VBS 2018 Elementary Crew Leader/Assistant Training Manual – South Hills June 25 – June 29, 2018
Floater Coordinators: Brandi Murr Melissa Arabia
[email protected] [email protected]
phone: 412-445-0071 phone: 412-316-6669 1|Page
What Is Our Purpose? The purpose of the Crew Leader/Assistant is to lead and guide the children assigned to their crew through their daily activities during the week of VBS. Crew Leaders/Assistant will form relationships that witness the love and truth of Christ in hopes that each child will draw closer in their walk with Christ.
Roles and Responsibilities: Who Is A Crew Leader/Assistant? - Someone who lives for Christ - A friend/helper - Loves kids
- Asks questions - Encourages kids - Assists and encourages station leaders
What Is A Crew? - A Crew is typically a mixed group of K-4th graders (approximately 7-9 members depending upon the number of kids attending VBS). - There will be approximately 60 crews. Each crew will have a crew leader and 2 crew assistants (one of the three whom should be an adult). We are encouraging each crew leader to find his/her own assistant(s). Please also spread the word and recruit more crew leaders!! They will be needed!! - If you want your child in your crew, please notify us tonight, if you did not request with registration. - Please do not allow a parent to move any child from one crew to another. The children are placed where they are for a reason and switching them causes much confusion. Please direct the parent to a crew coordinator to handle the issue.
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Calling/Texting Crew Members: - You will need to contact every child in your crew, as well as your assistant crew leaders, the weekend before VBS. The children will check in and pick up their nametag at your crew station in the Worship Center on Monday. It is extremely important that you call each of the children so they will know where to go. Also, many times the parents want to speak with the crew leader just to make sure they are aware of any special needs of the child. This phone call is a very important step that gets the child excited about VBS and the parent relaxed. - We are hoping to provide you with your crew list via email by Friday, June 23rd. The list will give you the children’s names, ages, phone numbers, as well as any allergies/medical needs. Please check your email or Realm! (You may have children added to your crew as registration continues.)
Please include the following information in your call to the parent/child: - Your name and a little about yourself. - The crew number and the approximate number of children. - Let the parent know that they will need to come into the Worship Center each day to drop off and pick up their child. There will be no curbside drop off or pickup. - If the child has never come, include a little about what they will be doing that week. - If the parent is upset or angry that a certain request they made was not fulfilled, please politely inform them that the crews are structured according to how it works best for the children and the crew leader. The intent is not that kids just hang out with their friends, but that they meet new friends and that God uses them in their crews. If a parent is still upset, please free to refer them to Brandi or Melissa. - If you are unable to connect with a parent, please text the crew number and your name to the parent so they know where to go on Monday morning.
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Leading Kids to Christ: - On Thursday, June 28th, the Gospel will be presented during KidVid. - After the Gospel invitation has been given, any child who raises his or her hand will be led outside into the Worship Center Lobby to pray with an adult. Crew Leaders are to take the children who raise their hands to the lobby while Crew Assistants are to remain in the Worship Center with the rest of the crew. (Crew Assistant breaks will be during Imagination Station only on Thursday!) If you have a crew member that accepts Christ, be sure to write down his/her name and give it to a leader for follow-up. - We ask that each Crew Leader pray with only one or two children at a time. If you have more than one or two raise their hands in your crew, there will be other adults available in the Worship Center waiting to pray with the children.
Daily Schedule: So what is it like to be a Crew Leader/Assistant? It is fun, it is hard work, it is rewarding, and most of all it is exciting to watch the Lord work in the lives of children (and adults, too!). Children of Volunteers Check-In Procedure: - ALL children of volunteers should be checked in EACH morning, starting at 8:00 a.m., using the kiosks located in the South Lobby. Every child will receive a nametag label. - After check-in, Elementary and Breakout Children (K-6th) should go to room 210 (the YAC). They will be brought up as a group to the Worship Center in time for Cast Away Sing & Play. - Children with special needs should be checked in at the Special Needs area (Psalm 139 Way) EACH morning and will remain there until they are taken to be joined with their crew. - Preschool and Nursery children should be taken to their assigned room. 4|Page
Morning Meeting: - Meet in the FLC at 8:20 a.m. for prayer and devotions. Please sit at your crew station so we are able to easily take attendance. Juice, coffee, and quick breakfast items will be provided. Promptness is absolutely essential. The children begin to arrive in the Worship Center at 8:45 a.m. and we want to make sure you are at your crew station to greet them when they come. It can be daunting for a child to come into the facility and have no leader to meet them. We want to make the children feel as welcome as possible! - You will also receive notes about the daily schedule and announcements at this meeting. Cast Away Sing & Play: - VBS will begin and end in the Worship Center. Your crew will sit in the row(s) next to your numbered pole. Your crew leader bag (containing a pencil, pen, post-it notes, Band-Aids and a marker) and your crew name tags with Bible Buddy “dog tag” rings attached will be sitting next to your numbered pole. There will also be box for distributing information throughout the week. - The Crew Leader, as a church member, ONLY can take one picture of their crew in the morning as a means of identifying (current picture of child and what they are wearing) the children in their crew each day for safety purposes. These pictures should be deleted daily and never posted on social media.
