Safe & Sacred Guidelines

We place great value on the quality of our RE program and are eager to maintain a safe and sacred space for our children and for the teaching volunteers. Below are listed some guidelines for safety and conduct that we hope will foster the sense of respect, safety and comfort that comes when expectations are understood.

Registration

Registration is required for all students in our RE program. Registering your child in RE helps us with our planning, ensures that your child receives mailings from his or her teachers and about other church programs, and provides us with information about your child's special needs. Forms are available through your child's teacher or from the DRE.

Classroom Conduct

Our teachers and Sunday helpers spend much time and energy creating a safe, supportive, nurturing and positive atmosphere in the classroom. We expect all children to behave in a manner that fosters these feeling for themselves and their classmates. Each teaching team is encouraged to develop a classroom code of conduct with the children. Parents can help by discussing appropriate behavior with their children and reinforcing the classroom code of conduct.

Safe and Sacred Guidelines

In all spaces of the church, we encourage parents to ensure that their child treats their church home with respect. It may go without saying, but this behavior includes no running, standing or climbing on pews, throwing things or shouting. The altar area in the sanctuary is to be regarded as sacred space, not a play area. Your child is welcome to join you for snacks during coffee hour, and we ask that your child (as they would at home) wait for the adults to enter before eating, and that they use moderation and good manners.

Safety Guidelines for Teachers

Your child's teachers will have had training support. They will:

• Know where the closest fire exit is, routes of exit, where the closest fire extinguisher is, and lead fire drills during the year.
• Exercise caution in chalice lighting, and supervision during group time Store matches out of reach in shelving.
• Ensure that children have completed registration forms and have permission slips for offsite trips when needed.
• Ensure that the DRE knows where your child's group is at all times.
• Know that the First Aid Kit is in the Church Office on top of the tan filing cabinet.

Adult's Covenant with our Children

We hope to continue the feeling of extended family that we enjoy at our church, and we hope that adults can support our “Safe and Sacred Policies.” We encourage you to model for our children the principles of respect for the dignity of others, justice and compassion in our relationships, and acceptance of one another that are the basis of our faith. If you see a child that may need guidance, you are encouraged to speak calmly to the child, or directly to their parents. Shouting, shaming, complaining indirectly, or physical restraint is incompatible with our principles.

Religious instruction doesn't take place only in the Sunday School classroom. It occurs throughout this sacred place of worship, our religious home. It is our hope that these suggestions will assist all of us to make our church safe and comfortable for people of all ages.