What We’re All About
Following Jesus - living our everyday lives in light of who he is and what he’s done - is the most beautiful, meaningful life a person could live. We want that life for ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our city, and we’re working together for that end. Serving with All of Life Kids (AOL) on Sunday mornings is an opportunity to live into our identity as a Family of Missionary Servants. We have a lot of kids at AOL, and we encourage everyone who is a part of the our Church Family to get involved in serving once a month with kids. If this happens, we're able to open up classrooms for additional ages/groups. Discipleship happens directly and indirectly as we see, know, love and serve our kids, their parents, visitors and other teachers.
AOL Kids exists to come alongside and support parents in the discipleship of their children. Discipleship is simply communicating gospel truth in the context of relationships, so we want to build relationships with kids and teach them about Jesus!
Safety & Security
All volunteers and kids check-in each morning on the computer Kiosk. When kids get checked-in, The Kiosk will print out a sticker name tag for each child and a receipt with a pager number for the parent for check-out. If a child needs assistance during the morning, we will contact you at the number on your child’s sticker via text message . Parents need to head to their child's classroom when they receive a text. Reasons a volunteer may need to contact a parent in keeping with specific safety policies are outlined below.
Classroom Ages
AOL Kids wants to serve our families well by offering age-appropriate learning, games, activities. We currently have four classes. As we grow, more classes will open up. If you feel your child needs to be moved up or down in a class, please discuss it with Meredith Lyda or Allison Barrett, our kid's co-deacons.
Classroom Ratios
The following adult to children ratios must be kept for safety. It is important for the registration person to be in contact with the teachers if capacity has been reached. If for some reason we are short of teachers or there are more kids than planned we must either invite the parent to stay and help with class, or ask that their kids join them in the gathering. We will only close or cancel a class as a last resort.
1 adult for every 6 kids, 15 kids max per classroom (3 teachers/adults)
Discipline Policy
Our classroom goal is to lovingly build relationship with our kids and teach them about Jesus. Discipline is often an opportunity to engage at a heart level, be sure to ask questions about what is going on and remind them that we and especially God loves them very much. If a child continues to be disruptive, we have a three-step process to help get them back on track.
Kindly ask the child to stop the behavior and re-direct them to engage with the class.
Ask the child to sit away from distractions in a chair for a 2-minute break.
If the disruption continues, text the parents to come assist with the issue and possibly remove the child from class.
Diaper Changing & Bathroom Policy
It is the parent or guardian’s responsibility to change diapers or assist them in the bathroom before checking kids into class, and as needed throughout the morning. For the safety of everyone involved, volunteers will not change diapers or assist your child in the bathroom. There will be no exceptions to this policy, meaning that even friends and babysitters you trust to assist your child in your home may not do so while checked in. If a child needs assistance, we will post your child’s pager number on the overhead screen in the gathering.
If a child is able to use the bathroom by themselves, we’ll ask them to use the bathrooms in the kids’s hallway. One teacher will stand at the door of their classroom to watch your child walk to and from the bathroom. No volunteers will ever be alone with a child in the bathroom or otherwise.
Sick Policy
If a kid or volunteer has had any of the following symptoms in the last 24 hours, we kindly request that you help care for our family by finding a replacement volunteer if necessary and by keeping sick kids and volunteers at home.
vomiting
fever
diarrhea
colored nasal discharge
Volunteer Role Descriptions
Serving
Thank you for your interest in serving with AOL Kids, there are several ways to serve! All volunteers must first submit the volunteer application and pass a background check.
Security: Greet other volunteers and families while also maintaining safety. The host will be posted at the entrance to the hallway: monitoring who is coming and going and providing any assistance necessary to teachers or parents.
Check-in: Greet families as they check-in and be available to assist in classroom(s) as needed. Monitor classroom capacity of volunteer/kid ratios. Welcome visitors and walk them through filling out and signing connect card (indicating they understand discipline/bathroom policy), setup profile on the check-in Kiosk. They will also serve as the primary back-up teachers if there are more children or fewer volunteers than expected on Sunday morning.
Classroom Teachers: Prepare to teach the lesson and be in prayer during the week. Greet families, engage kids and lead them in a bible story that tells more about who God is and what he has done, and why thats good news for us. Connect with new families and build deeper relationship with the All of Life family. Follow-up with AOL Kids Directors regularly.
* If you cannot teach during your scheduled weekend, please find your church-approved replacement teacher and then let Allison Barrett know: This is a means for everyone to work together and assume responsibility for our kid's ministry. You can contact Allison or Meredith for a full contact list of background-checked adults. allison@alloflife.church