Office of Religious Education Guidelines

Program Administration

Catechetical leaders are administrators, and have a responsibility to be professional. Therefore they have a continuing need to develop the organizational and catechetical skills necessary for a Coordinator/DRE. The Office of Religious Education provides a training course for Coordinators/DREs on an on-going basis in each Pastoral Region. To enroll in the "Coordinator/DRE Specialization" contact the Office of Religious Education's Regional Coordinator in your Pastoral Region.

Our Lady of the Angeles Region 2636 S. Mansfield Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90016-3512 323 931 2875
San Fernando Region 15101 San Fernando Mission Blvd. Mission Hills, CA 91345 818 365 5123
San Gabriel Region 16009 E. Cypress Avenue Irwindale, CA 91706 626 962 7707
San Pedro Region 3555 St. Pancratius Place Lakewood, CA 90712 562 630 6272
Santa Barbara Region 4032 La Colina Road Santa Barbara, CA 93110 805 569 1135

The following are brief general guidelines intended to help the Coordinator/DRE begin working in a parish religious education program until he/she is able to complete the full training.

Starting a Program

Administrative Competencies

Refer to Catechetical Ministry section of these Guidelines.

The starting point for developing a sound parish catechetical program is knowing the needs of the learners. A parish profile as well as personal conversation with catechists, parents and learners, can give a fuller context from which to begin.

Setting Goals and Objectives

Goals and objectives give the Coordinator/DRE as well as the pastoral staff or parish council a clear vision for the future of the Religious Education program of the parish. Goals help the Coordinator/DRE and staff to evaluate specific areas of the program to evaluate at the end of the academic year. They may be set-up annually or for periods of years, e.g. three-year or five-year plans. But annual goals are still necessary to respond to the particular needs of the program as the parish changes. Goals and objectives set priorities for the Coordinator/DRE as well as the Religious Education staff and faculty.

In order to establish program goals, the Coordinator/DRE and collaborators must first do a complete needs assessment. Needs assessment begins with information gathering from the catechists, parents, aides and helpers already within the program. This could be done formally with a process or informally with small gatherings or one-on-one interviews.

Once the assessment is complete, the needs will surface and then the process would turn to prioritizing the needs. Only a few goals should be chosen for the year. These should be of the highest priority for the parish program. Once the goals are set, practical input should be gleaned from the staff or board for objectives which would address these specific goals.

At the end of the year (or at the end of the stipulated period) there should be an evaluation of the goals and objectives. Even if they were not successful, the actual carrying out of the objective needs to be seen as a step toward achieving good management. Understanding why a goal or objective did not succeed is important. Perhaps they were not really realistic with the resources available in the parish. After the evaluation, new goals should be set. Goals already achieved but felt still valuable as ongoing goals should be kept, e.g. building community might be an ongoing goal in any parish program with new objectives each year.

Collaboration

Knowing the reality of the parish is necessary before any collaboration is possible. A "parish profile" would offer an objective picture of the parish. Some information is available from the rectory, some from the school, some from the parish religious education office and perhaps other sources.

Once the profile is completed, reflection on the following areas is possible:

Who do I minister/work with in the parish at large? (Knights of Columbus, Legion of Mary, Women's Council, etc.)
How do I minister/work with the parish council? In budgeting? Reporting and dialogue? Sharing the vision of catechesis?
How do I minister/work with the parish staff (ordained, non-ordained)? Youth ministers? School principal? Pastor/associates? Parish secretary, etc.?
How do I minister/work with the religious education staff and volunteers? Area Coordinator/DREs? Office secretary? Catechists? Families?
To whom am I accountable and how often do I meet with this person? How am I evaluated?
How do I minister/work with the archdiocesan offices and their representatives?

Use of Parish Facilities

Our parish community is made up of many groupings, and since we are one parish family, it is desirable that all have access to the parish plant including classrooms, hall, etc. To facilitate the use of these areas, ongoing communication, planning and collaboration need to take place among the principle, the DRE and other leaders. In this way, it is hoped that a spirit of mutual support is fostered within the entire parish community.

The following suggestions might be helpful in parish planning:

Sharing of a common vision of religious education for the entire parish.
Collaboration, planning and implementation of plans.
Knowledge of and mutual respect for each other's needs and programs.