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Who’s Who in each crew?: During the first Cast Away Sing & Play session, kids can be given a Crew Job. - You can come up with your own jobs or have children share jobs so that all of the children in the crew have a role. - Kids can get excited about having special jobs. Encourage them and provide lots of opportunities for them to do so.
JOBS
DUTIES
GUIDE
Chooses action ideas for traveling through VBS(such as galloping, skipping or marching!)
COUNTER
Counts the group to make sure everyone is there
THANK YOU-ER
Leads the Crew in thanking Station Leaders each day
DOOR HOLDER
Holds open any doors for the whole crew to pass through.
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Snack Service – Tropical Treats: - Snacks for all crews will be provided in the FLC. Your crew box, containing your tablecloth, explanation of the snack and hand sanitizer, will be located there. The elementary crews will be eating in two shifts; ALL crews should STAY IN THE FLC for eating/discussing snacks. - During snack you will sit with your crew for about 10 minutes to eat and review the snack information, clean up, and then for the last 15 minutes will move with your crew to a quiet place for discussion. This can be outside, in a hallway, etc. Please DO NOT use any of the hallways on the lowest level of the church, the South Lobby, the preschool or nursery hallways, or the main lobby outside the Worship Center. Indoors or out, think of an area on the way to your next rotation as you plan where to meet. - Before entering FLC, think about letting the children use the bathroom and wash their hands. - Spread out your tablecloth and offer each child hand sanitizer if they have not washed their hands. - The crew leader or assistant should pray with the crew before snack, if you have an eager crew member who wants to pray, please allow them. - There will be a sheet in your box with an explanation of your snack. Explain the meaning behind each snack (clearly explained on your sheet) and tie in to the Bible Point/Verse for the day. - Crew leaders and assistants are NOT to eat the children’s snacks. Your snack time is during your break. Thanks. -
There will be an activity sheet in your FLC bin to use after snack. Allow 10 minutes for snack, and then take your crew to a quiet area for talk, using the discussion sheet in your box. Use this for: • Open discussion to get to know your kids a bit better…and for them to know you! • Digging into the Bible verse. • Asking the questions provided. Feel free to ask questions of your own as well. • Time to bond with the children in your crew. 7|Page
- Your meeting place can be outside, in a hallway, etc. Please DO NOT use any of the hallways on the lowest level of the church, the South Lobby, the preschool or nursery hallways, or the main lobby outside the Worship Center. Indoors or out, think of an area on the way to your next rotation as you plan where to meet. - Allergies: All of the children who have an allergy should have a sticker on their nametag so that they can easily be identified. Every child who has a food allergy will have special snacks brought from home on Monday for each day of VBS. The alternate snacks will be put in your crew box in the FLC and will remain there all week. Please contact Vanessa O’Rourke, Snack Coordinator, with any further questions regarding snack time for children with food allergies. Schedule: Thursday’s Gospel presentation and call will be presented during KidVid. (The schedule will change slightly on this day.) Finally, please make sure that you wait for the signal to change rooms at the end of each session. There should not be any crews in the hallways until the signal is given.
