Changes in the UpStreet Environments that you Need to Know!

The summer months have given the ministry teams time to gather and debrief last year’s experience for them and for our children and to make some strategic changes that will hopefully have a positive impact on everyone. 

The primary purpose of Family Ministry at Hillside is to partner with parents in the spiritual development of their kids.  As an effort to continue to hone that relationship, we have made some changes to how we run our environments that we hope will make communication easier, make our environments better for your children and help our dedicated volunteers to maintain balance in their lives.  

Information regarding all environments that you need to know:

Our new formats will begin on our Fall Launch date of September 11, 2011. 

1. New registration forms will need to be filled out on your first visit beginning with September 11.  Registration area will open at 9:00am on launch day.  One form per child.   
2. Our registration area will be open by 9:15 each week beginning September 18 to allow for parents to drop off in a timely way each week.  Our program begins promptly at 9:30. Environments will be closed to arriving children after 9:45 each week.  Our program begins at 9:30, by 9:45, just like in the adult worship experience, our leaders have progressed into teaching the foundational components which the rest of the morning is built. So to respect those who are leading, those who arrive in a timely manner and to minimize the disruptions in all of our environments we are asking that you arrive to register your children between 9:15 and 9:25 each week.   
3. Safety ratios will continue to be adhered to which may mean that you might be asked on any given Sunday to help out in one of our environments.   
4. Security: the two tag plus sign in and out process will continue by age-level.   
5. Take home papers/Parent Cue will continue to help us partner with you to keep reinforcing the lessons from Sunday.  Please take time to read through those take home papers and choosing some of those helps to engage your family in a deeper spiritual conversation.   
6. Curbside Welcoming. We have discontinued offering candy as a part of our curbside welcoming.  Stickers will continue to be offered when a greeter is available.   
7. Community Service: Youth are welcomed at both 9:30 & 11:00 to come be Small Group Helpers.  Sign up with Terri (terri@hillsidemarin.org).

UpStreet

For our incoming Third, Fourth and Fifth graders....

We have heard your children’s comments and this year we are offering them a special environment, all their own.  

Sundays at 9:30am, UpStreet for the older kids will be offered in the Conference Room.  

We will do our best to make the space fun and friendly.  Your child’s small group leaders be waiting for them on September 11 and ready to create an UpStreet experience just for them.   

For convenience, parents will be able to sign their older elementary aged kids in outside the Conference Room.  

There will be a parent sign in/out sheet as well as a continuation of the security 2-tag system.   

IMPORTANT: Please note that we will be closed to incoming children after 9:45 each week so come on time.   

Registration forms are also going to need to be completed this year so please be prepared and allow time on your first visit from September 11 on to fill out forms.   

For your Kindergarten, First and Second Graders...

Things will continue much the with only a few changes that will help streamline the flow and bring the level of teaching down to their level of learning.  We realize that this means that there are two or three areas where you will be required to sign in your children.  

We suggest that you start with your youngest child, since we have early care available for them.  The older kids can enter their room as soon as the door to the conference room is open.  Children are in your care and supervision until the have been signed in and are wearing their name tags.  We ask that you pick up children from youngest to oldest as well to give our oldest the most time to wrap up their small group time. 

Children will continue in the same color group and with the same small group leader as last year.  

New nametags will reflect their color group better this coming year. 

Please arrive early to complete registration forms for your child on your first visit beginning with September 11. 

Immediate Service Opportunities in UpStreet

• A small group leader for 3rd Graders.  If you would be willing to come along side this amazing group of Third graders, please contact Terri Woodard (terri@hillsidemarin.org) to get more information.  

Until the position is filled, we will be asking parent volunteers to assist in the older children’s environment until a group leader has been found.  A sign up for specific Sundays will be available at the registration table outside the conference room as well as in the registration area in the children’s ministry wing.