Survey Response

 In your opinion, what are the strengths of our program?

• Support from our DRE delivering good and clear communication to catechists.
• The program is very organized and well managed. It is very refreshing to have a good sense of continuity and consistency. I think that is our best attribute.
• Excellent leadership and support from Erik, his staff, and our clergy. An amazing cadre of experienced teachers to lean on for support.
• The organization of the program. The office staff is helpful and available to answer questions and help with the problems that sometimes arise.
• We’ll organize.
• The teachers are great and so is the curriculum.
• Unity and the common goal of helping each student/person grow in their faith.
• Facilities, class material, organization, communication, and staff (friendly & helpful).
• Communication
• The teachers are its strengths & their positive attitude. Father visiting the classes enhances the children's learning.
• Enrollment and participation. I was very impressed by how many students came to class each week.
• We had good resources and materials to teach just needed more time.

• Having enough televisions, classroom Wi-Fi access, and small student to teacher ratios
• What has been helpful is the manageable class size and the support we get from the office and DRE! Very commendable!
• More training. More Bible study and faith formation of my own. Better preparation on my own part as I felt I "winged it" a little too much.
• I believe we need more resources and need to have the most current curriculum available.
• Syllabus and materials
• The office staff was always so helpful in making sure we had what we needed to succeed. I would like some printouts before class in the office of some activities we might want to do in our classes. Puzzles, activities, things like that.
• It would be helpful to hear what other Catechists have done or used that had the students engaged and those things that were not helpful.
• My assistants (Lupe & my daughter).
• I've taught for many years, and this was the 1st year I had to create my own lesson plan and that was difficult. Having the church provide a lesson plan for each grade group. I feel will ensure cohesiveness and consistency across multiple people teaching the same grade.
• Having an assistant, Juleigh Chapa. Her attitude, her keeping up with the materials that I instruct her with.
•  I would’ve liked to get the material MUCH earlier to prepare.
• Better communication from RE staff. Example knowing ahead of class if new students are being added to our class. That way we can be prepared for the additional students. Also, catechist needs to be informed of changes in their class.

• Create a workshop twice a year for all kids and parents to attend. This might include small groups with a catechist as the leader to help facilitate.
• We need to get them to come to mass more regularly. Maybe a retreat or two throughout the school year for parents with children making their first communion and confirmation.
• Maybe have an open house where parents can meet all the teachers?
• Give them supplementary materials during the orientation.
• Maybe we could have a day where all k-5 catechists meet in the hall during class and have a fun day altogether. The older classes can do it on a different day. Maybe have some games and snacks.
• First, the parents should go to mass every weekend and take their children with them. They should also ask their children what they learned in class and provide input to deepen their faith. Read a children's one-year bible with your family every night, it takes 7 minutes, and then say a prayer with hands joined. Talk about the readings and homily after mass with the family. If you don't teach your children about God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit and how to follow Jesus, they will be taught by others and follow the way of the world. If you want to spend eternity in Heaven, you should know how to get there.
• More gatherings outside of class to build a bond with parents.
• Maybe having a teacher/parent’s day in which parents can join their child in class and learn about what they have been learning. Or plan a potluck.
• To have the parents begin teaching their children early as the year progresses. In other words, help them with the curriculum during the CCD year
• I think we need to community service opportunities and requirements, especially for Confirmation preparation. I would love to see a mission summer trip program implemented.
• Having mass for the students with their parents. Maybe having mass at 5:00 on Sundays once a month.

• Having class in-person to assist with building relationships with the students.
• Seeing the kids receive their sacrament
• The students! They were very smart and insightful and asked many challenging questions. Some days they taught me more than I taught them.
• The students.
• Active participation of the students.
• The kids are so awesome!
• When I could get the students to engage in discussions.
• The materials are easy to use.
• RE staff is super helpful and provides prompt responses. The children of course.
• The children are happy and enthusiastic about learning.
• The students. I loved my class.
• Being able to meet in person. The students missed the in-person classes. Was able to see them grow in their faith.

