CHARITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PRESCHOOL



CHARITY UNITED METHODIST CHURCH PRESCHOOL

2018-2019 Parent Handbook

4080 Charity Neck Rd.

Virginia Beach, VA 23457

(757) 426-5264

A Message From the Director:

To Our Preschool Families:

Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year at Charity United Methodist Church Preschool.

Please take time to read this Parent Handbook carefully and become familiar with our school’s philosophy, our goals, and our policies. It is our desire to address all of your questions and concerns regarding our preschool and your child. If any of your questions are not answered in this handbook, please let us know.

Together we hope to form a partnership between your family and the preschool to make this year a positive experience for your preschooler.

We thank you for entrusting your child to our care. We take this trust very seriously, and we look forward to working with you in helping your child develop his or her full potential.

Sincerely,

Heather Harris, Director

Charity United Methodist Church Preschool

CURRICULUM

Our curriculum is uniquely designed for our students by our teachers.  It follows the Virginia's Early Childhood Development Alignment Project with the content of the Foundation Blocks for Early Learning created by the Virginia Department of Education and the Virginia Preschool Initiative. We encourage the development of skills through age level appropriate math, science, social studies, and literacy activities that allow for hands-on, play based learning and exploration.  Our curriculum establishes a measurable range of skills and knowledge essential for each age level to successfully transition to the next level. We work closely with community agencies as well as the local elementary schools in order to best serve the needs of our students.

REGISTRATION FEES

A non-refundable registration fee is due for each school year enrolled. Registration fees for children who enroll after December 31 will be prorated.

TUITION

Yearly tuition is divided into nine equal monthly payments for your convenience. Tuition is due on the first day of each month enrolled. Tuition payments made after the 10th of the month will be late, and there will be a $25 late fee charged. To avoid this late fee, please advise the Director of any extenuating circumstances that may result in late payment. In addition, a fee of $30 will be charged for returned checks. The Director has the right to require that May tuition be paid by May 1 in cases of habitually late payers. Multiple returned checks will require that future payments be made in cash.

A multiple-child discount is given to families with more than one child concurrently enrolled in the preschool. Families will receive 20% off the lower priced tuition.

Tuition for students who enter preschool after the 15th day of the month will be prorated for that month.

The preschool accepts checks and cash. Please make checks payable to Charity Preschool and write your child’s name and the month(s) of payment in the memo line. Some families find it helpful to pay tuition for several months (or the entire year) at once. Bill pay may be available through your bank.

EARLY WITHDRAWAL

If a child withdraws from the Preschool, written notice is required at least two weeks in advance. Without two weeks written notice, tuition for the next full month is due. Parents withdrawing their child from the preschool after February 28 may be required to pay tuition for the balance of that school year.

TERMINATION OF ENROLLMENT BY THE PRESCHOOL

If the Director determines that a child either is not benefiting from our program or that his or her behavior is detrimental to the safety or well-being of the other children in the Preschool, a conference will be held with the child’s parents/guardians, the teachers, and the Director to address the situation. If the behavior does not improve, this may result in termination of that child’s enrollment. No further tuition will be due if the child’s enrollment is terminated by the Preschool.

SCHOOL CALENDAR

Classes meet from 9 AM to 12 PM or until 3pm with Aftercare Enrichment, September through May, with school closings noted on the Preschool Calendar provided to you. In most cases we observe the same school closings as the Virginia Beach Public Schools. Preschool tuition is due in full each month.

CLOSINGS DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER

If the Virginia Beach Public Schools close due to inclement weather, the Preschool will also close. If the Virginia Beach Public Schools close early due to inclement weather, our morning preschool hours will remain the same however, the Aftercare hours may be adjusted accordingly. One-hour delays will result in a one-hour delay at the Preschool. If the Virginia Beach Public Schools are delayed two hours, the Preschool will be closed.

