Program Philosophy
Our goal and responsibility at St. Paul Lutheran Preschool is to provide a uniquely Christian educational setting in which young children, from within the congregation and through-out the community, can learn and develop physically, spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, and socially.
Our staff is excited to work with parents and children to provide a safe and loving environment where relationships with one another and with our Lord are formed and strengthened, thereby providing each child with a solid foundation to meet the future challenges and opportunities that await them in life.
Schedule of Operation
St. Paul Lutheran Preschool is open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. Please do not drop-off earlier than 8:20 a.m. as our preschool teacher needs this before school time to prepare for the day.
The first day of school for the 2016-2017 school year is set for Tuesday, September 6, 2016. The last day of school is Thursday, June 1, 2017. Generally, we will follow the Kalkaska Public Schools’ calendar and will be closed when they close due to inclement weather.
Enrollment Requirements
Enrollment at St. Paul Lutheran Preschool is open to children aged 3 to 5 years regardless of race, color, creed, sex or national origin. Children must be completely toilet trained and be able to perform basic bathroom skills independently. The teacher or aide is not expected to assist the children with bathroom functions. Children should wear clothes that enable them to dress and undress on their own.
Student Objectives
At St. Paul Lutheran Preschool, all students will:
- learn about the Bible, using The Complete Illustrated Children’s Bible and The Answers Bible Curriculum (published by Answers in Genesis).
- recite or sing nursery rhymes, finger plays, and songs which they can recall when prompted.
- identify all the letters of the alphabet.
- learn the phonetic sound of letters.
- be able to recite the letters of their first name as well as write their first name
- identify and correctly trace the numbers 1-10.
- demonstrate spatial concepts, like sorting and patterns.
- identify various colors and shapes.
- be introduced to a variety of books throughout the year.
For Kindergarten readiness, older students will also:
- identify and write all the letters of the alphabet, both lowercase and uppercase.
- learn the phonetic sound of all letters.
- learn to say their full name.
- write their first name using a capital letter for the first letter.
- correctly write the numbers 1-20.
- demonstrate spatial concepts, like sorting, sequencing, and patterns.
- be introduced to a variety of books throughout the year, knowing the various parts of a book and the difference between author and illustrator.
Tuition and Fees
The cost for a child to attend St. Paul Lutheran Preschool is $1,785 for the year.
For your convenience, families can make weekly tuition payments (for those weeks when we are in session) of $51/week. Therefore, even if a child is absent or if there is no school due to inclement weather that rate of tuition remains the same.
While our preschool program needs revenue in order to operate, we do not want finances to be an obstacle that prevents a child from attending St. Paul. We do have a sliding scale for tuition that offers discounts based upon family size and income. We hope that this sliding scale will make St. Paul an affordable option for all families who are interested in sending their children to our program. A financial aid form is available on the preschool page of our website or from our Preschool Director. Families can qualify for up to 75% off current tuition rates.
Registration
To ensure a spot in our program, a registration form must be completed and returned with a $50 non-refundable deposit, which will go into your account towards tuition. Any additional family member registering for the program is required to provide a $25 deposit. Both the registration form and the deposit are required for enrollment.
Admission is granted on a first come, first served basis. We will have a waiting list when we’ve reached capacity. If you intend to apply for financial aid, please indicate this on the registration form.
Example of Daily Schedule
8:20 a.m. Students may begin arriving for school
8:30 a.m. Class begins with Circle Time
8:45 a.m. Skills Building – Free Choice Play/Learning
9:45 a.m. Bible Story/Chapel
10:00 a.m. Outdoor Play (weather permitting)
10:30 a.m. Morning Snack/Independent Reading
10:45 a.m. Large Group Learning
11:00 a.m. Small Group Learning
11:30 a.m. Dismissal
Daily Drop-Off/Pick-Up
Each child must be signed in upon arrival and signed out upon departure.
For the sake of the entire class and to make the most of the short amount of time we have together each day, it is important for children to arrive on time at the beginning of the day. It is also important to note that drop-off and pick-up is not a good time to address concerns with the preschool teacher, socialize with other parents in the classroom, or linger too long in the classroom.
On occasion, a child may develop some separation anxiety at drop-off time. Should this happen it is best to establish a “drop-off routine” with your child; the preschool teacher or director can help you establish one. Though some tears may be shed, helping children with separation is a large part of a preschool teacher’s job. Often the teacher is more effective at calming down your child after the tearful goodbye has passed. Usually, the tears dry up within minutes, the child calms down, and ends up having a great day!
Outdoor Play/Clothing
Children will be taken outside everyday throughout the entire school year. Please send appropriate clothing to school for your child to wear outside. For each season, the preschool teacher will communicate specific clothing requirements to the parents. Since accidents do happen, please keep an extra set of clothing at school for your child to change into if necessary.
