2022 - 2023 Religious Education Welcome Letter

Registration is Closed!

Please contact Danielle Sibilia at directorreligioused@starcc.com if you need to register

 

St. Aloysius Religious Education Families,

Welcome to the start of a new year. Please read this letter in its entirety as it has important information that you need to know for the upcoming year and our first day of classes.  

Your son/daughter has been assigned to Sunday (the letter you should have recived lists your classtime and Catechist names) for the 2022-2023 Religious Education year. Please bring this letter with you on the first day of classes.  

Going forward all my communications will come from the Mailchimp platform.  Please either click this link to subscribe or scan this QR code hiH1IT.qr.5 (165×165).  

If you have multiple children in the program, select your oldest child’s grade only, you do not have to register for each child. 

If you click the link and you find out you’re already subscribed that means you're still in there from last year.   If you do not subscribe you will miss all my communications.  In addition, please do not unsubscribe from this platform until after your child finishes 6th grade.   

The First Day of Classes
The first day of classes is SUNDAY, SEPT 11, 2022.  Please report to South School 8 Farm Rd, New Canaan, CT via the entrance of Gower Road.  Parents must come with their child(ren) on the first day only.  A staff member will be outside directing you to the Cafeteria door entrance.  This will be the arrival and dismissal location for all classes.  

When you enter the cafeteria, your child’s Catechist will be holding a sign with the class name and grade. Your child is asked to sit with his/her class for our introduction and prayer.  Classes will be dismissed to their rooms and parents are asked to remain in the Cafeteria.  Father Rob, Father David and I will introduce ourselves and we can answer any questions you have. This is the first day of classes in a new location for everyone, including our Catechists; so thank you, in advance, for your patience and cooperation.

We have large classes this year to accommodate all of our students and class assignments are final. Please do not ask for your child to be switched to another class.  

Pick up & Drop off starting Sept 18th
Beginning September 18th, all drop off will be via the Cafeteria door of South School (same door you used on the first day).   Parents will not enter the building after the first day of classes.  Feel free to park up and down Gower or in the small parking lot on Gower.  We are also encouraging parents to drive up to the roundabout for drop off.  A staff member will be standing outside guiding your children into the Cafeteria.  If you choose to park in the Farm street lot you will have to walk around the building for drop off and pick up.  Please do not park on Grace Street for pick up or drop off. 

Regarding dismissal for the first day and onward: Please make sure you have completed the appropriate dismissal form.  Grades K through 4 may only have a parent/guardian/older sibling or friend pick them up as long as you list the person who is picking up the child on the form.  We do not allow K through 4 students to leave on their own.  5th and 6th graders are allowed to leave on their own with parent permission.  The respective forms can be found here (insert links).  Please complete these forms prior to the first class and email them to me or hand them to your child’s teacher.  

The First Day lass Times:
Sunday’s 8:45am to 9:45am / 11:15am to 12:15pm / 3:30pm to 4:30pm.

Class schedules can be found on the parish website under the Religious Education section.  

Location:
South School -  8 Farm Rd, New Canaan, CT.

Late Arrivals: 
Prompt arrival is important.  Children arriving 15 mins after the class start time will not be permitted to stay, as it’s very disruptive to the class.  Prompt pick up is imperative because for the early morning classes, many will want to get to the 10am Mass.

Arrival & Dismissal: 
I’ve talked about this above, but I want to re-state that after the first day, parents are not allowed in the school building for pick up or drop off. The only people allowed in the building will be Religious Education staff, catechists, students and our security staff. At drop off, parents can walk their children to the entrance and you will be greeted by a staff member who will let your child into the Cafeteria. 

Forms to Complete:
All forms must be completed and emailed back to me (directorreligioused@starcc.com) or printed and dropped off at my office no later than Tuesday, Sept 6th.  Do not bring the forms on the first day of classes. 

  1. Dismissal authorization form for your child.  (Grades 1 through 4 have a different form than 5th or 6th graders). 
  2. Diocesan Annual Consent and Release Form. 

All the forms are located on our parish website www.starcc.com.  

South School Playground area:
We have lots of students coming and going all day on Sunday, thus the South school playground areas are off limits from 8am to 5pm to our parents and students.  

