General Policies and Procedures for

Volunteers

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Please check the box next to each item to show that you have read, understand, and agree to comply with each section of the policy.

Check-In Policy/Procedures □ All children birth through 12th grade must be checked in at the kiosk.

□ Children birth through 5th grade will receive a name tag with their name, allergy alerts, special instructions, and a security code. Parents will receive a security receipt for children birth through 3rd grade.

□ Each class will take roll at the beginning of the class. Please make sure that your child is wearing their nametag.

□ Nursery – PreK: As the child is dropped off, make sure to note on the sign-in sheet where the parents will be throughout the morning. If a parent is needed for any reason, give the nursery overseer the child’s security code and it will appear on the screen in the worship service. If a parent is elsewhere in the church, ask an overseer to locate the parent.

□ Grades K-3: If a parent is needed for these children, please contact the overseer who will locate the parent.

Check-Out Policy/Procedures □ Each nametag has a numeric code on it, and each code matches the code

on the parent’s security receipt.

□ Parents must present the security receipt to the teacher in order to pick-up their child (3rd grade and younger). Older siblings may not pick-up younger siblings.

□ Please match the code on the child’s nametag to the security receipt shown by the parent.

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General Classroom Security □ Volunteers must check in at the kiosk before going to your assigned duty.

Name tags must be worn at all times.

□ An adult should never be alone with a child.

□ Workers should arrive at least 15 minutes before a scheduled activity and should keep watch over those in their care until all have been picked up by a parent or an authorized person. Under no circumstances is a child to be left unattended.

□ Volunteers should never take photographs of children and post them online.

□ Head counts of all children should be made whenever the class or a portion of the class leaves the classroom for any reason (i.e. trip to restroom or playground).

Emergency Operations Plan □ In the event of a fire, tornado, bomb threat, or active shooter follow the

Emergency Response Procedures posted in each classroom and in the pews in the auditorium.

“Each one should use whatever gifts he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” 1 Peter 4:10

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Restroom and Diaper Policy □ All diaper changes and all toilet assistance will be done in the presence of

TWO adults. This often requires the help of the nursery overseer or another volunteer. Please ask for help.

□ For children under the age of 5, scheduled restroom breaks will be taken. An adult female will assist children as needed, while the other adult stands at the open door. In the event that a child needs to use the restroom at an unscheduled time, and this child needs assistance in the restroom, another adult female must be present. Please ask for help.

□ For children over the age of 5, one adult female should take girls to the restroom and one adult male should take the boys to the restroom. The adult should first check to make sure the facility is safe, and then wait outside the restroom.

□ To protect children and adults, male volunteers will not change diapers or provide toilet assistance to a child.

□ It is recommended that gloves be worn when changing diapers. □ Southgate volunteers do not change diapers of children 3 and older. The

parents of the child must be alerted to come assist their child. □ Cloth diapers must be changed by parents.

Food Policy □ A snack of graham crackers or goldfish and water will be served to children

one year old through PreK.

□ If the lesson plan calls for any snack or food other than these, the teacher will post an Allergy Alert at the classroom door to inform parents.

Classroom Discipline □ It is the teacher’s responsibility to maintain a safe and positive learning

environment.

□ We adhere to a “3 Strikes and You’re Out” policy. If a child’s behavior is such that it distracts/disrupts the flow of learning, the teacher must: • Give a verbal warning. (“Johnny, this is your first warning. If you

continue to misbehave, you will have to sit out.”) • Give a second verbal warning with a temporary removal from the

activity. (“Johnny, this is your second warning. Please go sit in the chair in the corner.”)

• If a child must be corrected a third time, the teacher needs to remove the child from the classroom and a pastor of the church will conference with the parent. (“Johnny, this is your third warning. We need to go find the Miss Libby or Pastor Pat.”)

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Sickness Policy Parents are asked not to bring their child to a program if one of the following conditions exists:

• fever, faague, difficulty in breathing, or dry cough or exhibiang any other symptoms relaang to COVID-19 or any communicable disease within the last 14 days

• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing • Muscle pain or body aches • Sore throat • Nausea • Congesaon or runny nose • Frequent, hard cough or wheezing/shortness of breath • Diarrhea • Vomiang • Eye Drainage • Undiagnosed rash • Lice

□ If a child shows signs of sickness (including, but not limited to, all listed above), please give the nursery overseer the child’s security code, so the parent can be contacted and the child removed from the program.

□ In the event that a janitor is needed for clean-up, please contact a pastor-elder for assistance.

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Overly Aggressive Behavior- Injury/Discipline Plan If a child is a vicam WITHOUT broken skin:

□ Please tell the parent at pick-up. If a child is a vicam WITH broken skin, deep wound, bleeding or child is traumaazed and cannot be comforted:

□ Please wash the bite mark with warm water and soap. □ Text parent to come check the mark or ask overseer in nursery to put the

child's number on the screen in the auditorium. □ When convenient, complete Injury/Incident Report for us to keep on file

at the church.

The Offending Child:

□ First Offense of the morning: Calmly say "No! We don't bite/scratch/hit/kick." Sit child in ame out for 1 minute for each year of their age. Text Libby (who will inform parent at the end of the morning).

□ Second Offense of the morning: Repeat ame out, but also text Libby Aker immediately (she will immediately ask parent to come retrieve/or stay with their child).

