Catechist Formation Plan for All Catholic School Employees

Effective July 1, 2018

The Catechist Formation Plan ensures that every school employee receives the individualized training and faith development needed to effectively minister in our Catholic Schools. The program is designed to increase each employee’s knowledge of the Catholic faith and to promote a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Requirements for the first year of employment:

• All New Employees

1. Receive a locally assigned mentor (appointed by the pastor/principal) for one year. Pastors/principals may personally mentor new employees or delegate that responsibility.
2. Complete the approved Diocesan Faith Inventory and discuss the results with the pastor/principal.

• Non-teaching employees (In addition to Steps 1 and 2 for All New Employees)

3. Create an individual annual faith development plan with the pastor/principal. These plans will be approved and monitored by the pastor/principal and documented locally in the employee’s personnel file. Employees may use digital resources (i.e. FORMED), the mentor relationship, and/or other resources to complete his/her knowledge base in the first year of employment, with emphasis on areas of growth identified by the Diocesan Faith Inventory results.

• Contracted Teaching Employees (In addition to Steps 1 and 2 for All New Employees)

3. Set ongoing individual faith goals as a part of the teacher’s annual Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). These goals will be developed with the purpose of improving his/her faith life and understanding of Catholic teaching. Employees may use digital resources (i.e. FORMED), the mentor relationship, and/or other resources to complete his/her knowledge base in the first year of employment, with emphasis on areas of growth identified by the Diocesan Faith Inventory results. Plans will be approved and monitored by the pastor/principal and documented locally in the employee’s personnel file. Principals/Pastors may require a second administration of the Diocesan Faith Inventory near the end of the school year to monitor and document growth. Resources and ideas will be available through the OCSC and Office of Evangelization and Lifelong Learning.

• Administrators in Catholic Schools (In addition to Steps 1 and 2 for All New Employees)

3. Each administrator will set annual faith goals with the school pastor and/or assigned superintendent as a part of his/her overall Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). These goals will be developed with the purpose of improving his/her faith life and ability to lead a Catholic School. Each plan should include the date of the school’s annual faculty/staff retreat. These plans will be submitted to the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers for approval and documented in the Administrator’s personnel file.

• Contracted teachers who are teaching high school religion or teaching religion exclusively at the elementary/middle school level (In addition to Steps 1,2, and 3 for New Contracted Teaching Employees)

4. Participate in a screening of degrees and personal meeting by ELFF/OCSC upon being hired at a school.
5. Create and submit an individualized, three-year, ongoing formation plan consisting of at least six college credits or the equivalent in master inservice points. (Twenty approved master inservice points are equivalent to one semester hour of college credit.) All ongoing formation plans will be reviewed by the Religious Certification Committee for approval and monitoring.

After the first year of employment, requirements are:

• Non-teaching employees

1. Create an individual annual faith development plan with the pastor/principal. These plans will be approved and monitored by the pastor/principal and documented locally in the employee’s personnel file. Employees may use digital resources (i.e. FORMED), the mentor relationship, and/or other resources available through the OCSC and Office of Evangelization and Lifelong Learning.

• Contracted Teaching Employees

1. Set ongoing individual faith goals as a part of the teacher’s annual Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). These goals will be developed with the purpose of improving his/her faith life and understanding of Catholic teaching. Each employee’s plan should include a Christian service component. These plans will be approved and monitored by the pastor/principal and documented locally in the employee’s personnel file. Resources and ideas will be available through the OCSC and Office of Evangelization and Lifelong Learning.

• Administrators in Catholic Schools

1. Each administrator will set faith goals with the school pastor and/or assigned superintendent as a part of his/her annual Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). These goals will be developed with the purpose of improving his/her faith life and ability to lead a Catholic School. Each plan should include the date of the school’s annual faculty/staff retreat. These plans will be submitted to the Office of Catholic Schools and Centers for approval and documented in the employee’s personnel file.

• Contracted teachers who are teaching high school religion or teaching religion exclusively at the elementary/middle school level (In addition to Step 1 for Contracted Teaching Employees)

2. Revise and execute individualized, three-year, ongoing formation plan focused on professional goals. Teachers must complete at least six college credits or the equivalent in master inservice points (Twenty approved master inservice points are equivalent to one semester hour of college credit) every three years. All ongoing formation plans will be reviewed by the Religious Certification Committee for approval and monitoring.