year, to meet the staff and administrators and to share with the other parents involved in IREP.
STARTING DATE FOR CLASSES
Classes begin on Monday, September 17, Tuesday, September 18, Wednesday, September 19, or Thursday, September 20, depending on which day you selected for your child.
MONDAY:
Grades K-3: 4:00 - 5:30 pm; classes held in St. Joseph Grammar School
TUESDAY:
Grades K-6: 4:15 - 5:45 pm; classes held in St. Ignatius Grammar School.
Grades 7-8: 6:00 - 7:30 pm; classes held in Loyola School.
WEDNESDAY:
Grades K-6: 4:15 - 5:45 pm; classes held in St. Ignatius Grammar School.
Grades 7-8: 6:00 - 7:30 pm; classes held in Loyola School.
THURSDAY
Grades 1-2: 4:00 - 5:30 pm classes are held at Marymount School
The entrance to St. Ignatius Loyola Grammar School is 48 East 84 Street between Park and Madison Avenues (in the middle of the block on the south side of 84 Street just to the left of McKinnon Hall). The entrance to Loyola School is through the St. Ignatius Loyola Parish House, 980 Park Avenue, between 83 and 84 Streets on the west side of Park Avenue. St. Joseph Grammar School is located at 420 East 87 Street, between First Avenue and York Avenue. Marymount School is located at 1026 Fifth Avenue at 84th Street.
REGISTRATION
No child will be admitted to class without first being registered.
Students who have registered by mail and have received a Class Location/Teacher Assignment form:
- (Grades K-3, Monday), go directly to St. Joseph Grammar School
- (Grades 1-2, Thursday), go directly to Marymount School.
- (Grades K-6) go directly to the Grammar School.
- (Grades 7-8) go to the Parish House.
Students who are registered but do NOT have a Class Location/Teacher assignment form:
- (Grades K-3, Monday), go directly to St. Joseph Grammar School
- (Grades 1-2, Thursday), go directly to Marymount School.
- (Grades K-6) go directly to the Grammar School.
- (Grades 7-8) go to the Parish House.
WAITING AREA
The cafeteria on the premises of St. Joseph Grammar School is available Monday from 4 pm. The cafeteria on the premises of St. Ignatius Loyola Grammar School is a large space furnished with tables and chairs which may be used as a waiting area by parents, children and caregivers. The space will be opened at 3:30 pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The cafeterias will not have food available at these times, but you may bring a snack for your child(ren). We encourage the child(ren) to begin doing their homework or to engage in other quiet activities that will make this a productive time before classes begin.
There is no waiting area available at Marymount School (Thursdays) for parents/caregivers to wait during class time.
On Mondays, dismissal will be from the cafeteria of St. Joseph Grammar School. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the gym (McKinnon Hall) at St. Ignatius will be used for dismissal. We ask all parents/caregivers to wait by the stage area and to be mindful of all announcements. On Thursdays, children will be dismissed from the same area of Marymount School as the drop-off.
Some rules apply to our use of the School buildings. All eating is to be done in the cafeteria area. NO food or beverages are allowed upstairs in any classroom. There is absolutely NO gum chewing allowed in the building at any time. Scooters are not to be brought into the building because they represent such a hazard for the children.
Children who wait in the cafeteria area must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver until classes begin. We do not provide a babysitting service for this period of time. Restrooms are located on this lower cafeteria level or your convenience.
Parents/Caregivers who wait with younger children are reminded that this area is not designed as a playground. It is very dangerous for young children to run or play on the stairs. All young children should be with an adult at all times. Parents/Caregivers are asked to wait in the cafeteria area once classes begin. Before leaving the cafeteria, we ask everyone to make sure the tables are cleaned and garbage is placed in the appropriate cans.
ATTENDANCE
Faith formation thrives in a stable environment. It is therefore imperative that your child attend classes regularly and on time. Excessive absence will result in the possible retention of a particular grade. If unforeseen circumstances or illness prevent your child from attending a class, please call Joanne Cunneen at 212 861-4764 or email to irep@saintignatiusloyola.org before noon of that class day. If this is not possible, please call before the class begins so that we will not need to worry unnecessarily about the whereabouts of your child.
SNOW
The Program will not be in session on days when schools are closed due to a storm or other inclement weather conditions. We ask parents to use their discretion when sending their child(ren) on days of inclement weather.
ACCOUNTABILITY
It is the parents’ responsibility to teach their children the traditional prayers of the Catholic Church - the Hail Mary, Our Father, Glory Be to the Father (primary grades), Act of Contrition, Creed and the responses at Mass. Such knowledge is a necessary part of our faith formation. Parents are strongly encouraged to review these prayers with their children on a regular basis.
For all students in our 7th-8th grade program, a basic facts and information test will be administered. A suitable mastery of religious teaching must be demonstrated in this test in order for a student to continue in this level of the program. For all students, a progress report designed to inform parents of their child’s progress will be sent home in February.
