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PRESCHOOL

Parent/Student Handbook

2016-2017

www.lakecenterchristian.org

12893 Kaufman Avenue NW Hartville OH 44632

330.877.2049

330.877.2040 (fax)

ABSENCE HOTLINE: 330.587.0200

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Table of Contents

Page Number Topic

2 Message from the Director

3 Mission and Vision Statement

4 History

5-8 Philosophy and Goals

9-12 Program Information

12-18 General Procedures

18 Tuition

19-21 Guidance and Discipline

21-25 Health and Safety Practices

25-26 Resolution of Grievances

27 Verification Page

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Message from the Director

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Lake Center Christian School’s preschool program! Thank you for the trust you

have shown by enrolling your child with us. We will do our very best to make your family’s

time with us a safe, enjoyable, and rewarding experience.

We believe young children learn best by doing--through play and meaningful work. They

need a safe, happy, enriching environment offering concrete sensory experiences, positive

social encounters, and meaningful, age-appropriate learning activities to best develop and

grow. That is what we will strive to provide.

Since parents are the most significant adults in a child’s life, and parents know their children

better than anyone else, building a respectful and supportive partnership between parents

and the school is vital to meeting each child’s needs. We will work to build that connection

with you. Daily communication between parents and teachers is very important.

Please read the information in this handbook, and in any calendars, supplemental materials

or emails that we will send you from time to time. We are available to you when you need to

ask a question or discuss anything about your child.

We also want to remember the role that our relationship with God plays in our daily lives,

and education is not separated from that. Please pray for your child and his/her teachers as

they play and learn together. Your child’s teachers will be praying for you and your child as

well!

Research shows that these early years are the most important in a child’s life. The

foundations of all later learning are laid in the preschool years. Thank you for partnering

with Lake Center Christian School’s preschool as we help your child become confident,

inquisitive learners who grow up knowing their Heavenly Father loves them!

In His Service,

JoAnn Barber

Director/Lead Teacher

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Mission Statement

Lake Center Christian School’s Preschool is an extension of Lake Center Christian School,

whose mission it is to assist Christian Families and their churches in equipping students for

lifelong learning and service to Christ.

In addition, as a preschool, our mission is to glorify God by partnering with families to

provide sound, developmentally appropriate early learning experiences for the young child.

Vision Statement

LCCS IS A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL Many alternative schools dot the American landscape. Lake Center Christian School is an alternative school because it is a privately owned and operated school. However, Lake Center is more than merely an alternative to the public school. Lake Center is a Christian school. The Christian emphasis and focus must always remain paramount. In a Christian school academic achievement is highly valued, but it is not the highest value. Academics alone include only the horizontal dimension, meaning person to person and the person to his/her planetary environment. However, the addition of the vertical dimension means that the studies relate to God. This completely changes the purposes and goals of the school. Instead of preparing only for the fleeting here and now, Lake Center seeks to prepare young people to relate to God in union with Jesus Christ, and then let this experience spill over into everyday life. Lake Center maintains that Adam and Eve were special creations which God molded in His own image and endowed with eternal spirits. Factual knowledge alone stands bankrupt before God in respect to redemption and worship. It is when the human spirit responds to the Spirit of God, that the real purposes and goals of life can be discerned and appreciated. The Lake Center Christian School family must constantly and vigorously reaffirm its belief in

the Bible as the Word of God. Our allegiance is to the all-sufficiency of Jesus Christ and the

call of discipleship as given by Jesus. If this is not done, then Lake Center is on the path of

becoming a mere alternative school rather than remaining a Christian school. Those partici-

pating in Lake Center are invited to maintain it as a Christian school.

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History

Leaders of five Amish and Mennonite churches participated in 1947 to construct the first set of buildings and organize the program of Lake Center Christian School, which opened its doors in September 1947. During the first year sixty patron families enrolled 181 students in Grades 1 through 10. Grades 9 and 10 were discontinued in 1959.

The school was located on three acres of land on what is now Woodmont Street. The Amish built two one-room schoolhouses in 1949 and in 1952. The formation of Hartville Christian School in 1956 reduced the LCCS student body to 1/2 its size.

The original structures were two cinder block classroom buildings, which were listed as temporary buildings on the permit obtained from Columbus. In 1965 the cinder block buildings were razed and a new building erected.

With a new building and a new administration committed to growth, LCCS began a gradual increase in size throughout the 1960s. Kindergarten was introduced. One attempt was made in 1983-84 to revive the high school, but it was discontinued after the one year. The composition of the student body included more and more “other than Mennonite” students after 1965. In 1947 the student body was composed entirely of students from Amish and Mennonite families. Currently about 13% of the student population is from Mennonite Churches. Over 100 other congregations are represented in the LCCS student population.

The year 1977 witnessed the structural change from an association to that of a corporation as it now exists. The present constitution was adopted in that year, but has been revised several times.

Another change which occurred was that of financing construction costs. Bank loans were obtained for construction of both the 1947 buildings and the one constructed in 1965. The loan repayments from the tuition income placed a heavy burden on the operating budget. All the buildings on Kaufman campus have been constructed under a pay-as-you-go policy. August 22, 2005 the new high school addition was dedicated.