ARRIVAL

Students should be accompanied to their classrooms or drop off areas by an adult. Students should not be dropped off or enter the classrooms prior to 9 AM because teachers may not be able to supervise them as the staff is preparing for the day. Students who need to be dropped off early may be left with the drop off staff as early as – but not before – 8:50 AM. Please use caution in the parking lot. Hold your child firmly by the hand and be aware of other drivers.

PICK-UP

Students are to be picked up at their classrooms by an authorized person at 12 PM for preschool or 3 PM for Aftercare. The Director may assess an overtime charge for students picked up after their designated pick up time, at the rate of $1 per minute for each minute after 12:10 or 3:00. This money is to be paid at the time you pick up your child to compensate the staff for overtime required to supervise your child. If you find that you are going to be late, please call the Preschool to let us know so that your child can be reassured. The preschool building is closed at 3 pm and all student must be picked up before this time. Families that are habitually late for Aftercare pickup, may be removed from the Aftercare program. Please use caution in the parking lot. Be aware of classes coming in from the playground while you are parking and hold your child firmly by the hand as you are leaving Preschool.

FIELD TRIPS and IN-SCHOOL EVENTS

Field trips are sometimes planned by the teachers to enhance their students’ preschool experience. Parents/guardians receive written notice in advance of all field trips to be taken. We provide a Blanket Permission Slip for all field trips taken during the school year.

Staff and parents/guardians provide transportation for our field trips. We ask that parents not bring other children with them when they drive on field trips.

Children under eight years old are required by Virginia Law to be secured in car seats when traveling in a vehicle. On field trip days, please make sure your child rides in an appropriate child safety seat.

In-school field trips may be planned throughout the school year to supplement off-site trips.

ILLNESS

When a child becomes ill at preschool, he or she will be isolated from the other students. All efforts will be made to contact the parents/guardians; if they cannot be reached, we will attempt to reach one of your designated emergency contacts so that someone can pick up your child.

GUIDELINES FOR WHEN NOT TO SEND A CHILD TO SCHOOL

It is our goal to minimize the spread of illness among the staff and students. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL if he/she:

• Has had a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea in the previous 24 hours

• Symptoms of severe illness such as lethargy (more than expected tiredness),

uncontrolled coughing, inexplicable irritability or crying, difficulty breathing,

wheezing, or other unusual signs (until medical evaluation determines the child can remain in care);

• Has a cold that is less than 24 hours old

• Has a dark nasal discharge

• Has severe itching of body or scalp

• Has symptoms of any communicable disease (reddened or draining eyes, sore throat, headache, abdominal pain, or rash)

• Blood in the stools not explained by diet change, medication or hard stools;

• Persistent abdominal pain (lasting more than 2 hours);

• Mouth sores with drooling;

• Unexplained Rash;

• Purulent conjunctivitis (pink or red eye lining or whites of the eyes with white or yellow pus coming from the eyes);

• Lice, Scabies, Tuberculosis, Impetigo;

• Strep throat, or other streptococcal infection;

• Chickenpox (varicella zoster) or shingles (herpes zoster);

• Whooping cough (pertussis), Mumps, Hepatitis A, Measles, Rubella;

• Unspecified respiratory tract illness;

• Herpes simplex.

If your child will miss preschool for any reason, please let the teacher or the Director know that your child will not be attending school. You may call our Preschool Office and leave a message any time of the day, send an email or use our Remind app.

COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

Please let the Director know within 24 hours if your child has symptoms of or has had exposure to chicken pox, strep throat, head lice, or any other communicable disease so that we can do a health screening in the school and notify other parents that their children may have been exposed. The student’s privacy will be maintained. The Preschool will notify parents/guardians when we know that the students may have been exposed to a communicable disease.

HAND WASHING

One of the most effective ways to cut down on the spread of illnesses is frequent hand washing, especially after toileting and before eating. Please teach your preschooler to wash hands with soap and warm water after toileting, before and after eating, after sneezing, and after blowing his or her nose. We will be stressing these hygiene habits at Preschool and ask you to reinforce them at home.

We ask that you take your children to wash their hands as they enter the building each morning. This will help cut down on illnesses.