• Jesus is Lord to love Him first, follow Him through prayer, and continue being involved with the community of faith.
• God is a father of everlasting love for them! He wills what’s best for them, He invites them into a relationship with Him, He gives us the sacraments to help us get to holiness, He is with us in good times and bad, He makes us free and wants us to choose to be good.
• Our faith is more than just a 5-minute homily or words on a page. I did my best to explain and relate the lessons to their real lives.
• I hope that their faith has increased and that they know that even though they are young what they do has an impact on their lives, the lives of their family and friends, and all the people they interact with on a daily basis.
• The greatest gift they receive in Holy Communion and how they should live their lives in order to unite themselves with Jesus.
• They learned about the Passion and Holy Week.
• There is only one way to heaven, through Jesus Christ. I hope that at least one learned how to find a scripture passage and that they should all read the bible.
• Either way works for me. I had to make 1 or 2 adjustments but for the most part, I feel the Holy Spirit did most of the work. I just showed up
• Liturgical Calendar - most important Triduum Lesson/chapter on the virtues of love, hope, faith Bible stories: David and Goliath and others.
• About the Reconciliation Sacrament & learning how to pray the Rosary & the history of the Saints.
• I hope prayer is something they’ll think about more often.
• How much God loves them that he gave us his only son Jesus. Eucharist needs to be part of their lives.

• Was not too difficult to plan but would like the office to create one for each grade level as a reference to add or remove when necessary
• Planning a scope with our fellow catechists teaching the same grade was a very good thing. We keep the consistency in lessons for the whole year so that in case one of us needs to be out the other class can incorporate them and teach them the same lesson for that day.
• Easier. I was never in doubt as to what I was going to be teaching in a given week and had plenty of time to prepare. I wish I could say that I always did as much prep as I should...but I'll do better next year!
• This was my first year teaching the third-grade curriculum and I was unsure if the scope and sequence that I taught will carry them on to their next class. I think it would be great for someone to plan the whole curriculum so that we are sure we are getting them ready for the next year.
• As is fine
• I think our teachers creating our scope and sequence worked great.
• Truthfully, I didn't plan much for scope and sequence. I used the book each week and tried to supplement it with Bible readings and devotionals. I would not want the office to create Scope and Sequence.
• It was harder, having the office create a sequence will ensure quality and consistency. Sometimes if I had students from another class join me in the same grade, the lesson I had planned the students would share they had already gone through that chapter with their teacher and would have to go through it again with me.
• It was easier. Yes, I want the office to create it again.
• I appreciated the freedom to create my own scope and sequence, but I think that having a list of topics to cover would be helpful
• We started off on the track., however canceling some classes got us behind. We need more classes. Consider having classes in May.

• Yes
• Yes, especially with the Band app. Announcements could go out efficiently even at last minute. Parents and teachers could ask questions and have an answer promptly. Very good means of communication.
• Could we have more training sessions? Maybe a bible study just for catechists?
• It was helpful because some changes occurred and that kept us to date.
• Yes
• Yes, it was.
• To be honest, I don’t remember these. But I will look for the next year.
• Yes it was
• Yes
• Yes
• Yes, was for me, however not sure if my parents read it.

• Ensure there is a bin for each class to include their materials eg. pens, pencils, and notebooks. Often these materials would get mixed up under the cabinet, lost, or removed.
• Seminarian Matthew was extremely helpful in the occasional theological question/answer sessions for the confirmation kids
• Could we have more training sessions? Maybe a bible study just for catechists?
• Provide information about additional resources that will enhance the curriculum. Provide information concerning the technology resources that are available for us to use.
• No problem with him. He has been very helpful and approachable
• N/A
• Keep a list of ideas/class teachings/ideas that worked to engage the students with the grade/year noted. If there are things you want students to know and learn, let me know.
• 1-2 times meet during the year to provide teachers input on struggles to see if there are problems across the classes and ways to improve on those struggles ( A workshop for discussion). For example, due to Covid, some students are behind in reading/writing skills.
• Suggest activities and provide fun handouts to tag along for lesson plans.
• Keep the same assistant
• Holy Hour opportunities for classes on a Sunday. Coordinating confessions on Sunday for RE students.
• Better communication with parents and catechist. Some of my Spanish-speaking parents did not understand some of the instructions given. We do need reminders for the parents.