One characteristic of the school has been volunteerism. Most of the masonry and carpentry labor needed on the buildings was donated. Parents and others have given sacrificially to the school in the operation of the program and in providing the support.

Lake Center was granted a charter by the State of Ohio in 1972. Its academic and spiritual programs have been strengthened since that time. The school is a chartered member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) and a member of the Mennonite Elementary Education Council (MEEC).

The preschool program at Lake Center Christian School began in the 2011-2012 school year.

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Philosophy and Goals

Philosophy

The foundations of all future learning are laid in the early years of a child’s life. We believe

that an early learning program should be based on respect, responsibility, and community

to build that strong foundation.

Parents are a child’s first teachers, and form the primary relationship in his or her life. Our

goal is to work in partnership with parents in the nurture and training of their children.

Each child is designed by God to be a unique individual created in His likeness. Each child

develops at his or her own rate, following a predictable pattern. Placing developmental

milestones on a rigid timetable is unfair and unproductive. We strive to provide a

developmentally appropriate early learning program that will have an emphasis on the

process of learning while helping the child enjoy successful experiences. Since children learn

best by doing, these experiences will include exploration, play, and discovery in a supportive

environment based on the needs and interests of the child and facilitated by a caring,

professional teacher. The teacher’s role is to be a guide rather than a dispenser of

information.

To fully participate in the learning process, children must feel safe, comfortable and valued.

Our program is designed to provide for those needs in a prepared environment that will

cultivate the child’s physical, emotional, social, cognitive, creative, and spiritual growth. A

clean, ordered, attractive, and positive environment where the child is free to make choices,

play, and explore is the best way to encourage this growth. The use of positive guidance

techniques, where consistent, age appropriate limits are in place, will help the child function

independently in his world. Allowing the child to experience natural, logical consequences

to his or her choices is part of this positive guidance. When a child is able to function

independently, he or she develops a sense of confidence, competence and responsibility.

Children must actively participate in their learning to internalize it; that is to make it

meaningful for them. To do this, children need actual experiences that appeal to all five of

their senses, and that they can choose and manage independently. Learning is also relational,

so the building of meaningful connections among the children and also with the teacher is

another important goal of our program. The sharing of friendships, ideas, information and

talent makes the learning process deeper and richer.

All children are welcome in our program and there will be no discrimination based on gender

or race. Children with special needs and abilities are also welcome in this program, and are

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considered for inclusion individually based on the nature of the need and the teacher’s ability

to meet that need.

Goals

Social Development: help children feel comfortable in the school environment and with

their teachers and peers, make friends, work cooperatively together, feel they are part of a

group as they learn socially acceptable ways to interact with others, and learn the same

acceptance of others that Jesus modeled on Earth.

The children will be given opportunities to interact with others of the same age in a

variety of experiences. This will enable them to work cooperatively together and

practice problem solving and self-control.

The atmosphere of the classroom will allow for many choices including solitary play,

parallel play, and cooperative play so that each child may interact at his/her

particular level of development.

Social skills such as sharing, saying “please” and “thank you” and cooperating are all

learned through the teachers’ modeling, and consistent respect for each child.

Following a predictable routine will build trust, and allowing for natural

consequences will build responsibility.

Emotional Development: help children gain self-confidence; develop independence,

responsibility and self-control, learn to express feelings in an appropriate manner; and to

develop a sense of self-worth as beings created in God’s image.

Each child will be accepted as a unique individual who has something of worth to

contribute.

The atmosphere of the classroom encourages the appropriate expression of feelings.

Children, rather than teachers, suggest solutions for resolving conflict.

Each child will be encouraged to develop respect for the rights of others.

The children will be encouraged to be independent, persistent, and responsible as

they make choices and work in the centers throughout the school day.

The children will be given the opportunity to develop self-help skills as they care for

themselves and the environment.

Cognitive Development; help children become confident learners by letting them test their

own ideas and acquire learning skills such as the ability to solve problems, ask questions and

use words to describe their thoughts and feelings; help children develop a positive attitude

toward school and learning; introduce new academic skills such as patterning, left-to-right

progression, and alphabet recognition.

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The classroom is arranged with various learning centers providing a rich

environment. Children may then choose activities that are both challenging and likely

to prove successful. Careful observations and assessments by teachers ensure the

children of guidance and help when they need it.

Curriculum areas include science activities and social studies activities utilizing the

child’s immediate environment, pre-math and pre-writing activities, and creative

expression including music, art, woodworking, dramatization, building, role-playing,

and enjoyment of literature all in accordance with the Ohio Department of Education

Early Learning Standards.

A wide variety of learning experiences are provided through resource people,

recorded music, Smart Board activities, live plants, animals to care for , field trips, and

as many concrete materials as possible.

Activities are process oriented rather than product oriented. The way the child

experiences the activity is more important than the finished product at this level of

development.

Physical Development: help children increase their large and small muscle skills, their

perceptual skills, and feel confident about what they can do.

Safety of the child is very important. However, s/he is permitted freedom to explore

and experiment to the extent of his/her ability.

