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Twenty-twenty has been an incredibly difficult year because of the Pandemic. With no end to the COVID 19 issues in sight, St. Mark's continues to follow Diocesan protocols for social distancing, groups, masks, sanitizing, and other areas.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states, "Parents are the principal and first educators of their children." [CCC:1653] While that is a truth of our Church, parents and guardians do not always know how to educate on certain topics. That is where St. Mark's PSR staff members come in--we are here to help, as we work together to build children's knowledge of their Catholic faith and its rich traditions.
After closing PSR classes last March, we worked very hard to find other class options, with the thought being "We may need different options next year." Well, next year is here and unfortunately, we need the other options. Our usual Wednesday live classes are still unable to meet. Know that we are monitoring the situation and continually reviewing all aspects so we can gauge when live classes can resume.
During this time, it is important to us that your children do not have gaps in their religious education. To that end, we are exploring online and hybrid class options to ensure there are no educational gaps during this difficult time. The Diocese will let us know which class options we may use. Our best hope is an option that uses a monthly in-person night, followed by 3 weekly home studies. We are also exploring home aids for parents that include helpful suggestions, activities, videos, and other links that you will access from this site. This means that your home may become the central learning space for your children, but you will always have our help.
In the meantime, we are keeping a close eye on all of the happenings around PSR and will respond with class options that work for whatever scenario we find ourselves in--we are ready for anything!. Look for a decision on this within the next few weeks.
For more information, call Debra Kaminski at (740) 277-1965 or 740-653-1229.
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Registrations are required to receive help and program materials for the 2020-21 year. Click on the PSR Registration Form link below to register your child(ren)! -
PSR Registration Form
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Web Safety
Since the pandemic school closures, children have been exposed to more time online than ever before. This brings up the questions, "How do children know if an online situation is safe?" and "When do you need to tell a grown-up?"
Concern for their safety is what prompted the organization behind NetSmartzKids to create a kid-friendly site that serves a higher purpose. Their site contains games, videos, activities, and most importantly, lessons for children about online netiquette, cyber bullying, and when to tell a grown up about something that is just not right.