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2020-2021 Blended Learning Model
We are excited to unveil this year’s Blended Learning program to you! Our religious ed staff, youth minister and a few catechists were already participants in a two-year program led by a national consultant to reimagine faith formation prior to COVID. When we attended our first workshop in January, we could never have imagined how fortuitous the timing of this opportunity would be! It was made possible by a generous grant from the Hartford Bishop’s Foundation.
The goal is to connect faith to your everyday life. “If a family is centered on Christ, He will unify and illume its entire life,” writes Pope Francis in his document “The Joy of Love.” This Blended Learning model integrates family prayer and Catholic Faith Traditions with your child’s faith formation and is delivered via multiple platforms. It also accommodates different learning styles and provides more flexibility. And while some options are online based, there are plenty of “unplugged” choices for those who prefer to give their Wifi a break.2020-2021 Class Schedule
MONDAY
Gr. 7 & 8
VisionsTUESDAY
Gr. 5 & 6
VentureWEDNESDAY
Gr. 1 & 2
PromiseTHURSDAY
Gr. 3* & 4
Good NewsWeek 1: Gather
In person or view recorded class6-7:30 p.m. 6-7:30 p.m. 6-7 p.m. 6-7 p.m. Week 2: Do
Two activities:
1 preselected,
1 of your choiceWeek 3: Embrace
Choose a prayer tradition that your family will practiceGr. 3 Sacrament Prep
6-7 p.m.Week 4: Respond
Send us pictures, video, etc. of an activity your family did this month
*Gr. 3 is a Sacrament Year so we need some additional instruction time each month to prepare the children for their 1st Reconciliation and 1st Communion.
Here’s what Blended Learning looks like for Saint Paul Religious Ed Gr. 1-8:
- The program will kick off the last week of September with the distribution of “Family Faith Tote Bags” which will contain key items that tie into monthly themes. To fund this resource, we applied for and were awarded an Innovation Grant from the Archdiocese of Hartford.
- October will be the first month of the program.
- During the first week of each month the catechists will teach at Saint Paul School as we always have for those who are comfortable attending. Those who are not will have the option to watch/participate remotely.
- The remaining weeks of the month your child/family will participate in two faith experiences: you will choose one and the other will be preselected for everyone. You will find these options on our new Religious Ed website (it’s not active yet). You will also sign up via the website for the activity you choose. Activities will be in-person, remote or both. How the content is delivered remotely will vary by activity. We will guide you through any at-home activities. Best of all, you will choose what works best for your family.
- Remote content could be: a video on our Religious website, our Religious Ed Facebook page, YouTube, or printed materials that you can download.
- Ex: “How to pray the rosary” will be one option. You can watch a video or download the instructions.
- The preselected faith experience will feature a Catholic Faith Tradition. It will relate to that month’s theme and the contents of your tote bag. A friar, religious ed staff member or catechist will lead families in this Catholic Faith Tradition. Again, it will be offered both in-person or virtually.
- Ex: October’s theme is Saint Francis since we are a Franciscan Parish. The event will be the Blessing of the Pets on the Feast of Saint Francis on Oct. 4. Children can bring their pets or stuffed animals to be blessed or you can do the blessing at home with the prayer service materials we’ll provide. If you don’t have a pet, you can watch the recording of the blessing so you can still learn about this faith tradition.
- At the end of each month, we ask that families send us an image of one of their faith experiences in the form of photos, videos, drawings, etc.
You can be rest assured that any in-person faith formation/activities will provide as safe a setting as possible for the students and the entire religious ed staff. We will be incorporating the safety protocols that area schools, including Saint Paul School, are developing. As with any new endeavor, it will continue to evolve and we will make adjustments as needed. We thank you in advance for your patience.
Our goal has always been to help children grow in their relationship with God and their practice of the Catholic faith. Now more than ever, we want to encourage families, who are spending more time in their homes these days, to find their true home in God.When families bring children into the world, train them in faith and sound values, and teach them to contribute to society, they become a blessing in our world.
~Pope Francis
To contact the Religious Education Office:Robin Veronesi, Director of Religious Education
please call (860) 828-1934 ext 109
Christina Norton, Administrative Assistant of Religious Education,
please call (860) 828-1934 ext 125
You can also email us at religioused@stpaulkensington.org.
