Middle School Youth Ministry

The aim of the Middle School Faith Formation Program is to help teens learn about their Catholic faith, bring their faith alive, and develope a relationship with Jesus Christ. 
 

6th -8th Grade Youth Faith Formation Schedule 2020-2021

Students in grades 6-8th grade will work out of St. Mary’s Press’ Catholicism 101. This eLearning mini-course is an engaging and efficient way to help young people unfamiliar with Catholicism learn the essentials of the Catholic faith. Catholicism 101 has young people engage their hearts and go deeper into the concepts of faith with interactive eLearning modules for self-directed learning, which then lead to catechist-led follow up sessions whether in-person or via video call. 

Middle School Faith Formation sessions take place on Wednesday evenings either in-person (in school classrooms) or virtual (Zoom video call) at 6:00pm – 7:00pm. Parent Sessions take place 3 times this year at 6:00pm-7:00pm in the school gym. Please use this schedule for all pertinent session information.  If any changes need to be made due to conflict, inclement weather, or COVID-19, email and MyParish app. will be the form of communication.

If you should have any questions or concerns, please call Lori Hinker, Director of Middle School Faith Formation, at 952-447-2491 ext. 109. You are also welcomed to email lhinker@stmichael-pl.org. Thank you for your patience and involvement in this year’s program!
 

Click here for information on the 2020-21 Faith Formation Program       Click here for the 2020-21 Middle School Faith Formation Schedule

Faith Formation Booklet/
Re-Opening Procedures

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
For the 2020/21 Middle School Faith Formation Program

Middle School Parent Information Night

We will be holding two Middle School Parent Information Nights in October. Please click on the links below to sign up for the date and time that works best for you. 

October 7th
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.October 21st 
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
 

Commonly Asked Questions:
We were wondering how the hybrid option would work. If it’s every other week for 6th, 7th and 8th graders, is that every third week in-person then? Would there be fewer kids in a classroom or more teachers/space? Social distanced with masks I’m assuming?
The Middle School Faith Formation Schedule is found on our parish website. When indicated grade in-person, that grade will be meeting in the school classrooms (10 youth, 1 adult, with hall monitors). All of the classrooms are set up for social distancing since we are in person for school this year. Extra sanitation is in place, and will be done before our youth arrive for FF and after we gather. As long as we have the mask mandate, all youth and volunteers are required to wear them. When indicated grade meeting virtual, that grade will be meeting via Zoom with Catechists and other youth (2 small groups with 2 adults). A more streamlined schedule per grade will be provided at Parent Information nights, and then uploaded on the website to help families follow along more easily.
 
We also were wondering how the virtual sessions would go? Are these live video calls or prerecorded videos or just homework assignments? Is there flexibility on when the virtual session is completed or is it live on Wednesdays at a specific time?
We are using Catholicism 101 this year from St. Mary's Press. https://www.smp.org/product/E6013/Catholicism-101/ This is an interactive curriculum that has youth prepare for their small group in-person/virtual follow up sessions. It combines questions, formation, videos and more for each lesson. This can be done any time before our Wednesday evening sessions. ALL 6-8th grade will be learning the same thing each week. Once we go "back to normal", it will be an easy transition back into our Catholic Connection Handbooks as used the last 3 years.
 
If we did a virtual online only option, are there activities or events that would be missed? Would those activities also depend on how the situation is though with the virus?
If you choose as a family to do virtual only, we will have a virtual session with those youth that would otherwise be meeting in person for that week and every week. Keeping them always connected. Same with the parent sessions, there will always be live streaming and recorded options available. We are keeping in mind all those that do not feel comfortable coming in person, but at the same time always keeping them connected to our St. Michael community.