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Preschool Handbook
Children's Ministry Mission Statement
Saint Andrews Preschool Mission Statement
School
Hours
Morning Drop-Off
Lunch
Bunch
Snacks
Clothing
Medication
Birthdays
Illness
Policy
Field
Trips
Music
and Movement, Discovery
Inclement
Weather Policy
Special Closings
Conference Days
Enrollment, Tuition and Billing Policies
Payments
Withdrawal
Special Needs
Children
Children's Ministry Mission Statement
To support and supplement the parents in their
efforts to build a spiritual foundation that, in
God’s time, will lead a child into a
relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Saint Andrews Preschool Mission Statement
Saint Andrews Presbyterian Preschool is a
program of Saint Andrews Children's Ministry
offering weekday preschool classes for toddlers
through five-year-old children. Our
child-centered and age-appropriate program is
designed to meet the needs of the total child by
promoting mental, physical, emotional, social
and spiritual growth. Our goal is to provide a
creative, fun and nurturing preschool experience
where Christian ideals and values are presented
as a way of life and children associate pleasure
with learning.
School Hours
School hours for all children are 9:00 a.m. to
12:00 p.m. It is important that your child be on
time so that he/she will not miss out on early
morning activities. Your prompt return when
school is over is also important. A late fee
will be charged to parents of children who are
picked up late and levied as follows:
$1.00 for each minute past 12:05 p.m.
$1.00 for each
minute past 1:05 p.m. for those attending lunch
bunch
Should an emergency arise, please let us know
and we will be glad to work with you. Children
will be allowed to leave preschool only with
their parents or designated drivers. A written
note or an emergency call from a parent is
required if your child is to be picked up by
anyone else. For safety reasons, we will ask for
identification if we do not know the person
picking up your child.
Children will be allowed to leave preschool only
with their parents or designated drivers. A
written note or an emergency call from a parent
is required if your child is to be picked up by
anyone else. For safety reasons, we will ask for
identification if we do not know the person
picking up your child.
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Morning Drop-off
Walking into the school and taking care of coats
and backpacks are important skills for older
preschoolers who will soon head to kindergarten.
Four and five year olds may be dropped off in
the carpool line at the side door to the
preschool wing. Three year olds will join the
carpool club after the Christmas break. Our
staff will supervise and assist children during
carpool. Please do not let children out of the
car until a teacher is there at 9:00 a.m. to
greet them. To minimize traffic congestion, we
encourage carpooling with other families.
Toddlers, twos and threes should be walked into
the school by an adult. Please do not drop
children off before 9:00 a.m. Teachers are busy
with preparations in the mornings and cannot
attend to your child fully before that time.
When bringing children to the classroom in the
morning, we encourage you to make your good-byes
short and at the door. It has been our
experience that this is easier on the child than
lingering good-byes. It is difficult for your
child to become involved if you are still in the
room.
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Lunch Bunch
Lunch Bunch is available to all 3, 4 and 5 year
old children and runs from 12:15 p.m. to 1:00
p.m.
Threes may come on Tuesdays and Wednesdays;
Fours and Fives may come on Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays, depending on the number of spaces
available in each Lunch Bunch group. Please note
that children in MWF classes have first priority
for Wednesday Lunch Bunch.
We ask that you register for the entire year in
the fall. Lunch Bunch carries a variable monthly
fee, which can be included in your tuition check
each month. You will receive payment coupons
when you sign up to attend for the entire year.
We do not credit or refund fees if your child is
absent. If we cancel Lunch Bunch for any reason,
we will refund for those days. If space is
available, your child may drop-in for lunch
bunch. Drop-ins should pay on the day attending,
or if you prefer, we can bill you at the end of
the month.
Children need to bring lunch and a beverage.
Please be sure that your child's lunch box is
CLEARLY labeled on the OUTSIDE. Your child's
teacher will help your child determine where to
place his/her lunch box in the mornings.
Be sure to send a note if your child is going
home from Lunch Bunch with someone else. We will
ask for identification if we do not know the
person who is picking up your child.
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Snacks
The Preschool provides a daily, nutritious snack
for the children. Normal fare includes juice,
milk, cheese, crackers, pretzels, or fruit. Once
a week classes will share a special snack
provided by a parent volunteer. You can sign up
for snack days at the beginning of the year in
your child's classroom. Please make your child's
teacher aware of any food allergies your child
may have.
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Clothing
Please dress your child in comfortable PLAY
CLOTHES AND SHOES so that he/she can participate
freely in all activities without worry and can
feel confident in using the bathroom
independently.
