Policies and Procedures for the Youth Religious Education (YRE) Program
The Roles of the Committee and Director of Religious Education
The Religious Education (“RE”) Committee serves to advise the Director of Religious Education (“DRE”) on religious education for the children and youth of First Unitarian Society (“Church”) of Denver. These educational activities include:
- Sunday morning RE classes for children from 6 weeks of age through high school;
- Special family and children’s chapels on select Sundays;
- RE events for children and youth on occasional evenings and weekends; and the December Holiday Pageant.
The YRE Program
The YRE Program seeks to provide children and youth with a meaningful, non-doctrinal religious education that makes a positive difference in their lives and encourages them to:
- focus on and acknowledge the spiritual part of life;
- develop a foundation of knowledge to evaluate their spiritual possibilities; and
- articulate their own religious and spiritual beliefs and paths.
The DRE will work closely with the supervising Minister, the Personnel Committee, and the RE Committee yearly to determine her/his job description and goals as the YRE program evolves.
- The YRE Program complies fully with the Church’s Disruptive Behavior Policy, Conflict Resolution Policy, Member Complaint Policy, and Personnel Manual.
- The YRE Program will be publicized on a regular and ongoing basis.
- The YRE Program will be evaluated annually.
- Classroom policies and procedures will be updated as needed and described in both the parent guide and teacher handbook.
YRE and Child Care
Neither the DRE nor RE Committee has responsibility for arranging routine child care for church events, e.g., Winterfest, annual pledge events, committee or church meetings, etc. Leaders of such events are expected to arrange for child care on their own, but are welcome to use designated RE facilities following consultation with the DRE. The DRE will keep a list of people willing to provide child care
The RE Committee
Members of the RE Committee serve on a voluntary basis and will be composed of those who express an interest in sitting on the committee after discussion with the DRE. The DRE will appoint the RE Committee Chair(s). These individuals will serve annual terms beginning in July. Individuals serving in designated roles on the RE Committee may renew their service with the consent of the DRE and the RE Committee. RE Committee members may serve up to three continuous years, but may serve for more with special authorization from the DRE or the Minister.
Members may be added to the Committee at any time as interested and available.
RE Committee meetings will be held at least monthly.
Reporting
The DRE will make monthly reports to the RE Committee and to the Church Board of Trustees. These reports will include information on the RE budget (non-personnel dollars), so that the committee can evaluate the adequacy of the budget and assist the DRE in formulating the next year’s request.
Minutes from the RE Committee meetings will be taken by identified volunteers and forwarded to the Program Council as a monthly report of the RE Committee’s proceedings.