Thoughts from our Catechism Team
Letter to Parents/ Guardians regarding some household rule changes.
Over the year thus far, we have taken due care in ensuring that our pupils are provided with the best form of religious education that we as the Catechism Team can provide them. Unfortunately, for our pupils to be best equipped with the information provided by our teachers in classes, it becomes, without saying, extremely important that our pupils attend catechism classes on a habitual basis. It is with keeping your child’s best interests in mind that we have introduced a new yet vitally important policy to Catechism Attendance. This policy has been discussed with and has received full support from our Clergy.
This being said, please note the following:
On average, we require at least 75% attendance of catechism lessons, by pupils, throughout the year. As we are currently in Term two, this average will be considered from Term 2 to Term 4. There are 24 lessons left of this year, as of this week until December. That means 18 out of 24 lessons must be attended. On average therefore a child may miss only 2 lessons per term. Where valid reason is provided and communicated to the teacher, for the pupil’s absenteeism, such will not affect the 2 lesson premise, however where no valid reason or any communication is rendered to the teacher, such absenteeism will count against the 2 lesson premise.
Extreme, habitual, and unexcused late coming is also unacceptable and will be unfavourable when considering whether the pupil will proceed to the next year of study.
We therefore intend to make it very clear to you, the parent, that for your child to proceed to the next year of study we will consider firstly the pupils attendance of the minimum requirement of 75% and secondly, the opinion of the teacher as to whether the pupil has fully grasped the content of that year of study and is ready to proceed.
Although catechism isn’t a school per se, it is nevertheless one of the most important lessons that your child will attend. Forging a relationship with God starts with you and is shared with others. Moreover, the requirement that the child needs to be 16 to do his/her confirmation no longer stands. As our Clergy holds, the child need only be 16 and over as long as they are still in high school for them to do their Confirmation with the Catechism Programme as opposed to RCIA.
Secondly catechism does not run according to grades at school but Years of catechism. The Year of catechism that your child attends will be deduced by taking into consideration their age and whether they have attended catechism regularly in the year before. Were therefore your child has failed to attend a prior year of catechism on a regular basis they will remain in that year.
The purpose of setting such percentage is to ensure that our pupils take full advantage of the lessons given by our teachers throughout the year and that we do not pass on students to the following year without them understanding the fundamentals of that year.
On a lighter note:
There will be no catechism classes on the 29th and 30th May. Reason being, we want to attend and support the first session of the Marian Pilgrimage taking place at St Dominic’s School on the 30th. Please make every effort to attend this. Both parents and children are welcome.
It is not required that you and your child spend the session with their teacher. In that same breath, we, as The Catechism Team and St Dominic’s Parish, are in no way responsible for any loss, injury or damage to person or property sustained to the children during their time at the pilgrimage. This includes any transportation to and from St Dominic’s School.
Moreover, where any prior arrangement has been communicated between a teacher and the parent(s), in terms of transportation or care for the child during or after the morning session, The Catechism Team and St Dominic’s Parish will not be any way held responsible as the agreement vests between you as the parent(s) and the teacher concerned.
We look forward to sharing your presence at the Marian Pilgrimage.
We trust that you find the above in order.
Feel free to contact us for any queries.
