2007-2008 Audit Report Definitions

Clergy:
Priests, deacons and parish administrators are to be included on the audit instrument this year. All clergy in the Diocese of Kalamazoo have been trained and have had a background check. Seminarians are monitored by the Office of Vocations. Individual parishes should put them on the employees list.

Schedule A: Employees
Complete Schedule A with the names of all employees of the parish or school.

For purposes of this report, employees are all people who receive a regular paycheck from the parish or school in return for work performed. Include casual employees if they work more than one day a year. Summer employees should have a background check done immediately. Do not include volunteers who receive a stipend. Do not include those people who no longer work for the parish or school. Part-time is anyone who works less than 20 hours a week. All employees, regardless of the nature of their work, are required to be trained and to undergo a background check. Coaches are to be included on Schedule C. New employees are given three months to attend a Protecting God’s Children training session. An authorization form for a background check is to be filled out at the time of application.

Schedule B: Volunteers
Complete Schedule B with the names of all volunteers who work with children on a regular basis.

Only those volunteers who work with children on a regular basis are included in this section. Include those adults who volunteer for Youth Ministry, Vacation Bible School, Migrant Ministry, Liturgy of the Word for Children, Parish Nursery, or any other programs where adults interact with children. Coaches of all kind are listed on Schedule C

Schedule C: Catechists
Complete Schedule C with the names of all parish Catechists who teach children.

People who teach children in Religious Education programs, regardless of the name the parish may give them, are to be counted as a Catechist. Minors may not be in charge of minors, so Catechists must be over the age of 18. Catechist aides are considered volunteers. Public school teachers who teach in our Religious Education programs need to be both trained and to provide evidence of a background check. Verbal assurance that one has been done is not sufficient. Many public school teachers have been grandfathered and have not had a background check done by their school district.

Schedule C: Catholic School Teachers
Complete Schedule C with the names of all school teachers.

Teachers in our Catholic schools are required to be both trained and to follow the state laws dealing with background checks. Those teachers who have been grandfathered must submit a criminal background check authorization form to have an ICHAT background check run.

New hires are given three months to attend a Protecting God’s Children training program. Complete Schedule C with the names of all Catholic School teachers. Teachers Aides, Librarians, etc. are listed on Schedule A Employees.

Schedule C: Coaches
If your school has coaches please list them on Schedule C, whether or not they are paid. List coach volunteer or coach paid in the position column.

Schedule D: Students
Complete Schedule D with the number of students by grade level in our schools, Religious Education and/or Youth Ministry programs. A student is considered trained if they attend at least one class. Enter the dates the classes were taught.

Often, Youth Ministry programs are of a ‘drop-in’ nature. For those programs, the number of students who attend the day/evening of the lesson should be counted.

Opt out forms are to be kept on file. If the opt out rate is above the diocesan average (10% Religious Ed;4% Schools) the auditors like to see them and I will ask for them. Opt out forms provide evidence that the Parish offered the classes and parents opted out.

Schedule E: Scouts
Complete Schedule E with the name of all Boy Scout, Cub Scout and Girl Scout leaders. If we sponsor the troops, they are required to be trained and to have a background check on file with us. This has been approved through the Scouting councils.

Many of our employees are also volunteers; many of our volunteers have more than one position. PLEASE LIST PEOPLE ONLY ONCE.

DO NOT MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE FORMAT OF THE WORKBOOK