Worker's%20Handbook%20Policies%20and%20Guideli

The Peacemaker’s Pledge

As People reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we believe that we are called to respond to conflict in a way that is remarkably different from the way the world deals with conflict (Matthew 5:9; Luke 6:27-36; Galatians 5:19-26). We also believe that conflict provides opportunities to glorify God, serve other people, and grow to be like Christ (Proverbs 27:5,6,17; Romans 8:28-29; 1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1; James 1:2-4). Therefore, in response to God’s love and in reliance on His grace, we commit ourselves to respond to conflict according to the following principles. Glorify God Instead of focusing on our own desires or dwelling on what others may do, we will seek to please and honor God—by depending on his wisdom, power, and love; by faithfully obeying his commands; and by seeking to maintain a loving, merciful, and forgiving attitude (Psalm 37:1-6; Mark 11:25; John 14:15; Romans 12:17-21; 1 Corinthians 10:31; Philippians 4:2-9; Colossians 3:1-4; James 3:17-18; 4:1-3; 1 Peter 2:12). Focus on Understanding Instead of focusing only on our perspective, we choose to honor one another by listening carefully and ensuring we understand their perspective and their needs before we respond. We choose to actively seek reconciliation, understanding that conflict is an opportunity for personal and relational growth. (Proverbs 18:2; 18:13; James 1:19; Ephesians 4:29-30) Get the Log out of Your Own Eye We take others’ concerns before the Lord asking Him to examine us and our ways and guide in our response. Instead of attacking others or dwelling on their wrongs, we will take responsibility for our own contribution to conflicts—confessing our sins, asking God to help us change any attitudes and habits that lead to conflict, and seeking to repair any harm we have caused. (Psalm 119:23-24; 139:23-24; Proverbs 28:13; Matthew 7:3-5; Luke 19:8; Colossians 3:5-14; 1 John 1:8-9) Go and Show Your Brother His Fault Instead of pretending that conflict doesn’t exist or talking about others behind their backs, we will choose to overlook minor offenses or we will talk directly and graciously with those whose offenses seem too serious to overlook. When a conflict with another Christian cannot be resolved in private, we will ask others in the body of Christ to help us settle the matter in a biblical manner. If the conflict or offense is still unresolved after the involvement of a few others, we will request the help of the elders in the church with the goal of bringing reconciliation. (Proverbs 19:11; Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 6:1-8; Galatians 6:1-2; Ephesians 4:49; 2 Timothy 2:24-26; James 5:9). Go and Be Reconciled Instead of accepting premature compromise or allowing relationships to wither, we will actively pursue genuine peace and reconciliation—forgiving others as God, for Christ’s sake, has forgiven us, and seeking just and mutually beneficial solutions to our differences (Matthew 5:23-24; 6:12; 7:12; Ephesians 4:1-3, 32; Philippians 2:3-4). Respect and Prize Differences Recognizing that God has designed the body of Christ so that it includes many different parts, we choose to respect the differences of others. Since God has designed these differences for the mutual edification of the body, we choose to prize these differences, recognizing their value to us as individuals and the whole church. (Proverbs 27:17; Romans 12:3-8; 1 Corinthians 3:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:12-26) By God’s grace, we will apply these principles as a matter of stewardship, realizing that conflict is an assignment, not an accident. We will remember that success, in God’s eyes, is not a matter of specific results but of faithful, dependent obedience. And we will pray that our service as peacemakers brings praise to our Lord and leads others to know His infinite love.(Matthew 25:14-21; John 13:34-35; Romans 12:18; 1 Peter 2:19; 4:19) Revised from The Peacemaker, by Ken Sande; 1997, Baker Books, Grand Rapids. p. 235-237

The Supply Room is located in Room 221, near the base of the grand staircase, and is for the use

of all Children’s Ministries.

Children learn best when they are actively involved in the learning process

through the use of their five senses. We are committed to providing Children’s

Ministry workers with the supplies needed to accomplish this objective. There

are two ways our Supply Room is stocked- first, through our Calvary Church

Supply Room budget, and secondly, through our annual Christmas in August

project. Our Christmas in August project supplies over 75% of the

materials in this room. We are humbled by the support of the Calvary Church

family in stocking this room.

The room is organized by categories and labeled by the items. A map is posted in the room.

