Check here for information about times and dates for our Religious Education (RE) program, and for safety information.

Time and Dates

The curriculum-based, grade-specific Religious Education Program meets on Sunday mornings from 10:30 to 11:45 AM from September through June. In the summer, we run a Summer RE program for 1st-6th graders. In 2022-2023 year, our classes will meet in the following places:

• Grades K-3 meet in the large classroom in the church hallway, next to the dining hall.
• Grades 4-6 meet in the large second-floor classroom at Waters House, across the street from the church.
• 7/8 OWL (Our Whole Lives) meets in the classroom downstairs from the church.
• 9-12 Coming of Age meets in the large first-floor youth room in Waters House.
• Approximately once a month, we will hold a multigenerational service. Check the homepage to see if the religious education for Sunday is in the classroom or in worship.

Our time together is brief, and we recognize the important role that parents and family life play in the religious education of children.

Guidelines For Helping Our Children Grow Religiously

• Recognize your (the parent’s/guardian’s) role as your child’s primary religious educator. You will get e-mails weekly from the teaching teams and the RE program on how to take the learning home and upcoming events for your family at UU Schenectady. Discuss your child’s RE class and UU values around the dinner table, in the car, and other family gathering times.
• Commit to regular attendance. Arrive on time and come regularly. By regular attendance our children get the most out of the curricula and benefit from the growing sense of community and friendship. Regular attendance helps children and youth get invested in the curricula as well as bond with the community in their classroom.
• Commit to open communication. E-mails from the teaching teams are a great way to stay in contact with the teaching teams, the RE Team and the DLRE.  Also, check out the RE section of Circuits, the church’s weekly online newsletter, to keep up to date on RE news.  If you have questions, concerns, or ideas about religious education, don’t hesitate to reach out and let us know.
• Commit to volunteer. Our program is volunteer run, from the Sunday Supervisor double checking attendance on Sunday morning to the RE Team meeting monthly to discuss long-term planning. Reach out to the DLRE for more ways to get involved or to suggest a new project that you think would benefit the program.
• Try to understand your child’s point of view. Be a good listener for your children, even if you do not agree with them.
• Share your point of view. Let your children and youth know your thoughts, opinions and values. Let them know how important Unitarian Universalism and our congregation are to you.
• Please leave electronics and other toys out of the classroom. While we like to have fun while we learn, these kinds of distractions can hinder our learning environment. Many classes will have a basket they put electronics in during class time to remove the temptation.

Safety: It takes us all!

The safety of our children is of primary concern. Our goal is to do a fire drill of both buildings annually and we are continually working on safety improvements.

The Safety Team, church staff, and our RE teachers and advisors do our best to assure that the facilities are safe and well cared for. However, responsibility for safety is a concern we all share. If you see an unsafe situation, please bring it to the attention of the appropriate church staff member (church administrator, maintenance tech, Director of Lifespan RE, etc.).

“Safe Crossing” Guidelines

We want our children to have a wonderful experience in the RE Program and ask everyone to make sure that our children cross Wendell Avenue safely on their way to and from Waters House, our RE home. Parents, please go over these guidelines with your children.

• Following Stories for All Ages, children in grades 4-12 will be led across the street by the Sunday Supervisor, two Teachers, and the Director of Lifespan Religious Education to classes held in Waters House.
• Children 5th grade and younger will not leave Waters House after church unless accompanied by a parent. Children in grades 6-8 may cross the street so long as there is a signed permission slip on file allowing the child to be dismissed from class without a parent or guardian present on file.
• Please talk with the DLRE if you have any questions about our “Safe Crossing” Guidelines.

Safe Congregations

In 2007, UU Schenectady adopted a Safe Congregations policy to create environments that are safer and prepared should any safety issue arise. This policy encompasses all aspects of our church community.

For a quick overview as it pertains to religious education, the Safe Congregations Policy mandates:

• Two adults must be in the classroom at all times for the safety of the children, youth, and adults regardless of the number of children or youth in the room.
  • The ratio of adults to youth needed to go offsite is 1:7.
• All teachers and volunteers working with our children and youth are background checked at the church’s expense.
• All teachers attend a teacher training in the beginning of the year.
• All teachers read and agree to follow the Code of Conduct outlined in the Safe Congregations Policy.
• As stated in the Code of Conduct, teachers are forbidden to use their status or authority as a teacher to cause any kind of harm to children and youth.