Timeline for Planning an RE Program

Timeline for Planning an RE Program by Connie Dunn This timeline is not a specific timeline for any one program or one church and should be used as a guideline tool to create your own church’s timeline. Definitions and Clarifications: RE Program can be defined as both an individual program and globally encompass the entire programming for religious education. For the purpose of this document, use the global definition, although you may be able to adapt this to fit an individual program. Another assumption used in creating this document is that your Religious Education year begins in September and ends at the end of May or early June. Summer Programming is also included on this timeline. August In August, an RE Committee and Religious Educational Professional should be finalizing all the details for the new RE Year beginning in September. The RE Professional should also be collaborating with the minister for the “ingathering” or “homecoming” intergenerational service that most churches have as the kickoff for the year. Things like newsletter promotion and letters to parents need to take place during this month in preparation for September. The curriculum should already be decided, but Teacher Training should be scheduled (this should have been decided in April or May and be communicated to potential teachers at that time and again just before the training.) September In September, there are still some preparations of rooms that may need to take place. But at this point, you should be rolling out the program, registering new families, and filling any holes. Energy should be high at this point. Timeline P-2 October October should be getting you well under way and any kinks worked out in scheduling, etc. At this point, you can begin looking further down the road to summer. But in some churches, you are still in start-up mode. Relax, you have plenty of time to look at Summer. If you are doing a Christmas Pageant, rehearsals may need to be considered in scheduling for the next two months. All the last minute planning for this would need to take place in October. If you are doing Guest at Your Table, you need to order the boxes to make sure they arrive on time. Guest at Your Table is a UUSC (Unitarian Universalist Service Committee) project (see http://www.uusc.org). November November would be the month of rehearing for any Christmas Pageants or other Special Holiday Programs. Otherwise, collaboration with the minister for a Thanksgiving Intergenerational Program (possibly featuring the Guest at Your Table) should be done and any last minute preparations or arrangements for the Holidays should be done, including discussing Christmas Eve Services, as well as Pageant or Special Holiday Program dates. December In this month, it is best to be as low-key as possible to alleviate everyone’s stress level. If you are doing a Pageant or other Special Holiday Program, last minute items should be done. January At this point in the year, you’ve made it through the hectic times of start -up and Holidays. But rather than just totally sit back and take time off, the RE Committee and RE Professional should make some decisions about summer programming. Curriculum choices, ages, etc. should all be coming together about now. If there is a special Valentine or Secret Pal program, make sure final plans for this are made. Promote this special program during the month of January. February Solidify summer. Make sure the Valentine/Secret Pal program is all worked out, scheduled and no one is left out of the secret pals. Timeline P-3 March March is the time to look forward to next fall. Some churches have long-range plans, some do not. The RE Committee and the RE Professional should be looking at a rough outline of next fall. If there is a theme for this next year, such as World Religions, this would be the time to discuss how this can be implemented throughout the entire RE Program or what grades will participate and what classes will not. Logistics, schedules, calendars, etc. need to be forming at this point. Begin recruiting for summer. Organize a Teacher Training for Summer, as needed. April By April, you need to have a very good idea about how the fall is going to shape up. All the final decisions about curricula should be made. Schedules and calendars should begin being drafted. Begin registration for summer. Begin promoting the Summer Program. Hold Teacher Training for summer in April or May. Plan the end of the year, including thanking volunteers and honoring graduates. Promotion for the end of the year should begin in this month. May In May, promotion for Fall Programming should begin and Teacher Training for summer should be completed. All the end of the year programming needs to take place, such as thanking volunteers and honoring graduates. Registration for summer should be complete and registration for fall begun. Promote the summer program throughout the month. June Summer programming should begin. July Summer continues here. August Start all over with preparations for the new year (see the top of the list!)