Sample Schedule: 8|Page
Here is a sample of what the schedule you are following may look like. THIS IS NOT THE FINAL VERSION…THERE WILL BE CHANGES. Remember: VBS ends at 12:15 pm!!! SAMPLE 9:00-9:25
9:35-9:55
10:00-10:25
Group A Crews 1-7
Group B Crews 8-13
Group C Crews 14-20
Group D Crews 21-26
Group E Crews 27-33
Group F Crews 34-39
Cast Away Sing & Play Worship Center
Cast Away Sing & Play Worship Center
Cast Away Sing & Play Worship Center
Cast Away Sing & Play Worship Center
Cast Away Sing & Play Worship Center
Cast Away Sing & Play Worship Center
Imagination Station #1 210
Bible Discovery #1 419-420
ShipRec Games Front Lawn (Far Field)
Imagination Station #2 141-142
Bible Discovery #2 417-418
ShipRec Games Front Lawn (Far Field)
Tropical Treats (FLC)
KidVid Cinema Worship Center
Tropical Treats (FLC)
KidVid Cinema Worship Center
Tropical Treats (FLC)
KidVid Cinema Worship Center
Crews leaving Snack Service, please exit the FLC using the doors by the kitchen, turn left and walk down the stairs by the café into the Worship Center. Crews leaving Kid Vid Cinema, please exit the Worship Center using either the front left doorway (by the cross, before the stage) or the rear doors on the far right side, allowing entering crews to come in at the left doors by Starting Point.
10:30-10:55
11:00-11:20
KidVid Cinema Worship Center
Tropical Treats (FLC)
Game Makers Imagination Front Lawn Station #1 (Far Field) 210
11:25-11:45
Bible Discovery #1 419-420
11:50-12:15
Sail Away Sendoff Worship Center
KidVid Cinema Worship Center Bible Discovery #1 419-420
ShipRecGames Imagination Front Lawn Station #1 (Far Field) 210 Sail Away Sendoff Worship Center
Sail Away Sendoff Worship Center
Tropical Treats (FLC)
KidVid Cinema Worship Center
Game Makers Imagination Front Lawn Station #2 (Far Field) 141-142 Bible Discovery #2 417-418 Sail Away Sendoff Worship Center
Tropical Treats (FLC) Bible Discovery #2 417-418
ShipRecGames Imagination Front Lawn Station #2 (Far Field) 141-142 Sail Away Sendoff Worship Center
Sail Away Sendoff Worship Center
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Sail Away Sendoff Closing/Parent Pick-Up: - After Sail Away Sendoff, wait at your station until all the children in your crew are picked up. The children will probably be very excited to see their parent. Please make sure that each of your kids finds their parent INSIDE the Worship Center. We do NOT want kids running around to find their parent. This is for their safety and yours. If you are having trouble finding a parent, please see one of the directors and they will assist you. Do not leave until each member has been picked up. - If you have children of nursery and preschool volunteers in your crew, please wait until all the other children have been picked up and then take these children to the front of the worship center to be escorted to the nursery counter by Melissa and Brandi. We will try to indicate these children with a sticker on their nametag. - All the name tags and Bible Buddy “dog tags” are to stay at your Worship Center crew station at the end of each day.
Expectations:
Leading a crew is a big responsibility. We know that it is very difficult at times to control so many excited children! Our goal for the week is for the children to not only relax and have fun, but to learn some of the most important lessons they will ever learn. This will, at times, require you to be firm with your crew about excess talking and horsing around. Teenage assistant crew leaders need to remember that they are in positions of authority now, and not one of the children in the crew! It is important to help your leader to control your group, and to help guide discussions. Please make sure that the children are paying attention to the speakers and the singers whenever they are on stage. This same principle applies to Crew Leaders and Assistants as well. Please refrain from catching up with other Crew Leaders and Assistants during this time. Your children are watching you as their example and when they see you talking, they will do the same.
