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Parent Handbook for the 2004/05 School Year
(The Parent Handbook was updated for the 2005/06
School Year - Sorry we don't have the updated handbook here yet.)
Mission Statement: We are people of God called to Proclaim,
Serve and Nurture through the Good News of Christ Jesus.
Purpose Statement: St. Andrew Lutheran Church Preschool is
committed to:
 | Providing a stimulating and nurturing Christian environment for children and families |
| Nurturing the young child’s mind and body to the fullest expression of his/her God
given potential |
| Building a child’s self-esteem and faith for the future |
| Allowing a child opportunities for individual expression and acceptance |
| Excellence in education by providing age appropriate opportunities for physical, social,
moral, emotional and cognitive development |
| Forming a partnership with parents in educating their child |
| Offering parent education opportunities |
| Providing avenues for incorporation of school families into the church and church
members into the school |
Racial Non-Discrimination Policy:
St. Andrew Lutheran Preschool admits students of any race, color, national, ethnic or
religious origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally
accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the
basis of race, color, national, or ethnic origin in administration of it’s
educational policies, loan programs, athletic or other school administered programs.
Preschool Advisory Committee
The Preschool Advisory Committee is made up of parent representatives, church staff and
preschool staff. Each age level is represented by a parent on the committee. Committee
members serve a one year term and meet monthly. The function of the committee is to
develop policies, support the staff, and the preschool. All parents are welcome to attend
the meetings. (Refer to printed copy of the Parent Handbook for this year's
Preschool Advisory Committee Members.)
Preschool Staff
T/Th Threes and M/W/F Fours Classes: Refer to printed copy of the
Parent Handbook for the staff information.
Pre-K and 3-Day 3's Classes:
Refer
to printed copy of the Parent Handbook for the staff information
St. Andrew Lutheran Preschool Calendar
The calendar year is from the Monday after Labor Day to Mid May. St.
Andrew Lutheran Preschool follows the Beaverton School District holiday and school closure
days. The preschool will be closed if there is a two hour delay. Please listen to local
television and radio for closure information. In the event that the school needs to close
midday due to inclement weather or power outages each parent will be notified by phone to
come and pick up their child. If the parents can not be reached the preschool will notify
the contact person from the emergency information form.
Days and Hours of Operation
Pre-Kindergarten AM: M thru F 9:00-11:30
Four Year Old AM: M/W/F 9:00-11:30
Four Year Old PM: M/W/F 1:00-3:30
3-Day Three's:
M/T/W 1:00-3:30
Three Year Old AM: T/TH 9:00-11:30
Three Year Old PM: T/TH 1:00-3:30
Your promptness in picking up your child at dismissal time is appreciated by both your
child and the staff. If you are delayed please call the preschool and a message will be
delivered to your child and their teacher. A $15.00 fee will be assessed after the
2nd late Pick-up.
Notice: A new Late Pick-Up Policy goes into effect January 2005.
After 15 minutes past the end of class, you will be charged one dollar per minute that you
are late in picking up your child. Example: 20 minutes late = $20.
For the safety of your children, please do not leave younger siblings alone in
the car.
Attendance
The parent or adult responsible for the child must sign their child in and out daily.
If your child will not be attending please call the preschool office at 503-643-9416 or
E-mail us at preschool@standrewlutheran.com and alert us to the absence.
When calling in an absence please leave the following information:
| Your child’s name |
| Your name |
| Reason for absence |
| Date of absence |
| Class your child is in and teacher’s name |
Calendar
| Monday Sept. 13:
M/T/W 3’s,
4’s & Pre-K first day of school |
| Tuesday Sept. 14:
3’s T/TH first day of school |
| Tuesday Oct. 5:
Open House |
| Friday Oct. 8:
No School, Teacher Work Day |
| Thursday Nov. 11: No
School, Veterans Day |
| Friday Nov. 12:
No School, Teacher Work Day |
| Wed.–Sun. Nov. 24-28: No School, Thanksgiving Holiday |
| Monday Dec. 6:
No School, Teacher Work Day |
| Monday Dec. 20:
No School,
Christmas Break |
| Monday Jan. 4:
School Resumes |
| Monday Jan. 17:
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday |
| Friday Jan. 28:
No School, Teacher Work Day |
| Tuesday Feb 1:
Registration for 2005 –2006 year |
| Monday Feb. 21:
No School,
Pres. Day |
| Tues, Wed. Feb 22, 23: No School, Conferences |
| Friday Mar. 11:
Teacher Work Day |
| Friday Mar. 18:
ELEA Conference |
| Mon.-Fri. Mar. 21-25: No School, Spring Break |
| Monday Mar. 28:
No School, Teacher Work Day |
| Friday April 8:
No School, Teacher Work Day |
| Wednesday May 18: Last day of
class for 4‘s & M/T/W 3’s classes |
| Thursday May 19:
Last
day of class for T/Th 3’s & PreK classes |
Health Concerns
Please keep your child home if he/she has a fever, undiagnosed rash, nasal discharge,
cough, diarrhea, has vomited within the last 24 hours, or has contracted a communicable
disease.