The metal shelving units along the wall are organized and clearly labeled.

The green cabinets contain snacks to be used only for Early Childhood’s classroom time. Please do

not help yourself to these snacks at other times.

The cabinets along the back wall are labeled with items such as storage and paper bags, extra

construction paper, plates, cups, plastic silverware etc.

Procedure for using items from the Supply Room:

If you are taking a small number of items to use in your classroom, such as glue or glue sticks, you do

not need to sign them out. Feel free to keep items such as construction paper in your classroom, but

please do not hoard supplies.

If you need to borrow a large number of items for a special activity, please sign them out on clipboard

(located on the end table) and return them when you’re done (the same day).

If you need items that are not in the Supply Room, you have two choices:

1. Fill out a Supply Request Form (located on the same table with the sign out clipboard) and specify

the quantity you need. This form will need to be filled out at least two weeks before the date you

need the item.

2. Purchase the items yourself. If you want to be reimbursed for the purchase, it is important that you

first get approval from one of the directors.

If items are running low, or you take the last of an item:

Please fill out a Supply Request Form and label it for Supply Room general supplies. This will be

helpful in keeping the room well stocked.

Please help us keep this room organized

by putting things away.

Policy Calvary Church has a policy of screening all of its teachers, helpers, and workers who are involved in Children’s Ministries and/or Student Ministries. Our desire is to provide a safe environment for the protection of our children. All individuals involved in ministry to minors (less than 18 years of age)will be asked to complete an “Application for Service” form before they begin serving. Every 5 years, all volunteers are asked to update this application for service. For all first time applicants who have not served in Calvary’s children and student ministries before, a criminal background check and a child abuse record will be reviewed. If you have had a criminal background check and/or child abuse history clearance form processed through your employer over the last 12 months, you may submit a copy of the form(s) to us to put on file. Procedure Each worker will need to: 1. Complete the entire application. It’s very important that all questions are completed in order to save the ministry staff time and effort. 2. Please fill out the top portion of each of the 2 reference forms. Give one to each of the people you have listed as references. We ask that these references not be relatives. These references must be returned to you in a sealed envelope. You are responsible for collecting these references and submitting them at the same time with your Application for Service. 3. Complete Section One of the Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance form. (Note: You

are not required to submit a $10 check as stated on the form. Calvary Church will cover the expense.) Complete the PA Child Abuse History Clearance Consent Form. 4. Use the enclosed, self-addressed envelope to return your completed forms to Tamara

Brubaker and then mail it, drop it off at the Children’s Ministries Central Desk in the west end of the lobby, or place it in Tamara Brubaker’s mailbox in the mailroom in the office suite. 5. Have a photo ID to work in Children’s Ministry. While you are waiting for your application to

be processed, please have your staff ID photo taken at the CMC . You may have your picture taken any Sunday between 9:15 and 12:15. You will need to wear your photo ID each time you serve in Children ’s Ministries.

Note: You will receive your photo ID only after you have been granted final approval to serve in Children’s Ministries. Preliminary approval to serve will be granted only after the following forms have been received and processed:

Application for Service Submission of Child Abuse form section one completed Two (2) personal references

Final approval will be granted when the criminal background check and child abuse History Clearance are received and cleared.

All workers, whether new or recommitted, will need to be approved before serving. If you are not approved by the time you are to start serving, you will be asked to step out of ministry until that process has been completed. There will be no exceptions. This will significantly affect our ability to minister to children effectively, so please be prompt in returning your forms. Calvary Church processes applications for hundreds of applicants each year (Praise God!). Even with your promptness in returning all of your forms, the entire process, including dealing with state agencies for the necessary clearance, can take two months or longer.

1. Only approved Children’s Ministries workers may work in Children’s Ministries.

□ Attendance at Calvary Church for at least six months is required before working in

Children’s Ministries when working directly with children. This is waived for Christian service assignments for college students or when parents are asked to work in their children’s classroom as a helper. □ An Application for Service must be on file for all Children’s Ministry workers including

a criminal background and a child abuse check. □ Membership at Calvary Church is required to be a Bible Teacher in Children’s Ministries. Church membership is not required for classroom helpers. 2. There must always be adequate supervision to ensure the safety of the children.

