The purpose of the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Weekday School is to provide a loving, Christian environment which meets the educational needs of the early childhood years. The school’s mission is to provide the environment and experiences necessary to meet the spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional needs of children.
Staff
Director – Lisa Dubay
1K – Ansley Eustace
2K – Mary Gianatos, Courtney Cross
3K – Shayna Borrett, Jennifer Tate, Lauren Hilton
4K – Mandy Ryan, Renée Mothorpe
Floating Assistant– Leisl Cressman
Music – Heather Rice
Power Play– Courtney Cross
The Weekday School is committed to providing a nurturing learning environment that will foster love for the Lord and one another, support healthy self-esteem, and instill a love of learning. Emphasis is placed on creative expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Background checks are performed on teachers yearly. Teachers stay certified in CPR/AED operation, First Aid, and as Mandated Reporters of child abuse. Continuing education in early childhood is provided for and required of teachers.
Weekday school programs
Class enrollment is based on a child’s age on September 1st of the year they enter the program. One-year-olds who are walking enter 1K, and two-year-olds enter 2K in either an M/W/F or T/Th class. Three-year-olds (3K) may attend M/W/F, T/Th/F, or Monday-Friday classes. The 4K classes are Monday-Friday classes. In addition, 3K and 4K classes have weekly chapel, music instruction, and Power Play (physical education).
ARRIVAL
Doors open at 8:45am for drop-off. Children will not be received before 8:45am unless they are registered, in advance, for the “Early Birds” Program. Parents should park and walk their children up to the porch, where a staff member will meet them. Students will walk to their classrooms on their own, guided by staff.
BABYSITTING POLICY – Staff members are not permitted to babysit for families in our program.
BITING AND AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
Biting and aggressive behavior cannot be tolerated at The Weekday School. These behaviors create an unsafe environment for students and take the attention of teachers away from the rest of the class. Aggressive behavior can be, but is not limited to, bullying, hair pulling, biting, and hitting or punching.
When these behaviors occur, parents will receive an incident report, and a copy of the report will be kept in the child’s file at school. Once a child has bitten someone or demonstrated aggressive behavior towards others 3 times, parents will be required to meet with the teacher and director to create a cooperative plan for stemming aggressive behavior. The Weekday School Board and church leaders will be apprised of the situation. If they agree that the child may continue at the school, the following protocol will begin.
4th offense: The student will be immediately removed from the class and must be picked up by a parent. The student may return after one week.
5th offense: The student will be immediately removed from class and must be picked up by a parent. The Board, church leadership, and director will decide for or against continued enrollment.
CALENDAR
The Weekday School’s holiday and vacation schedule is very close to that of CCSD. The year’s calendar will be handed out at Parent Night in August. Occasionally, minor changes must be made to the calendar after school has begun. Each month’s calendar of events is always available on the school’s Band App.
BRINGING THINGS
Toys from home should not be brought to school. “Lovies” or security items are allowed in 1K and 2K for the first few weeks of school if they are made of cloth. Children with security items will be encouraged to wean from them during the school day. Pacifiers are permitted in 1K at the start of the year if needed for separation. Weaning from them will be encouraged as they impede language development and can spread illness.
Books and educational materials may be brought to school to read during circle time or to share with the class.
COMMUNICATION
Communication between parents, teachers, and the school is extremely important. Pick-up time will be parents’ touch point with teachers each day. At this time, short conversations can take place, or conferences requested for more lengthy discussion. Please use the messaging feature of Band or call the director for communication at other times of the day. If you have questions, concerns, or any problems, please request a conference to discuss them with your classroom teacher and/or the Director.
Parents should always have their Band App notifications turned on so that they will be informed in case of emergency closures and pick up time/procedure changes.
It is incumbent upon the parents to take advantage of the following ways to stay informed:
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- Band App – calendar, messaging, events, party sign-ups, emergency updates, class pictures and videos, documents
- Website – www.standrewsweekday.com
- School Facebook Page
- Email notices
- Notes – Check backpacks daily
- White board on the front door
CLOTHING
Children should be sent to school in clothing that provides comfort and freedom of movement. For students’ comfort and safety, closed toe shoes with socks are required. Parents should understand that despite the efforts of the staff, school clothes may become soiled with art supplies, dirt, or food at school.
Children should not wear jewelry to school. The only exception is earrings in pierced ears, secured with screw-on backs.
Students should be sent with clothing/outerwear appropriate for the weather. Outerwear should be labeled. Weather permitting (i.e., no rain and 40˚ or above) students will go outside each day. There is no provision for keeping individual children inside when their class is outside.
Each class has a system for storing diapering needs and/or extra clothing to be kept at school. Please follow the procedures of your child’s teacher for keeping these supplies at school.
