About First Lutheran Preschool

Our mission is to serve God by serving God’s children.  We provide a Christian environment that is safe, welcoming, and rich with opportunities to develop the spiritual, social, emotional, physical, and academic gifts of every child placed in our care.  We carry out our mission by promoting parent/teacher partnerships that help us understand and meet the unique needs of each family in our program.

Our purpose is to provide a quality early childhood educational program with a Christian emphasis. We create a safe and loving environment that fosters both social and academic growth.

We are located in the Education Building.

Entrance into the Campus: Parents may enter the campus from the Chatham Road entrance and follow the parking lot around to the front of the Education Wing. Parents are asked to walk their child into the Education Wing and sign in their child at the door of the classroom. Parents are asked to sign out their child when they pick him/her up from the classroom at the end of the session.

Pick Up Procedures and Stranger Identification: It is extremely important to release a child only to an authorized adult. The parent/guardians are required to alert First Lutheran Preschool if someone other than the enrolling parent/guardian will pick up the child.

The parent/guardians have listed authorized people on the Pick-Up Release Form. A form of identification will be requested if someone other than the parent/guardian is picking up the child. VERBAL CONSENT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE AUTHORIZATION AND DOES NOT COMPLY WITH SCHOOL POLICY.

First Day of School: The first day of school for the 3 year old class is Tuesday, September 2, 2008 . The first day of school for the 4 year old class is Wednesday, September 3rd.

Chapel: Children will attend chapel one day each week. Under the supervision of the director and teacher, the children will walk to the sanctuary for an age-appropriate chapel time where they will meet with one of the Pastors of First Lutheran, say a prayer, and sing a song. The total chapel time does not exceed 15 minutes.

Holidays and School Closures: First Lutheran Preschool will follow the Howard County School schedule for holidays and school closures with the exception of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. First Lutheran preschool will be open on these two days ( September 30, 2008 and October 9, 2008 ).

Inclement Weather Policy: If Howard County Schools are closed because of inclement weather, First Lutheran will be closed. If Howard county Schools open late (regardless of one hour or two) First Lutheran will open at 10:00 a.m.

In addition:

Updates regarding school closures will be provided via:

Clothing: We request that all children in the three year old program bring a complete set of extra clothing in case of accidents, including pants, shirt, socks and underwear. All clothing should be clearly marked with your child’s name.

Children should come dressed in comfortable clothing that allows for easy bathroom use. It is recommended that children wear tennis shoes to school, as we will be playing on the playground. Sandals and clogs are not recommended.

Healthcare Policies: First Lutheran Preschool has the responsibility to parents and children to maintain strict standards regarding ill children. Any child with a fever, diarrhea, undiagnosed rash or sore, vomiting, or discharge from eyes, ears or nose indicating an infection, may not attend school. A child must be fever free for 24 hours prior to attending school. If a child becomes ill at school, the child’s parent/guardian will be notified and asked to make arrangements to pick up the child within one hour.

Any child diagnosed with a communicable disease (bacterial meningitis, chicken pox, diphtheria, hepatitis, measles, mumps, pneumonia, rubella, strep throat) may return to school when cleared by a physician or nurse practitioner through written notification. If the child’s illness requires antibiotics, he must be treated for 24 hours prior to returning. (Strep throat is an exception that requires 48 hours of treatment prior to returning to school). Please report any communicable or contagious diseases to us immediately so that we may inform other families.

Health and Safety: Prescription medications can be accepted from a pharmacy labeled container only. A physician’s signature is needed for us to dispense medicine. At no time is a child permitted to keep medication in their school bags or on their person. All medication will be kept in the Director’s office. A medication permission slip must be completed before any staff member can give medication. Permission may not be given over the phone.

Major Emergencies: In the event of a life-threatening or major medical emergency to a child at First Lutheran Preschool, one staff member will remain with the injured or ill child while another staff member calls 911. The parent will be notified as soon as medical care has been obtained. If First Lutheran is unable to reach the parent, we will contact one of the emergency contacts listed on the Emergency Form. Transportation to a hospital will be arranged by rescue personnel or the child’s parent.

Discipline Policy: At First Lutheran Preschool, we achieve discipline in the classroom through an orderly environment that provides clear boundaries and interesting activities. Discipline is an integral part of our curriculum. Our teachers model caring behavior and help children build positive relationships with each other. Teachers also help children learn language so that they can express their feelings in an appropriate manner.

Effective Guidance Techniques applied to all children include:

Time-outs may be used as a “last resort”. The child is always placed where they can be observed and heard by the teacher, and upon the conclusion of the time out, spend time with the teacher discussing how to better react to the situation the next time. The duration of the time-out will never exceed one minute for each year of age. Spanking or any type of physical punishment is not permitted at First Lutheran Preschool. In the unlikely event that a child’s negative behavior becomes chronic, parents will be asked to meet with the teacher for a conference in order to more effectively help the child.

Recess: Outdoor play is an essential part of our program. If your child is well enough to attend school, he/she will be expected to participate in outdoor activities and should be dressed appropriately for the weather.

Birthday Celebrations: Birthdays are a special celebration for a child. We will celebrate your child’s birthday in chapel and in the classroom. Celebration of summer birthdays should be coordinated with your child’s teacher.

First Lutheran is a nut free school. Parents may send in a healthy snack or a non-food treat for the birthday celebration in the classroom.

Invitations to birthday parties and get-togethers may be passed out at school only if the entire classroom has been invited.

School Parties: There will be four parties during the school year that will be celebrated in the classroom. These parties will include food and other activities. The four parties will be:

We will also hold a Thanksgiving Feast in November. These parties will be held during snack time. They will be coordinated between the classroom teachers and the room parents. Parents of children with dietary restrictions should provide their child with a safe alternative treat so the child can participate fully.

Food Allergies: First Lutheran strives to provide a healthy environment for all children. Parents must provide specific information to the teacher about their child’s allergy. First Lutheran is a nut free school, which means that food products containing nuts will not be served.

Parent Volunteers: Parents are welcome but not required to volunteer in the classroom. Volunteers are always under the supervision of the teacher or director, and are never placed in charge of the classroom. Please talk to the director if you would like to be a parent volunteer.

Parent/Teacher Conferences: Parents are welcome to request a conference with the director or their child’s teacher at any time. Two formal parent/teacher conferences will be held each school year; one in November and one in April.