Expectations
of Staff:
I
need to ask that all staff be available for the duration of the retreat.
Do, however, arrange for some time “away from the din” as needed,
especially during free or unstructured time periods. Adults who prefer to retire
early are welcome to be the “resident” caregiver for the group of young
people who too, like to go right to sleep in the “Quiet Room.”
Expect
noise, lots of noise this weekend! The
first couple of hours on Friday evening seem especially noisy as children
reconnect with old friends, stake out sleeping areas, etc.
Think of it as the whirlwind of community building!
You will notice though, that once our retreat community reaches its
“rhythm”, the noise level tapers off to an energetic “hum!”
Plan
well! Do pack that warmer
sleeping bag and pad, cot or air mattress! Read the Children’s Checklist (on our Web site) with yourself
in mind, also!
About
T.L.C. Sheets:
TLC sheets list a particular child’s name, age and grade, who may need
some extra attention during the course of the retreat. All children coming to
their first retreat are buddied up with a staffer. Generally we don’t ask
staffers who are with us for their first time to buddy up with a child needing
extra support.
Please
feel encouraged to let me know right away if you observe behaviors among
children that causes you concern for the well being or safety of others. This is
important. Also, both children and staff are asked to fill out a retreat
evaluation at the end of the weekend. Your comments and suggestions, both
supportive and critically constructive, are read and valued. All evals are
placed in a three ring binder and are made available to Friends in general at
future retreats and at Sessions. (Sensitive or particularly private comments
that require confidentiality are of course whited out or omitted.)
As a first-time staffer, a detailed hour-by-hour breakdown of what happens throughout the retreat will be in your Staff Notebook upon arrival at the retreat. If you’d like that emailed to you in advance, just ask me. All staff have a specific weekend schedule in their Staff Notebooks, and a poster size copy is posted for children to see.
All
seasoned staff are expected to be available for leading Small groups, provide
oversight of children in general as needed and to accept a “lofty staff
position” as requested. Our policy though is not to ask first-time staffers to
do too much on their first retreat. We really want you to have plenty of time to
just be with children and other staffers.
Please
come expecting to share and have fun for yourself, also.
Is there something you passionately care about, which could be
appropriate to share with our children? Please
consider setting some time aside to meditate and pray on the theme of the
retreat. Your spiritual insights and experiences regarding the selected theme
are valued. If something starts brewing, even if it’s just days before we come
together, let’s talk about it! If
you bring supplies for a project to share, save your slips so that we can
reimburse you.
Please be sure to also read Ensuring the Safety of Children, Reporting Abuse and Universal Precautions, all listed in the first section. There may be a quiz!