DELINQUENT ACCOUNTS
A child may be suspended or dismissed from the school when accounts are 30 days past due. Special arrangements must be made with the Director by the 20th of the month to begin a new month with an outstanding balance. There is a $30.00 fee for the first time an account payment is not completed due to insufficient funds, and a $35.00 fee for a second occurrence. Tuition must be paid with cash or a cashier’s check after the second occurrence, for the remainder of the school year.
DEPARTURE & AUTHORIZED PICK-UP
The school day ends at 11:45 and all students should be picked up by noon from the front door or the playground, depending on their class. After 3 late pick-ups, a fee will be charged to families whose children are not picked up by noon. The fee will be $5 plus a dollar for each minute past 12:00pm the child stays at the school.
Parents or caregivers must have control over their children in the parking lot by holding their hands, carrying them, or putting them in strollers.
Only authorized adults listed on the emergency form may pick up a child. People on the authorized list must be able to supply documentation of their identity. Written notice is required regarding any temporary or permanent changes. If school staff have concerns about a child’s safety at pick up time, they will contact another person on the authorized list to pick up the child.
Children transported in vehicles must be buckled safely into car safety seats/seatbelts that meet state requirements. Another person on the authorized list will be called if the staff observes that this requirement is not met.
Children picked up from either playground MUST use the gate. Children may not be lifted over the fence.
DISMISSAL
The Weekday School reserves the right to dismiss a child or family if, after a reasonable amount of time, it is found that a child or parent is unable to adjust to or cooperate with the school, its staff, or its policies and procedures. This decision is left to the discretion of the Director, the Weekday School Board, and church leadership.
EARLY BIRDS – EARLY DROP-OFF @ 8:15am
This service is for 3K and 4K students and their younger siblings if needed. Parents may register their children for early drop off on the specific days needed each week. Families will be invoiced ahead of each month for those days until they inform the director that they wish to withdraw from Early Birds. Days not used will not be refunded or carried over to future months. Space is limited.
FIELD TRIPS (4K ONLY)
Parents will be notified in advance of the details for off-site field trips by email and on the Band app. Children should wear their Weekday School T-shirt on field trips. Parents must transport their children to and from field trips, arrange for their transportation, or keep their children home on field trip days. Only one parent per student may attend field trips. Depending on the field trip site, siblings over 1 year may not be allowed to attend field trips.
FIRE/DISASTER DRILLS
Fire and other disaster preparedness drills will be conducted during the school year. Teachers will prepare the children in advance for these drills.
FOOD
The Weekday School is a nut-free campus.
Food from home may not be brought into the school by students. Students with food allergies at the school could be inadvertently harmed by this practice. Students eating in the car on the way to school must finish before entering the school or leave the food behind.
Students will be provided with a light snack and water during the morning. Parents may need to supply personal snack items if their children have severe food allergies.
Parents may send in special items for their child’s class to enjoy at snack time. However, parents must first check with their child’s teacher to accommodate any food allergies in the classroom and to ascertain the number of students in the class.
GUIDANCE/POSITIVE DISCIPLINE
Guidance is defined as an approach to children’s development in which conflicts are viewed as teaching and learning opportunities. The role of our teachers is to help children through developmentally appropriate guidance, to learn from mistakes and assist them in learning to solve problems. Teachers will set expectations of behavior for their classrooms and use instruction, positive reinforcement, redirection, or a short break from classroom activity to instill those norms.
HEALTH
An emergency information form, authorizing emergency care, with emergency numbers, must be on file for each child. Forms must be completed in full and returned by the first full day of school. No child will be permitted to remain at school without this information. Please keep this information up to date.
A Certificate of Immunization (DPH Form 4024) completed by your child’s physician is required by the first day of school. Religious exemptions are not accepted. Failure to comply will result in dismissal.
Children should not be brought to school with severe colds, undetermined rashes or spots, fever, headaches, upset stomachs or other symptoms of illness. Parents will be required to pick up children if signs of illness are observed at school.
No child may be brought to school who has experienced a fever, diarrhea, or vomiting within the previous 24 hours. Please do not send your child to school unless they have been symptom-free for a full 24 hours. Please inform the teacher or director if your child contracts a contagious disease.
Only emergency medications for anaphylactic allergic reactions will be administered at school. These medications cannot be administered without a written plan from the prescribing physician containing a diagnosis, written parental permission, instructions, and the signature of the physician. This includes epi-pens for allergic reaction. Medications must be provided in the properly labeled original prescription container and left at school. Sunscreens and other topical creams and ointments must be applied before school.
Children are expected to wash their hands upon arrival, after using the bathroom, after playing outside, and as circumstances dictate.
Three-year-olds and four-year-olds must be toilet trained before beginning school. This means they use the toilet exclusively for elimination. Four-year-olds should be close to toilet independence.
