Dates to Remember

10/30/09 - 6-7PM Parent Information Meeting
1st Class in November covers Safety
11/23 - Safety Lessons 3 &4

Important Documents

Parent Letter
Opt Out Form

Keeping Children Safe

Safety Curriculum for Grades 7-8

The Arch Diocese of Boston has asked that all of its religious education programs include the Keeping Children Safe program as a part of the curriculum. The common wisdom among all the experts is that no one program is perfect but the most effective safety principles are those that are regularly revisited with the youth. Saint Mary's Parish highly encourages all of its students to participate in this program, though there is an opt-out, as it provides them with the tools to help themselves as well as their peers. Below is a brief overview of the curriculum, if you would like more information, or if you would like to make an appointment to review the entire curriculum contact the Youth Minister Matt Marchand.

• Lessons 1 & 2 will be taught in the First Regularly Scheduled Class in Novemeber.
• Lesson 1 - Helping students identify positive and negative traits in others, choose positive friends, and setting expectations. This lesson teaches about respect and responsibility.
• Lesson 2 - Helps students to recognize boundaries and how they are helpful for a happy and well balanced life. This lesson also teaches students how to be a good listener and how to "Tell it like it is, with tact."
• Lessons 3 & 4 will be taught by Grade in the Hall on 11/23/09. Gr. 7 from 5-6PM Gr. 8 from 6-7PM
• Lesson 3 - Helps students to identify different types of abuse, physical, emotional, and sexual through short verbal scenarios. This helps the students identify proper courses of action and where and how to get help.
• Lesson 4 - Helps students to join the prior lessons by learning to identify positive friends and how to set proper boundaries within peer groups. They explore the OSCAR awards for good friendships.