Any time that Crew Leaders are asked to participate, please do. We ask that you refrain from using cell phones and/or texting during the VBS day. Part of making sure your kids are getting the best experience possible is participating with them. When they see their leader having fun and getting involved, they will want to do the same. We want to make sure that this week is as much fun for the kids as it is beneficial. You will need to wear your VBS T-shirt every day at VBS. Please refrain from wearing leggings and altering/cutting the shirts and remember to dress modestly! 12 | P a g e
Important Forms: Throughout the week, you will be given several important forms to fill out. Some of the forms require daily completion while others are only filled out once. The list of forms is as follows: - Daily attendance forms: Crew Leaders will receive an attendance form with every child’s name on it. Please complete this form as soon as possible and place it in the basket in the Worship Center lobby on your way out of Cast Away Sing & Play. These forms will ensure that we have an accurate record of who is on site in case of an emergency. Please do not forget to complete these! - Evaluation forms: Emailed towards the end of VBS - Personalized Postcards: Crew leaders, on Wednesday, you should receive postcards to fill out for each child in your crew. Please write a personal note to each child and place your COMPLETED certificates in the box in the Worship Center lobby by Thursday morning. - Medical Forms: If you have a child in your crew with a chronic medical condition or an epipen, inhaler, insulin, the parents should have filled out an online medical form. If not, please direct parent to registration to pick up a paper form. Please have the parent complete the form on Monday and return it to your box. A representative from the MRM will pick them up. These forms are legally imperative so please have them completed ASAP. If parents have questions, direct them to a MRM member. Closing Program: Friday, June 29, 11:30 - 12:30 P.M. Parents will be invited to attend Sail Away Sendoff beginning at 11:45 a.m. and ending at approximately 12:30 p.m. Once your crew is settled in their seats, you can begin turning in your crew bags and leftover supplies, in designated bins outside the Worship Center At 12:30, parents will be asked to pick-up their children from their crews. Each child will receive a goody bag to take home. Poles should be left in place at the end of the closing.
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Medical/Emergency Procedures: Please read the following procedure for The Bible Chapel medical procedures. If a child sustains an injury, it is absolutely essential that you follow the procedures outlined in this section. IN ADDITION TO THESE PROCEDURES, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU LET ONE OF THE DIRECTORS KNOW IF A CHILD WAS INJURED. They will need to call the parent and talk with them. THIS SHOULD BE DONE AS SOON AS THE CHILD IS TAKEN CARE OF. For Minor Injuries/Illnesses: - If an elementary child (K-4) or adult is hurt or ill and in need of medical attention the child should be brought to info desk in the Worship Center Lobby and the MRM will be told to respond to the Lobby via radio. - Exception: If the injury occurs during Game Makers (if on the front lawn) the child should be brought to the nursery. The MRM will be told to respond to the nursery via radio. For Major or Life-threatening Injuries/Illnesses: -
Do not move the person. An adult must remain with the person at all times. Send a runner to summon help. Call 911 first, and then go to the nursery and or Worship Center Lobby to call the MRM person. - Nursery or info desk leader calling the MRM should give directions via radio for where respond to provide medical attention. The MRM volunteer will respond directly to the area where the child is.
For severe allergic reactions, involving use of Epi-Pen - A child with a life-threatening allergy will probably have an Epi-Pen that is kept with him during VBS (and will be kept by the Crew Leader). This is an injection of epinephrine, which is the life-saving medication in an instance of severe allergy reaction. The Epi-Pen is to go home with the child at the end of each morning. - Although the MRM volunteer would be summoned and most likely available to administer the Epi-Pen if needed, Crew Leaders with a child in their crew who has a severe allergy should also be trained in the use of the Epi-Pen, in case breathing difficulties begin before the MRM volunteer can get there.
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If a Crew Leader feels that there is absolutely no way he/she could administer the Epi-Pen in a life-threatening situation, please let the directors know. It would be best if the child is placed in a crew with a leader who could do this.
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CARD WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THE EPI-PEN WILL BE INCLUDED IN ALL CREW BAGS. PLEASE REVIEW IT ON SUNDAY.
The ONLY medications permitted during VBS are Epi-pens, insulin (for diabetics), inhalers (for asthmatics), or other life-sustaining medications Emergency Procedures The Bible Chapel’s security team will have 2-4 security guards in the building throughout the VBS morning. They can be reached by radio using channel 1. In the event of any emergency, do not leave your crew alone. The Crew Leader must stay with the crew, while the assistant crew leader finds anyone with a radio. Call security on channel 1 to inform them of the emergency. Radios can be found: • • • •
nursery counter WC lobby at registration table all VBS directors/area leaders have radios all security and maintenance workers have radios
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Fire alarm or other evacuation situation: - account for all your children - evacuate the building at the nearest exit. If you do not know the church layout well, please take a moment to walk the building and know where all the exits are located, so you know which is closest to you - have children holding hands, to keep them together as you evacuate. - no running! Leaders must stay calm, to head off panic in the children. - once out of the building, remain in your group in the outer areas of the parking lot. - the green and red cards in your crew bag are for this situation. If you have all your children with you, hold up the GREEN card. If not, hold up the RED card. **DO NOT LEAVE THE GROUP TO FIND YOUR OWN CHILDREN! This will only further complicate things. Your child’s crew will have your child safely accounted for. If you remove your child from their crew, then there is uncertainty as to where the child is. Also, your crew is left without leadership. You must stay with your crew and trust that your children are being cared for.