MEDICINES

The Preschool currently administers only emergency prescription medicines such as asthma inhalers, Benadryl or the Epi-pen. If your preschooler needs medication during school hours, you will be asked to fill out a Medication Administration Consent Form and supply an Action Plan from your doctor. This form may need to be signed by your child’s physician. Please see the Director if your child needs to take medication while at the preschool.

SUNSCREENS AND BUG REPELLENT

The preschool will not be able to apply sunscreen or bug repellent to any child. If you wish for your child to wear sunscreen or bug repellent, please apply it before coming to preschool.

INJURY OR ACCIDENT

We will attempt to notify a parent/guardian of a serious accident or injury involving their child. If neither parent nor guardian can be reached, we will attempt to reach one of your emergency contacts. Please let your emergency contact know your whereabouts while your child is at preschool. If no one can be reached and the child needs medical attention, we will take the necessary action authorized in the Emergency Release Form.

For minor mishaps not requiring medical attention, a written report will be sent home with the child describing what occurred and what action was taken.

AUTHORIZATION TO PICK UP CHILD

For our students’ protection, no child may be released to a person unless authorized in writing by the parents/guardians. We keep an authorization form on file for the entire school year which you may need to update from time to time. Occasionally you might wish for someone not on your authorization form to pick up your child. In those cases, please send a note that morning and give it to the teacher or the Director. If the staff has any concerns about a person’s identity, we may require proof of identification. Our students’ safety is our number one priority.

PARENT AND TEACHER CONFERENCES

Conferences will be held in late October or November and April to address any questions or concerns you or the teachers may have. If you wish, you may request additional conferences or call the Director or teacher. The teachers’ primary responsibility during school hours is to supervise the children assigned to them; therefore, we ask that you not engage in lengthy conversations, text messages or phone calls with the teaching staff during drop-off, pick-up times or preschool hours.

EVENTS THAT MAY AFFECT YOUR CHILD EMOTIONALLY

We ask that you let your child’s teacher know of any event that may cause a behavior change in your child such as the death or illness of a loved one or pet, a new divorce/separation, prolonged absence of a parent, etc.

BEHAVIOR GUIDANCE POLICY

Preschool is a safe place for children to explore their world and to develop the social skills needed for their future experiences in school and in life. Our preschool is committed to helping your child develop self-control, appropriate ways of expressing emotions, and conflict resolution skills. Often, preschoolers need frequent reminders of what is appropriate or allowed in the classroom. It is our policy to do so within the following guidelines:

• Personal privacy and differences in cultural and family backgrounds will be respected;

• Decision-making abilities, conflict resolution, independence, and self-direction will be encouraged;

• Expectations will be consistent and fair.

It is against our policy for children to be subjected to any sort of physical punishment, or any punishment that is demeaning in any way. It is our sincere hope that through loving examples, positive encouragement, and redirection, your preschooler will learn appropriate school behavior.

SNACKS OR LUNCHES

Children need to bring a light, nutritious snack and drink to school. These snacks provide “fuel” for your child, and since children eat very little, it is important that what they eat has nutritional value. Some suggestions are milk, real fruit juices, fruits, vegetables, crackers, half-sandwiches, dry cereal, yogurt and cheese. Please provide a cool pack in the snack bag if necessary. If your child is staying for Aftercare, please provide a healthy lunch packed in a separate bag and clearly labeled with your child’s name. We promote healthy eating habits for the children in our care; therefore, we ask that you send in only those foods which are nutritious. We do not allow soft drinks or candy for snack time at the Preschool.

For parties during preschool, we ask parents to provide healthy foods. Please be aware of allergies in your classroom or the preschool. Packaged treats with a label make it easier to identify any possible allergens.

CELEBRATING BIRTHDAYS AT PRESCHOOL

Preschoolers enjoy celebrating their birthdays at preschool, and you may provide a snack for the occasion. We will allow sweets for birthdays but ask that you keep them small, such as miniature cupcakes or cookies. To avoid choking, we do not allow balloons or peanuts in the classroom. Please be aware of allergies in your classroom or the preschool.