Snacks
Unless it is your family’s turn to supply the snack, a snack will be supplied for children each day. Each week a child’s family will be asked to supply a healthy snack for the class.
Snacks should be healthy brain food that aid in our learning and won’t slow us down. Please do not bring in cupcakes or cookies unless it is for a special treat (outside snack time). Please also avoid sugary drinks like Kool-Aid, Hawaiian Punch, or juice cocktails that are high in sugar (100% juice is fine, however).
Healthy snack ideas include:
– string cheese
– granola bars
– yogurt
– raisins
– fresh fruit
– trail mix
– pretzel sticks & cheese
– bagels
– applesauce
– homemade banana bread
– celery and/or carrots with dip
– whole wheat crackers and toppings
Health & Illness
For each child enrolled in the program, St. Paul Lutheran Preschool must have on file a record of physical evaluation performed within the preceding year signed by a licensed physician or his or her designee. Additionally, we must have on file a copy of each child’s immunization record, or waiver, which needs to be up to date and in accordance with state licensing rules.
If possible, children should be given any required medication at home, as no medications will be administered at school.
In the event of an accident or emergency, parents/guardians will be contacted immediately. If they are unable to be reached, our staff will contact those listed on the child information form. If no one can be reached, our staff will seek emergency medical care as specified on the child’s information form. The parent/guardian will be responsible for any incurred expenses.
A child should not be brought to school when displaying any of the following observable symptoms: diarrhea, severe cough, severe sore throat, vomiting, temperature over 99 degrees, pink eye, severe itching on body or scalp. Children must be kept home for at least 24 hours after vomiting or having a fever. Cases of head lice must be reported to the Preschool Director as soon as possible. For all other times, parents must use their best judgment to determine whether or not a child is well enough to attend school.
A written health care plan for hand washing, cleaning up and sanitizing procedures used in the classroom is available upon request.
Discipline Policy
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). At St. Paul Lutheran Preschool we believe that discipline (which is different than punishment) is necessary and will have a long-term benefit for children.
Whenever it becomes necessary to discipline a child, our staff will use positive disciplinary methods which encourage self-control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation. Our staff will not use physical punishment (like spanking), yelling, or threatening/degrading words to discipline children.
Withdrawal Policy
Parents have the right to withdraw their child from St. Paul Lutheran Preschool at any time. However, please notify the Preschool Director as soon as possible if this is your desire, preferably giving two weeks notice.
In the event that a student is asked by St. Paul Lutheran Preschool to be withdrawn from the program, the following procedure is to be followed:
- The student’s parents will be asked to attend a conference with the teacher/director and St. Paul’s pastor to discuss the specific reason(s) for the withdrawal.
- In the event that a child is withdrawn from program, the family will be reimbursed for any unattended, previously paid days.
Unless a mutual solution can be reached, the child will be withdrawn from the program immediately.
Volunteering
Volunteering in the classroom is a great way to share in your child’s early childhood education experience. However, there are certain times when having parents or other relatives at school is distracting for the students; therefore, the teacher will send notices home indicating times when volunteers are needed in the classroom.
Staff & Volunteer Screening
Per the State of Michigan licensing requirements, St. Paul Lutheran Preschool has the following requirements for all staff:
- Electronic fingerprint clearance
- Signed screening statement regarding child abuse and neglect
- Department of Human Services registry clearance
- State of Michigan background check
We have the following requirements for all volunteers:
- Signed screening statement regarding child abuse and neglect
- Department of Human Services registry clearance
If these screening and clearance checks reveal that a potential staff member or volunteer
- has been convicted of child abuse or neglect
or - has been convicted of a felony involving harm or threatened harm
they will not be employed or allowed to volunteer at St. Paul Lutheran Preschool or to have contact with the children in our program.
Student Confidentiality
The staff of St. Paul Lutheran Preschool is committed to keeping all information concerning students and their families confidential. Children and families will not be discussed with friends, relatives or acquaintances. However, it may be necessary to discuss certain issues within our staff when the purpose is to benefit or improve a child’s development, care and support.
Parent Responsibilities
The staff of St. Paul Lutheran Preschool values good communication with parents as it helps us meet the individual needs of each family. We want to work cooperatively with parents for educational and spiritual benefit of the students.
Parent responsibilities include:
- Provide St. Paul with a record of physical examination by a licensed physician and a record of immunizations.
- Inform St. Paul if their child will be absent from school and if their child is ill with any infectious diseases so that we may inform other parents.
- Support the values and goals of St. Paul Lutheran Preschool and model Christian values for your children at home.
St. Paul Lutheran Preschool is a fully licensed Child Care Facility, meeting all the requirements for the State of Michigan’s Department of Human Services.
Mrs. Dianna Goodale, Director
Rev. Eric Black, Pastor
Phone: 231-258-9258