To expose students to basic Catholic Doctrine, Prayer, and Scripture.
To assist in spiritual growth.
To encourage students to live their faith.
To promote the Sacred Tradition, Scripture, and Doctrines of the Catholic Faith.
To teach students the Sacraments.
To prepare and encourage students to receive frequent Reconciliation (Confession) and Communion.
Parent Expectations
Share your Catholic Faith with your child.
Attend Mass every weekend and Holy Days of Obligation with your child.
Be on time. Parents are expected to accompany their children to school on time, as well as pick them up promptly at the end of class.
Show interest in the lessons and projects your child brings home and talk with them about their experience in class.
Contact the Religious Education teacher or Coordinator of Religious Education to discuss any questions, problems, or suggestions.
Adult Volunteers are needed to help with the Religious Education program. Please contact the Coordinator of Religious Education if you are able to volunteer your talents in teaching, substituting, administration or class parent.
Student Expectations
It is essential that respect, cooperation, support, and courtesy be shown by all those involved in the Religious Education program. We are a “family” and the behavior is a reflection of belonging to the family. Parents, please review the following rules of behavior so that your students will understand.
Respect teachers, assistants, and classmates.
Use respectful language.
Cooperate with requests made by the teachers and assistants.
Respect the property of IHM Parish.
Listen while others are speaking and participate in class discussions/projects.
Be open to learning about the Catholic faith in a friendly and enjoyable atmosphere.
Attendance
Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class.
Children are expected to be on time and to attend class weekly.
The Archdiocese allows for 3 absences per school year. Any missed work should be completed at home prior to returning to class. After 3 absences, you will be contacted by the office. Excessive absences can affect a student advancing to the next grade.
Late arrivals and early dismissals can be distracting; therefore, we ask you to be mindful of this.
Please email the office if your child will be late, needs to be picked up early or will be absent. We will forward your email to your child’s catechist. If we do not receive an email, you will be contacted.
Regular attendance for proper instruction is necessary for success in any learning environment
Drop Off
Children are expected to be seated in the auditorium no later than 3:45 pm and 5:15 pm on Mondays, 4:30 pm on Tuesdays, and 4 pm on Wednesdays.
Parents will drop off children at the IHM School main entrance. (door into the auditorium)
Please be sure that your child arrives on time. When a child arrives late, it disrupts the process of getting all children to their classrooms in a timely and orderly fashion.
If something unavoidable causes you to be late, please ring the bell at the Boulevard entrance (our office side) and not the bell located at the school's main entrance.
Pick Up
Children should be picked up on time after class. Dismissal is at 5:15 pm and 7 pm on Mondays and 5:30 pm on Wednesdays.
Grades K and 1 are dismissed from their classrooms and Grades 2 to 8 will be dismissed from the auditorium.
If you know you are running late, please contact the office by phone at 914-723-7593.
If you arrive later than the pickup time, we will bring your child down to the Religious Ed Office and you will need to come in to get them.
If you need to change the normal dismissal/pick-up plan for your child, (for example, if your child is allowed to walk home or go with someone other than a parent) please submit a Change in Dismissal Procedures form on the day of the child's
Class Cancellation
In the event of class cancellation due to inclement weather or other emergencies, we follow the Scarsdale School District weather and emergency closings. If Scarsdale Schools are closed due to inclement weather, we are automatically closed.
If Scarsdale OR Eastchester Schools close early or cancel after-school activities due to inclement weather or an emergency, our religious education program will automatically close.
Parents of Religious Education Students will receive a Flocknote email notification of class cancellation..
Assessments
Will take place at least twice a year, to assure that students have acquired the material taught.
Homework
Homework will be given if appropriate. Please make sure any assignments are done by the student.
Safe Environment
Age-appropriate safe environment lessons are taught one time per year. Please feel free to examine lesson plans in the religious education office.
No child is permitted to leave the building and walk home alone. If parents of children in grades 6 to 8 wish to give written permission for their children to walk home, they must submit it in writing to the Religious Education Office in September.
Spiritual Development of Your Child
It is our privilege and obligation to attend Sunday Mass. If possible, do so as a family
Please consult the Home page of the IHM website for current Mass times.
If you are traveling, you may use this website to find a Catholic Mass near you: https://masstimes.org/