Director Planning

• Check with your parish priest and set the date, times and location for your VBS.

• Set a registration deadline.

• Determine your budget in advance and how the parish wants to handle purchases for VBS supplies. (crafts, snacks, etc.) Set up a system for submitting invoices and receipts.

• Determine the cost you will charge per child. You can approach the parish council to see if they will supplement the additional costs. Things to consider: Will volunteers have to pay for their kids? Do you want to give a discount to larger families?

• Promote your VBS though social media, parish bulletin, school newsletters, parish website, local businesses, school and community bulletin boards, etc. Send out personal invitations to families in your community. 

• Hand out the registration forms or set up your own online registration.

• Make announcements at church to recruit adult and youth leaders and post a volunteer sign-up sheet.

• Create a database of all the children who are registering. (Use Excel spreadsheet)

• Schedule a meeting with your station leaders to review the program and plan your VBS.

• Share the Cool Kingdom MY VBS password with your main station leaders so they can access the files for their station.

• Confirm all leader positions:
  Assistant Program Director
  Treasurer
  Faith Leader
  Music Leader
  Craft Leader
  Games Leader
  Snack Leader
  Decoration Team
  Registration/Welcome Committee
  Group Leaders
  Skit Team
  Photographer/Video/Computer Support
  Runner/Floater
  (opt.) Childcare Team

• Schedule a training session with all volunteers. Go through their roles and responsibilities.

• Determine the area for the main assembly, as well as the games, music, crafts, snacks, and faith stations. Confirm with your parish priest that you have permission to use areas in the church for the entire week of your VBS.

• Request any necessary sound and video equipment.

• Order VBS Music CDs, saint cards and posters. Please allow up to 7 business days for shipping. For an additional fee, you can call and request Express Post Shipping. Digital Music also available.

• Schedule volunteers to help set up and decorate a couple days before the start of VBS.
• Meet with volunteers after each day for debriefing the day, discuss highs and lows, answer any questions prayer requests, etc. 
• Offer encouragement to all volunteers and station leaders throughout the week. 
• Print Cool Kingdom VBS Certificates.

• On the last day of VBS, give thank you notes or gifts to volunteers.

Print Director Planning Checklist

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