Midway United Methodist Preschool
Family Handbook 2016-2017
9795 Old US Hwy 52
LexingtonNC 27295
(336) 764-8645
2016-2017 Family Handbook
Age & Health
Our preschool follows the Davidson County Board of Education’s school cut-off date and school calendar. A child must be 2, 3, or 4 on or before August 31 to be eligible for his/her specific preschool group. Immunization records are required for each child and can be faxed to us @ 764-0993. Be sure to share any food allergies with your child’s teacher.
Change of Address
If any of your personal information changes (name, address, telephone numbers) or employment, please notify the preschool office so we can update your emergency care form. We need your most current information on file in case of emergency.
Child Abuse and Neglect
As required by law, we will report any signs of abuse and/or neglect to local DavidsonCounty authorities.
Clothing
Children should be dressed simply and comfortably in PLAY CLOTHES. Children need to be able to move and stretch and our activities can be messy at times. Outfits that can be pulled on and off easily work best, especially for kids who are in the process of potty-training. Please be sure to send a sweater or jacket daily as we move toward fall and winter. Mornings can be cool when we go outside. On picture days, we do not go outside and do not to use markers or paint, so you may plan outfits accordingly.
Communication with Teachers
Communication is paramount to a successful relationship between you and your child’s teacher. If you have any information for the teacher during morning drop-off, please put it in writing and hand it to your teacher or put it in your child’s book bag. Take care not to divert the teacher’s attention by trying to give her verbal instructions or lingering past 8:30 am. If the teacher needs to speak with you regarding your child’s behavior, she will discreetly ask you to remain until after all the students havegone. We have a no cell phone policy during school hours, so please call the office if you have any questions/concerns/needs.
Curriculum
We use the Pinnacle Christian Curriculum which is organized around weekly and monthly themes. It helps the children make faith connections through various age-appropriate activities. Staff prepare lesson plans from the curriculum materials, as well as, incorporate many other activities that promote faith, learning and play. Each classroom has developmentally age-appropriate centers, i.e., dramatic play, kitchen, building, books & puzzles, writing, art, science and manipulatives. Our students also attend Chapel in the sanctuary, Enrichment, Tumbling (3’s & 4’s), Music & Movement (3’s & 4’s)and the preschool Library once per week. We go on the playground daily, weather permitting. On days when we cannot go outside, we incorporate large motor skill movement inside.
Davidson Co. Schools Calendar/Early Release
Preschool follows the Davidson County Schools’ calendar for holiday closures (Labor Day, Thanksgiving, etc.). For the 2016-2017 school year, Davidson County Schools will also have one early release day for teacher enrichment. Elementary schools will begin dismissing at Noon on Friday, October 28. On this day, we will dismiss at 11:00 am. Visit to print a school calendar. Preschool will also publish a fall and spring calendar that includes our events plus DCS closures.
Discipline
Redirection, problem solving and time-out will be used. In rare cases that cannot be resolved in the classroom, a visit to the Director’s Office may be used in the best interest of the child. This will give the child time to gather his/her thoughts and emotions so when they return to the classroom, they are able to make correct choices. Occasionally, pastoral staff may counsel a child if his/her behavior recurs and all other methods have failed.
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Emergency Care Form
Please turn this form in on your child’s first day of school. The information on this form will help us find you if your child gets sick at school, needs medical attention or to verify a designated name if someone other than you picks up your child. If you need anyone other than those listed on the form to pick-up your child, please let your teacher know or call the office. We will ID your designeewhen they arrive and they must show a valid Driver’s License for the child to be released.
Emergency & Severe Weather Plans
The Preschool will practice fire and tornado drills periodically throughout the year and each classroom maintains an Emergency Contact folder that will be taken on drills. If severe weather impacts Davidson County Schools (delay, early dismissal or closure), preschool follows any action taken by school officials. Look for ‘DavidsonCountySchools’ on local media; Preschool does not have a separate listing.
When DCS is on a One-Hour Delay:
Preschool will open at 9:00 am and follow our normal daily schedule.
When DCS is on a Two-Hour Delay:
Preschool will open at 10:00 am and follow our normal daily schedule.
When DCS is on a Three-Hour Delay or Closed:
Preschool will be closed and we’ll try to honor make-up days. If DCS needs to close for inclement
weather during Preschool hours, we will close too and you’ll need to pick-up your children asap. Please
watch local media for information should severe weather occur during the school day.
