Saint Vincent Parish, Saint Bernard Parish, Saint Mary Parish
P.S.R. Program
Dear Parent(s),
A warm welcome to the Saint Vincent Parish, Saint Bernard Parish, Saint Mary Parish
P.S.R. program, held at Saint VincentParishSchool. Our program offers an opportunity for the children to grow in faith, and to put God’s love into their lives. With sincere commitment from parents, teachers, and students, this year will be a great success. As a parent of a former P.S.R. student and as the director, I am looking forward to working with you during the coming year.
Attached to this letter is a registration form. Please fill out his form as completely as possible. Please note that there is a place for you to volunteer. Please help out if you can. As with any educational program, we cannot survive without the help and support of parents. If you are involved in a divorce situation, please let me know if both parents should receive information. If you need extra forms, please let me know.
Also attached is a medical release form. We ask that you fill it out and return it with the registration form. While we do not anticipate any problems, safety is a major concern.
I have enclosed the schedule for P.S.R.classes. Registration will be Sunday, September 11thfrom 9:30 to 11:00.The building will be open from 9:30 until 11:00 for you to tour the school. The registration form can be dropped off then and the school will be open for you to visit. If you prefer, please mail the registration ahead of time! I cannot stress enough the importance of registering by this date. It makes the first day of regular classes so much easier. You can drop or mail your registration to me care of St. VincentChurch, 164 West Market Street, Akron, Ohio44303, Because so many of our students attend Akron Public Schools, we will follow their schedule. We believe that this will allow for some three day vacations without the worry of missing a class. Unfortunately, we have noticed that attendance drops off after Easter. We have therefore adjusted our schedule to finish before Mother’s Day.
I am also including a letter explaining the Diocese of Cleveland’s program Praesidium. In an effort to remain transparent, I am also enclosing a copy of the lessons that your child will see during the coming year.
Service is an important part of our Catholic faith. We are asking, as we do of our day school students, that our sixth and seventh grade students complete 20 hours of service during the coming year. Our eighth grade students, as part of their preparation for the Sacrament of Confirmation are required to complete 30 hours. We encourage a diversity of projects to help expand the horizons of our children. Help with family, church, and community is encouraged. The parish youth group offers many opportunities too. Please check the flyers that will come home throughout the year with many opportunities and the log sheet too.
I will continue to send home a calendar of events every two months. This will provide you with updated information regarding class and parish activities. If you do not receive a calendar, please call. Information will also be posted on the parish website.
Formal classes will begin on Sunday, September 18th, from 9:45 to 10:45. We have found that this gives the students a chance to not miss the end of Mass and to grab a doughnut before class. We also realize that some families prefer to attend the 11:00 Mass. This allows them to be present for the entire class. For safety reason, no child will be dismissed unless a parent comes to get them. The only exception to this rule will be for those students who participate in the children’s choir at the 11:00 Mass.
In the past, we have had trouble with chronic tardiness and absenteeism. While we are the first to admit that things do happen, and we understand custody issues, we cannot stress the importance that students attend regularly and on time. This is especially true when a child is preparing to receive a Sacrament. Should your child miss a class, we ask that you review the pages covered in class so that your child can rejoin his/her class without having to get “caught up”.
Also, please remember that there is a family section after every lesson that you can do at home to reinforce the lessons covered in class. This will help establish and strengthen the family-school connection.The series that we use encourages us to evangelize through our actions. All can do this on a daily basis. We also send home an “Explaining God’s Word” or “Good News” to reinforce the readings at Mass.
We would like to continue several traditions started during the last few years. These include notes to our friends in local nursing homes, a family Advent project, Advent Penance Service, Operation Rice Bowl and a mini-day retreat for our 2nd and 8th graders. We will end the year with a family Mass at the 5:00 Mass, followed by certificates and a cook-out.
As part of the “Rooted in Faith” grants, we now have 15 I-pads available for classroom use! We ask that you review the Acceptable Use Policy for Students with your child, sign and return it to me with all the other registration information.
Many have asked about Adult Formation in parish surveys. Well here is your chance, and since your child is already here in class, consider joining in the R.C.I.A. program. The Scullen Room will often be used for R.C.I.A. during the P.S.R. school year. Here is your opportunity for you to update your Catholic education by joining in on the discussion. Please don’t sit in your car, or go to Family Restaurant. Join the fun and update your faith.
PLEASE CONSIDER JOINING OUR WONDERFUL TEAM OF TEACHERS. WE ARE LOOKING FOR A FOURTH GRADE TEACHER! We thank Mr. Bill Marshall for his dedicated service through the years as our fourth grade teacher and pray that his good health and enthusiasm for the Lord continues for many happy years.
I will continue to have an office, but it will now be in Room 9 in the school. Some of the classroom locations have switched. We want to have the P.S.R. classrooms and the ParishDay School classrooms match. Please feel free to visit any Sunday. I can also be reached at home at 330-864-5484. If I haven’t addressed a concern you have, please call. I have never been a good mind-reader.
In closing, I believe that we have a great deal to offer your children. Experts tell us that 90% of religious formation is learned at home through the personal example of parents. The P.S.R. program builds on the solid foundation that you have built. We love the idea of life-long learners and encourage the idea of life-long church goers.
Thank you for your help and confidence.
Sincerely,
Ellen Dies
330-864-5484 (home)
330-730-9021 (cell)
330-535-3135 X 101 (rectory)
*** New email***
Grade / Teacher’s Name / ClassroomPre-K / Mrs. Dexter and Mrs. Dies / Pre-K classroom
Kindergarten / Mrs. DiFeo / Room 7
First Grade / Mrs. Shelly / Room 6
Second Grade / Mrs. Freitag, Miss Skylar, and Mr. Nathan / Room 5
Third Grade / Mrs. Felker / Room 11
Fourth Grade / Maybe You??? / Room 14
Fifth Grade / Mrs. Brown / Room 12
Sixth Grade / Mrs. Winslow / Room2
Seventh Grade / Mr. Pace / Room 4
Eighth Grade / Mrs. Yagatich / Room 3
Mrs. Dies / Room 9