Peace Policy

LOVE is the spirit of this church and Service is its Law. This is our great covenant: to dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love and to help one another.

We’re serious about this.

To make it possible we have Four Simple Rules:

1. Be kind and gentle in all things
2. Respect others
3. Everyone gets to play
4. Walk and speak quietly inside

Positive behavior, interaction and participation are the basic principles of a healthy and safe learning environment. Negative behaviors detract from the learning environment we strive to create in all of the Children’s Religious Education classes. Negative behaviors include disruptive activities, refusing to positively participate in activities, disrespect of others in word and deed and rough housing.

The specifics: No violence in word or deed. No put downs, only pull ups. No weapons, real or imaginary. No horse play or rough housing. No exclusive behavior (you can’t play with us). No electronics* (including cell phones and handheld video games) or toys – if your child wishes to share something special with the class, please stay with them until they have done so, then take it with you.

Procedures employed in dealing with negative behavior

1. Adults will verbally redirect to stop the behavior or state positively the desired behavior. If the behavior resolves, but results in a pattern of disruptions, an Incident Report should be filed.
2. If the behavior continues, an adult will step into the hall with the child (door open) to have a deeper conversation about the need for the negative behavior to stop/the positive behavior to start. If step two is required, an incident report is also required.
3. If the child is unable to change the unacceptable behavior or refuses to cooperate, a Board Member will be flagged, or the child brought to the R.E. Library or the Religious Education Office. After a brief conference, Board members or Staff will take it from there and return the child to class when it’s appropriate. Fill out an Incident Report.

Shannon Boston or a Board Member will stay with the child and determine the issue at hand. The child will either be returned to class once the issue is resolved or the parents or caregivers will be called out of church or class to assume responsibility for the child.

A Positive Behavior Plan may be developed in consultation with the parents and teachers for those children who continue to struggle with the key behaviors of being responsible and respectful. This plan would include specific responses that teachers would utilize to help the child have a positive experience in children’s programming. *No electronics or distracting materials.

Children’s programming at All Souls in designed to explore the monthly topics interactively between the children, guides, and teachers. Therefore, Ipods, mp3 players, video games, cell phones and other electronic devices should not be brought to class. These items encourage isolation and solitary activity rather than relationship and interaction with others. Other distracting materials may include card games or toys. A young child may bring a “lovey” to class, so long as it does not become a distraction.

If the child engages in using an electronic device or toy, the device will be collected, to be picked up by child or parent after class.

If the child has difficulty with this directive, the device will be taken to a Board Member where it will be kept in the Library until a parent retrieves it.