At First Unitarian Society of Denver, we are concerned about each child’s spiritual and religious education. In addition, we are committed to making sure that we provide an environment that protects each child’s health and safety. Please become familiar with the following guidelines:
Parent Responsibilities:
Parents, please sign up to be the parent helper in your child's classroom. Our Religious Exploration program is offered to you at no cost. However, we rely on the cooperative efforts of all parents to assist the teachers each Sunday. The sign-up sheets are located outside your child's classroom door. If everyone does his or her fair part, you should only have to be the Parent Helper 4 times throughout the year.
Classroom time (Sept - May):
9:45a
Preschool – 8th Grade: Unless otherwise noted, all children will begin in the Sanctuary during the service. At approximately 10:00a, the children will adjourn to their individual classrooms. RE classes end at roughly 11:00a. We ask that parents honor this condition so that the teachers have ample time to implement their lesson plans.
Youth Group: 9th – 12th grade: 10:15a only. Unless otherwise noted, the group will go directly to the Sitting Room.
Nursery: See Below
11:30a
Nursery: Drop off time is 15 minutes prior to the church service. You are required to sign your child in and out. Please pick-up your child immediately after the service ends. This gives the Nursery Staff time to clean the room. Please bring an extra diaper and change of clothes in the event of an accident.
Building Safety:
A first aid kit is available in each classroom and in the main office. An escape plan and locations of the fire extinguishers are posted in every classroom. A review of first aid skills and fire escape plans is part of the teacher training. A list of CPR trained adults will be posted in the DRE office.
In order to protect our children and youth, all children under the age of 18 must be in the presence of an adult. If a child / youth does not wish to participate in the Religious Exploration programs they may either volunteer in the Nursery / Chapel or remain in the Sanctuary. At no time should any child under the age of 18 be allowed to wander the building without adult supervision.
Illness:
Please do not bring children to RE with a fever, flu, or communicable illnesses such as chicken pox, conjunctivitis, etc.
Field trips:
Parents sign a year-long permission slip which is a part of the RE Enrollment Form, addressing situations when children will be leaving the premises. The destination and expected time of return will be communicated to you in advance either by the DRE or your child’s teacher(s). The designated adults who are in charge of the event will carry a list of names, emergency contacts, and medical conditions with them at all times. All drivers must be covered by car insurance. All passengers must use a seat belt and children under 8 must be in appropriate car seats. If a driver is under 25, children may only ride with written permission of a parent or guardian.
Child Protection Safety:
For every age group: from Nursery through High School: a minimum of two adults must be present. This includes childcare for meetings & events, overnights, field trips, and meetings outside of RE. If a teacher or youth leader suspects or is made aware of child abuse or has a concern about a child’s safety and well-being, this information will be reported to the Director of Religious Exploration as soon as possible. There is to be no use of alcohol or illegal drugs at events involving the children or youth.
Snacks:
Parents will find sign-up sheets outside of your child’s classroom. Snacks at First Unitarian are not meant to be either a meal or a dessert. Crackers and / or fruits and vegetables are preferred. Please let the RE Teachers know of any food allergies or special dietary needs your child has. All food allergies or foods not tolerated by your child will be posted in your child’s classroom.
Medical Alerts:
We ask all parents whose children are on specific medications or have medical conditions alert their child’s teachers. Please fill out the Medical Alert portion of the Enrollment Form, which will be kept in your child’s classroom.
Confidentiality:
Parent helpers are asked to respect the confidentiality of each family. If there is a matter you need to discuss, please contact the Director of Religious Exploration--Eric Bliss, at 303-831-7113, ext. 4.
Special announcements to parents about Religious Exploration at First Unitarian Society of Denver
1) To ensure their safety, no child or youth should be left unattended at any time.
2) In order for your child or youth to get the most out of our programs: to build community, to forge lasting memories and relationships--we ask that your family strives to attend church regularly. Continuity is crucial to our program’s success.
3) Please respect the starting and ending time of our programs, so that our teachers may tend to their own affairs.
4) Please consider how you might help our RE program be successful. This program is 100% volunteer run, and thus it is our hope that parents assist in Sunday RE Class 2-4 times a year to ensure that success. Come learn and grow with your kids!
5) Thank you for supporting Religious Exploration at First Unitarian!
Want to volunteer for our children and youth programs? We are particularly interested in parent volunteers to assist in classrooms during the 9:45a service. Contact Eric Bliss, Director of Religious Exploration for more information at bliss@fusden.org
