Contacts: Lauren Yesh, Elizabeth Warren, and Bro. Corey Rash
Question: Why does the nursery need to be renovated?
Answer: To better meet the needs of our infants, toddlers, parents, and nursery workers by providing a higher level of safety, security, comfort, and functionality of our most precious resources.
For example, the cribs, changing table, most toys, and other miscellaneous items are outdated, unsafe, and in some cases, illegal.
We have three drop-side cribs in our current nursery. All of which are illegal.
The changing table has no safeguards against a child falling off of it.
Most of the toys are old, potential choke hazards, and not durable; nor special needs friendly.
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Recommendation # 1
In a previous members meeting, a $3,000 allotment was approved to update our toys. Some of this allotment has been used already. Two separate anonymous donors have offered to help fund what other costs might be needed for the renovation.
We propose that the drop-down cribs and changing table be replaced by new and safer alternatives; such as, replacing the cribs with Pack n Plays; purchasing a safer changing table, and auditing the current toys we have and replacing and adding to them when necessary.
The church has a great resource in Lauren Yesh; who knows what toys, furniture, hardware (like outlet covers, etc) are required for a safe environment for all children; especially, those with special needs. Her knowledge and experience are an asset to further improve our nursery ministry.
Here’s a general list she has compiled:
Priority Needs: New toys for all ages, new changing table, 2 Pack N Plays and waterproof cover/sheets, new chair for infants (rocking and nursing), a rug, dry-erase name tags for cubbies/shelves, and a baby bouncer.
Smaller Needs: Sound machine, baby monitor, plastic bins to hold toys in shelves, baby walker/jumper/activity center 3 in 1, diapers in all sizes (to have in case of emergency), extra baby wipes, Aquaphor for diaper rash, and fresh paint for the walls.
Wants: A nursing pillow, a nursing cover, new chairs for nursery workers (depending on condition and budget), and a few books.
Next page….
Recommendation # 2
To relocate the existing nursery upstairs to Lance Warren’s Sunday School classroom.
Question: Why does the nursery need to be relocated upstairs?
Answer: To provide parents (regular attenders, church members; and especially guests) easier access to the nursery. To provide a higher degree of safety for children who are “runners.” The current nursery is oddly shaped; which does not allow adequate usable space for our toddlers.
Easier Access? Unless you have been raised in the church or have been attending for a long time; the church’s layout is very confusing. Moving the nursery upstairs (and with proper signage) allows a parent to get to their child faster if they’re needed, guests can have peace of mind knowing where the child is, without getting lost.
Safety? Relocating the nursery upstairs provides our babies with another layer of security. For example, if a child were to “escape,” they would have to make it through an entire auditorium to get outside. Further, if there were a security breach downstairs, our nursery would not be far away from the rest of the congregation.
A Better Space? Lance Warren’s classroom is the perfect size for a nursery (no wasted space); and is already set-up for electrical needs (window HVAC unit, etc). The carper is fairly new, the walls are already painted; and aside from a few items, is “move-in ready.”
The initial plan was to use the empty classroom across the foyer; but it is not currently set-up with the correct electrical capacity to meet the needs of the nursery.
What to do with previous nursery space? The possibilities are endless. It could be turned into a fellowship space/coffee bar for church members to use through the week. Maybe, a study area for church members to use. Perhaps, a conference room could fill the space. If needed, we could use for the space for classrooms or office space. The possibilities are many.
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Recommendation # 3
To create a “quiet room” for sleeping babies and/or for nursing mothers.
Question: Where would this be located?
Answer: It would be located right next door to the nursery (in the existing History Room). The History Room would move to the Decorating Room, and the decorations in the Decorating Room would be audited then moved to another open closet; or, in one of the empty rooms in the Youth Department.
Why not move the Quiet Room to the Decoration Room? We certainly could; but, it would be more convenient to have the nursery and quiet room right next to each other.
Coming Soon:
Church-Wide Training/Education on the opportunity we have to serve families of special needs children. This would be a huge blessing to both; our church, and community outreach.
Check-in/check-out system for nursery.
Reemphasis on training and background checks for children’s ministry/nursery workers.
Nursery alerts on the screen in the sanctuary for parents who are needed.