• Continued catechist workshops including small groups with grade levels to share and learn different methods of teaching.
• Talks for the first and second years of confirmation pertaining to morality, Christian values, Theology of the Body, what the church teaches on homosexuality, and redefinition of marriage. We are losing our youth because of worldly misunderstandings and misinterpretations. It is important that our youth start learning the truth about what our church teaches and why it teaches it. We need to start clearing up this “hater” view people have of our church regarding these teachings.
• I'd like to have the ability to bring in more multimedia content. Maybe a projector I could plug a laptop into? Or would it be ok if I brought one of my own? Students are used to learning this way in their regular classes so why not bring some of it here?
• Provide activities or information that will help the parents carry over the weekly lesson to their home.
• Everything is fine
• I don't have anything in mind.
• I would like to see more focus and teaching from the bible. Perhaps get input from parents and students at the end of each month regarding what they learned, liked, didn't like, and anything that would help deepen their hope and faith.
• Provide online (Zoom) for important meetings. I live far away & can’t make it to the church as easily as most people.
• More help with lesson plans What about little field trips on the church grounds: stations of the cross, inside the church to discuss the different things/symbols Visit to the confession rooms.
• Don't know. Planning on teaching another level (school grade), not the First Communion teaching.
• Community Service Santa Cruz has an active St. Vincent de Paul program that has a visitation component. It would be great to find a way to collaborate with different service opportunities
• More class which means going into May. We need to get through as much of the materials

• Would be good to understand a checklist of prayers that should be memorized by grade level. I found half my class did not know the words to the Our Father prayer.
• Please make the RE year longer. Let’s start in mid-August and go to mid-May. Or make the classes 90 mins long. At least in the upper grades.
• At the moment no, but I'm sure I will in the future.
• Guest speakers Parent speakers Have the children become involved in community programs that will build their faith and make them aware that they can do something to help their community.
• More interaction activities with other teachers especially for the new teachers.
• No
• Families and people need to put God first in their lives. Read the bible, especially the Children's One Year Bible. Read the scripture readings before mass. Go to a retreat. Act like God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are the most important things in your life. Learn about Jesus...how can you follow him if you don't know what he did, believed, and taught?
• Teachers to come together to pray with & for each other.
• Not anything else from what I have mentioned. I did see a major improvement with the RE connecting with volunteers and I enjoyed and tried to attend every event.
• Having more videos with stories of Saints or miracles.
• I think that Holy Hour availability, reconciliation opportunities, community service, and youth mission trips would bring life to the faith formation experience.
• Having the parents come to class with their child once a month. This would build better communication with the families.

• Offer free resources or ideas for the catechist to expand their learning. eg. The Catechetical Formation Series by Loyola Press
• Living out our faith in a contrary world, moral objections, going against the current, resisting the ways of the world.
• More about teaching in general
• Suggestions and activities for each week
• Methods and Procedures
• No
• Relating to students on their level. I am afraid I may be going over their heads.
• How to help children who are behind in reading/writing.
• How to engage students more
• Classes to help me in my teaching. Ideas and suggestions to help me in the class.
• I’d like to learn more about Confirmation preparation.
• Having classes for catechist certification

• N/A
• Is pretty terrific!
• Is great!
• I feel the program is effective but at times it is difficult to complete activities with large groups of 15 to 16 students.
• Is fine.
• The program is great, and the kids enjoy it when they are there.
• Is good, but it seems that they know very little. I was shocked at how little they knew about stories from the bible. They didn't know about David and Goliath or Noah's Ark! It seems the parents either don't know much about faith and the bible or they are not teaching or sharing it with their children.
• Works
• Is well organized and an enjoyable experience.
• It's rewarding and satisfying
• I'm glad the program exists and that there is so much participation. I think there is room to grow to help make it feel more like a community rather than another obligation. The youth group is great, and I hope that continues.
• This year went OK. Since this was our first in person classes since the pandemic. Not enough time to go thru all the lessons.