Congregations Caring for Children

More Than Fifty Nifty Ideas

More Than Fifty Nifty Ideas

More Than Fifty Nifty Ideas

More Than Fifty Nifty Ideas

More Than Fifty Nifty Ideas

For Improving Relationships Between Religious

For Improving Relationships Between Religious

For Improving Relationships Between Religious

For Improving Relationships Between Religious

For Improving Relationships Between Religious

Congregations and Their Early Childhood Weekday Program

Congregations and Their Early Childhood Weekday Program

Congregations and Their Early Childhood Weekday Program

Congregations and Their Early Childhood Weekday Program

Congregations and Their Early Childhood Weekday Program

For Congregations operating or subcontracting for a child care center

Sharing Classroom Space

1. Hold monthly meetings of weekday program director and Sunday/Sabbath School

teachers.

2. Exchange names and phone numbers of weekday staff and Sunday/Sabbath School

teachers.

3. Spend time together in classrooms; look around and see what needs to be changed.

4. Clarify and define use of equipment and supplies; write down and post policies.

5. List items which need to be put away on Fridays, Sundays, and holidays.

6. Leave notes with messages of praise.

7. Leave note to explain special circumstances.

8. Include cleaning and care for shared equipment in curriculum plans.

9. Hold meetings for all people using the same room, preferably at night.  Include

 board members, too.

10.  Don't move fixtures or decorations without consulting the  other  staff or teachers.

Sharing Non Classroom Space

11.  Develop a sign up calendar for shared personnel and resources.

12.  Plan ahead to avoid being  in the way  when a special function is held.

13.  Relinquish space (gracefully) when the congregation or child care program has a special

 event.

14.  Clarify use of outdoor space and equipment; write down and post policies.

15.   Teach children respect for other people's property and for God's house.

16.   Educate congregation members and staff about developmental needs of children.

17.   Agree on contingency plans for using space in special circumstances (e.g. using hall as

  movement space on rainy days).

18.   Be sensitive to sacred history and traditions when seeking permission to use space.

19.   Leave things as clean as (or cleaner than) you found them.

20.   Agree on use of kitchen; write down and post policies; use specific examples to clarify.

21.   Respect what the congregation reveres (e.g. dedicated rooms, special paintings and

   furnishings).

22.   Do not assume you have the right to use things and spaces because you spend more

  time in the building.

Addressing Maintenance Issues

23.  Determine who pays for building maintenance in areas used exclusively by child care

  program; same in areas shared with other programs.

24.   Be specific about who is responsible for various maintenance tasks.

25.  Educate the congregation about  normal  wear and tear on facility by full day

  program.

26.  Organize a parent work party to paint/repair/spruce up classrooms and outdoor space.

 (Coordinate plans with church maintenance people!)

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