Principles of Collaboration

When Jesus sent his disciples out in pairs to proclaim the Good News (Mk 6:7-13), he used principles of collaboration:

They had a common goal: building the realm of God.
The community offered support and they shared both joys and sorrows.
Different gifts were present and used toward the building up of the realm of God.
Together they were able to reach their common goals.

In approaching collaborative ministry it helps to remember the following:

Identify the needed gifts and how best to use them;
Develop a sense of involvement with the group;
Respect the gifts and needs of the individuals;
Answers to identified hidden needs may not be in new or bigger programs;
Discover what resources are available (in the community, archdiocese, etc.);
The ministerial environment should invite people to share their gifts in an atmosphere of trust.

Recruiting and Sustaining Volunteers

The majority of catechists, office helpers, classroom aides, etc. in religious education are volunteers. People volunteer in response to a need they feel is worth their time and talents. Their sense of self-worth and value to the community is enhanced by their involvement in Religious Education Programs. The responsibility of the Coordinator/DRE toward volunteer workers is to give guidance and help in the use and development of their talents within the Religious Education program.

Recruiting

The first step in recruiting is to make yourself known and available as the Coordinator/DRE. Let your philosophy of religious education as well as your program needs be known; i.e. expansion of the program, staff, etc. Keep in mind that direct personal contact is the most important element in the recruiting process. Encourage volunteers to assist you in the recruiting process. Be aware of the tasks to be done in order to match the volunteer to the task. It is important for the Coordinator/DRE to know what talents and skills are needed to perform the various positions within your program.

It is important to be available to the volunteers by letting them know when you are going to be in the office or where they can get in touch with you or leave a message for you. Be sure to return calls promptly.

Sustaining

Sustaining volunteers should include the following: Inservice Training, Motivation, and Evaluation.

Inservice Training: There are two basic formal means of continued education for catechists: 1) catechist enrichment programs offered on the parish level, and 2) the catechist formation program, congresses and workshops offered by the Archdiocese. Ongoing in-service training on the parish level should consist of the following: spiritual formation, education information, practical catechetical methodology, and social justice.

Motivation: When working with volunteers, motivation is essential to their continuing in the program. The seasons of the year offer an excellent opportunity for motivation. To show your appreciation for the teachers and staff, something as simple as the giving of a holiday card or having coffee and "goodies" available in the office will help to make them feel at home and needed. Always allow time for community building and support among the staff.

Evaluation: Volunteers need to be aware of the job description and guidelines for the program or task to be performed. Volunteers need to know the long-term goals and immediate objectives of the program and their specific role during the year in achieving them. This should be covered by the Coordinator/DRE during orientation before school starts or at the time when the individual is interviewed for a given position. The above must be done in order to have a valid evaluation at the end of the year.

Evaluation tools should be developed by the Coordinator/DRE for: 1) program evaluation, 2) personal evaluation of volunteers, and 3) administrative evaluation. Evaluations may take the form of questionnaires, interviews, or group discussions. After the evaluations are done there should be a recommitment to next year's program with the adjustments for improvement.

Program Planning

A well-planned calendar prevents minor and major problems and frustrations. A yearly calendar should be set at least four months before the start of your program. Be sure to revise and update as needed. It would be a good idea to spend calendar planning time every four months; e.g. May, September and January.

Remember to: 1) Obtain the public school calendar and mark all holidays, back-to-school nights, etc.; 2) Check the Parish Calendar for major scheduled events; 3) Schedule class dates for your Early Childhood, Elementary, Junior High and Youth Programs. Include in the schedule all holidays, sacrament dates, class days, and times of classes, liturgies and reconciliation services.

A WELL-PLANNED CALENDAR PREVENTS MINOR AND MAJOR PROBLEMS AND FRUSTRATIONS!

Budgeting

Because parish income must take into account the needs of each sector of the parish, from parish school to youth ministry to senior citizens, finances must be fairly apportioned. The budget must be presented with honesty, foresight, and accurate projection. Past experience, present need and future vision should guide the Coordinator/DRE in drawing up the budget assessment. (See also the Parish Budgeting Manual for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, produced by the Pastoral Councils Office, dated September, 1996.)

It will be helpful to keep a few points in mind when planning:

Develop clear goals and objectives based on priorities. (The budget makes the priorities real.)
Be able not only to present the budget but also to believe in it.
Include a plan for monitoring and evaluating use of funds.
Keep in mind the Pastor's responsibility to all the other parish ministries.