Extra Clothes
Each child will need a complete change of clothes in his/her book bag: pants/shorts, shirt, underwear, socks and shoes. Please put these items in a clear plastic Ziploc bag with your child’s name on it. Even those children who are potty-trained can have an occasional bathroom accident, spill a drink, and get messy from a project or on the playground.
Family Court
We will honor your Emergency Care Form requests to have your child released to specific family and friends. We will also honor any court orders (permanent or temporary) regarding custody issues between parents; however, without a court order we cannot deny access to a child by his mother or father.
Field Trips
When a field trip is planned, you will be notified by your child’s teacher. Children must have a signed permission slip to participate and any fees associated with the field trips are the parent’s responsibility and should be paid in cash. Some outings require the parent to provide transportation and supervision. When available, we use the church bus.
Fundraisers
We typically do one fundraiser per year to assist us with classroom supplies, equipment and teacher training. We also participate in programs that help children and adults who might be ill or less fortunate. Participation is a great tool for teaching children about helping others who are in need.
Graduation
Graduation will be the fourth Thursday in May. In the morning, the children will participate in a ‘Kick-Off to Summer’ program followed by a family picnic. In the evening, we have our graduation ceremony for all 4’s who will be rising kindergartners, complete with caps and gowns. Classes will perform on stage, graduate and we’ll watch the ‘Year-in-Pictures’ movie.
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Graduation Movie
Each year at graduation, we show a movie that highlights our 4’s and everything they did throughout the year. It is set to music and is a wonderful keepsake. The memory books are specific to each child, where the graduation movie showcases activities and children from all 4’s classes. Copies will available for sale by a third party, who sets the price.
Holiday’s and Celebrations
We celebrate holidays and birthdays. We will occasionally ask parents to help with celebrations and sign-up sheets will be posted outside your classroom. If you would like your child to celebrate his/her birthday at school, please coordinate the date with your teacher. Parents may provide snack that day along with party supplies and favors. We ask that no presents be brought to school. For everyone’s safety, please refrain from using rubber balloons – Mylar are OK. All foods brought into the classroom for birthday and holiday celebrations must be commercially prepared. All family members are welcome for all parties.
Hours
Schedule:Arrival: 8:25 – 8:30am
Dismissal:12:00 – 12:05 pm
Please make every effort to have your child in his/her classroom by 8:30 am. Teachers have activitiesplanned beginning at 8:30 am and arriving late disrupts class. We respectfully ask that you do not take your child to class prior to 8:25 am, as our teachers are busy preparing for the day. They use this time to make copies, visit the supply closet, etc. If you arrive prior to 8:25 am, you may wait in the Youth Assembly Room (large room off the Director’s
office). With safety in mind, we require parentsto escort children to and from classrooms.
At 8:45 am, the door on the first floor will be locked and you will need to use the main preschool entrance (Director’s office) to enter the building. If you are delayed picking up at Noon, please call the preschooloffice to advise us of your delay. A staff member will stay with your child until you or a designated adultarrives.
The NC Department of Health & Human Services (Child Care Division) is the governing agency over child care facilities (preschool). According to the NC General Statute 110-86(2) and (3), Midway UMC Preschool is permitted,
by law, to provide care for your child(ren) up to, but not exceed, 4 hours daily. Violations could result in
fines/closure/prosecution.
Illness
If a child presents with fever (100.0 or higher), diarrhea or vomiting, we will immediately call you so arrangements can be made to pick the child up as soon as possible. We do not have facilities or personnel to care for sick children. Children running a fever should NOT return to school until 24 hours after the temperature is gone without the use of fever reducing medicine (Advil, Tylenol or Motrin).
If your child has been sent home with a fever, diarrhea, vomiting or contagious disease, do NOT return with your child the next morning. You will be asked to take the child home. If your child has these symptoms at home within 24 hours of their next school day, we again ask you not to bring your child to school. Please notify the preschool office when your child has been diagnosed with a contagious disease (pink eye, strep, roto virus, etc.) so we may inform our teachers and other families in your child’s class. A child cannot return to preschool after having been diagnosed with strep throat or pink eye until they have been on antibiotics for at least 24 hours.
Preschool is synonymous with runny noses and coughs, especially during cold and flu season; however, if your child’s nasal discharge is dark yellow or greenish, this is usually a sign of infection and we will call you to take your child home. Only runny noses that are clear are acceptable. A slight, occasional cough is acceptable; deep raspy coughs or repetitive coughing could be a sign of infection and again we will you to take your child home. By following these guidelines, we hope we can keep as many children as possible, in our care, healthy.
