First Day School

Our First Day School is in a small building behind our Meeting House.

The mission of Reno Friends Religious Education is to offer our youth opportunities to:

  • Be part of an environment in which they feel loved, safe, respected, and accepted.
  • Deepen their understanding of Quaker testimonies, practices, and history.
  • Explore and experience the Light within themselves and in others.
  • Actively participate and genuinely feel that they belong in our Quaker community.

Our Quaker First Day School (what Quakers call Sunday School) is now offering kids and teens Zoom classes on the second Sunday of the month, and in-person classes on fourth Sundays (potluck Sunday). Check the current newsletter for the latest update and any changes to the schedule.

Before class starts, the children sit in silent worship with their parents for the first ten to fifteen minutes of Meeting, and then quietly leave for First Day class.

Our current curriculum is focused on the Quaker Testimonies: Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality and Stewardship.

First Day School lessons often incorporate an art project.
For our unit on the testimony “Integrity,” the children looked at some graphic novels on the civil rights movement, and then created and illustrated their own mini-books.
A lesson focusing on Integrity

A young Friend illustrates the cover of his booklet.
A young Friend starts work on her illustrated booklet.

Please contact the Meeting if you are interested in bringing children to the First Day School for the first time. You can email us at clerk (at) renofriends.org.

Pacific Yearly Meeting has recommended that Monthly Meetings, like Reno Friends, adopt a “Safe Children” policy for their First Day Schools. Following their suggested template, Reno Friends recently approved the following policy:

Reno Friends Meeting – Policy for Safe Children’s Religious Education Programs    

Pacific Yearly Meeting has developed a “Policy for Prevention and Reporting of Child Abuse in Pacific Yearly Meeting Program and Activities” which was approved by Yearly Meeting on 7/17/2017 and is posted on PacYM’s website.  This document forms the basis of Reno Friends Meeting’s policy with some additions added by Reno Friends Meeting’s Religious Education Committee.

  1. Reno Friends Meeting [“the Meeting”] takes reasonable and necessary precautions to ensure that minors and the adults who work with them are safe and secure during their programs and activities and that the safety and reputation of teachers and program organizers are also protected.
  2. This document shall be shared with parents, guardians and sponsors, youth workers, and/or appropriate committees and clerks.   It shall be posted on the Meeting’s website and shared with those working with minors before participating in any youth program.
  3. This document applies to programs developed by the Religious Education Committee.  Parents and guardians are responsible for supervising their children at other times outside of those organized by the Religious Education Committee (for example, Meeting for Worship and Potluck).
  4. A parent or designated sponsor shall be on the property when their minor is attending a Religious Education program.  If an offsite Religious Education program is planned for minors, parents shall provide consent on a Parental Consent Form.
  5. If any parent or minor has any questions or discomfort regarding the program, they should contact the clerk of the Religious Education Committee or the clerk of the Ministry & Oversight Committee.   Reports of unsafe practice shall be taken seriously and investigated to resolve.
    1. If an investigation determines that a serious incident has occurred, the Nevada Revised Statute Chapter 432B, Protection of Children from Abuse and Neglect, should be reviewed to determine if the incident requires mandatory reporting.  Any person who has reasonable cause to believe child abuse may be occurring or has occurred is required by NRS 432B to make a report to a Child Protective Services (CPS) or law enforcement agency.
  6. Volunteers who work with minors shall be well known to the Meeting and have been active members and attenders for at least 6 months.
  7. All activities for minors shall be under the care of at least two adults.  When one adult is working with a small break-out group, there shall be two or more minors in such group or be within clear view of the other adult facilitator.
    1. Exceptions:
      1. Classes held outside may be taught with just one adult, but two adults are advised, particularly if there is a wide range of ages in the class.
      2. In true emergency situations (e.g., lost or injured minor), it may be necessary for a youth volunteer to be alone with minor.
  8. For indoor classes, doors shall be left unlocked and rooms be easily accessible by parents, guardians, and other concerned adults.  Window coverings shall be drawn back/up or removed when class is in session so there are unobstructed views of the classroom.  If a child needs help in going to the bathroom that child’s parent or guardian should be summoned; no unrelated adult should be in the bathroom with a child.
  9. Adult facilitators will protect children from known risks, e.g., harassment, destructive behavior.
  10. For Zoom classes, Zoom’s privacy policy applies.  See: https://zoom.us/privacy.  A Reno Friends Meeting’s adult facilitator will be the meeting’s host and be present throughout the Zoom call.  Zoom meetings involving minors may not be recorded or screen-shorts taken except with full awareness and consent by the minors’ parent or guardian.
  11. Additional screening requirement for paid youth workers who might be alone with minors:   Youth worker potential employees shall be asked in writing to disclose whether they have ever been convicted of a crime and give written permission to the Meeting to conduct a criminal background check and reference checks. Persons with convictions for violent offenses and/or any type of child abuse shall not serve as youth workers and shall be informed of that fact and given the opportunity to appeal the decision.   The reference and background checks are not a substitute for broader discernment or outreach in the Good Order of Friends.

     ~ Approved by Reno Friends Meeting for Business, 1/8/23                                            

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