Annual Plan for a Church School Director
May-June
Recruit teachers for the upcoming year and get firm commitments. Plan any orientation for new and returning teachers to take place over the summer break or very soon in the fall.
Recognize the time, talent and support of current year teachers and recognize children who continue to enjoy the program year.
Evaluate materials and create a “wish list” for items that need to be purchased for the upcoming year.
Budget – Review budget at this time. Most budgets are for the calendar year Jan-Dec. See where you are in terms of money available for the upcoming year and make notes for budget preparation and budget request due in October or November. List all fixed expenses coming out of your budget including babysitting for Nursery, curriculum cost and License fees. See what is left for snacks, outings, materials, training of teachers, new curriculum materials, books, etc.
July
Set up classrooms, clean and sanitize room supplies. Replenish art materials; look for new items to improve your spaces. Look under the “Resource Links” link for web sites and places to find suitable items and low prices.
Meet with the clergy or priest:
Discuss the program and to make sure that the program fits the theology, space, and budget of your church.
Get a list of upcoming church events such as baptisms, holidays, festivals, special services. The program for children and youth should be enrichment to your community worship, try to avoid conflicts with program commitments for children and teachers. Be sure to keep in mind the school vacation schedule as this will affect the children and teachers who will attend.
August
Prepare Registration forms to include all contact information and health issues including allergies.
Registration forms and program information packets should be assembled and available for on-going yearly registration. New students should be welcomed throughout the year and family contact information should be forwarded to the church office and clergy for follow-up. See “Resource Links” for registration forms you can modify for your church.
Prepare class list/contact binders for each classroom. Use last year’s contacts and update when annual registration is held in your church.
September
Hold a registration day and “Open House” to view class rooms for parents and students. If possible, have the children show parents how they use the space.
Plan to hold a “Fire Drill” and make sure parents, teachers, and students know the procedures and meeting place. Go over any other health and safety concerns with parents, teachers, and students. Determine any other needed safety procedures and make sure that children, teachers, parents, clergy and church leaders are aware of and approve the procedures. Most churches now also have policies in place for “Safe Church” which supports the safety and well being of parishioners. Please consult your own church policy and make sure that parents, teachers and the church are doing what they can to support the policy at all times.
October – April
Continue to recruit new teachers. Start them as substitutes or “observers”. It is best to not have the parent in the room of their own child but have them help in another room. This allows the child to explore their own faith relationship as an individual and it allows the parent to be in the service of all children and it helps them get out of the familiar role of parent.
Send out a monthly note to the entire church body through your newsletter or electronic communication. Encourage teachers to write specifically about what how their class is using the program and their personal observations and feelings for the class; at least two times a year is good to keep support for the program going strong.
Keep a calendar of events and class times current at all times. Be able to include this with the registration packet for new families.
Budget – Review budget at this time. Most budgets are for the calendar year Jan-Dec. See where you are in terms of money available for the upcoming year and make notes for budget preparation and budget request due in October or November. List all fixed expenses coming out of your budget including babysitting for Nursery, curriculum cost and License fees. See what is left for snacks, outings, materials, training of teachers, new curriculum materials, books, etc.
Post an “Invitation” to join your church program in your local community centers, libraries, and other places where parents go to search out quality programs for their children.
Observe class rooms and evaluate how the program works for your church, parents, and children. Changes may need to be made for space and time. I would suggest making note of future changes but acting on them when you are able to consult with teachers and clergy to determine the merit of the changes and what the affect may be. I suggest thinking the program through as thoroughly as possible in the summer, setting the schedule and make changes only when absolutely necessary. The more continuity you have with a program the stronger it will become. Often it will take a few months to evaluate if a change in time is working or not.
Promote teacher training opportunities, if you budget allows consider having teachers receive on-going teacher training. Consider adding this cost to your budget for the upcoming budget year, if possible. Look into hosting a training session. Often you can host and train all of your teachers by having a few other paying guests to cover the cost of the trainer, contact us to see how this could work for you.
Hold teacher meetings to review the calendar year, story schedule, class room management and other issues or concerns. Share resources with teachers and promote dialog and problem solving amongst the teachers to grow a strong program.
Maintain church program records: Minutes for the Meetings, Budget- Spending & “Wish List”, Contact List
December – Write an “Annual Review” of the program for church records.
