Dates/Hours of Operation for the Year 2011-2012:
FUMC Preschool follows the Clinton Public School schedule as to closures and early dismissals. The school year is August 25, 2011 until May 18th, 2012.
For children ages 3 and 4 Preschool Hours: Early Room: 7:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Preschool: 8:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Playdays (T, Th): 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. After Preschool Care: 11:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Morning Drop-off: The children will be unloaded in BACK of the gym near the covered walkway by a member of the staff between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. At 8:30, unloading teachers come inside to other morning duties. If for any reason you arrive later than 8:30, you must bring your child inside the preschool building, sign your child in at the sign-in sheet in the hallway, and leave your child in the custody of a preschool teacher before leaving. NO CHILD IS TO EVER WALK IN ALONE FROM A PARENT’S CAR, REGARDLESS OF SITUATION. Preschool doors will automatically lock at 8:45 a.m. each morning and parents must ring doorbell for entrance. Children will adjust more quickly to the preschool schedule if brought in on schedule each morning. The morning drop-off routine is a benefit that we want everyone to be able to take advantage of.
Children should arrive each day before 8:45 — social interaction among peers is an important part of the day. A child who has played with friends is ready for class when instructional time begins, but a child who has missed that important part of the morning will not be ready for a group/classroom environment. This transitional time in the mornings gives the children opportunities to see their friends BEFORE going into class. Late children entering DISRUPTS THE CLASS.
Early Room is available for those who need it. Children must be escorted into the Early Room (not child’s classroom) beginning at 7:00 a.m. and parents must sign-in at that time and pay the early room fee of $4 to the early room teacher. Payments may be made in advance with tuition payments for the entire month or for a week at a time if desired. Attendance is taken and credit will be given for any absences from pre-paid early rooms. Only one teacher is in the Early Room — if you see another teacher in the classroom, she is preparing for her day — do not leave your child in any other classroom. Thank you!
FUMC Staff stop loading the children and come into the building at 11:45 (2:00 p.m. on Playdays). We are required to notify the authorities if any child is left one hour after closing. The Department of Human Services handles these actions. Teachers are NOT allowed to take a child home in the event of a parent, guardian, or emergency contact person is not able to be reached for pick-up. This is a state requirement from the MS Department of Health.
REQUIRED FEES and PAYMENTS
• Registration Fee: $80.00 per child (annually) is not refundable after 30 days without proof that the family is moving at least 50 miles away.
• FUMC Tote bag: Upon entry to FUMC a tote will be given. Any additional totes must be purchased for $10.
• Activity Fees: 3 and 4 year old classes: $80 per year ($40 due in Aug. & $40 due in Jan.)
• Tuition Fees (set by Weekday Programs Committee):
5 day half day classes — $146 / month ($1314 per school year)
3 day half day classes — $125 / month ($1125 per school year)
After Preschool Care — $75 / week for 1 Child $135 / week for 2 Children $195 / week for 3 Children
• LATE PICK UP: Mornings at 11:46 a.m. –$5, Play Days at 2:00 p.m. — $5, After Preschool Care at 6:00 p.m. –$5
– Continued lateness may result in additional fees –
*make sure your watch/clock is correct; we use cell phone clocks to insure that our time is correct.
• LATE PAYMENT FEE: $20 charged on 11th for monthly Preschool tuition. $10 charged on Thursday for weekly After Preschool Care
• FUMC Tee shirt: $10 (optional) • FUMC Tote bag: $10 (1st tote free/additional tote $10)
• RETURNED CHECK FEE: $30
Checks should be made to FUMC Preschool. Tuition is due in advance on the first of each month and will be past due by the 10th. A $20 late fee will be posted on the 11th of each month. If payment is not received by the last day of the month, your child will be dropped from the roll. IF THERE IS A PROBLEM, PLEASE LET US KNOW.
Checks ONLY may be sent with your child’s name on the note portion of the check. Put the check in the Ziploc bag that we will attach to his/her tote bag. This Ziploc bag should stay clipped to the tote bag all year. You may include all fees in one check. Please notate what you are paying for on the check. Checks are the preferred method of payment because of the ease in tracking transactions for parents and FUMC Staff.
ALL cash payments must be brought into the office and a receipt must be given to you at that time. Teachers are instructed to NOT accept cash from parents in lineup or parking lot. It is the PARENT’S responsibility to bring cash money into the office and get a receipt. Parents who wish to pay cash only may pay in the office at the beginning of the month. Thanks for understanding!
Playdays can be paid by the month. If the child does not attend one of the paid playdays, we will credit it to the next playday. Teachers take attendance each playday and your child’s account will not be debited if not in attendance.
Tuition is due on time whether a child is present or absent. Classroom activities are ongoing and teachers are in the classroom regardless of whether all children are in attendance.
Activity Fees are due in August and January . Parents may pay the fee in full or pay one half in August and the other half in January. Activity Fees help pay for field trips (including teachers and two chaperones), bus driver and transportation costs, Mother’s Day gifts, photo processing for pictures taken throughout the year and divided equally (as possible) among the students at the end of the year, and special items for units during the school year. Threes classes will receive one magazine subscription during the school year. Fours classes will receive two magazine subscriptions during the school year. Activity Fees do not pay for playdays, school pictures, nor for the vision, speech and hearing screening to be held in the fall.
Preschool T-shirts are no longer required to be purchased by the students. Shirts are worn for all field trips and are left at school. If you would like to purchase a FUMC Preschool T shirt, you may do so for $10.
HEALTH AND MEDICAL
The center accepts well children only into a group environment. Parents must help the Center maintain this policy. Parents should keep a child at home if he or she seems to show any signs of illness.
Symptoms that are causes for keeping your child at home are:
fever of 99 degrees or more
undetermined rash or spots
thick mucus
Chills
suspicion of head lice
green drainage from nose
continuous irritability or crying
a severe cold
draining or red eyes
upset stomach, diarrhea
ear ache
sore throat
vomiting or nausea
Should your child have a contagious disease, head lice or any other such conditions, parents should call to let the teacher and director know immediately so that the other parents can be notified. We are required to remain confidential regarding the report of any communicable disease.
A child who has had a fever needs to be FEVER-FREE for 24 hours without fever-reducing medicine before returning to school. This means that a child sent home with a fever will not be allowed back to school for AT LEAST one day.
IF YOUR CHILD SHOULD BECOME ILL WHILE HE OR SHE IS AT SCHOOL, PARENTS WILL BE NOTIFIED AND EXPECTED TO PICK UP AT THAT TIME. We are not equipped with a sick room and there is no nurse on staff FUMC Preschool is not responsible for the care of sick children.
Emergency medical procedures will be followed as listed on the Medical Emergency Card. Parents are to read, fill out, sign and return these cards. Our staff is not allowed to give medicine to any child for any reason!
The MS Department of Health requires that all children have outdoor play time every day, even in cold weather. Unless it is raining, too muddy on the playground, or the temperature is below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, we WILL go outside with the children. If your child is too sick to be able to be outside, consider keeping your child at home that day. Outdoor play in cool, brisk air has been proven to build children’s immune systems and increase lung capacity. This is also a recommendation from the American Pediatric Association.