Elementary
Kindergarten to Grade Six use
the Canadian Catechetical Series
"Born of the Spirit" produced by
The Canadian Conference of
Catholic Bishops as the
principal resource for the
religion curriculum.
Junior High
The Canadian Catechetical Series
"We are Strong Together"
produced by the Canadian
Conference of Catholic Bishops
is the principal resource for
Grades Seven to Nine.
Senior High
At the senior high level three
locally developed courses
approved by Alberta Learning
according to Policy #050703 are
offered for three credits. The
Program of Studies for these
courses is entitled Alberta
Youth Search for Meaning. “In
answer to the search for
meaning, Christ said, “I am the
way, the truth, and the life.”
(John 14.6) In the high school
program, this is the foundation
for the search for meaning. It
is integral to the grade level
themes of Belonging (the way),
Believing (the truth), and
Relating (the life). The
principal resources for the
courses:
Religion 15 – Christ and Culture
Religion 25 - The Catholic
Church – Journey, Wisdom and
Mission; Jesus of History Christ
of Faith
Religion 35 – In Search of the
Good
Prayer and Liturgical Year
Daily prayer is part of the
school and classroom routine.
Throughout the year students
celebrate significant feasts and
seasons by participating in the
Eucharist, Liturgies of the
Word, and other prayer services
and faith celebrations.
Retreats
Every student from Grade One to
Twelve participates in a retreat
with his/her class once during
the school year. Length and
theme of the retreat varies
depending on the grade level.
Good Works
The Good Works Policy (Board
Policy PDO#15) describes the
expectations at the school
level.
With this mandate in mind
students in Christ the Redeemer
School Division will have an
opportunity to engage in age
appropriate service throughout
their entire school career.
Students from Kindergarten to
Grade 3 shall participate at the
classroom level in the various
school wide projects that are
initiated throughout the school
year. These would include, but
not necessarily be limited to,
such activities as collection
for the food bank and the Holy
Childhood Association.
Students from Grades 4 to 9
shall participate under the
guidance of the classroom
teacher in a class level service
project. It is necessary to
prepare students to participate
in such projects by helping them
to realize that service is
rooted in faith and by providing
a background of the Church's
tradition.
High school students are
expected to complete an
individual service
project/community service hours,
usually completed in Grade 11,
as a requirement for graduation.
It is the responsibility of the
principal to ensure that these
projects are properly monitored
and completed in a timely
fashion.
Youth Leadership 15
This 3 credit, locally developed
course challenges students to
make connections between their
faith, values and actions in
leadership. It is also an
opportunity to gain skills for
effective leadership.
Family Life/Chastity Education
"Sex education, which is a basic
right and duty of parent, must
always be carried out under
their attentive guidance,
whether at home or in
educational centers chosen and
controlled by them. In this
regard, the Church reaffirms the
law of subsidiarity, which the
school is bound to observe when
it cooperates in sex education,
by entering into the same spirit
that animates the parents." (Familiaris
Consortio, 37)
"Positive information about
sexuality should always be part
of a formation plan so as to
create the Christian context in
which all information about
life, sexual activity, anatomy
and hygiene is given. Therefore,
the spiritual and moral
dimensions must always be
predominant so as to have two
special purposes: presenting
God's commandments as a way of
life, and the formation of a
right conscience." (The Truth
and meaning of Human Sexuality,
94).
Family Life/Chastity Education
begins at Grade Five and is
always taught in the context of
the dignity of the human person,
the virtue of chastity and the
Church’s teaching on marriage
and family life. From Grade
Seven onwards this topic is
taught as part of religion
(Grades 7, 8 and 9 and RS 15 and
RS 35) incorporated into the
units on the sacredness of the
human body and/or marriage and
family life. It is also
addressed in C.A.L.M. 20.
The principal resource for
grades five to nine is the 2003
document approved by the Alberta
Bishops “Health and Life Skills
Alberta Catholic Schools Human
Sexuality Outcomes” This
document is the Catholic
adaptation and perspective on
the human sexuality outcomes
outlined in the Alberta Health
and Life Skills Curriculum K –
9.
The principal resource for
C.A.L.M. 20 is a “Catholic
Resource for Teaching Career and
Life Management” produced by the
Council of Catholic School
Superintendents of Alberta and
approved by the Alberta Bishops.
In RS 15 this topic is in Christ
and Culture – Unit 5 – Theme 13
“Intimacy, Sexuality and Love”.
RS 35 has the topic in the text
In Search of the Good Unit VI
“Building a Civilization of
Love” (Chapter 16 “Marriage
Matters”). All other lesson
resources are vetted by the
Director of Religious Education
and the Religious Education
Secretariat for the Diocese of
Calgary.
Participation in these lessons
is the choice of the parent.
Prior to the commencement of
these lessons an outline of
content and objectives and a
permission form should be sent
home from the school. If desired
the parent may request more
detailed information and to
review the resources to be used
prior to making a decision.
Grade Five parents are invited
to participate in a family life
night with their child prior to
the topic being discussed in
school. This evening consists of
a whole group session on God’s
plan for us and then separate
session for girls and boys on
the changes of puberty and the
physiology of human sexuality.
An appropriate alternative will
be arranged for students who do
not participate in the lessons.
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