□ Two approved workers, one of which is to be an adult, must be in the classroom at

all times. □ Children should never be left unattended.

3. There is to be no corporal punishment of children.

□ All discipline musts follow The Calvary Church Children’s Ministries Classroom

Management Policy. □ All discipline is to be done in the presence of another approved worker.

4. Touch is to be appropriate so that all appearance of evil is avoided.

□ Touch is to be limited to placing a hand on the child’s shoulders, hands, arms, head

or upper back. □ Never touch a child’s chest, private areas, upper legs or bottom.

5. Windows on classroom doors should be unobstructed and clear.

6. Children should remain on church property and not go on unscheduled trips with

workers. □ Parental written permission is required for all trips away from Calvary Church, and for

on-site events which occur outside of regular ministry hours. □ On overnight activities, males and females will have separate sleeping quarters.

Males and females should stay out of each other’s sleeping quarters. □ Drivers for Children’s Ministry activities are required to have a valid driver's license,

be at least 25 years old and have appropriate car insurance of driving their own vehicle. 7. Workers should use language and materials, which are suitable to the age of the child and are appropriate in meeting the educational and spiritual goals of the church.

I. Classroom Rules must: A. Have clear expectations C. Be clearly communicated to all B. Be age-appropriate D. Have reasonable consequences

II. Teachers and helpers must work together to be consistent with rules.

III. Please follow this 5-step plan when children are disobeying or are being disruptive.

Step One: Use non verbal communication. i.e. Touch the child on his shoulder to get his attention as you are walking around the room or sitting near him.

Step Two: Use verbal communication. i.e. Call the child’s name to bring attention to his behavior in the middle of a sentence or ask him a question but be careful not to embarrass him or put him on the spot. Keep your tone light.

Step Three: Speak with the child privately about the behavior. A. Remember to speak to the child’s behavior, not his personality. B. Meet with the child in the presence of another approved worker. C. Only one adult should address the child. Correction from different people can

cause confusion.

Step Four: If the behavior does not change: A. Have the child sit next to one of the adults. B. Remove the child from the activity.

Step Five: A. Remove the child from the classroom and contact the director. B. Contact the parents. C. The Director will be with you as you talk with the parents and the child.

IV. Prevent discipline problems from happening. A. Arrive early and be thoroughly prepared before the children arrive. B. Clearly communicate all classroom rules and expectations, and consistently

follow through. C. Be positive, friendly, enthusiastic and encouraging. D. Be expressive. Use facial expression when talking. Smiling is a must. E. Vary the environment.

i. Change the room around. II. Use a variety of activities throughout your quarter. III. Use thought provoking questions; not one-liners or the typical

response questions of God, or Jesus. F. Call children by their names. G. Separate talkers before class begins. H. Pray for the children individually throughout the week. I. Be concerned about what is happening in the children’s lives during the week. J. Build a relationship with your students. K. Draw attention to good behavior and provide incentives.

L. Give the children responsibility for their actions. This helps build their

self-esteem.

Nursery Ministry Diapering

1. Gather all supplies:

a. Diaper b. Wipes c. 3 Gloves d. Plastic bag e. “I’ve been changed with love” sticker

2. Wash hands and put on gloves. 3. Before you bring the child to the changing table, tell the child what you are about to do. Place child on clean changing table. 4. Always keep one hand on the child when you are changing a diaper. 5. Remove wet or soiled diaper and place in bag. 6. Wipe child from front to back with a diaper wipe and place wipe in plastic bag. 7. Remove your gloves and place them in the bag. 8. Put a clean diaper on the child, wash the child’s hands with a baby wipe, and remove the child from the changing area. 9. Dispose of zipped plastic bag. 10. Put on one or two new gloves. 11. Spray bleach solution on changing table, wipe clean with a paper towel. 12. Wash hands thoroughly. 13. Only helpers over 16 may change diapers.

Other important diapering information:

Never show disgust at a child’s diaper. The child may think relieving himself is wrong or you don’t love him. During a diaper change is a great time to talk eye-to-eye with a child about anything. Never place the food or drink containers on the changing table surface.

Bathroom Usage For children who are in the bathroom training stage of life, please follow the Early Childhood procedures.

Early Childhood Ministry It is a given that preschool aged children may need assistance with the use of the bathroom, or may need to be changed.