If your child has head lice or a contagious illness, please check with your doctor and
the preschool staff as to the length of the exclusion period and requirements for
returning to school.
If a child becomes ill or injured at preschool every effort will be made to contact the
parents, guardians, or a person designated by you. If we are unable to contact you
concerning a sick or injured child your family physician may be notified if necessary.
Medication
Emergency medications such as a bee sting kit or asthma nebulizer must be brought to
preschool in the original container and accompanied by your doctor’s written
directions for use. The label on the medication must state the following:
| Child’s name |
| Dosage |
| Prescription number |
| Physician’s name |
Admission and Immunization Requirements
| A child must be toilet trained to enter the program. |
| Students must be 3 by September 1st for 3 year old class, 4 by September 1st
for 4 year old class. It is highly recommended that children are 5 by January 31st
to enter the Pre-Kindergarten class. |
| Classes are filled on a first come first served basis; however, attention is also paid
to balancing the genders within the classes. |
| A waiting list is maintained and used when vacancies happen in the classes. |
Oregon State Immunization Forms must be filled out, signed by the parent and returned
to the preschool by the first day of class or your child CAN NOT attend. This
is an Oregon State Law.
Current Requirements Are:
| 4 doses D/T |
| 4 doses HIB |
| 3 doses Polio |
| 3 doses Hepatitis B |
| 1 dose Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) |
| Chickenpox immunization |
Tuition and Fees
The registration fee and emergency/film developing fee must be returned with the
registration paperwork. September tuition is due by August 1st. Monthly tuition is due by
the 1st of the month. Tuition received after the 15th will be
assessed a $15 late fee unless previous arrangements in writing have been
made. A limited number of scholarships are available. If parents are unable to pay tuition
due to economic conditions, they may apply for Tuition Assistance. Tuition Assistance
applications are reviewed on a case by case basis by the designated Tuition Assistance
Committee.
Dress
Please dress your child in clothing that is comfortable and easy to remove. Children
often wait until the last minute to use the restroom at school. Daily activities include
active and messy play; it is very hard for children to fully participate when they are
worried about getting their "good" clothes dirty. Please have your children wear
nonskid shoes for their own safety. Write your child’s name inside all of his/her
outerwear.
Volunteering
St. Andrew Preschool is a terrific place to teach and learn because of the wonderful
support our parents give to their children and our staff. Parents are partners in the
teaching and learning process. There are many opportunities to become involved, from
volunteering in the classroom to helping plan the school events. Any time you spend with
us will make a difference. We are not a co-operative preschool, however, at times all
quality programs require additional help to be successful.
Important Volunteer Qualities
| Professionalism: The job is voluntary; however, the commitment is
professional. Besides being responsible for maintaining an attitude of mutual respect and
confidence, you should also become familiar with the preschool policies and practices. |
| Dependability: Staff members count on you and rely on the
services performed by you as a volunteer. It is essential that you contact the preschool
if you are unable to volunteer on your scheduled day so that other arrangements can be
made. |
| Confidentiality: While working with children, personal family
information is often disclosed from a child’s point of view. Please remember this is
confidential information not to be repeated to the general public. Report any news of
concern to the teacher. |
| Program: At St. Andrew Preschool every child is a unique and
special person created and loved by God. Our program may appear informal and flexible,
however, the curriculum and environment are the result of careful detailed planning based
on the best available knowledge of child growth and development. Young children learn best
through activity and personal experimentation with toys, equipment and materials. We
emphasize the process a child goes through while working on a project, not the end result.
It is also the goal of St. Andrew Lutheran Preschool to be family inclusive, working with
the whole family, not only the student. |
Attention all Bike/Scooter Riders
Bicycle helmets are required by each student, to ride the tricycles and scooters on the
outdoor playground. To be effective a helmet must fit your child’s head properly,
therefore, helmets are not supplied by the preschool. Please label the helmet with his/her
first and last name.
Curriculum Goals:
Chapel is part of our Christian curriculum. The children may gather either in the
sanctuary or in the classroom on a regular basis with a pastor to learn about God’s
love through song, bible stories, and prayer.