Food: 
We are not allowed to have food in the classrooms.  

Allergies & Epi Pens:
If your child has severe allergies and requires an Epi pen, please make sure you inform the Catechist and me.

Absences: 
We allow 5 excused absences. However, children are bringing their materials home every week so they can make up missed work to receive credit for the missed class.

If your child misses class, he or she should still be attending Mass wherever they are that weekend, unless they are sick.  

Materials: 
This year students will be bringing home a bag with all their materials.  It is very important that they remember to bring all this back and forth every week.  We do not have extra supplies because we cannot leave anything at South school. 

Sickness: 
We ask you to keep children at home if they have a fever of 100 or higher, are vomiting, have COVID, or have a cold and/or flu-like symptoms.  The same rules that apply in the New Canaan Public Schools apply for our Religious Education classes.  If your child doesn’t feel well, please keep him or her home.

Cancellations: 
If we decide to cancel classes due to unsafe weather conditions you will receive an email.  The cancellation notice will also be posted on the parish website and on various local news channels by 8 am Sunday morning. 

I am looking forward to a wonderful year with you and your children. If you have any questions throughout the year, I am always available.

Blessings,
Danielle Sibilia
Director Religious Education Grades K - 6
St. Aloysius Church
Directorreligioused@starcc.com
203-652-1171

 

2022-2023 Religious
Education - FAQ’s

When is registration opening and closing?

  • Opening - Tuesday, May 24th, 2022.
  • Closing – July 29th, 2022.

What are our learning options this year?

  • We will have in person classes this autumn.  All classes will be held on Sunday’s ONLY.  These are the times you can select from.  Your selection is the time you will attend all year long.  You may choose from 8:45am – 9:45am; 11:15am – 12:15pm or 3:30pm – 4:30pm.
  • We are also offering a homeschool option.  This program will be different from years past, students and parents will be asked to sign an agreement stating that they will complete the lessons on a weekly basis and submit them to Danielle Sibilia at directorreligioused@starcc.com. 
  • There will be no remote or zoom option.

What is the tuition for this year?

  • 1 child = $350
  • 2 children = $475
  • 3 or more children = $600
  • Homeschool = $30 per child

Can I still register after the deadline?

  • Yes, but you have to call the office and speak to Danielle Sibilia to coordinate.

What safety measures are we taking?

  • We will be following all Diocese of Bridgeport safety guidelines.  Specific details will be communicated to parents prior to the start of classes.

What if I don’t remember my username?

What if I don’t remember my password?

  • You can request a reset on the Parishsoft website using your username.

Can I register in person?

  • No, registration is done online only, but we are happy to walk you through it if you have difficulty following the online instructions or don’t have access to a computer.

When will I get my class assignment?

  • A letter will be mailed to you with class assignments the last week of August.

When do classes start and end?

  • Classes start on Sunday, Sept 11th, 2022 and end on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023.

What happens if I select a time when I register and then I find out that time doesn’t work?

What impact will the change in school start time have to our program?

  • None because we will only be meeting on Sunday’s.

Will I be able to change my child’s time midyear, if we have an activity that comes up?

  • No.  Classes are assigned at the beginning of the school year and will not be altered.

What are the steps to register?

  • Check the parish website under Religious Education online registration.

Do I have to pay tuition at the time I register?

  • Yes, at the end of your registration there is a link to pay. It’s a separate portal that goes directly to our parish website. 

If my child was baptized at St. Aloysius do you need their baptismal certificate?

  • No, only students who were baptized at another parish, not at St. Aloysius need to provide us with a copy of their baptismal certificate.

My child is in 8th grade do I still have to register them even though they were assigned in 7th grade to a Catechist and a day?

  • Yes, all students must be registered in our system regardless of grade.
  • Your 8th grader will continue on in the same class with the same Catechist.

We missed a year or more of Religious Education what do we do?

  • Religious Education starts in grade 1. We are opening our program to Kindergarten this year but it’s not a requirement to attend. If your child has missed that grade and they are currently going into 2nd grade, please sign them up for 1st grade Religious Education.
  • If you do not fall into the 1st grade category above, please email Danielle at directorreligioused@starcc.com or call 203-652-1171.

Who do I contact if I want more information about 7th/8th grade Confirmation prep?