Injury/Incident Policy □ If a child is injured during an event, please do the following:

□ If the injury is minor, please give first aid at the time of the injury. Please let the child’s parent/guardian know of the injury and how it was treated at pick-up. A First Aid kit can be found in the following locations:

Þ At the Main Foyer Welcome Center Þ In the Nursery / Toddler Area under the diaper changing station Þ In the PreK Room in marked drawer Þ In the Kitchen in marked drawer Þ In the Church Office Þ Across from the 5th Grade Room above the drinking fountain Þ Beside the Kindergarten Room above the drinking fountain

□ If an injury requires treatment beyond simple first aid, please notify the Security Team and a pastor-elder. They will assist in notifying the parents. If the injury is severe enough that it requires an ambulance, call 911 immediately.

□ Once the child has been properly cared for, please fill out a Notice of Injury/Incident located at the children’s kiosk in the north foyer and submit to the church office.

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Child Code of Conduct “3” Rules Recognizing □ Just like in the game of basketball, there are rules that we all play by so we can have

a safe and enjoyable experience. These rules help us know what we can do and can’t do, what is safe and not safe.

Resisting □ You should NEVER feel uncomfortable or unsafe here. If you ever feel unsafe or

uncomfortable, you can say, “NO!” or “Stop! I don’t like that!”, and get away from the person immediately. This is a place where you should always feel safe and encouraged.

Reporting □ If you EVER feel uncomfortable or one of the rules we talked about has been broken,

you need to tell someone immediately. You can do one of three things… 1. Tell a volunteer. 2. Tell your parents. 3. Tell a pastor-elder.

“6” Boundaries Modesty □ Should be covered at all times. No exceptions. □ Never display body parts to one another or touch someone else’s. One-on-One’s □ Should NEVER be alone with a teacher or volunteer where others are not present. □ Should NEVER be alone with other youth where an adult is not present. □ Nobody should ever tell you a “secret” or not to tell. We don’t have secrets here.

None. Good Touch vs. Bad Touch □ Appropriate: Feel safe and encouraged – (high fives, short side hugs, arm around

shoulders, etc.) □ Inappropriate: Feel uncomfortable – (touching private parts, hitting, pushing, lap

sitting, etc.) Good Talk vs. Bad Talk □ Good Talk: Always encourage one another – positive, uplifting, praise, pure speech □ Bad Talk: Making fun of others – negative, bad language, disrespectful, potty humor,

sexual jokes Bullying □ No tolerance. If someone asks you to stop…you MUST stop. □ If you ever feel like someone is picking on you or being mean to you…report it

immediately. Your Territory □ Your Space – Your Stuff “0” Tolerance □ If you decide not to abide by these rules, it may lead to immediate dismissal from the

Southgate Kids Ministry.

3-6-0 Child Protection Policy

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Appropriate □ Handshakes and high-fives □ Girls walking hand-in-hand □ Short, congratulatory or greeting hugs □ Arm around the shoulders □ Piggyback rides with young children □ Leg sitting

Not Appropriate □ Private back rubs, arm tickles,

massages, etc □ Touching of private parts (no

exceptions) □ Touching a child in anger, disgust, or

frustration □ Frontal hugs with opposite sex □ Sexual embraces □ Lap sitting □ Kissing □ Intimate wrestling or tickling

Appropriate □ Verbal praise for achievement or

behavior □ Verbal encouragement □ Scripturally based teaching (non-

sexual)

Not Appropriate □ Compliments or questions relating to

physique or body development □ Sexual jokes, homosexual innuendos,

or bathroom humor □ Swearing or vulgar language □ Verbal harassment or abuse □ Individual secrets or special gifts □ Sexual coaching or conversation

Appropriate □ Public one-on-one interaction □ Group or public environments

Not Appropriate □ Sitting or lying on a bed with a minor □ Private one-on-one interactions

Volunteer Code of Conduct

Touch

Talk

Territory

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All volunteers will:

• check-in at the kiosk, indica/ng that they are free of the following symptoms:

o Cough or conges/on or runny nose o Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing o Fever or chills o Muscle pain or body aches o Headache o Sore throat o New loss of taste or smell o Nausea / vomi/ng / diarrhea

• not serve if exposed to COVID-19 over the past 14 days. • acknowledge that they are assuming the risk in con/nuing with this

volunteer task. Understand the risk involved in serving. • wear a mask at all /mes. • wash hands or hand sani/ze upon entry to your classroom. • encourage students to use “Airplane Arms” to socially distance. • remind students 10 years and older to wear a mask (masks can be

taken off outside). • allow students to sit together with their family members in a Family

Group. Family Groups sit 6 feet apart from other Family Groups. • will assign babies and toddlers to specific volunteers, so there is as

few interac/ons as possible. • have students wash hands before ea/ng and aYer coming in from

outside. • where feasible, adjust activities and procedures to limit sharing of

items such as toys, belongings, and supplies. If something is shared (a ball for example), have students wash hands or hand sanitize BEFORE and AFTER activity.

• remove toys that children have placed in their mouths or that are otherwise contaminated by body secre/ons and place in the “Used” tub for cleaning.

• hand sani/ze (Soap Wipes for babies and toddlers) each child’s hands AFTER DROP OFF and WHEN their parent arrives for pick-up.

• allow one parent in the room at a /me for pick up. Other parents wait out in the hallway on the circles.

COVID-19 Procedures

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NOTES

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