Policies & Procedures for Events

Everything that we do at SUMM is intended to provide a safe environment where all our visitors and participants can have fun and expand their learning and enjoyment of math. We want to ignite their curiosity and provide positive experiences with math through play.

Delivering excellent customer service is one way that we can encourage our visitors to have fun and come back to visit again and again. The following guidelines should help you provide that level of excellent customer service.

• Smile!  When guests approach you, smile. This indicates that we are happy to see them, and helps adults and children feel welcome.

• Greet both adults and children. This puts everyone at ease and helps them to feel comfortable.

• Be empathetic. Remember that not everyone has had positive math experiences before. Help make this a fun and exciting experience. Your kindness, plus enthusiasm for math will make it a great event. 

• Interact/play with children. Talk to the children and ask them open-ended questions. Show them interesting parts of wherever you are volunteering. Let them show you what they find interesting.

• Be available. Please pay close attention to our guests. Cell phone use, including texting, reading, or doing homework is not acceptable while you are volunteering.

• Address questions. Smile and listen carefully to the request or question. Prioritize safety issues. If you are unable to answer a question, it is always okay to say, "I'm not sure, let me find out for you," or “I don’t know, but what do you think?” After that, ask another staff member and make sure that you get back to the guest with an answer.

• Set appropriate limits. Playing with children can be fun, but it’s important to set boundaries for physical interactions. Children who hit, throw or otherwise get physically inappropriate should be redirected with positive suggestions for how to behave. For example, instead of saying “Don’t do that!” try saying “We don’t hit in the classroom, but if you have some excess energy, let’s go for a quick walk outside and come back ready to interact appropriately.”

The safety of our guests is a top priority. Exhibits, layout, policy, programs and classes will all be designed with this in mind. If it is an emergency, and/or if intervening would put you at risk, then call out immediately for assistance (point to someone and say “Dial 911!”) Otherwise, do not hesitate to intervene when you see any risky behavior. Start with your words, but if absolutely necessary to save a child from injury you may need to put your hands on them. Do this with the least force necessary. You don't have to wait for a parent to notice and stop risky behavior. Address safety issues immediately and to the best of your ability. If there is a serious risk and you don't know what to do, report it to a floor staff member immediately.

• Adult Supervision Required. For safety reasons, children under 14 are not permitted at SUMM events without adults.

• Open Doors Slowly. Children may be standing behind doors.

• Choking Hazards. Please regularly check the area in which you are volunteering for small parts that could be a choking hazard. Items under 1.75" are considered a choking hazard. Any easy guideline to remember is that if an item will fit inside of a paper towel tube, it is a choking hazard.

• Injury. Be calm if an accident happens. Call or direct someone to call 911 if necessary. If possible, find the adult who came with the child so he or she knows the child is hurt. Help the child and parent or caregiver to the manager in charge, so we can further assist them with the injury, if needed. If you have any helpful information, such as how the injury happened, please share this with the manager in charge.

Altercations between Children. It is easier to try to prevent problems between children than it is to stop them.

• Encourage sharing and inclusive play.

• Discourage play fighting.

• Feel free to say "Keep your hands to yourself, please."

• Help children to change the game or come up with creative solutions to the problem.

• If an altercation is taking place and the above have not worked, involve the parents or other staff in the solution.

Altercations between Adults, or You and a Guest. 

• Listen and try to understand the problem. 

• Indicate that you are listening by saying, "I hear what you are saying."

• If you cannot handle the situation, or feel uncomfortable, please immediately get a member of the staff or a manager to help you.

• If you feel threatened and no one is immediately available to help, you are welcome to call the police at the non-emergency number dial 911 if you feel that the threat is immediate.

As a volunteer, we depend on you to complete your scheduled shifts. We understand that occasionally situations may prevent you from being able to do so. If you know that you will not be able to make a shift for an event more than 24 hours before the shift, please contact the Event Main Point of Contact or the Volunteer Coordinator, to change your schedule. If you find that you are unable to attend on the day of your shift, please contact Event Main Point of Contact and let them know that you are unable to come in. If absenteeism becomes excessive, your volunteer relationship with SUMM will be reevaluated.

Please follow a semi-casual guideline for clothing online and at events. T-shirts are great if they are in good condition and are free from controversial messages. Refrain from wearing any shirts with profanity on them. Jeans, khakis or chinos are great, as long as they are in good condition. Tattoos do not need to be covered unless they contain profanity, nudity, or an inappropriate subject matter. Volunteers who wear inappropriate clothing will be sent home to change. If a SUMM t-shirt is made available to you for an event, please wear that and follow instructions for care.

Volunteers are only authorized to act as a representative of SUMM if specifically tasked with this responsibility in their volunteer job description. Please consult with and receive permission from the Volunteer Manager or your direct supervisor before engaging in any actions that may affect or hold the organization liable. These include, but are not limited to, social media posts (i.e. Facebook, Instagram, X, etc.), public statements to the press, signing contracts or entering into financial agreements, or lobbying or forming partnerships with other organizations. All public relations questions should be referred to the Executive Director.

Partly due to law, and partly because we are working with and for children, smoking, vaping and chewing tobacco are not permitted in or around our events. The possession, use, or sale of drugs and/or alcohol is never permitted at SUMM events.

No weapons are allowed at SUMM events. Weapons are defined as guns, knives (larger than pocket knives), and other objects, blunt or sharp, that could do bodily harm. If you notice a guest in violation of this rule, please inform a staff member immediately.

In the event of fire or other emergency, volunteers will be directed by staff members. Evacuation will be determined by the type of emergency. In case of fire, staff members will locate and direct all guests and volunteers to the nearest fire exit. In case of a severe weather emergency, staff members will locate and direct all guests and volunteers to designated shelter areas.

In the event of a potentially dangerous situation happening in the vicinity of a SUMM event (e.g. bank robbery, hostage situation, escaped fugitive), SUMM staff may receive a Reverse 911 phone call. In this situation, staff will make sure that all visitors and volunteers are inside the (nearest) building, doors are locked and pulled firmly closed. Staff will notify guests and volunteers, either personally or through the PA system that we are on a lockdown due to a disturbance in the neighborhood. All guests and volunteers must remain in the building for the duration of the lockdown. When Museum staff receives an "all clear" from local emergency responders, the lockdown will be lifted.

In the unlikely event of an active shooter, law enforcement recommends memorizing the following: "Run, Hide, Fight."

• Run. Direct visitors to the nearest emergency exit (when indoors). Run as far away as possible. 

• Hide. Direct visitors into rooms without windows that can be locked. 

• Fight. Rushing at the shooter is considered an absolute last resort. 

SUMM is not responsible for lost or stolen items at events. If a guest thinks that someone has stolen something from them at one of our events, please escort them to the manager or someone who can assist them in contacting the police.

Personal property left for more than 30 days will be considered a donation and given to a local charity.

Our visitors, participants, donors, and other parties with whom we do business entrust the organization with important information relating to their businesses. It is our policy that all information considered confidential will not be disclosed to external parties or other volunteers without a "need to know." If you question whether certain information is considered confidential, check with your Event Point of Contact or the Volunteer Coordinator.

Please note that photography, audio, and video recording may occur. SUMM may conduct interviews, photography, and/or audio recording, video recording and use these images in publication, or reproduction for our website, social media, and promotional (fundraising) purposes. Images, photos and/or videos may be used to promote similar events in the future, highlight this event and/or for reporting purposes to our funders.