contact the ucym rlt:
​reopening@ucym.org | 847-864-1185 x26

YOUTH GROUP REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!

Volunteer Registration
UCYM REOPENING LEADERSHIP TEAM (RLT)
James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB
co-Leader | Compliance Manager
Mirka Gallo
co-Leader | Pastoral Leadership Manager
Sam Carlson
co-Leader | Greeter Captain
Josue Ortiz
Co-Leader | Digital Marketing Coordinator
Madison McGuire
Teen Captain
Dr. Daniela Menichella
Evelyn Ramirez
Safety Captain
Jason McKean
Cleaning Captain
Ben Landau
Alex Roman
Teen Captain
Valerie Romano
Ronabel Castillo
Auxiliary Members: Ministry Team
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Policies and Procedures for In-Person Gatherings

Volunteers
  • Schedule will be created for each event 
    • Volunteer check-in required
  • Minimum number of volunteers per event
    • Youth and Family Ministry
      • 2 Greeters
      • 1 Registration
      • 1 Maintenance/Health Person
      • 2 for clean-up
    • Young Adult Ministry
      • 1 greeter
      • 1 for registration
      • 2 for clean-up

Registration
  • Required for all in-person events
    • Registration will be closed 6 hours before each in-person event so that there is time for planning, set-up, and sanitizing
      • Monthly Quinceañera Formation will close 24 hours before each meeting
  • If space fills up, registration will automatically close
  • There will be no in-person registration available 

Clarifications for Students enrolled in Religious Education or a Catholic School:
  • Students who are enrolled and attend classes in-person in a catholic school will not be allowed to register for in-person youth ministry programs. 
  • Students who are enrolled in a religious education program that has in-person gatherings are not allowed to register for in-person youth ministry programs. If a student is enrolled in youth group and not in an in-person program for religious education, they will be permitted to still attend their retreat, but will have to wait at least two weeks following the retreat before returning to their youth group cohort.
  • Students who are enrolled in any program listed above who will not be allowed to register for in-person youth ministry programs CAN attend any liturgical functions (Family Adoration, Youth Mass, etc.).

Social Distancing 
  • 6 feet in spaces will be set up for seating areas and standing room
  • Folding chairs will be used for seating

Masks 
  • Masks must be worn at all times while present on parish grounds
  • Must cover the mouth and nose at all times (including while in the restroom)
  • Extra masks will be available
  • Masks must be double-layered
  • Masks with a filter device are not permitted
  • Bandanas are not permitted
  • If a youth or adult volunteer or staff feels suffocated or generally uncomfortable during an indoor event, they can step outside and lower their mask for a short time. If they are outside, they can step away from the group, at least 100 feet, and lower their mask for a short time

Food and Drink
  • No outside food will be permitted 
  • Food may not be shared for any reason
  • Any food eaten must have been distributed by UCYM 
  • No drinks that cannot be closed will be permitted (e.g. cans)
  • Water bottles will be permitted, but may not be shared for any reason

Event Date Change
  • If an event needs to be changed for any reason, it will be communicated within 3 days of the intended date.

Events Location
  • All in-person meetings for UCYM will take place at St. Nicholas Parish until further notice.

Communication
  • All communication will go out through Flocknote.

UCYM Center
  • Absolutely no horseplay
  • The UCYM Center will not be used by any groups other than groups that are under the umbrella of UCYM 
    • St. Nicholas Parish Religious Education classes may not take place in the UCYM Center
    • The UCYM Staff will collaborate with Pope John XXIII School Athletics Department on the Gym schedule

Sanitizing
  • Completed at least one hour before each event
  • After each event

Device Charging
  • Charging stations will be set in one place in the Main Room of the UCYM Center
    • No personal chargers will be permitted
    • No soliciting while a device is charging

Restrooms
  • Will be available
    • One person will be permitted to use the restroom at a time
    • Maintenance volunteer will sanitize after each use

Discipline
  • 3-Strike Rule for Youth
    • 1st strike is a written warning
    • 2nd strike is probation and parents are called
    • 3rd strike for intentionally breaking rules results in being sent home
    • Strikes do not reset after each event
      • If sent home
        • Follow-up conversation must happen
          • Next incident results in suspension at the discretion of the UCYM staff
  • Warning System for Adults
    • After one warning following intentional rule breaking, suspension will take place

Entrance and Exit
  • Entrance will be through the west entrance of the St. Theresa Building
    • Name will be checked on list
    • Hand sanitizing will happen upon entering
    • Questions will be asked
    • Temperature will be checked
      • If a temperature is higher than 100.3 (100.4 or higher), we will ask participant to return home
  • Exit will be through the north doors of the St. Theresa Building, letting out on Washington Street
    • Hand sanitizing will happen upon exiting

Safety Measures
  • UCYM staff and parish pastors reserve the right, at any time, to send a participant home that they feel, within reason of the below symptoms from the Center for Disease Control, is possibly sick. 
    • Fever or chills
    • Cough
    • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
    • Fatigue
    • Muscle or body aches
    • Headache
    • New loss of taste or smell
    • Sore throat
    • Congestion or runny nose
    • Nausea or vomiting
    • Diarrhea