Never close the bathroom door while assisting a child.

If you are assisting a child in the bathroom, the door must remain ajar at all times. Children who wish to use the bathroom alone may close the door, but an adult should knock

on the door and check on them in a minute or two.

If there is a male teacher or helper in the classroom, they should be the one to help any little boys who may need assistance.

If there are women present, they should assist with the girls. o If two men are alone in a classroom, they should ask a female worker in the next

room to assist with the girls. One of them should take the place of the female worker in that room while she is assisting with the girls.

Use the ―hand over hand‖ technique.

If a child asks for or needs assistance with wiping themselves, do not do it for them

Wear a glove and place your hand over theirs, guiding their hand to do the wiping.

o This encourages the child to become competent in self care o It also protects you from any charges of improper “touching” which can result when

young children misunderstand the difference between proper and improper.

Teens may assist with bathroom or diaper changes if necessary.

The door should remain open and an adult should be in the vicinity. At no time should teens be alone with the children, for any reason.

Please dispose of any diapers in the Ziploc bags which are provided in order to prevent unnecessary odors from gathering in the rooms.

Place any soiled clothing in a Ziploc bag for the parents and be sure to let them know!

Handle any accidents as discreetly as possible; Extra underwear is available in the Resource Room to your immediate left as you enter.

If necessary, pants can be obtained from the Calvary Cares closet by contacting the director, by calling the Welcome Desk ext 255, for director to be paged. Parents should be asked to return these items the following week.

Elementary Ministry

Please strongly discourage children from using the restrooms during classroom times, unless it is an emergency. Children should get in the habit of using the restroom before class begins, and when class ends.

In the event of an emergency, however, please follow these guidelines to ensure the safety of our children, and the integrity of our workers.

1st and 2nd Grades: The 1st and 2nd grade restrooms are located within the secure hallways. However, the children still need to be accompanied to the restroom. Never allow yourself to be the only adult in the restroom with a child. If you need extra adult assistance, please ask for help from the checkpoint staff.

3rd – 6th Grades: The restrooms for 3rd-6th grade are located in the hallways outside of the secure area. If checkpoint staff is in place, the hallway doors will be unlocked, and the children will be able to go to the restrooms unattended. Please be aware of the time they leave your room, and follow up if they do not return in just a couple of minutes.

If there is no checkpoint staff in place, the hallway doors will be locked and the children will not be able to get back in. In that case, a worker with a key must accompany the child to the restroom.

As always, please ensure that you are never alone in the restroom with the child and breaking our 2-worker rule.

In an effort to provide a healthy and safe environment for all of our children and staff, we ask that children and/or adults not be in our classrooms if they have any of the following symptoms and/or illnesses:

Active Chicken Pox Cold Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) Coughing

Diarrhea (for any reason) Fever within the past 24 hours Infection of any type Measles Mumps

Rash Runny nose (clear drainage is allowed but not

encouraged) Vomiting (within the past 24 hours)

If a child is being treated with antibiotics, he/she should be on the medicine for at least 24 hours before coming to any of the Children’s Ministries classrooms.

If any of these symptoms are noticed in a child, please promptly locate the parents and ask them to remove their child from class. For the health and safety of all our children and staff, there will be no exceptions to this policy. If you have any questions about the symptoms you notice, please talk with your room coordinator or with one of the Children’s Ministries Directors. Calvary Church’s First Aid Team is always available to help in confirming any of the symptoms; they are located at the Welcome Desk in the main lobby.

Lice: If you discover, either through the parent or through conversation with other adults, that a child has been exposed to, or is being treated for lice, please make sure that your coordinator is informed. Depending on the timing and situation (the incubation period for nits is three to ten days), a letter may need to be sent home by one of the directors to ask the parents of the other children to check their children for two weeks.

Please do not talk with others about the matter. We do not want to cause any harm to the family that has been dealing with lice or cause other people to panic. A child may return to the classroom after having been treated with the shampoo “Nix” or “Rid” and be clear of lice. This shampoo does not require a prescription.

Thank you for helping us to provide a safe and healthy environment for each of our children and workers. We appreciate your cooperation and courtesy.