SERVICE PROJECTS
We are challenged to bring God’s love to others by the way we live our lives. God invites even little children to share this challenge. We can make a difference by our response to this call to service. And so this year we continue our involvement with a number of programs: Care items for Goldwater Hospital in October, the Food Drive in November and the Toy Drive in December that benefit local Pantries, and finally our Lenten Project - Pennies for Progress. These service projects give our children the opportunity to help those who are less fortunate.
The 8th grade Confirmation candidates will continue their involvement with the St. Vincent DePaul Society at St. Ignatius. They will prepare meals for the men in our homeless shelter every other Friday from the end of November to the end of April. They will also assist at two luncheons for the elderly, and at the once-a-month Saturday Soup Kitchen. In addition, the students will be involved with our Ignatian Teen group, with service activities designed specifically for Junior High/Middle School students. More information will follow.
SECURITY
Your child’s safety is a major concern to us and if there is any doubt about the identity of the adult coming to pick up your child, we will always err on the side of caution.
Due to the increased necessity for security to keep your children safe, we have introduced a security card system for IREP. You will be receiving two (2) cards in the August/September mailing for each family. Please make sure that you have them available at each location. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, at St. Ignatius, these cards must be presented if you wish to remain in the building during class time.
A security person will be in attendance at the entrance to St. Joseph, Marymount and St. Ignatius Loyola Grammar Schools beginning at 3:30 pm and lasting until the end of classes on Mondays (for St. Joseph’s, Tuesdays and Wednesdays (for St. Ignatius) and Thursdays (for Marymount). If your child has a special schedule on a particular day or other unusual circumstances prevail, or if you have a complicated family/caregiver situation that you fee we should be made aware of, please telephone or e-mail Joanne Cunneen at the above phone number or e-mail location. If there is sufficient time, please send a written message and follow it up with a telephone call.
We ask that you pick up your child promptly. On Mondays and Thursdays, an adult will stay with any child who has not been picked up. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, a child not picked up by a responsible adult by 6pm will be escorted to the Rectory, 980 Park Avenue, for delayed pick-up. In either case, if this becomes a continuing problem, a late fee of $20 will be charged each day. Thank you for your cooperation. A gentle reminder – please do not expect a young child (K – 4th grade) to leave the building alone to meet a parent/caregiver in a waiting car. This is not a safe practice and, for safety considerations, we cannot permit it.
If you move during the school year, please notify us of the necessary changes in address and telephone number.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
You will be receiving the calendar of events for the academic year. This calendar lists all scheduled events, though minor changes or additions may be necessary at a later date. You will be notified in advance of these changes. We will also send e-mail updates to the calendar and reminders every month.
LITURGICAL SERVICES
Liturgical services are the occasions when we come together to pray as a community. They represent an important dimension of our Program and parents are strongly encouraged to attend these services. Our liturgies on Sunday are now at 9:30 am in the Church and 11 am in Wallace Hall. At both of these Masses, the children will be invited to participate in a separate Liturgy of the Word purposely designed to meet their needs and to involve their active participation.
GOD’S CLUB
From October through May (except for Christmas and Easter recesses) on every other Thursday, St. Ignatius will host God’s Club - from 3:00pm - 5:00pm. Children from 3 to 5 years old should be brought by a parent or guardian to the Parish House to read a Bible story or do an art activity with other children. Currently scheduled dates are: December 13, January 10, 24, February 7, 21, March 6, 20, April 3, 17 and May 1, 15.
Parents’ attendance at the special preparation meetings and prayer services for first communion, first confession and confirmation and Family Faith Formation sessions are extremely important. Attendance at these meetings is obligatory for parents. For a child can fully appreciate and enter into the sacramental celebration only if the child’s primary teacher, that is the parent, is actively involved in the preparation process. In fairness to the child, therefore, we may need to delay the child’s reception of the sacrament in order to give the child more time to make up for the parents’ lack of involvement.
FINANCES
The Interparish Religious Education Program held at St. Ignatius, St. Joseph and Marymount is a joint effort of the parishes on the East Side of Manhattan to provide quality religious education to their parishioners. We apply no geographical restrictions to families who wish their children to participate in the Program.
The Program, therefore, in order to provide quality education, must be financially self-sufficient. The tuition charge is based on the real out of pocket cost of the Program’s services. (The Program is not charged for the use of parish and school facilities and other resources at St. Joseph, St. Ignatius, or Marymount.) Though some financial assistance is available to families, we ask every parent to support the Program financially to ensure that the Program can meet its expenses. To receive financial aid, a parent must fill out an application form at the time of registration. Requests for aid are granted only on a yearly basis. We ask those families who can do so to contribute financially even beyond the tuition payment so that we can offer some financial assistance to needy families who want their children to learn the saving truth of Jesus Christ.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Parents have often requested a reference for professional psychological services either for themselves or for their children when they are experiencing difficulties and some assistance seems called for. We highly recommend
Kenwood Psychological Services
David M. Kelley, Ph.D., Director
124 East 84 Street, Suite 1D
New York, NY 10028
212 744 2121
Dr. Kelley takes great care in selecting an appropriate therapist or counselor to meet the needs and requirements of each person requesting assistance.