Saint Bernadette Catholic Church
Office of Religious Education

Catechism Classes for Children
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General Information, Policies, and Guidelines

Classes are offered for children in grades K – 12. For your convenience, we offer five sessions from which to choose:

Session 1: Sunday, 7:40-8:50am (Holy Mass with Contemporary Ensemble at 9:00am)
Session 2: Sunday, 9:15-10:30am (Holy Mass with St Bernadette Choir at 10:45am)
Session 3: Sunday, 11:00-12:15pm (Holy Mass with cantor at 12:30pm)
Session 4: Monday, 4:30-5:45pm (Grades K-5 only)
Session 5: Wednesday, 7:00-8:15pm (Grades 5-8 only)

For the sake of uniformity of policy and for the safety and protection of our children, the religious education program utilizes, where applicable, the same policies as those of Saint Bernadette School.

Inclement Weather Policy: If Fairfax County schools cancel weekend events, there will be no catechism classes on Sunday. If Fairfax County schools have a delayed opening, early dismissal, or cancels classes on a Monday or Wednesday, there will be no catechism classes on Monday or Wednesday. Since the Fairfax County announcements are given such wide publicity on the local media (103.5 FM WTOP, for example) and on their website (www.fcps.edu), please do not expect telephone calls from catechists or the Office of Religious Education to announce the cancellation of classes. Also, check the parish website (www.stbernpar.org) for announcement of cancellation.

All who enter and exit the school should use only the main school entrance. This entrance is monitored and secured.

All children in grades K through 3 should be dropped off and picked up at the classroom door. Parents are not allowed in the school hallways during class times, unless there is an emergency. Please wait in the church vestibule or in the school main entrance foyer until the bell rings. If there is an emergency and you need to contact your child during class by phone, please call the catechetical office directly at (703) 451-8576, ext 30. To contact me during weekday business hours, my personal office number and voicemail is at extension 36.

During catechism class time the school is locked as it would be during a regular school day; the religious education program follows the same procedures as Saint Bernadette School regarding visitor entry.

If children will be picked up early or need to leave during class time, please provide a note to the catechist. Parents who come to pick up their children early will wait in the foyer of the school’s main entrance. An office aide will escort the children from their classroom.

Latecomers are asked to sign-in at the main entrance. They will be escorted to their classrooms. Four or more consecutive absences in the second and eighth grade classes (i.e. sacramental grades) may delay a student from receiving the sacraments.

All children must travel in the hallways (e.g. to the restrooms) in pairs. No child will be allowed to walk the hallways alone. The DRE, Asst DRE, and various office aides constantly walk the hallways during class times to ensure safety. There is an open-door policy for all classrooms.

All volunteers (catechists, assistants, aides, etc.) and employees of St Bernadette Parish are compliant with diocesan-mandated safe environment and child protection policies and have submitted to a background check. Further information concerning child protection and safety in the Diocese may be found online at http://www.arlingtondiocese.org/childprotect/child_protection.php.

Students should come to catechism class properly dressed and on time. No shorts, sweatpants, or tight or revealing apparel are allowed. Improperly dressed students will be asked to leave the classroom; their parents will be telephoned. Cell phones, MP3 players, cameras, and similar devices are forbidden in the classroom.

Sunday Mass attendance is obligatory for all Catholics over the age of reason. Attending religious instruction does not take the place of Mass attendance. It is inexcusable to drop your children off at class and to go attend Mass without them; this deprives your child of the benefits of worshiping God and receiving the sacraments!

Questions should be addressed to David M. Wallace, Director of Religious Education.