MEDIA PERMISSIONS
Written permission is required at the beginning of the year for a student to be included in school publications. This includes photography, video, articles in the newspaper, school literature, advertising, the school website, and Facebook page. This does not include the school Band, which is only accessible by private invitation. Children’s names will never be used in public media by the school.
OUTSIDE VENDOR ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS
Students in 3K and 4K are eligible for outside vendor afterschool programs. For the 25-26 school year Soccer Shots, Dance, Love, More, Shining Stars, and Stretch and Grow are available. Parents will be able to register their students with the vendors for these opportunities over the summer or in September, depending on the vendor. The school requires outside vendors to provide background checks for the employees that are sent to our school.
PARKING LOT PROCEDURES
Please follow the flow of traffic indicated by the arrows on the school parking lot. Park in painted parking spaces only. Do not park in the driveway or the Fire Lane. Parking in handicapped spots is permissible if no other spaces are left. Do not back into parking spaces. A parking map is available on the school Band and at the end of this handbook. Trailers, RVs, buses, and other oversized vehicles are not allowed in the parking lot at drop-off or pick-up times. No vehicles are allowed in the covered drive or fire lane during drop-off and pick-up. Parents must communicate these procedures to other adults authorized to pick up their children.
PARTIES
Parents may sign up to help with seasonal parties through class Bands or sign-up sheets in the classroom. Party guidelines may be obtained from the classroom teacher prior to the planning of each party. Please check with the teacher for food allergies in your child’s classroom.
Special emphasis is put on birthdays in the classroom. Parents are welcome to send in simple snack treats to be shared at snack time. However, this is not a party and not a time for parent visitation. Party/treat bags and balloons are not allowed. Summer birthdays may be celebrated at the ½ birthday mark or in May.
If invitations are handed out at school for an outside party, there must be an invitation for each child in the class.
REGISTRATION
Registration for returning students, their siblings, and members of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian begins in the middle of January for September enrollment. All student accounts must be current, with no past due amount, for registration to be accepted. In February, remaining openings are offered to the community at large. Classes are filled on a first come/first served basis. A Registration Form must be completed and returned to the director with the registration fee to secure a place for a child. This fee is non-refundable.
SPECIAL NEEDS
The Weekday School is not equipped to accommodate all children with developmental delays or special needs. Parents should request a meeting with the director before registering a child who requires special accommodation, to determine the school’s ability to meet the needs of the child. If special needs are recognized after registration, parents will need to work with the school to meet the accommodations or, possibly, make other arrangements for their child.
SUPPLY/MATERIALS FEE
The supply fee is due August 1st. This fee covers most classroom and art supplies. The 4K supply fee is higher than other age groups to cover the costs of a school t-shirt, field trips, and in-house educational presentations from outside organizations.
SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
Parents may register to be paid substitute teachers at the school. Background checks are run on all substitute teachers.
TUITION
The year’s tuition is divided into 9 payments for convenience and is due until the director is given written notice of withdrawal. September’s tuition payment must be paid by July 1st and is non-refundable. (Families that move out of the tri-county area before September 1st may request a refund with documentation of the move.) Subsequent tuition payments are due 30 days in advance, by the 1st of each preceding month. Invoices will be emailed by the 1st of each month for the next month’s tuition payment. Payments received after the 5th will incur a $30.00 late fee. Absences and holidays are not deductible from the monthly tuition charges.
- Paying online using the “payment button” on your emailed invoice is preferred.
- Checks (made payable to The Weekday School at St. Andrews Presbyterian) will be accepted by the director.
- Cash payments will be accepted by the director and must be in a sealed envelope with the child’s name clearly written on the outside. A receipt for cash payments will be issued the day of payment.
- Please include your child’s name in all checks and correspondence.
- Payment may not be mailed to the school.
VISITORS
Visits to the school during school hours must be scheduled with teachers and/or the director. Parents may sign up to help with classroom parties or activities on Band or with the teacher. Students may not bring visitors to school with them for the day.
VOLUNTEERS
Parents are wonderful resources, and their participation means a great deal to their child. In addition to helping with parties and special class activities, we encourage you to get involved in school-wide projects and events. Parents who have a business or hobby that compliments an area of study are asked to inform the school staff if they are willing to make an educational presentation to students. (E.g. beekeeping, farming, healthcare, animal husbandry, community helper) Parents In Partnership (PIP) is a good way to meet other parents and get involved with school programs. Those who wish to volunteer on a regular basis, in classrooms, must attend volunteer training and have a background check completed.
WEATHER CLOSURES
The preschool will follow CCSD in closing for severe weather. The Weekday School does not make up days lost to closures for weather or other unforeseen circumstances.
When CCSD announces a delayed start to their day, or an early closure, the preschool will keep regular hours.
WITHDRAWAL
Two weeks’ written notice of withdrawal is required for any portion of October – May tuition to be refunded.