Note: ALL INCOME and EXPENSES should be recorded throughout the year using the proposed budget categories. A monthly account helps one to remain within this budget. This year's budget will help one to make out the following year's proposed budget.

Registration

Preparing for registration for the next school year should be done about mid-year of the current school year. "Thinking through" registration procedures should include dates, places and deadlines. Announce dates for registration as soon as you start advertising. Consider advertising in your parish mailings, bulletins and in announcements at Sunday liturgies at a minimum. Consider "mail-in" registration procedures. Program offerings need to be sensitive to people's needs as well as invitational and welcoming. There may be valid reasons for "late" registrations.

The parish is required to send a record of reception of the sacraments of Confirmation and Matrimony to the parish where the person was baptized. The baptismal name, father's name and religion, mother's maiden name and religion, date of baptism, name and address of church of baptism are required for these records. At the time of initial enrollment the Coordinator/DRE should request a copy of the Baptismal certificate to verify the church and date of Baptism. This information should always be treated CONFIDENTIALLY.

Fees: Fees vary from parish to parish and should take into consideration economic and family circumstances. While fees may not cover all expenses of the religious education program, no student should ever be denied enrollment because of inability to pay the fee.

Emergency/Accident Procedures

Duties of the Coordinator/DRE

In all emergencies it is the ultimate responsibility of the Coordinator/DRE or delegated staff member to guard the safety of the staff and students.

1. Appropriate emergency services (fire, police, etc.) should be contacted immediately, and drill procedure should be implemented.
2. Once the building has been evacuated, it should be secured against re-entry until its safety has been confirmed.
3. The utility companies (gas, electric, etc.) should be notified, if any breaks or suspected breaks in power or water lines are detected.

Duties of the Catechist/Teacher

The catechist is responsible for the safety and supervision of the assigned children during all emergency procedures.

1. The professionalism and self-composure of the catechist is essential in maintaining an atmosphere of calm during an emergency.
2. Prior to an emergency, ALL catechists should be familiar with the emergency/disaster plan as designed for their site. During an emergency the children will remain in the care of the catechist until they can be released to the designated individuals as instructed by the parents on the Emergency Release Form.

Child Abuse Policies of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Child abuse is a reality of our society. Child abuse includes: 1) physical injury which is inflicted on a child by other than accidental means, 2) sexual exploitation or 3) assault and, 4) child neglect. Out of concern for abused children and their families, California State Law requires that known or reasonably suspected incidents of child abuse must be reported immediately, or as soon as practically possible by telephone to a child protective agency* by a child care custodian or health practitioner. A "child care custodian" includes a pastor in his role as ex officio administrative officer of the parish school, a teacher, a principal, a teacher's aide, and an administrator of day camps. A "health practitioner" includes a social worker, a psychologist, a licensed nurse, and marriage, family and child counselor.

"Reasonable suspicion" means that it is objectively reasonable for a person to entertain such a suspicion, based upon facts that could cause a reasonable person in a like position, drawing when appropriate on his or her training and experience, to suspect child abuse. After the initial report by telephone, a written report must be sent to the child protective agency within 36 hours of receiving information concerning the incident. For the purpose of this reporting statute, "child" means a person under the age of 18 years.

If the alleged child abuser is a pastoral staff person or employee of the parish or Institution, all such incidents shall also be reported by phone to the proper archdiocesan authority. In the case in which the employee alleged to have been responsible for the abuse is a school employee, the report shall be made to the Archdiocesan Superintendent of Schools. In the case of all other employees, the report is made to the Moderator of the Curia/Chancellor. If the employee is a cleric or religious, the Superintendent of Schools or the Moderator of the Curia will in turn notify the Vicar for the Clergy.

*A Child Protective agency is defined as a police or sheriff's department, probation or county welfare department. In Los Angeles County, for example, the appropriate child protective agency would be either the Los Angeles County Department of Children's Services or the law enforcement agency having jurisdiction over the area where the abuse occurred. In most cases this is where the child resides.