Packaged treats with a label make it easier to identify any possible allergens.

TOYS FROM HOME

Except for special “show-and tell” days, we ask that your child not bring toys to school.

Occasionally, parents wish to share a book or something special with their child’s class. Please allow the teacher to preview it before sharing it with the class.

Toys of destruction such as toy guns, knives, or swords are not to be brought to Preschool at any time.

SHOW AND TELL

“Show-and-tell” provides an opportunity for children to share with classmates and is designed to be a learning experience for your child. Help your child select something that he or she is interested in and can tell about to his/her peers. Some suggestions are a special item, picture, or souvenir.

DRESSING YOUR CHILD FOR PRESCHOOL

Our objective is to have active children, freely exploring their world in a number of ways-some of which can be very messy. We find that children do better if they are dressed in comfortable play clothes. We request that children wear shoes suitable for the playground. Sandals, flip-flops, crocs, boots, and dress shoes are not safe and are not to be worn to the Preschool.

DRESSING YOUR CHILD FOR INDEPENDENCE

Our goal is to help our students become more independent and self-reliant. Please dress your child so that he or she can use the toilet without assistance. Clothes with small buttons, overalls, belts, suspenders, and back fasteners can be very frustrating for preschoolers and may cause “toileting accidents.” Simple clothing such as pants with elastic waistbands allow a preschooler to be independent in toileting. Shoes with Velcro fasteners also help children gain independence.

POTTY TRAINING CLASSES

We aim to make potty training a daily part of your child’s schedule so that it becomes a happy habit. The most important part of potty training is to always make it a positive experience for the child. Potty training success at school begins with potty training progress at home. Communication between home and school along with ongoing commitment is a big step towards success.

We prefer your child wears pull-ups in the 2-year-old potty training class if they are still having accidents during the day. We will start off by taking him/her to the potty several times throughout the day. We will encourage him/her and make it a very positive experience. Our goal in the beginning is to get your child into the habit of going on the toilet. As soon as they are having success for two weeks or more, they will be transitioned into underpants. Teachers will assist students in the 2’s potty training class with bathroom needs and encourage independence as they learn.

***Potty training classes are not always available.

DRESSING YOUR CHILD FOR THE WEATHER

On most days, the children will go outside except when it is raining, snowing, or extremely cold. In the winter, please send in mittens/gloves and a knit cap for your child to wear outdoors. Jackets which have drawstrings have been found to be a strangulation hazard on playgrounds and are therefore discouraged.

THANK YOU!

Again, the entire staff at the Preschool is committed to making your child’s Preschool experience a wonderful one- one full of learning, excitement, and new friends. We realize that teaching preschoolers is very much a team effort, one in which the families play a large part. You are welcome to visit your child’s classroom at any time. Also, please let us know how we can enhance your child’s Preschool experience. We appreciate your comments and value your input. Thank you again for entrusting us with your child’s care!

The following information is provided in accordance with the

regulations of the Virginia Department of Social Services.

RELIGIOUS EXEMPTION FROM LICENSURE

Section 63.1-196.3 of the Code of Virginia exempts child day care centers operated under the auspices of a religious institution from licensure. If a child day center operated under the auspices of a religious institution chooses not to be licensed, certain documentation must be filed annually with the Department of Social Services.

Statement of Intent

Charity United Methodist Church Preschool operates a non-profit weekly Christian preschool program from September through May for children two through five years of age.

Staff and Preschool Board

Upon beginning work and annually thereafter, every staff person who supervises the children enrolled in the Preschool must be certified by a practicing physician to be “free of any disability which would prevent him/her from caring for children.”

All persons officially involved in the operations of the Preschool, including the pastor, the officers of the governing board, and those persons involved in the day-to-day operations of the program and interaction with the children, are required to have criminal record checks. Any person who has been convicted of any offense specified in Section 63.1-198.1 will be barred from employment in the Preschool.