Toddlers and twos need to bring disposable
diapers and a change of clothing for each day.
DO NOT SEND CHILDREN IN CLOTH DIAPERS. We follow
universal health precautions based on barrier
techniques to prevent the spread of disease in
the toddler and twos classrooms. All children in
these rooms who are potty training need to wear
diapers or pull-ups with Velcro closures, not
training underwear or regular pull-ups, until
they are completely comfortable using the toilet
at school.
Three year olds must be potty trained. Please
send a change of clothes (labeled please!) that
can stay at school in case of an accident.
Please label all clothing and gear - including
coats, sweaters, hats, mittens, diaper bags,
backpacks, and lunch boxes with a permanent
marker or other non-removable label (if
possible).
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Medication
We keep band aids and ice packs on hand for
treatment of minor cuts, scratches, bumps, etc.
NO MEDICATION WILL BE ADMINISTERED BY THE STAFF
TO STUDENTS, except in the case of a child with
a severe food or other allergy which requires
immediate action. Parents of children with
asthma and/or allergies should contact the
Director to make arrangements for emergency
medications to be on hand.
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Birthdays
Birthdays are special and may be celebrated at
school. Parents may provide a SIMPLE snack.
Please let your child’s teacher know in advance
when you'll be bringing snack so she can plan
accordingly. Half birthdays may be celebrated
for children with summer birthdays.
If party invitations are sent to school to be
passed out to children, please include every
child in the class. If all children are not
invited, please mail your invitations to the
children’s homes.
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Illness Policy
 For
the protection of your child and the others in
the preschool, please keep your child at home
when he/she exhibits signs of illness or fever.
Parents should practice the golden rule when
deciding whether or not to send to school a
child who may be coming down with something. If
your child becomes ill during the morning, and
in our opinion should go home, we will contact
you by phone and ask that you pick him/her up.
For this reason, it is very important that we
can always reach you (or your emergency contact
person) during school hours.
We have adopted the recommendations from the
Committee on Control of Infectious Diseases of
the American Academy of Pediatrics as our
guidelines. Children should be kept at home if
any evidence of the following is present:
• FEVER (Any oral temperature over 100, rectal
temperature over 102, or ancillary temperature
over 99.) Please wait for a full 24 hours after
the fever has broken to let your child return to
school.
• VOMITING OR DIARRHEA within 24 hours.
• Symptoms of
any VIRAL INFECTION or COMMON COLD such as runny
nose with yellow/green discharge or cough
• SORE THROAT
• CROUP
• Any
UNEXPLAINED RASH
• Any symptom
of CHILDHOOD DISEASE (Scarlet Fever, Measles
(red or German), Mumps, Chicken Pox, or Whooping
Cough)
• Any SKIN
INFECTION such as impetigo, boils, or ringworm
• Symptoms of
an EYE INFECTION (pink eye or drainage
Sometimes a child may simply not feel well and
exhibit listlessness or may simply not be
himself. This should be a warning that more may
be on the way. These children should be kept at
home for rest and protection from other
illnesses. Please give us a call if your child
will be absent due to illness.
If your child contracts a communicable disease
(such as chicken pox or roseola) please notify
us immediately so that we can inform others.
Please also inform your child’s teacher if your
child is taking medication that may alter
behavior or toilet needs.
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Field Trips
Field trips may be planned for our four and five
year old classes. It is our policy for such
trips that all adults wear individual seat belts
and that all children ride in a
properly-installed CHILD RESTRAINT DEVICE (CRD)
or seat-belt in accordance with the current law
which states: Children less than age 8 and less
than 80 pounds must be in a properly used child
restraint device (CRD)----any type of CRD as
long as it meets Federal Standard 213 at the
time of its manufacture and the weight range as
specified by the manufacturer for the specific
CRD.
The number of children in a vehicle is limited
to the number of seat belts available. NO CHILD
MAY SIT IN THE FRONT SEAT. All doors must be
locked before the vehicle moves. When a field
trip is planned, notices will be sent home with
all the necessary information. Transportation
sign-up sheets will be in your child's
classroom.
For safety reasons siblings may not go along on
field trips. It is very important that parents
are able to give their full attention to the
children they are supervising.
We must have a signed
Field Trip Form on file for each child who
participates in a field trip.
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Music
and Movement, Discovery
 All
threes, fours and fives will have the
opportunity to participate in Music & Movement
classes, our Discovery program and special Art
classes each week. Twos participate in Music one
time a week. Music & Movement provides for
participation in singing and responding to
music, developing rhythm and developing gross
motor skills through the use of games and
equipment.