Permission Slips need to be filled out by the teacher/coordinator when an activity is planned outside of our regular ministry hours or if the event is off-site. Permission slips are located at Children’s Ministries Central (CMC) and

in each of the classrooms.

Note: Children may not participate in an event which is outside of ministry hours, or is off-site, without having a permission slip filled

out and signed by their parents.

Drivers for Children's Ministries activities are required to have a valid driver's license, be at least 21 years old and have appropriate car insurance, if driving their own vehicle. If

driving a church vehicle they must be 25 years old.

On overnight field trips, males and females must have separate sleeping quarters. Males and females should stay out of each others’

sleeping quarters.

Please:

1. Create a cover letter outlining the details of the

event.

2. Fill in the blank permission slip with the needed

information.

3. Copy enough slips for your group.

4. Give permission slips to parents at least two

weeks prior to the event.

5. When your activity is over, place all of the

permission slips in your director’s mailbox so they

can be filed. Legally, we must keep permission

slips on file for 2 years.

As Children’s Ministries leaders, our goal is to help children focus their attention on God. One of the ways we can accomplish this is by dressing modestly. Appropriate dress does not draw attention to the vessel, but allows both children and adults to focus on the truths being taught. The following guidelines for attire have been developed because we want all aspects of our children’s ministry to be honoring to God. Our purpose is not to present legalistic standards, but to be good role models, to be encouraging to all and a stumbling block to no one. (Romans 14:13-18)

Men

Avoid tank tops or sleeveless shirts

If jeans are worn, they should be neat and without holes

Pants should be worn in such a way that undergarments are not

seen Any slogans or logos on garments should be consistent with

Calvary Church’s teaching

Any slogans or logos on garments should

be consistent with Calvary Church’s teaching

Women

Remember—a child’s perspective is different from ours. They see us from behind and from a different level when we bend over. Test yourself in front of a mirror and view yourself from a child’s perspective.

Necklines should not be revealing

Avoid form-fitting sweaters or T-shirts

All tops should be long enough so that when you lift your

arms over your head there is no skin showing Skirt length and slits should fall at the knee or below, with

slits in the back being preferable Pants should not be tight-fitting

If jeans are worn, they should be neat and without holes

Any slogans or logos on garments should be consistent

with Calvary Church’s teaching

If you see children who are not showing respect for either the building/ facilities, or to other individuals, please speak up and say something to them. We are a team and need to work together to send a clear and consistent message about behavior expectations.

Evacuation procedures are included at the end of this section and are printed on pink paper. Please familiarize yourself with the escape routes and your meeting location.

In addition, take your attendance sheet (Note: Nursery ONLY take your room’s Sign-In Sheet) with you and verify that all children have exited. DO NOT return for any missing individuals, but notify Fire/Police authorities immediately.

Please remind children to display general respect for others. This includes walking instead of running, and passing by classrooms quietly as children may be praying or listening to their teachers.

The gym is only to be used during designated times and must always be supervised by adult leaders. The two approved worker rule applies to the gym as well. If you use the gym, you must get a key from your program leader and you are responsible for locking the door when you leave. Please be prompt in leaving the gym after your designated time so as not to disrupt the schedules of other groups who are scheduled to use the gym. Do not unlock the gym for other groups. They must get a key from their program leader.

The Kiddie-Gym must remain locked when not in use. Any teacher who needs a key to the Kiddie-Gym will be issued one. This facility is designed for younger preschoolers only. The equipment will not endure the repeated use of older and heavier children. Use of this room is scheduled by your ministry area and is bound by the two worker rule as well.

The playground is not designed for older children and should be used only by preschool aged children through second grade. The playground is only to be used during designated

and supervised times and the two approved worker rule applies. (continued on next page)

EVACUATION

HALLWAY

GYM

RESPECT

PLAYGROUND - EXTERIOR

KIDDIE-GYM

29

For safety reasons, if there are two different age groups on the playground, the level of play must be adapted to the youngest group, i.e. instructing the children to move more slowly on the climbing equipment in order to be sensitive to the safety of smaller children. There are open grass areas away from the building that can be used for more active games with older children.

In addition, children using the playground during non-ministry hours must be directly supervised by a parent or guardian. Children too old for parent supervision are too old for the playground and may not use it.

