St. Matthew

For 2020-2021, St. Matthew offers families two options for faith formation: @MATT or @HOME.  The video above provides an overview for you.

No matter the program, each family is provided with:

• Curriculum Materials
• Supporting activity suggestions via email, social media or parish website
• Opportunities for faith formation programs for parents/guardians
• Dedicated staff support at program grade level

Fees for our 2020-2021 Faith Formation year are as follows:

• One Child $75
• Two Children $150
• Three or more children $200
• If your child is in our Year 2 program, there will be a $50 sacramental fee.  If your child is in our 8th Grade Edge program, there will be a $75 sacramental fee.
• Maximum amount charged any family is $300.

Choosing the correct grade level:

• • Preschool/Kindergarten is temporarily suspended through this calendar year.  Our parish leadership, covid taskforce and faith formation team will continue to evaluate for the safest time to open this program for operation.
  • 1st Grade or older preparing for First Eucharist: 
    • Please keep in mind, two consecutive years are necessary for reception of First Holy Eucharist. Formal preparation may begin as early as first grade.
    • Select Catholic School if your child is in 2nd grade and DID complete 1st grade Catholic School or other Faith Formation/CCD program in 2019-2020.
    • Select the necessary YEAR 1 if your child is in 1st grade OR if your child is in 2nd grade but was NOT enrolled in Faith Formation, Catholic School or other CCD program.
    • Select the necessary YEAR 2 for reception of the sacrament in the spring if your child is in 2nd or 3rd grade, and DID complete Year 1, Catholic School or other Faith Formation/CCD program in 2019-2020.
    • Select RCIC if your child is in 3rd to 8th grade and needs to receive First Eucharist, reconciliation and in some cases, baptism.
  • 3rd, 4th or 5th grade and child HAS received the sacraments of baptism, reconciliation and First Eucharist, you will select the grade level that corresponds to their school grade.
  • 6th grade or 7^th, 8^th grade and older preparing for Confirmation
    • Please keep in mind, two consecutive years are necessary for reception of Confirmation.  Formal preparation may begin as early as seventh grade.
    • 6th grade is an encouraged year, as we are building upon the foundation to begin preparation for the sacrament of Confirmation and life as a young disciple.
    • 7th grade is a necessary year which can be completed in Faith Formation, CCD or Catholic School in order to receive the sacrament of Confirmation at the end of 8th grade.
    • 8th grade is a necessary year for parish faith formation regardless of school attending, resulting in the sacrament of Confirmation in the spring for youth who DID complete 7th grade Faith Formation, CCD or Catholic School.  If your child is in 8th grade, and was NOT enrolled in any of these Catholic programs in 2019-2020, they will need to enroll in 8th grade, but will complete their preparation and receive the sacrament in 9th grade.
    • Teens in 9th grade or older need to be enrolled in our RCIT program to prepare for Confirmation or any other sacraments of initiation.
  • High School Years: all teens are invited to register for our Life Teen Youth Group, regardless of having received the sacraments.

The @MATT program will take place on campus, with the following modifications made for sessions…

• Size of Sessions – to reduce exposure to all, we are reducing the number of people present during a session to 25-30% of years past.  In order to do this,
  • Elementary and middle school sessions will be held at separate times;
  • 6th grade will now be included in our Edge middle school program;
  • Kindergarten and Preschool will temporarily not be offered;
• Arrival – Prior to arrival on campus, parents will be asked to complete a screening questionnaire.  Upon arrival:
  • participating children will be asked to step out of the vehicle and will be checked for temperature; if anyone registers over 99.5 a cooling off period will take place (remain in vehicle with air conditioning running).  A staff member will return to retake the temperature, and if it remains over 99.5, everyone must return home and complete the @HOME lesson for that week.
  • Doors open for children when all volunteers are in place and space has been cleaned – this will be no earlier than 15 minutes prior to session start; children will use hand sanitizer before entering the building, and then will go directly to small group room (PK-5th) or area (6th-8th).
• Small Group – limited to no more than 8 children per group; supplies (pencils, markers, scissors, etc.) are sanitized and bagged for each small group use as needed, there will be no communal or shared supplies.
• Dismissal – each small group is assigned a designated exterior exit; children will be dismissed individually to parent/guardian/approved adult.
• Session Duration – Elementary sessions are 60 minutes, Middle School sessions are 90 minutes.
• Session Calendar – Program will follow a 6-4-6 format: 6 weeks in the fall, 4 weeks in the winter and 6 weeks in the spring.  This will allow us to break during December and January when typically we have seen the most illness.  Supplemental enrichment activities will be provided to families in our off-weeks.  Calendar can be viewed below.

@MATT Session Schedule (Begins week of October 11)

• ELEMENTARY (60 minute sessions)
  • BALLANTYNE CAMPUS: Sundays at 2:30 or 4 pm; Tuesdays at 4 or 5:30 pm
  • WAXHAW CAMPUS: Mondays at 4 or 5:30 pm; Wednesdays at 4 or 5:30 pm
• MIDDLE SCHOOL (75 minute sessions)
  • BALLANTYNE CAMPUS: Sundays at 3:30 or 7 pm; Tuesdays at 6:15 or 7 pm
  • WAXHAW CAMPUS: Mondays at 7 pm; Wednesdays at 7 pm

*Depending upon restrictions of number of people permitted to gather, Waxhaw Edge sessions may split into 6:15 and 7 pm.

At discretion of the Parish Leadership due to environmental or health concerns, @Matt programs may migrate to @Home at any time during the program year.

The @HOME program will take place in the home, with one family, or two or three families coming together.  To participate in the @HOME program, the following criteria must be met…

• Safe Environment – all parents are expected to complete the safe environment requirements of the parish regardless of whether they will be meeting with other families for catechesis time.
• Curriculum – is the curriculum used in the @MATT program; families will follow the schedule and syllabus provided by the Faith Formation office.
• Community Gathering – each grade level will have two to four designated times through the program year where families will be expected to participate on campus (preferred) or through a virtual online experience (if family is not participating in any outside activities).
• Catechesis – Children will receive a grade level catechetical book or workbook, along with unit activity packets if applicable to grade; parents will receive lesson instruction cards to guide them through options for sharing the lesson as well as weekly emails from the Faith Formation office.
• Session Duration – It is recommended that you set your home program for segments of time that match your child’s learning style.  If meeting in a group, we recommend no more than 30 minutes of sedentary learning time.
• Session Calendar – Program will follow a 6-4-6 format: 6 weeks in the fall, 4 weeks in the winter and 6 weeks in the spring.  Supplemental enrichment activities will be provide for our ‘off’ weeks.