Volunteer Monitor Information

Volunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation's compassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain love for one another.     Erma Bombeck

Guidelines for Monitors:

• Check in at the sign-in table before service.
• During the “Words for all Ages,” get ready to receive the children in the foyer and distribute clipboards.
• Gatekeeper: Wait just outside foyer as children leave sanctuary.  The children will gather as a group then proceed en mass to the wooden gate to the playground.  All of the monitors will ensure that the children stay as a group and proceed through the gate.  The gatekeeper should walk slow enough that the group of children does not become a long and unwieldy train.  The full group of children should be brought through the gate into the area between the gate and the Wade Richmond room door.  At the gate, the gatekeeper calls out names of children who have been signed in. As they pass through gate, place a check in the box to the right of their name. If any children have not been signed in, check to see if their name is on the list. If so, allow them through the gate and mark as NS (Not Signed in). If their name is not on the list, write their name down as a guest.  The gatekeeper remains near the gate the entire time the playground is in use.  At the end of service, children may leave only with the parent/guardian who signed them in. As they leave, cross off their name on the sign-in list. If anyone is marked as NS, remind parents that their children are last to enter the playground if not signed in.  If there is a minor injury fill out an incident form (in backpack). For a serious injury, call 911 and get the parents.
• Outside monitor: Assist in watching over children as they proceed from sanctuary to playground. When all children have passed through the gate and are waiting to be checked in, go down to the playground area.  The gatekeeper and the floater will check-in the children. On playground move about the entire area to be sure all zones are being monitored.
• Jefferson Building: Assist in watching over children as they proceed from sanctuary to playground.  When all children have passed through the gate and are waiting to be checked in, go down to the Jefferson Building. In the Jefferson children are allowed only in the large room and the hallway (unless it is raining and the playground is closed). If A/C or heat are on, the outside door should not be propped open (to save on utility bill).
• Floater: Assist in watching over children as they proceed from sanctuary through the wooden gate.  Close wooden gate behind the last child.  When last child has checked in, go down to playground. Float around the entire monitored area periodically checking that each area is okay (ie, gate, play gym, sports field, Jefferson, around again) spending more time in areas that have more children. As you float, check for hazards and take care of them immediately if possible or report to gatekeeper.

Priorities

• Safety is the top priority. The worst things that could happen would be to lose a child or a serious injury. The transition from the sanctuary through the wooden gates is a time for critical observation. Think of yourself as a sheepdog ensuring that the entire group stays together and no one wanders off.  Once all the children are through the gate they are in a relatively safe area.  Nonetheless, the entire 40-minute monitoring period is a time of vigilance. It is not a good time to socialize or relax.
• Respect and fairness is second priority. Time on the playground is an opportunity for children to practice UU principles. Bullying, rough play, mean words, exclusivity and trait-discrimination are not appropriate on our playground.
• Simplicity of monitoring is the third priority.   Exceptions to the rules set a precedence for the children which then creates complications for other monitors on future Sundays.  While it is tempting to relax the rules when children are petitioning, try to be strong.  They are fortunate to be on the playground and can have fun within the established rules.
• Entertainment is a lower priority. It is important that the first three priorities be met first. Then some energy can be devoted to ensuring that the children are entertained. Parents on the playground who are not monitors can make entertainment their top priority.  Monitors should not allow themselves to spend more than a few minutes with any one child.  If a child is not engaged in play, it is appropriate to help that child find a group of peers to play with.  The monitor should not be the source of entertainment because that greatly reduces the monitor's ability to observe other children.

Active Adult Supervision:

• Walk through your area frequently and check blind spots (playhouse, inside bushes).
• If children ask you to play with them explain to them that you won’t be able to because you must make sure everyone else is safe.
• Sports involving friendly competition are acceptable, but matches should not be allowed to escalate into a contact sport (eg, no tackle football, no dodge ball). Games that might injure other children should be modified before an injury occurs (eg, a baseball game played with a hardball could be changed to a softer ball) .
• If a ball goes over the fence it must stay there until after service lets out.  Children cannot leave the playground to retrieve anything that has gone over the fence until they have been checked out be their parents.
• Follow the Discipline Guidelines for rules.
• In case of accident or injury not serious enough to call a parent out of the service, please fill out an accident report form, which will be kept on the clipboard with the key attached.
• When service is over, have the children put things away and clean up. It does not matter if they did not bring out or play with a particular an item—we are all working together.