Recruit teachers for the upcoming year and get firm commitments. Plan any orientation for new and returning teachers to take place over the summer break or very soon in the fall.
Recognize the time, talent and support of current year teachers and recognize children who continue to enjoy the program year.
Evaluate materials and create a “wish list” for items that need to be purchased for the upcoming year.
Budget – Review budget at this time. Most budgets are for the calendar year Jan-Dec. See where you are in terms of money available for the upcoming year and make notes for budget preparation and budget request due in October or November. List all fixed expenses coming out of your budget including babysitting for Nursery, curriculum cost and License fees. See what is left for snacks, outings, materials, training of teachers, new curriculum materials, books, etc.
July
Set up classrooms, clean and sanitize room supplies. Replenish art materials; look for new items to improve your spaces. Look under the “Resource Links” link for web sites and places to find suitable items and low prices.
Meet with the clergy or priest:
Discuss the program and to make sure that the program fits the theology, space, and budget of your church.
Get a list of upcoming church events such as baptisms, holidays, festivals, special services. The program for children and youth should be enrichment to your community worship, try to avoid conflicts with program commitments for children and teachers. Be sure to keep in mind the school vacation schedule as this will affect the children and teachers who will attend.
August
Prepare Registration forms to include all contact information and health issues including allergies.
Registration forms and program information packets should be assembled and available for on-going yearly registration. New students should be welcomed throughout the year and family contact information should be forwarded to the church office and clergy for follow-up. See “Resource Links” for registration forms you can modify for your church.
Prepare class list/contact binders for each classroom. Use last year’s contacts and update when annual registration is held in your church.
September
Hold a registration day and “Open House” to view class rooms for parents and students. If possible, have the children show parents how they use the space.
Plan to hold a “Fire Drill” and make sure parents, teachers, and students know the procedures and meeting place. Go over any other health and safety concerns with parents, teachers, and students. Determine any other needed safety procedures and make sure that children, teachers, parents, clergy and church leaders are aware of and approve the procedures. Most churches now also have policies in place for “Safe Church” which supports the safety and well being of parishioners. Please consult your own church policy and make sure that parents, teachers and the church are doing what they can to support the policy at all times.
October – April
Continue to recruit new teachers. Start them as substitutes or “observers”. It is best to not have the parent in the room of their own child but have them help in another room. This allows the child to explore their own faith relationship as an individual and it allows the parent to be in the service of all children and it helps them get out of the familiar role of parent.
Send out a monthly note to the entire church body through your newsletter or electronic communication. Encourage teachers to write specifically about what how their class is using the program and their personal observations and feelings for the class; at least two times a year is good to keep support for the program going strong.
Keep a calendar of events and class times current at all times. Be able to include this with the registration packet for new families.
Budget – Review budget at this time. Most budgets are for the calendar year Jan-Dec. See where you are in terms of money available for the upcoming year and make notes for budget preparation and budget request due in October or November. List all fixed expenses coming out of your budget including babysitting for Nursery, curriculum cost and License fees. See what is left for snacks, outings, materials, training of teachers, new curriculum materials, books, etc.
Post an “Invitation” to join your church program in your local community centers, libraries, and other places where parents go to search out quality programs for their children.
Observe class rooms and evaluate how the program works for your church, parents, and children. Changes may need to be made for space and time. I would suggest making note of future changes but acting on them when you are able to consult with teachers and clergy to determine the merit of the changes and what the affect may be. I suggest thinking the program through as thoroughly as possible in the summer, setting the schedule and make changes only when absolutely necessary. The more continuity you have with a program the stronger it will become. Often it will take a few months to evaluate if a change in time is working or not.
Promote teacher training opportunities, if you budget allows consider having teachers receive on-going teacher training. Consider adding this cost to your budget for the upcoming budget year, if possible. Look into hosting a training session. Often you can host and train all of your teachers by having a few other paying guests to cover the cost of the trainer, contact us to see how this could work for you.
Hold teacher meetings to review the calendar year, story schedule, class room management and other issues or concerns. Share resources with teachers and promote dialog and problem solving amongst the teachers to grow a strong program.
Maintain church program records: Minutes for the Meetings, Budget- Spending & “Wish List”, Contact List
December – Write an “Annual Review” of the program for church records.