Copyright: Fair Use Guidelines for Classroom Copying

In Not-For-Profit Educational Institutions with Respect to:

Books and Periodicals

A. Single copying for teachers

A single copy may be made of any of the following by or for a teacher at his/her individual request for his/her scholarly research or use in teaching or preparation to teach a class:

A chapter from a book;
An article from a periodical or newspaper;
A short story, short essay or short poem, whether or not from a book, periodical, or newspaper.

B. Multiple copies for classroom use

Multiple copies (not to exceed in any event more than one copy per pupil in a course) may be made by or for the teacher giving the course for classroom use or discussion provided that:

The copying meets the tests of brevity and spontaneity as defined below; and
Meets the cumulative effect set as defined below; and
Each copy includes a notice of copyright.

Brevity

Poetry:

A complete poem if less than 250 words and if printed on not more than two pages or,
from a longer poem, and excerpt of not more than 250 words.

Prose:

Either a complete article, story or essay of less than 2,500 words, or
an excerpt from any prose work of not more than 1,000 words or 10% of the work, whichever is less, but in any event a minimum of 500 words.
(Each of the numerical limits stated in "1" and "2" above may be expanded to permit the completion of an unfinished line of a poem or of an unfinished prose paragraph.)

Illustration:

One chart, graph, diagram, drawing, cartoon or picture per book or per periodical issue.

"Special" works:

Certain works in poetry, prose or in "poetic prose" which often combine language with illustrations and which are intended sometimes for children and at other times for a more general audience "2" above notwithstanding such "special works" may not be reproduced in their entirety; however, an excerpt comprising not more than two of the published pages of such special work and containing not more that 10% of the words found in the text thereof, may be reproduced.

Spontaneity

The copying is at the instance and inspiration of the individual teacher, and
the inspiration and decision to use the work and the moment of its use for maximum teaching effectiveness are so close in time that it would be unreasonable to expect a timely reply to a request for permission.

Cumulative Effect

The copying of the material is for only one course in the school in which the copies are made.
Not more than one short poem, article, story, essay or two excerpts may be copied from the same author, or no more than three from the same collective work or periodical volume during one class term.
There shall not be more than nine instances of such multiple copying for one course during one class term. (The limitations stated in "2" and "3" above shall not apply to current news periodicals and newspapers and current news sections of other periodicals.)

Prohibitions as to A and B above

Not withstanding any of the above, the following shall be prohibited:

Copying shall not be used to create or to replace or substitute for anthologies, compilations or collective works. Such replacement or substitution may occur whether copies of various works or excerpts therefrom are accumulated or reproduced and used separately.

There shall be no copying of or from works intended to be "consumable" in the course of study or teaching. These include workbooks, exercises, standardized tests and test booklets and answer sheets and like consumable material.

Copying shall not:

substitute for the purchase of books, publishers' reprints or periodicals;
be directed by higher authority;
be repeated with respect to the same item by the same teacher from term to term.
No charge shall be made to the student beyond the actual cost of the photocopying.

Music Copyright Basic Information

The booklet, Copyright, the United States Copyright Law, is a general guide for parish leaders, and it may be reprinted for parish educational use.
A Musician's Guide to Copyright and Publishing, Willis Wager, Carousel Publishing Corporation, 27 Union Street, Brighton, MA 02135. (Information includes copyright and publishing, step by step process, questions and answers, new features of revised law, fair use, past and present information.
Music Locator, published by Resource Publications, 160 East Virginia Street, Suite 290, San Jose CA 95112 (408) 286-8505. Available in Archdiocesan Office for Worship.
Church Music Publishers' Association (CMPA), P.O. Box 4329, Washington, D.C. 20012.
Music Publishers' Association of the United States (MPA), Third Floor, 130 West 57th Street, New York, N.Y. 10019 (212) 582-1122).
National Music Publishers' Association, Inc. (NMPA), 110 East 59th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022 (212) 751-1930.
Copyright Office - Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20059 (703) 557-8700 (Catalog Searching Service-$5.00 per hr.)
Musical Works Licensing and Performing Information:
Broadcast Music Inc., 40 West 57th Street, New York, 10019
SFSAC INC. - 10 Columbus Circle, New York, N.Y. 10019
American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, One Lincoln Plaza, New York 10023
For Recording Rights:
Henry Fox Agency, 110 East 59th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022 (212) 751-1930)
For International Copyright Information:
A Copyright Guide, Harriet F. Pilpel and Morton David Goldberg, R.R. Bowker Co., N.Y. 1969.