St. Mark's Episcopal Church Barrington Hills, Illinois

Sunday School

The Director Of Christian Education, Vicki Garvey:

In 1998, Victoria Garvey joined St. Mark's as the Director of Christian Education and Formation. Vicki, who taught Biblical theology at Seabury-Western Theological Seminary for 12 years, is also a consultant to various parishes and dioceses in Biblical theology, education and women's studies. In January, 2006, Vicki was made a Diocesan Canon at the Cathedral of St. James, in Chicago. She is the Canon for Lifelong Christian Formation.

Sunday School Programs enjoyed by the children at St. Mark’s:

Sunday School begins at 9:05 a.m. Following classroom time, all children join their parents for the service so families can take communion and worship together. (The Episcopal Church is an open communion church. All baptized persons, including children, are encouraged to receive communion at the altar rail. Even if they are not baptized, we invite everyone to kneel at the altar rail during communion to receive a blessing.)

For your children in the preschool and early educational years, ages 3 through 2nd grade, St. Mark's uses the Godly Play curriculum which invites children to experience Bible stories through all of their senses and to participate in "wondering" about events in the stories.

Your children in 3rd through 6th grades will enjoy a program entitled Rotation. This program centers around one story or Biblical event for approximately 6 weeks at a time. During these 6 weeks, the children are instructed by a variety of adults in the church teaching the story from different points of view and use of mediums, such as computers, movies, cooking, music, art, and story telling.

For children 11- to 16-years old, St. Mark's uses the four-year Journey to Adulthood, or J2A, program which was developed to attract, instruct, and nurture young people at the time when in their lives when they are most likely to drift away from the Church. This program includes an in-depth exploration of Self, Society, Sexuality, and Spirituality, and is based on two key concepts: Manhood and Womanhood are gifts from God; and Adulthood must be earned.

The program is built around two distinct phases of development, each encompassing two years:
Rite 13 (for 11- to 13-year-olds) recognizes the passage from childhood to manhood and womanhood and continues in classroom instruction of Bible stories, exploration of the Book of Common Prayer, and prayer.
J2A works with 14- and 15-year-olds as they practice adulthood skills and positive life attitudes. The end of J2A is marked by a holy pilgrimage retreat in search of God and their destiny. Following their completion of the J2A curriculum, the youth are welcomed back to the church as young adults.

Nursery Care at St. Mark's Offered Every Sunday from 7:30am to 11:45pm --Professionally Staffed!

A Letter to All Parents about Nursery Care At St. Mark's

Dear Parents,

We’ve wanted to move toward a more professional level of nursery care on Sunday mornings and knew that meant having at least two people in the nursery. Having only one person in the Nursery created a problem if ever a parent needed to be notified, since a single provider couldn’t leave the nursery unattended. We also wanted to make sure that our providers were well trained, and ready to provide some aspects of Christian education even for our smallest members. We’ve found someone to do this for us.

We’ve enclosed our job description with this letter which each of the providers will sign. We will also have periodic reviews of their work to make sure that everything is working right. Brenda McGowan will now become the Nursery Care Assistant, with her own set of duties, which include working with the Nursery Care Provider. We have also decided to have nursery care operate from 7:30am to 11:45am every Sunday.
Please bring your children to church knowing that we have a professional nursery care open, as well as a complete program of Christian education for all adults and children.

Faithfully in Christ,

Vicki Garvey (Director of Christian Formation)

JOB DESCRIPTION:
The Primary Responsibilities of the Nursery Care Provider

Creates a joyful atmosphere of hospitality and welcome for children and parents.
Creates an environment that is safe for all the children.
Supervises a system registering children, giving them nametags, and knowing where the parents will be in church if they need to be found.
- Makes notes about any special needs for a child
- In the case of an emergency will send the assistant to locate a parent
Provides age appropriate materials for children’s use during their time in child care.
At different times and seasons in the life of the church offers age appropriate activities, songs, or craft projects that some of the children may do.
Primary Responsibilities of the Nursery Care Assistant

Turns on light and heat, and makes sure the classroom is ready for use. (Prior to 8:45am).
Assists the lead provider in helping take care of the children.
Will be asked on occasion to leave the classroom to provide materials or find a parent
Will be sure that the classroom at the end of the morning is neat with everything put back as it was found, meaning it is ready to be used on Monday morning by the St. Mark’s Day School.
Other Policy Matters

Dress: The nursery care providers need to have appropriate dress. It can be casual wear, but it is important to look professional.
Nametag: It is expected that the providers are readily identifiable by wearing appropriate nametags.
Sick Leave: In case of an emergency, it is expected that the provider would first call Vicki Garvey and then call the Rector. Next they would call the Senior Warden. In no case should a message be left on the church answering machine. It is permissible on occasion for just one provider to be in the nursery, but this should be much the exception and not the rule.
Vacation Pay: After six months of employment a Sunday of vacation will be earned, and after a year, two weeks of two Sundays will be earned.
It is expected that nursery care providers have signed documents permitting a background check to be conducted, and have kept up to date with the training in Keeping God’s Children Safe as that is offered through the Diocese of Chicago.
Each provider is asked to sign a copy of these expectations which will be placed in their employee file in the office. Each receives a copy of this form.

Signed: Rector______________________Provider___________________Date:_______

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