Communication of Possible Exposure
  • If it is reported that a participant, volunteer, or staff member present at an in-person event, within a two-week period following the event, has tested positive for COVID-19, the following will take place:
    • Every participant, volunteer, and staff member will be notified via email and phone call
      • The person will never be revealed by name per HIPPA law
      • Participants, volunteers, and staff will be advised to quarantine for 14 days following the report, monitor their health for symptoms, and advise their health care physician
    • The parish pastors will receive a notice
    • The St. Nicholas Parish Staff will receive a notice
      • Report will be sent to all staff by James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB
    • Pope John XXIII School will receive a notice
      • Report will be sent to Dr. Molly Cinnamon, Principal
    • The UCYM Center will be closed for a month following the incident
      • Disinfecting measures will be taken while the center is closed
    • Before returning, the person who reported they were sick must present an official note that they test negative for COVID-19
      • If any other participants, volunteers, or staff become sick, they will also be asked to provide an official note that they test negative for COVID-19
      • All staff and RLT members must be tested before returning to active ministry 

​Field Trips
  • Off-site activities will not be permitted until further notice
YOUTH MINISTRY
Youth Ministry – Hybrid Reopening
Youth Group Meetings
    • Meeting outside as much as possible
    • Cohorts of 15 youth per session
    • Main gathering space: Gym
      • ​Break-out/activity rooms: UCYM Center (3 rooms)
    • First Week
      • Friday
        • ​In-Person Family Prayer Night at 6 pm
      • ​Saturday
        • In-Person Youth Group
          • 7th-8th Grade Cohorts
          • Two Sessions: 11 am-12:30 pm and 2-3:30 pm
      • ​Sunday
        • ​Virtual Youth Council Meeting at 5 pm
    • ​​Second Week
      • Saturday
        • In-Person Youth Group
          • 9th-10th Grade Cohorts
          • TWO SESSIONS: 11 am-12:30 pm and 2-3:30 pm
      • ​​Sunday
        • ​Youth Mass at St. Mary Parish at 9:30 am
        • Virtual Ministry Team Meeting at 5 pm
    • Third Week
      • Tuesday
        • Virtual Peer Ministry Formation at 7 pm
      • Saturday
        • In-Person Quinceañera Faith Formation at 2:30 pm
      • Sunday
        • Virtual  Youth Group at 7 pm
    • ​​Fourth Week
      • Friday​
        • ​In-Person Family Prayer Night at 6 pm
      • ​Saturday
        • ​In-Person Youth Group
          • ​11th-12th Grade Cohorts
          • ​​TWO SESSIONS: 11 am-12:30 pm and 2-3:30 pm​​
      • ​​Sunday
        • ​Virtual Leader-in-Training Formation at 5 pm

Youth Masses – In-Person Reopening
Youth Masses will follow the intended schedule and comply with parish reopening teams
Mass schedule can be found on our Music & Liturgy page.
YOUNG ADULT MINISTRY
Young Adult Ministry – Hybrid Reopening
Weekly Lectio Divina
  • Monday nights at 7 pm
    • Registration required
    • Meeting outside as much as possible
    • Meeting in the UCYM Center or virtual in bad and cold weather
Monthly Young Adult Council meeting
  • Second Wednesday at 6:30 pm
    • Registration required
    • Meeting outside as much as possible
    • Meeting in the UCYM Center or virtual  in bad and cold weather
Monthly Movie Night
  • Drive-in format will be default in good weather
    • Same guiding principles as those of the Drive-in Mass guidelines for the Archdiocese of Chicago
  • Virtual format will be fallback in bad weather
Large Events (Theology on Tap, Book Clubs, etc.)
  • Virtual format as default
PASTORAL FAMILIAR (FAMILY MINISTRY)
Pastoral Familiar (Family Ministry) – Hybrid Reopening
Consejo Hispano (Hispanic Council) Meetings
  • Registration required
  • Meeting outside as much as possible
  • Default indoor meeting space: Gym
  • Children and youth are allowed to attend with their parent(s)/guardian(s), but must remain in the identified area with their parent(s)/guardian(s) at all times
QUINCEAÑERA MINISTRY
Quinceañera Ministry – Hybrid Reopening
Adjusted Requirements
Formation
  • Once a month on the third Sunday after the 1:00 pm Mass
    • Registration required
    • Meeting outside as much as possible
    • Default indoor meeting space: Gym
      • If smaller group, could be in UCYM Center
  • 3 faith formation units are virtual until further notice
Service
  • One service opportunity must be completed
Youth Ministry
  • One Youth Ministry opportunity must be completed
Fee
  • Temporary fee adjustment to $250
  • Scholarship available as requested
Ceremony
  • Depends on each parish 
  • Outdoor blessing option available
UCYM OFFICE
UCYM Office – Hybrid Reopening
Work from home will be done as much as possible
Meetings with UCYM staff
  • Virtual as much as possible
  • If in-person meeting is specifically requested, meeting will be scheduled 24 hours in advance
  • No meetings will take place in the UCYM Center when there are athletic events hosted by Pope John XXIII School that require the Gym to be used
Main UCYM office will be in the UCYM Center
  • James will maintain his office at St. Mary Parish for regular hours
CHILDREN'S LITURGY OF THE WORD
SUSPENDED until further notice.
VOLUNTEERS
Join our Team!

We need YOUR help to reopen! We will need volunteers to join any of our teams.
​Contact the team captains below if you are interested in helping one of the teams.

Greeting Team: 
Sam Carlson - sam@ucym.org

Cleaning Team: 
Jason McKean - jason@ucym.org

Safety Team: 
Evelyn Ramirez - evelyn@ucym.org

Faith Formation Team: 
​Ministry Team
We are certified by the Archdiocese of Chicago for reopening.