Unitarian Society of Northampton, Florence MA

The Society holds two Sunday services on most Sundays, but it is important to note that not every class is offered at every service, and the 11:00 service is often full.

Registration/enrollment for 2010-11 is still open, and we welcome new families to the 9:15 service for preschool and 2nd through 6th grade classes, and to the 11:00 service for preschool through the 7th grade. Click here for a registration form. Feel free to get in touch with Cindy Beal, our Director of Religious Education, if you have enrollment or other questions.
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ,  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 413-584-1390 ext. 203

Our capacity is determined by our space availability/fire code and pre-registration the preceding spring. Visitors are welcome in all classes K-7th grade with few exceptions.  

If you are visiting for the purpose of deciding whether or not to enroll your child, we invite you to attend the service you would be enrolling in for 3 weeks before you make a decision. Please speak with the DRE or a member of the RE Council prior to the beginning of the mornings' service so we can appropriately accommodate you. 

There are no RE classes on Sundays when there is a single 10 am Multigenerational Worship Service, although pre-school child care is provided. Some of our older classes meet off-site about 1 block from the Society.  Parents of children in these classes will be provided with special information about this.

The High School Youth Program (30+ youth, grades 9-12) is open year round to registered high school youth whose families make USNF their religious home, and open to newcomers for the first 6 weeks of the school year.

Arrive on time and attend regularly

A sense of belonging develops from regular attendance. Feelings of connection and friendship take time and nurturing. These feelings of friendship and connection nurtured here help sustain children in their search for meaning.  Many of the curricular units build upon previous lessons, and like ‘regular’ school, missing a week or two can make it difficult for a child to have a full grasp of what’s going on.  We recognize that custody concerns, health, and Sunday sports/music/dance are all part of the choices families have to make.  We encourage you to make the best choice for your family, and to let the teacher know when the child will be absent.

Picking Up Children

When the Service is over, there is generally time for parents to attend coffee hour. We ask that parents of children in pre-school through grade 3 pick their children up at their classroom door at dismissal. First Service classes are dismissed at 10:30 and Second Service classes are dismissed at 12:30. Children in grades 4 and up will be dismissed from their class and must make a plan with their parents for a meeting place. When a class meets out of our building, the children will be returned to the side door of the Society. It is the parent's responsibility to ensure communication with these children regarding meeting places etc, and to supervise their children immediately after R.E.

On occasion, there may be an unavoidable need to take your children early. Pease be aware that we will not dismiss students early without their parents’ personally picking them up, or without prior notification that someone else will be picking them up.Please do take a moment to socialize in the Parlor of Great Hall, and please do not congregate outside classrooms while classes are in session as this is disruptive to their experience.

Play Clothes

Our children paint, run, jump, plant seeds, play games, and go to the park. Comfortable school or play clothes are appropriate. Always send your child to R.E. with clothing and coats that will keep them warm and dry if the class goes out of doors.

PLEASE READ-- In case of fire alarm:

Teachers will accompany classes to Pulaski Park where they will circle up. We will lead them behind Memorial Hall to Pulaski Park. DO Pick up your child at the park from the teacher and make sure the teacher checks their name off the attendance sheet so we know they are safe. Do not attempt to go downstairs to retrieve them as this will block their exi tways.  Do not congregate in the fire lane/driveway.  Parents need to meet their children at the Park and consult with teachers before leading their children away. Parents must not to take children from within the building during a fire emergency anywhere except to the park.  Teachers will check them off in the attendance book as they are picked up in the Park.  We must be able to account for each child otherwise the fire department will have to search for the child. By state law, when the alarm sounds, the building becomes the ‘property of’ the Fire Department.  Do as directed by Fire Department personnel without delay.

Supervision of Children

Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children whenever they are in the building except for the time that they are in class. Children may not be in the classroom area without parents until they have been dismissed from the worship service. Unsupervised children will be returned to their parents in the service.

Moveable Walls are fragile

It is very important that you do not allow your children to play on, move, or attempt to climb the moveable walls in the Social Room. They are much more fragile than they look.

Pre-School Safety

In addition to the safety procedures that all classes follow, we will ask parents of pre-school children to sign them in and out every day, and provide us basic information about how they are doing. The Pre-school children will have family photos taken their first day of class in order for us to be able to identify the parents of these very young and sometimes still pre-verbal children. Pre-school teachers do not change diapers. They will take children to the bathroom, and assist them if necessary, with the exterior restroom door propped open. Please do not bring these smallest children to R.E. when they have a contagious virus or cold, if they have been vomiting or had diarrhea within the past 24 hours, or have unidentified conjunctivitis. There may be additional safety precautions for your particular class.  If so, you will be notified of separately.

We welcome all children with special needs

All children have spiritual needs, all children have special needs. Some need more attention, or more hugs or more personal space, however, other children require more specific kinds of support in order for their R.E. experience to be a successful spiritual experience.

The R.E. program will make every effort to accommodate children with special needs in R.E. classes. Unfortunately, the program is not able to provide individualized aides or specialized equipment.

Please continue supports — The Religious Education Council and the DRE request that parents consider continuing any supports that assist their children during the school week.  This may mean that you may choose to provide your physical presence, adaptive devices, or prescribed medication to ensure that your child is able to have a positive and sacred experience.

Our goal is to support all of our children in being a confident part of the dynamic inclusive community that we create here. We realize that there are many considerations you will have to weigh, and so all parents are invited to consult with the DRE regarding the individual needs of their children.

Snack

If there is no snack provided, the class may go without.  It is burdensome for the teachers to bring snack in addition to preparing the lesson, so parents, please sign up for snack often.

Permission Slips

Your enrollment of your child in R.E. constitutes written permission for your children to accompany R.E. teachers and staff about the building and grounds, to the International Language Institute, (if that is where their class meets,) and to Pulaski Park.  Permission slips will be sent home as needed and will be required for any outing away from these areas.

No students may go elsewhere, alone or with a teacher, without prior written parental permission of their parents.