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Jessica’s Law:
The NC statute referred to as “Jessica’s Law” took effect December, 2009, implementing stricter rules governing registered sex offenders. Among other changes, offenders are required to stay away from places where children normally gather and stay at least 300 feet away from places where children congregate, like children’s museums, playgrounds and child-care centers. This means that by law, registered sex offenders would not be allowed to be on the premises or have access to the children of Midway UMC Preschool.
Kindergarten Registration:
North Carolina public schools will enroll any child for kindergarten who is five on or before August 31. (Private/Christian schools may have different cut-off dates.) If your child misses the cut-off, even by one day, s/he will not be enrolled. Some parents believe their child is ready for kindergarten, even though they don’t meet the cut-off date of August 31 (fall birthday). NC Public Schools.org offers this information: If a child turns five years old after August 31, and s/he istruly gifted and has the maturity for a full-day kindergarten year, then the principal may consider each child for student aptitude, achievement, performance, student behavior/interest, and motivation. The parent is responsible for having the child testedfor student aptitude and achievement by a licensed psychologist (including cost), of which the child must score at the 98th percentile on both tests.
Lock Down
In the unlikely event that anything out of the ordinary would occur, during school hours on our campus, it may be necessary for us to put the preschool on lock down. This means we would keep all the children in their classrooms and double check windows and outside doors to be sure they are locked. When parents arrive, we would dismiss the children at an exit door instead of having parents come to the classroom. Safety and security is our priority.
Open Enrollment
For families who relocate to our area we offer enrollment throughout the school year providing we have an opening. A non-refundable registration $75 is required for all students.
Outside Play
Unless it is raining or below freezing, every class goes outside every day without exception. Please do not request that we do NOT take your child outside due to illness or health related problems. If children are too sick to go outside, they should remain home that day. We cannot leave your child unattended in the classroom, nor do we have extra staff to care for your child inside.
Parent Participation
Parents are always welcome to volunteer at preschool. You can volunteer to help the teacher with special projects or assist her with daily preparation chores (such as cutting or tracing, which can be done at home). If your child is younger or has trouble separating from you, your visible presence is not recommended. In this case, speak with your child’s teacher about other areas where you mightvolunteer: fundraisers, pictures, teacher appreciation,etc.
Parking Lot
Our parking lot traffic is one-way only. Traffic should enter the parking lot near the Freeman storage units and pass the new part of the building (ChristianFellowshipCenter – CFC), drive around the back of the building and continue to the cemetery side of the building. Never enter the parking lot on the cemetery side. We ask your utmost diligence on this matter so we can make drop-off and pick-up as safe as possible.
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PeanutAllergies
We have adopted guidelines in accordance with DavidsonCountySchool’s Peanut and Other Allergy Concerns (Sept. 2009). Parents of every child with a known allergy (including peanut allergies) are asked to come forward so we can be aware and share that information with other staff members who come in contact with the child. This year we started purchasing snacks based on label information. We are looking for items that have not been processed in a facility that also may have a presence of peanuts (nuts). Additionally, we will not serve peanut butter for snack or an Enrichment activity; however, we cannot (nor does DCS) guarantee that classrooms are “Peanut Free.” We will learn each child’s unique situation and learn how to best help them should they be exposed to peanuts. Most children with severe allergies carry an Epi-Pen and our staff is more than willing to learn how to use and administer an Epi-Pen with parental guidance.
Potty Training
We believe the ideal opportunity for success is while a child is in our 2 year old class; however, it would be unrealistic to expect every child to be potty-trained on the first day of 3 year old preschool. We hope each child is in the potty-training process,which will be completed as quickly as possible. Please be truthful with your 3 year old teachers about the status of your child’s potty-training. We prefer you use pull-ups, if necessary. Be sure to keep extras, along with wipes and a change of clothes in your child’s book bag. All children who are in a 4’s class must be potty-trained (no pull-ups).
Preschool Preparation
We thoroughly clean our rooms and floors, sanitize toys and check playground equipment for safety concerns before school starts each year. We use a Clorox mixture each day, after the children leave, to sanitize tables, chairs, toys, door knobs and light switches. Bathrooms are cleaned twice weekly by an outside cleaning service and our staff sanitizes in between.
Progress Reports
Four’s will receive an assessment in February. This assessment will give you information about your child’s progress in the classroom. It may be helpful when trying to decide if your child is ready for kindergarten. Individual parent/teacher conferences can be scheduled if necessary.