Church School Teacher Page

Sunday Morning Procedures
Important Teaching Information
Safety & Evacuation Procedures
Downloadable Materials and Curriculum
SignUp Genius links for Teaching Teams

Sunday Morning Procedures

Arrive Early

Arrive at the classroom no later than 9:00 am to greet early arrivals and prepare your room. The Nursery (Room 09) will be staffed by 8:45 am so that teachers may leave their own young ones there in time to be in their own classrooms. Leave your classroom for worship, with any children who have come early, by 9:10 am. Turn off the lights, close the door.

Worship Together

Children’s church school classes (age 3 through grade 5) attend the first 15 minutes of the 9:15 am worship service. Meet in the sanctuary for worship together in the front pews. Once the children are dismissed, return to your room as a group. We hope many of the children will sit with their parents, and then join you as they leave for church school. Many parents, especially of the younger children, will escort their children to church school.

Take Attendance Every Sunday

Pick up your attendance folder in the main office before you go to your room. Record attendance of those listed; for new attendees, please have parents complete a visitor form and place it in your folder; note “new” and write name on attendance list. Ask them or their parents to complete a registration form so that we can put them in the church school records (Registration forms are in your attendance folder, additional forms can be found in the literature rack outside the main office.) Office staff will add them to the roster. Teachers and Substitutes, please mark yourself in each Sunday so we have a record of teacher participation as well.

Dismissal

Church school is over at 10:30 am for all ages. Ages 2- Grade 2 classes are dismissed to parents only; other classes are directed to meet their parents in the Assembly Room at 10:30 am.

Return Attendance Folder to the Office

Return your folder to the Main Office at the end of your class session. Enclose notes for Elizabeth or Lauren and offering envelopes.

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Important Teaching Information

Plan Ahead if You Will Be Absent

If you know ahead that you will be away, please coordinate with your teaching team at least one week before the date and provide them with any materials they will need to prepare. Normally, we would expect that the other members of the team would take the main responsibility for planning and conducting a session when their co-teacher(s) are absent.

There will be a designated member of the Children’s and Family Ministry Committee “on-call” each Sunday of the program year. If you are ill or unable to attend at the last minute, please notify your co-teacher(s) and let Karen Berliner know so that the on-call member can step in.

Plan for Music in the Classroom

Please sing! Singing is a wonderful way to teach Bible stories, supplement activities, praise God, prepare children to participate in worship, and have fun. Teaching, praise, and enjoyment are the goals, not choir quality music. Identify the musical talent in your teaching team and capitalize on it! Ask for help if you need it.

Singing with the children may be an intimidating thought, so here are some ideas to break the ice. Simply play a CD in your classroom! We have supplied each classroom with the CD Singing Faith All Day Long which is based on hymns from our pew hymnal, Glory to God. You can start out by offering this as background music, or you can get the words and let the CD lead the children while they listen. Older students may enjoy helping to lead singing.

Music Resources:

Leaders – we have people eager to help you with music leadership in your classroom, if you so desire. Please ask!
Pianos – most classrooms have a piano. If you find yours terribly out of tune, let us know.
Rhythm Instruments – you will find containers of rhythm instruments in the supply closets on the lower level. Please return them after each week you use them.

Children’s Library

Our Children’s Library, located adjacent to the Sanctuary, is a fabulous resource for Teachers and Families alike. This room is available for use by the Sunday School Classes during the Sunday School hour. Checkout procedures are posted in the room. Sunday School classes and teachers are welcome to make use of this space on Sunday mornings.

Use of Copy Equipment

The copier in the church office is available for your use on Sunday mornings. Please ask for assistance if you are unfamiliar with the equipment. Black & White copies are available without using a code. The code to access color copies is 5305, then press “enter” on the video display. The machines all have their own peculiarities. Also, if a machine jams, please let someone in the office know so that it can be fixed or labeled “out-of-order.”

With advance notice, we can make copies for you during the week and leave them in your attendance folder. Contact Lauren Yeh (x106, email)

Supplies & Supply Closet

Church school supplies are in the supply cabinets on the lower level, as well as the craft closet on the third floor (at the top of the parking lot side stairs). Please help yourself to whatever you need, keeping in mind that all classes share the resources. Please put items back where you found them, working to keep the closet tidy and organized.

You also have a designated church school storage closet in your room. Many supplies are already there, including a first aid kit. Keep a stock of items you will need regularly, such as scissors, glue, markers, crayons, paper, etc. Return specialty items to the supply cabinets so that others have access to them. If you have any special needs or if you notice that we are running short on an item, please let us know.

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Safety & Evacuation Procedures

Child illness/injury during Church School:

First Aid kits are located in each church school classroom and maintained by the Deacon Emergency Response Team so that all contents are up-to-date and complete. If you notice that anything is missing, please leave a note in your attendance folder for the Office Staff.

On-call medical personnel are available every Sunday morning. The Deacon on call, seated at the deacon’s desk in the church office, has this person’s contact information. If you are in need of emergency assistance with a child, please contact the deacon and inform him/her of your need and locate the child’s parents/guardians. If the parent is not in the building, parent contact information is in the “Child/Youth Registration” Book, a print out of all the church school registration forms that is kept at the Deacon Desk on Sunday mornings.

Parent does not pick up child on time:

If for some reason a child is not collected before all teachers need to leave for worship or other activities, please bring the child to the deacon’s desk, inform the deacon of your situation, and contact the parents or have the deacon contact the parents using the contact information in the Registration Book which can be found on the counter behind the Deacon Desk. Please have child remain in office until parents arrive.

Child Protection Policy Training:

Nassau Church has an established the Child, Youth, Volunteer & Staff Protection Policy which “demonstrate[s] our absolute and unwavering commitment to the physical safety and spiritual growth of all of our children and youth. We are committed to maintaining a safe environment in which children and youth are protected from inappropriate treatment of any kind. Our intent is to protect children and youth in all church programs, to educate all workers and caregivers concerning pertinent issues, and to protect staff, volunteers, and the church itself, from potential allegations of abuse and neglect” (from the Protection Policy Statement of Purpose).

Training in this policy for all volunteers and paid employees who work with children and/or youth is offered online. Contact Lauren Yeh if you are unsure of your training status.

As part of this policy, background checks are re-run every three years on all volunteers and staff.

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Evacuation Procedures

In the event that staff and students must leave the church building, we will meet on the grassy area behind Alexander Hall, the building that contains Richardson Auditorium and is immediately behind the church building. See map below.

Please ensure:

You have all children in your care accounted for (grab your church school folder as you leave)
You escort the children calmly to the nearest exit
You walk to the appointed gathering place (behind Alexander Hall)