This new playground is designed for twos and threes and is for designated use only. This playground is not meant to be open to the public. Any group using this playground

must have sufficient workers to provide supervision at these three main points: the stone stairs, the bottom of the slide, and the gravel pit. Children should be instructed of and reminded of safety rules, and gravel should not be allowed to be carried or moved to areas other than the gravel pit. A dustpan and brush is provided for clean up, and all toys MUST be returned to their storage immediately before leaving. At the present, balls may only be used outdoors or in the gym. Balls that accidentally hit the sprinkler nozzle can set off the fire system and cause extensive damage. Nerf balls are acceptable in the classroom for low intensity games.

If you have a key to any areas of the building, you are responsible for any areas you unlock. Please be sure to lock up behind you, and when you leave. If you unlock any hallway doors, they must be immediately relocked behind you unless the checkpoint person is in place to supervise access to the hallway. The gym is also to be kept locked during your designated time of use.

(continued on the next page)

PLAYGROUND - COURTYARD

BALL USE

LOCKED DOORS

While we do have a fabulous custodial team, it is not their responsibility to clean up after your class. As classroom teachers and leaders, it is your responsibility to be sure that all items have been returned to their proper storage places at the end of your session. Please sweep or vacuum if necessary, especially food crumbs. Please leave the room ready for use by the other groups who share the room. If another class follows yours, do not leave the cleaning up for the next teacher.

Nursery Ministry has a vacuum in the nursing room and laundry room. Early Childhood Ministry has a vacuum in each of the joining classroom closets, and Elementary has one in each grade. When you are finished vacuuming, please make sure that you return the vacuum to its proper storage area. If any major spills occur that are beyond normal clean-up, please call the Welcome Desk (x255) upstairs to have Maintenance notified. Any incidents that involve body fluids must be reported immediately to ensure that they are properly cleaned.

You are responsible for noticing the need for replacement bags for your vacuum cleaner. The new red Sanitaire vacuum cleaners use filter bags which will be located in the Supply Room. Please fill out a request form when this supply begins to get low.

Our facilities are maintained at a level of cleanliness that requires extensive time and care from our maintenance workers. Some tapes can damage walls or leave residue that is difficult to remove. A great deal of research has gone into finding tapes that will not cause damage, and you are asked to follow the guidelines regarding which tape can be used on which surfaces. A copy of the guidelines is included in this handbook and in the Supply Room. Please feel free to make a copy for your room if needed.

TAPE USE

CLEANING

30

3

The Facilities Department has researched and found that five kinds of tape are best

to use on different surfaces in this building. They have made them available for

use by all the different ministries. Please abide by these guidelines. Do not bring

in other tapes for attachment to walls, floors etc, especially forbidden are duct

tape and scotch tape.

Buff-colored Tape The buff-colored “Spectape” provided by the Facilities Department is the ONLY tape to

be attached to painted drywall, which makes up the entire 300 and 400 levels of the building.

As a memory prompt, this tape is approximately the color of walls on which it is designed to

be used. It was carefully chosen by our distributor as the strongest tape that can be safely

used on painted drywall surfaces.

It is safe for use on block walls, but does not stick well. It should never be used on floors

or carpets, as it leaves a sticky residue which clings to dirt and is hard to clean up.

3M Packing Tape

The 3M Packing Tape provided by the Facilities Department is much stronger than the

buff-colored tape, and is designed to be used on the painted block walls of the 100 and 200

levels. It can seriously damage painted drywall, and should not even be stocked on the 300

and 400 levels.

It should never be used on floors or carpets, as it leaves a sticky residue which clings to

dirt and is hard to clean up. It will be replaced when gone by the stronger white cloth

gaffer’s tape.

White, Red & Black Cloth Gaffer’s Tape Cloth gaffer’s tape is designed for use on carpets and wood floors. It is designed to give

maximum adhesion without leaving a residue. It will destroy painted drywall. (Gaffers are

people who run wire in auditoriums, stages and sound systems.)

It may be used on painted block walls, carpets and hard floors.

--White is the color of choice for attaching paper to block walls. It is least

expensive and easily available.

--Red may be hard to restock, so keep it for recreational use, like marking

floors and carpets for games.

--Black can be used where needed, but it is twice as expensive.

Thank you for your cooperation. If you have any questions, contact the Facilities Manager.