Missing child: - crew leader stays with the crew - send the assistant crew leader to a radio (locations notated above) to report missing child to security on channel 1, and to all children’s ministry leaders on channel 8. Be prepared to show group picture taken that morning and to provide child's name, age, hair color/general appearance, clothing description.
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Set-Up Day (June 24) Responsibilities: The Sunday before VBS, June 24th, after the second service there is a work day for VBS volunteers and leaders. ALL Crew leaders are expected to attend. Highly encourage the Assistant Crew leaders to attend also. - Meet in the FLC by 12:15 pm. Please send just ONE crew representative to the tables. - During the set-up, you will pick up your crew nametags as well as your crew box for the FLC and your crew bags for the worship center. - You will need to confirm that the following items are included: IN YOUR FLC CREW BOX: -Hand Sanitizer -Tablecloth for snack time IN YOUR PLASTIC WORSHIP CENTER CREW BIN: Lanyards/name tags with Bible Buddy “Dog Tag” ring for each child in your crew. IN YOUR CREW BAG: -
Pencil pen permanent marker Post-It Notes Band-Aids
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Red/Green Emergency Card Epi-Pen Instructions Card Emergency/Medical Procedure Sheet Map
- You will build and place your filled crew box along the designated wall in the FLC. - Everything else (your crew’s name tags with Bible Buddy binder rings, your filled crew bag, your plastic worship center bin and your crew pole) should be taken to the Worship Center and placed in the aisle next to your assigned row (a map of what row you are in will be provided). - You will be provided the schedule for the week. We ask that you walk through your schedule so that you will know where to go on Monday morning.
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Clean-Up Responsibilities: After each day, please take just a few minutes to clean up the area around your Worship Center crew station. Straighten your “mail” boxes and crew poles as well as pick up any excess paper or trash. If everyone puts 3-5 minutes into cleaning their area after VBS each day, the Worship Center will look a lot better! Crew Area Clean-Up: - Clean-up will take place after the Sail Way Sendoff closing program on the last day. Please place all of your leftover crew supplies in the designated bins in the Worship Center lobby. Closing Program: - Friday, June 29, 11:30 - 12:30 P.M. - Parents will be invited to attend Sail Way Sendoff beginning at 11:45 a.m. and ending at approximately 12:30 p.m. Once your crew is settled in their seats, you can begin turning in your crew bags and leftover supplies, in designated bins in the Lobby. - At 12:30, parents will be asked to pick-up their children from their crews. - Each child will receive a goody bag to take home. - Poles will be taken care of by the clean-up crew at the end of the closing.
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Tips/Other Information: - Travel from station to station in a sandwich. There should be a Crew Leader or Assistant in the front, back, and if possible, middle. - Time is short; use the time at the stations to get to know your crew and let them get to know Christ through you. - Make sure you know where the children are at all times. Keep counting! - If a child needs to go to the bathroom, wait outside the stall for them. NEVER accompany a child into the stall. - You will be given a few Band-Aids to have available in case of minor cuts/scrapes. - Keep your Crew Leader bag with your crew at all times. - Use the post-it notes in your crew bag to communicate needs/questions. Include your name and crew number on all communications. Those notes can be given to Melissa and Brandi or the registration table. - Take your breaks! You deserve it! −
Crew Leaders take breaks during Ship Rec Games.
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Assistant Crew Leaders take breaks during KidVid (except on Thursday!). On Thursday ONLY, Assistants will take their break during Imagination Station.
- The children will be given a God Sightings wrist band on Monday that they are to wear all week - reminding them to notice God in their everyday lives. - Bible Memory Buddy “dog tags” will be passed out on the first day of Kid Vid. Please encourage the children to keep these on the lanyard and in the crew bin overnight until their last day. The child will take the binder ring with the Bible Buddies home on Friday. - Volunteer parking will located in Lots 7a, 7B, A8 and 8B.
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