Discovery is a
hands-on lab program that allows children to
explore and experiment, do science activities
and gain an appreciation for the world around
them.
Our Art class
is a discovery-based program designed to allow
children to explore their own creativity through
the use of art materials. Focus will be on
process rather than product. In addition,
children's literature and American sign language
will be used to explore the world of the arts.
These special programs complement the curriculum
in our regular classes.
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Inclement
Weather Policy
In case of snow or other dangerous weather or
emergency situations, we will follow the
decisions of Wake
County Schools.
When Wake
County Schools close, we will close also.
If school is
already in progress and Wake County closes, we
will close immediately. When weather threatens,
please listen to your radio or television for
Wake County closings.
If Wake County Schools open one hour late, Saint
Andrews will open at 10:00 a.m.
If Wake County
Schools open two hours late, Saint Andrews will
start at 11:00 a.m. and end at 1:00 p.m. Please
note that we will not have Lunch Bunch on 2-hour
delay days.
Saint Andrews builds three inclement weather
days into our calendar. For this reason, we will
not make up the first three days missed. If more
than three days of school are missed due to
inclement weather, we will make up the next
three days missed. We cannot make up actual days
missed. Any change in this policy deemed
necessary will be made by the Director.
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Special Closings
The Director can close school at his/her
discretion in the event of the death of a staff
member or of a staff member's immediate family.
If school is closed for this reason the day will
be made up.
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Conference Days
Planned parent/teacher conferences for all
threes, fours and fives will be held in late
January or early February in lieu of a regular
school day. Of course, conferences may be
scheduled at any time upon request. We are here
to ensure each child's readiness for school.
Should there be a concern with a child's
development or behavior which may require
special observations, the school will work with
the parents to obtain professional assistance.
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Enrollment, Tuition, and Billing Policies
Registration takes place during a two-week time
period in February for the following school
year. Registration packets will be available in
January. Forms should be dropped off in the
office according to the schedule in the
registration packet. We use a point system to
determine placement.
A registration fee equal to one month’s tuition
must accompany the registration form in order
for a child to be placed on a class list.
Registration fees are not applied to tuition
fees, but are a separate charge. Registration
fees will not be refunded unless a family moves
to another town and notifies the preschool prior
to August 1. The refund will be mailed to the
new address.
When a class is fully enrolled we will start a
waiting list for that class. Names of applicants
will be kept in the order in which they are
received.
Notification of a child’s acceptance,
information concerning tuition payments,
orientation day, and the Preschool calendar will
be made in writing to parents by the Director.
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Payments
Tuition fees may be paid monthly. Monthly
payments will be due the first day of each month
beginning August 1 and ending April 1. Payments
made after the 10th day of each month are
considered past due and a $15.00 late fee will
be added.
The first tuition payment for the five-year-old
class is due May 1. This is not refundable
except for those moving to another city by
August 1 as outlined above. The refund will be
mailed to the new address.
Please do not give payments to your child's
teachers. You may drop them off in the Preschool
office. In order to retain your child’s place,
each month’s tuition must be paid even if the
child may be absent all or part of the month. We
do not credit for days missed.
If a check is returned to the preschool due to
insufficient funds, a $25.00 fee will be charged
to your account.
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Withdrawal
A one-month’s written notice is required should
a child be withdrawn from school. Any child
attending one day within a given month will be
charged tuition for the entire month.
We make every effort to maintain a safe and
appropriate environment for all the children in
each classroom. Saint Andrews Presbyterian
Preschool reserves the right to ask for a
child’s withdrawal if, after appropriate
consultation with parents/guardians, it is
determined that the school cannot adequately
meet the behavioral, emotional, or physical
needs of a child. Tuition will be prorated and
refunded if a child is asked to leave the
program.
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Special Needs
Children
Children with special needs may apply to the
Preschool program. After a consultation with the
parents, teacher, and any other appropriate
persons, the Director will make a determination
as to whether or not the child can participate
and succeed in the program based on, but not
limited to:
• the adequacy of the facilities
• the
abilities of the staff
• the needs of
the child as related to the teacher’s time
• the impact
of the child’s needs on the daily routine
If, in the judgment of the Director, the child
should not be admitted to the program, the
registration fee and any prepaid tuition will be
refunded. The Director will also review the
cases of children whose special needs become
apparent after enrollment. A decision will be
made by the Director regarding the child’s
ability to continue in the program. Tuition will
be prorated and refunded if the child is asked
to leave the program.
SAINT ANDREWS DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE AGAINST
RACE, CREED, COLOR OR NATIONAL ORIGIN
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