Catechesis of the Good Shepherd

Atrium Handbook

Revised 9/25/23

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS)

Catechesis of the Good Shepherd is a Montessori approach to the faith and spiritual formation of the child. Its focus is to deepen the child’s existing relationship with God; to encourage the formation of a personal prayer life; to participate fully in the liturgical and sacramental life of the Church and to develop a deeper understanding of Catholic identity and tradition. This is accomplished through the use of materials, prayer, song, listening to the Word of God, and giving the child time to work with the materials provided in the sacred space prepared for them which is called the atrium.
 

CALENDAR

The Atrium follows the liturgical seasons of the Catholic Church from mid-September through early June. Please see the schedule on the website for starting, holiday, and ending dates. Note that there are two celebrations to which families are invited – the Liturgy of the Light, and the Pentecost Celebration.
 

NEW FAMILIES

Parents new to CGS must attend the mandatory new parent meeting which is posted on the atrium calendar page.


ARRIVAL TO ATRIUM

• Before arriving, please be sure children have eaten and have used the restroom.
• Please wait outside until the catechist opens the door to invite the children in (you may bring a child in to use the restroom if needed prior to atrium start - there is one on the main floor in the kitchen and the one the children normally use on the second floor). 
• On-time arrivals are essential so as not to disrupt group presentations given at the beginning of Atrium. 
• If you are going to be late, please text the coordinator and your child’s lead catechist in advance or as soon as you know you won’t arrive on time.
• If you are late, you must escort your child up to the atrium, please do not drop them off at the curb.
• The front door will be locked 10-15 minutes after atrium begins for security. If you arrive after this time, ring the doorbell and someone will come down to collect your child as soon as they are able.

 Sunday Sessions: After the 9:00 am family Mass finishes, please bring your children directly to the porch of the parish office building so that we can begin on time, since this is a shortened session already. Boxes of donuts will be reserved for the children to have after atrium finishes. If your child didn’t get to eat prior to Mass, please bring a non-messy snack for them to have before atrium. 

DISMISSAL

We ask that parents arrive for pickup at least 5 minutes early, park their cars and wait for the children in front of the parish office building. We need to see who we are releasing the children to and do not want children running into the parking lot. You may pull up to the curb if necessary (sleeping baby in the car, etc.), but please step out of the car so that we can see you before releasing your child.

Children can only be released to parents or legal guardians; if someone else will be picking up your child, please text the coordinator and your child’s catechist prior to pickup. Please be prompt in collecting your children, for their sake and also the sake of the catechists who need to get their own children home. If you are going to be late to pickup, please text the coordinator and your child’s catechists.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

Decisions on whether to cancel are based on current weather conditions. Parents will be notified of cancellations by Flocknote email and text. We recommend that you opt into text notifications so as not to miss last-minute communications.

ILLNESS & ABSENCES

Please keep children who are sick at home until they recover (fever-free for at least 24 hours without medication, no vomiting in the past 48 hours, no active coughing/sneezing/runny nose). Children suffering from known seasonal allergies may attend if catechists have been notified prior. If your child becomes ill during a session, you will be called to come pick him or her up.

Please teach your child how to cough or sneeze into their upper shirt sleeve in a way that completely covers their nose and mouth, how to use a tissue to blow their nose and how to properly wash their hands and use hand-sanitizer.

If your child will be absent or late, please text the coordinator as well as your child’s lead catechist before class begins. Absences cannot be made up at alternate sessions.

MASS

Parents and children are expected to attend Sunday and Holy Day Masses regularly, as children need to experience the Liturgy in order to make the connection between what they learn in the atrium and Mass. Families are encouraged to sit with a clear view of the altar to enable the children to more fully participate in the Mass by being able to the things they have been learning in atrium: the priest’s vestments and colors of the liturgical seasons, articles of the Mass, and the priest’s gestures during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

DRESS

Dress children in comfortable clothing that allows ease of movement, as they will be sitting on the floor for work and circle time. Girls should wear shorts or leggings underneath any dresses or skirts. 

Please keep in mind that we cultivate a reverent atmosphere in the Atrium, similar to that in church. No costumes (unless it is All Saints Day) or ballerina tutus please. Please ensure that the children do not have toys, Pokémon cards, or any items that may be distracting etc. in their pockets.

The children remove their shoes prior to entering the atrium. Please ensure that they are able to put their shoes on by themselves. 

SAFETY

Candles are lit in the Atrium when Scripture is read and during sacred moments. Please ensure that long hair is tied back during atrium.

Atrium aides or parent hall monitors will ensure that children get safely to and from the restroom and that there is only one person at a time in the restroom when the door is closed (the bathroom sink is also used to wash certain atrium materials).

Catechists cannot assist with toileting, if an accident occurs or your child needs assistance, you will be called.

VISITORS

Please make arrangements with the catechists before visiting the atrium so that we can provide you with the guidelines for observation in advance. Parents are welcome to observe an atrium session if desired, in fact we encourage this. The best time to do this is in the second half of the year.

ATRIUM BEHAVIOR

Following the discretion of the catechists or assistants, if a child is having difficulty respecting others, the materials, or the environment, the child’s parent(s) will be asked to have a conference with the catechist and/or coordinator to try to understand the reason for the behavior. Undesired behavior is communication of either a stressor, an unmet need (hungry, tired, needs a different approach, etc.) or lagging skills. When these things are identified, steps can be taken to meet the needs, remove stressors, and teach lagging skills. If however the behavior continues after a reasonable period of time, it may be indicative of the child not being ready for atrium at this time.

IMPORTANT: If you have any concerns, or if your child appears to be struggling or unhappy about attending atrium, please contact the coordinator immediately so that we can attempt to identify and collaboratively problem-solve any issues.

REFUNDS 

We realize that children are unique and develop at their own pace. If your child has not acclimated to the Atrium by October 31st, we will recommend that he/she return to the atrium the following year. This is in the best interest of your child and the other children in the atrium. Your tuition fee will be adjusted accordingly.

CHILD’S PAPERWORK

Each child will have a folder in which to keep their artwork. At the end of the year, we will send the work home. We ask parents not to expect paperwork after each session, since one of the key Montessori principles is that young children work for the process, not the end product.

ALLERGIES

In addition to the registration form, please also note on a 3x5 card any allergies that your children have that the catechists need to know about and understand (food, environmental, medicine, etc.). This may include an allergy plan. If your child carries an Epipen, please show your child’s catechists how to use it.

LOST AND FOUND

Items left in the atrium are placed in a box or bin and kept in the vestibule of the parish office building for you to retrieve at the next session.

CHILD FEEDBACK

As parents, we all want to know what our children learn. It is very difficult for adults to explain their relationship with God, which is actually a very private thing. This is true for the children as well. Keeping that in mind, here are a few suggestions for you to ask your child about the time spent in the Atrium.

• What did you hear in the Atrium today?
• What material did you work with today?
• Did you enjoy your time with God today?

LEAD CATECHIST PHONE NUMBERS

(for texting about absences, late arrival, someone else picking up, etc.)

Heather Bress 313-405-6745  (Coordinator and Levels 2 and 3 Lead Catechist)

Nancy Pino 937-245-0948  (Sunday Level 1 Lead Catechist)

Lina Martin 310-923-8317  (Wednesday Level 1 Co-Lead Catechist)

Sarah Shelfer 443-824-0024  (Thursday Level 1 Lead Catechist)

Please include the coordinator on all texts to catechists.