Social Development:
| Help each child develop and enhance her/his interpersonal skills and
respect for others through cooperative play and interaction. |
| Help children function within a group. |
| Provide an environment in which children may experience similarities
and differences among people. |
| Help children develop a positive attitude toward a Christian way of
life, teachers, school, and learning. |
Moral Development:
| To nurture within each child the qualities of curiosity, imagination,
and independent thought. |
| To provide stimulating experiences which encourage children to think,
analyze problems and arrive at different possible solutions. |
| To use imagination, participate in and appreciate different forms of
personal and group expression. |
Emotional Development:
| To foster each child’s sense of personal worth and value. |
| To help children develop a positive self-image and a wholesome
attitude toward their bodies. |
| To encourage independence. |
| To encourage freedom of expression, understanding and acceptance of
limits. |
| To provide opportunities for acceptable outlets for emotions. |
Intellectual Development:
| To nurture within each child the qualities of curiosity, imagination
and independent thought. |
| To provide stimulating experiences which encourage children to think,
analyze problems, and arrive at different possible solutions. |
| To stimulate language development through spoken and written
language. |
| To use imagination, participate in and appreciate different forms of
personal and group expression. |
Discipline:
At St. Andrew Lutheran Preschool we do not use any form of physical
punishment. Children will not be hit, slapped, spanked or pinched in any manner while
attending this preschool. Appropriate behavior is encouraged in the classroom. Positive
verbal feedback reinforces a child’s self esteem and serves as an example to the
other children. Asking a child to stop and think about his/her inappropriate behavior
enables the child to work on self-control.
Intervention Policy:
St. Andrew Lutheran Preschool strives to provide a successful
experience for all enrolled children. If a child does not appear to be benefiting from the
program or environment, or if a child’s behavior prevents other children or staff
from having a safe and successful experience, the intervention procedure will be followed
to facilitate a successful experience for all.
Intervention Procedure:
Throughout every step of the procedure strict
confidentiality will be maintained. Records of each meeting will be cooperatively written
and distributed to each person present. An additional copy will be filed with the
Director.
| The teacher and one other staff member will meet privately with the
parents of the child in question. Specific concerns and expectations will be addressed by
the parents and the teacher alike in a mutually supportive atmosphere. Together the
teacher and parents will decide upon an action plan designed to meet the child’s
needs and help him/her achieve any specified expectations within a designated time frame. |
| Before the close of the meeting a future meeting will be scheduled to
review the success of the plan. |
| The action plan will be implemented. Data will be recorded regularly
to document the child’s progress. |
| The parents and teacher will meet a second time as scheduled. An
evaluation of the data will determine the success of the implemented plan. |
| If the expectations have not been satisfactorily met, the teacher may
chose to modify or redesign the action plan. In this case a second evaluation meeting will
be scheduled and handled as above. |
If sufficient progress is not made within the time allotted a
professional assessment will be required. Continued enrollment at St. Andrew
Preschool will be contingent upon the parent’s obtaining such an assessment. This
assessment must include a classroom observation of the child by the professional selected.
The staff will meet together with the parents at this time. The
parents will decide whether the assessment is to be made by the Washington County
Education Service District (ESD) or by a private professional. A list of Child
Developmental Specialists who are qualified and willing to perform the necessary
assessment (to include classroom observation of the child) will be made available to the
parents. This is not to be seen as a recommendation of any specific therapist or
therapists, and the parents’ choice of therapist is by no means limited to those on
the list. The cost of the assessment is the parents’ responsibility.
After the assessment is completed, the parents will meet with the
staff and consulting professional to review the professional’s assessment and
recommendations.
If the professional concludes that the classroom environment is not
an appropriate learning environment for this child, the parents may choose to withdraw
him/her from St. Andrew Lutheran Preschool. Otherwise, a specific action plan will be
designed jointly by the consulting professional, parents and staff. As directed in Step 1,
specific goals, time frame, criteria for evaluation, and date for an evaluation meeting
will be set. The action plan will be implemented. Data will be kept regularly to document
the child’s progress.
A meeting of the staff and the child’s parents will be held as
previously scheduled to evaluate the success of the action plan.
St. Andrew Lutheran Preschool will explore all reasonable approaches
to meet the child’s needs within the preschool setting. If at this point the child
still does not appear to be benefiting from the program or continues to prevent other
children and staff from having a safe and successful experience, the Director will
terminate the child’s enrollment.
| Input from the teacher and consulting professional will be weighed
heavily. |
| This decision is final and is not open to appeal. |
Assistance in finding a more appropriate preschool program will be
offered to the parents.
Natural Disasters and Emergency Situations
In the event of an earthquake, the preschool staff will make every
effort to contact a parent by phone. If we are unable to contact the parent locally, the
long distance contact will then be made. In either event your child will remain with
authorized church and preschool staff until safe arrangements can be made. We have an
emergency procedure manual that can be reviewed by parents.
Field Trips
The classes frequently go on field trips. Watch for individual class
information on monthly calendars. Permission slips will be sent out prior to the actual
day and must be signed and returned in order for your child to attend.
Conferences
Conferences will be available during the year. If you would like
additional conferences with your child’s teacher please try to schedule them ahead of
time and not during the preschool class hours.
Confidentiality of Student Records
Student records are open only to the staff and the child’s
parent or legal guardian.
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