Section 63.1-198.2 of the Code of Virginia states that the Preschool shall require a prospective employee to provide a sworn statement of affirmation disclosing whether or not the applicant has ever been convicted of or is the subject of pending charges for any offense specified in Section 63.1-198.1 within the Commonwealth or any equivalent offense outside the Commonwealth.

Documentation of health requirements and background checks is on file at the Preschool.

The Preschool Board is composed of nine members of Charity United Methodist Church, and this Board is responsible for overseeing the Preschool’s operation. Day-to-day administration of the Preschool is the responsibility of the Director. All teachers and assistants report to the Director.

Teachers in the Preschool are expected to be mature Christians with multiple years experience with young children and/or possess a degree in early childhood education. Teacher assistants are also expected to be mature Christians with experience working with young children. The Director does not have to be a member of Charity United Methodist Church, but must be a mature Christian, with multiple years’ experience with young children and/or possess a degree in early childhood education.

The exemption law requires that the following staff-child ratios be maintained by age group:

-one staff to 1-10 children from ages 24 months to six years.

-two staff to 11-20 children from ages 24 months to six years.

Facility

Charity United Methodist Church is housed in the church located at 4080 Charity Neck Road, Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Preschool uses four classrooms-one on the first level and three on the second level- as well as the fellowship hall, chapel, sanctuary, kitchen, and bathrooms for its operations. It also uses a fenced playground across the road from the church.

Safety

The Preschool must ensure that all areas of the premises accessible to children are free of obvious injury hazards, including providing and maintaining sand or other cushioning material under the playground equipment.

Fire Safety

The Preschool is inspected annually by a Fire Inspector and must maintain properly functioning smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and emergency lights and must conduct monthly fire drills.

Emergency Preparedness

The Preschool has plans in place for emergencies such as fires, tornadoes, and internal emergencies.

Enrollment

The maximum number of children to be enrolled on any given day is seventy students. The ages of the children served are two through five years.

Snack and Meals

Charity Preschool does not provide snacks or meals. All food must be provided by parents or guardians. Please ensure food is sent with a cooling pack when necessary.

On-site visits

The Code of Virginia authorizes visits by staff of the Department of Social Services to unlicensed centers under certain circumstances.

Public Liability

The Preschool is covered by Public Liability Insurance, which provides coverage in the event that someone brings suit against the sponsoring religious institution for personal or bodily harm suffered during the operation of the Preschool as a result of negligence.

Accidental Injury Insurance

The Preschool is covered by Accidental Injury Insurance, which provides medical benefits to the injured, regardless of whether a suit is filed, or the injury was the result of the Preschool’s negligence.

Hand-Washing Procedures

The Preschool has established and implemented procedures for hand washing, with soap and water, by staff and children before eating and after toileting.

Supervision of Children

The Preschool must establish and implement procedures for appropriate supervision of all children in its care, including daily intake and dismissal procedures, to ensure the safety of children.

Daily Health Screening

The Preschool must establish and implement procedures for a daily simple health screening and exclusion of sick children. “Daily health screening” is a health observation of children to promptly identify changes in a child’s pattern of behavior or physical appearance that might alert staff to an illness or upset. Appropriate action may then be taken both to protect the child from avoidable health risks and to prevent exposure of well children to an illness that might be contagious.

First Aid Training

The Preschool must ensure that a person trained and certified in first aid is present at the Preschool whenever children are present.

Immunizations

The Preschool must ensure that all children are in compliance with the provisions of Section 32.1-46 regarding immunization of children against diseases.

Child Abuse

Section 63.1-248.3 of the Code of Virginia states that “any teacher or other person employed in a public or private school, kindergarten, or nursery school…who has reason to suspect that a child is an abused or neglected child, shall report the matter immediately… to the local department of the county or city wherein the child resides or wherein the abuse or neglect is believed to have occurred.”

*Charity Preschool employees will report, by obligation of the law, any suspected abuse to the local authorities.

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