Religious Education Newsletter – Week of January 10, 2016
From Mr. Gale
Parents and staff please note: we will NOT have hospitality of coffee this week! 🙂 It makes for an easier set up and clean up for a super busy Sunday! Sorry! We have a very special baptism at the noon Mass and a Reconciliation Retreat — I’ll have to rush out early. St. John’s staff folks Jeromy Alexander and Hannah Stevens will be there at the close of Religious Ed if you need anything.
Second graders and some of our RCIA candidates who have already been baptized will be attending their First Reconciliation Retreat THIS SUNDAY January 10. 2:00-4:00 in the Fr. Murray Parish Center! We have 52 students in 2nd grade this year, with two classes in the St. John School and our 20+ in Religious Education!
We are putting together report cards and evaluations a little later in January; the teachers have started (some have completed) their portion and we will MAIL them home in the weeks ahead. We are looking for YOU to evaluate our program as well!
Lent starts early this year, February 10! Be thinking of some way to pray, fast and give alms with your whole family. I will have a weekly reflection in this e-newsletter that comes from some material I write a few years ago.
Next Sunday, January 17, for the Pre-S through 6th grade we will do SAFE SHEEP, the touching safety program. The touching safety presentations are national requirements to teach kids about inappropriate touch, boundaries, and safety. Some years ago I developed a video called SAFE SHEEP since the teachers of the Diocese were so uncomfortable with presenting the content themselves (I can’t imagine why?!). Basically we will talk about safety, what is safe touch, who are safe friends, who are “special safe adults” (like parents and grandparents), and what do we do when someone tries to get us to break safety rules, family rules, etc. The entire content of the video is available for parent preview at www.safesheep.com 7th and 8th grade are supposed to cover similar material at a more age-appropriate level, but we did not have those materials on hand or ready to present. They will most likely revisit the topic at a later date. There is an OPT OUT form, at the end of this e-mail, if you do NOT want your child to be a part of the presentation. Just e-mail me, bring it with you THIS Sunday, or we will consider a “NO SHOW” on Sunday the 17th to be an opt out! Again, the whole content can be previewed on the website–please DO NOT let the kids watch the whole video program with you, we want them fully engaged on the 17th!
Parents, we have an adult group who gathers each week in the large gathering room after the students head off to their classrooms. We discuss the same topic the kids are looking at (this week it is Jesus Christ) using the Scripture and the Catechism. It is very low key, lots of conversation and has been a engaging group. Thank you so much for the dozen or so parents and grandparents who have been staying with us each week.
Up-Coming Dates and Events
WE NEED GREETERS FOR THE PHOTO DIRECTORY!
It has been about 10 years since St. John or St. Joseph did a parish photo directory. In the weeks ahead, we would like to coordinate a team of people to help sign up time slots after the masses and to serve as greeters during the directory picture taking sessions. This is a great way to meet people and we could use their help!!
Please call Leslee at parish office if interested, 784-0553 or e-mail leslee@stjohnjackson.org
SNACK SCHEDULE 2016 1/10 A-D 1/17 E-H 1/24 I-M 1/31 N-R 2/7 S-Z
2/21 WE provide 2/28 WE provide 3/6 WE provide 3/13 WE provide
3/20 WE provide 3/22 – WE provide 4/10 A-D 4/17 E-H 4/24 I-M
5/1 N-R 5/8 S-Z 5/15 – WE provide 5/22 – WE provide
YOUTH GROUP SUNDAY NIGHTS
Middle School and High School Youth Group meets Sunday nights in the Parish Center after the 5:00 Mass, 6:00-7:30pm with our Youth Minister Hannah Stevens. Evenings of praise music, prayer, friendships, sharing, goofy games, food, and always Jesus!!!
RCIA / CATHOLICISM 101 WEDNESDAYS
Come join us for great topics each week 7:00-8:30 in the St. John Community Room.
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OPT-OUT FORM FOR SAFE SHEEP IN OUR FLOCK.
Dear parents and guardians,
Pursuant to Article 12 of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Charter for
the Protection of Children and Young People, we are offering safe environment
education and training for children and youth enrolled in our school/religious education
program.
Our parish / school will present the Safe Sheep in our flock program on
Sunday, January 17, 10:00 am.
As a parent/guardian, you have the right to choose whether your student participates.
We encourage you to preview the contents of the program at www.safesheep.com so
you will be aware of the content. If you have questions about the program, please
contact Todd Gale at todd@stjohnjackson.org. If you determine that you DO NOT want
your child to participate, please complete the “opt-out” form and return it by the morning of January 17. We will also consider a NO SHOW on January 17 to be an opt-out.
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Opt-out form for use with the Safe Sheep in our flock program:
St. John the Evangelist Religious Education Program does NOT have my permission to present the Safe Sheep in our flock program, to my child whose name is ______________________________.
We choose to opt out.
Parent’s/Guardian’s name (printed): ___________________________________
Parent’s/Guardian’s Signature: ________________________________________
Date: _______________
(If you choose to respond via e-mail, please cut and paste this statement and fill in the blanks!)