Equipment and materials are selected for the development of large muscles, small

muscles, coordination, and perceptual-motor training, all at the developmental level

of the child.

Active times are followed by quiet games, stories, and finger-plays.

Each day as the children arrive, adequate health checks are made to detect signs of

illness. A child who is ill is isolated until a parent can pick up him/her.

Snacks are nutritious, are part of the daily routine, and are often prepared and served

by the children.

Spiritual Development: help children feel the love of God by the love and care given to

them by the adults they are with every day, learn to love God’s Word by hiding it in their

hearts, learn to discover the wonder of God’s creation by exploring and examining things

around us, learn to live their faith in their everyday lives, and learn to feel a reverence and

respect for God and His Word.

The staff are expected to share God’s love with both the children and their parents.

As the children examine the things God has made, the wonders of God can be

discovered by them. They may experience God at a concrete level, and this is best

done through nature and God’s world around us.

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The teacher will use carefully selected Bible verses to ensure the concepts are

meaningful to the preschool child and that will be learned in a developmentally

appropriate manner (such as singing).

To make God, His Word, and His Son a part of the children’s daily experience.

Learn how to worship God through song and prayer.

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Preschool Program Information and General Procedures

Hours and Days of Operation

The Preschool class is in operation Monday through Friday 8:15AM – 2:30PM for full day

students, and 8:15AM-11:30AM for half day students. The preschool follows Lake Center

Christian School’s yearly calendar with the exception of the start and end dates, but also note

the classroom monthly calendars and communiqués for scheduled days off each month.

Preschool students are invited to enroll three or four days each week, as the parents chose

and places are available.

Staff/Child Ratios and Maximum Group Size

The maximum number of students that can be enrolled in the LCCS Preschool program for

any given year will be 24. The maximum number of students that can attend on any given

day will be 18.

LCCS Preschool will not exceed the following state required ratios during any given school

day:

1:12 3-4 year olds or 3-5 year olds

1:14 4-5 year olds

Daily Schedules

The children’s daily schedule is flexible enough to provide adaptability when necessary, but

structured enough to provide predictability for the children. The routine will be followed,

but not necessarily the times. We want the children to view school as a safe and comforting

place where they know what to expect and when to expect it. A typical preschooler’s day

would include:

8:15-8:30 Hand washing and Independent Exploration/Fine Motor Activities 8:30 -8:50 Morning Prayer and Opening Group Time 8:50-9:50 Independent Exploration 9:50-10:00 Clean-up 10:00-10:15 Group Time- literacy emphasis 10:15-10:45 Large Muscle Activities 10:45-11:00 Snack 11:00- 11:30 Closing Group Time/Dismissal

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For children who remain for the full day the schedule would include:

11:30-11:50 Large Muscle Activities 11:50-12:30 Hand Washing and Lunch 12:30- 1:30 Rest Time 1:30- 2:00 Independent Exploration 2:00-2:15 Clean-Up 2:15-2:30 Closing Group Time/Dismissal Curriculum

The curriculum of LCCS Preschool is based on the principals of Developmentally Appropriate

Practice, which recognizes that children learn by doing. In our classrooms we use the

Emergent Curriculum format in which the children construct their knowledge by engaging

in hands on activities and projects in which they are active participants in their learning

experiences. The teachers facilitate this exploration by providing real elements of the

environment for the children to discover.

Your child will be gaining knowledge in “academic subjects” of reading, writing, math,

science, and social studies as they interact with the objects and people in their environment

and participate in projects. Through these hands-on activities and social interactions,

children will explore, observe, reflect, and problem-solve as they develop new skills. The

following list shows some concepts and examples of how children will be learning these

subjects.

As we explore and learn, we will weave scripture, Bible stories, and Biblical principles

throughout the day. Since our walk with the Lord is not a separate “subject”, but who we are

in Christ, we will model that in how we daily “live” our faith.

Literacy

Vocabulary: listening to stories, retelling stories in dramatic play or art, seeing labeled

objects, shared reading/writing experiences.

Phonemic Awareness, Auditory Discrimination, Auditory Memory: singing a song and

changing the first sound of the words, rhyming games and learning nursery rhymes,

and telling and solving riddles.

Pre-Writing Skills: tracing, writing their name, writing focus words, shared writing,

playing in the writing center that is stocked with paper, envelopes, name cards, word

cards, and many different writing tools.

Visual Discrimination, Visual Memory and Letter and Number Recognition: creating

lists, pointing out signs and symbols, recognizing words in their environment, doing

calendar activities, playing with magnetic letters and numbers, alphabet puzzles.

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Math

Classifying: having the children with red on go to the playground.

Sorting: making a people graph with children who have dogs and those who do not.

Graphing: placing a sticker on a graph to show which kind of apple you prefer, red,

green or yellow, graphing the weather for the week.

Counting: singing counting songs, counting our snack or how many children are here

today, playing counting games.

Addition and Subtraction: singing songs, doing finger-plays, setting the table for

snack.

Shapes and Colors: block building, playing with attribute blocks or magnetic or

wooden shapes, reading books, playing shape and color games, geo boards, creating

art.

Pattern recognition: stringing beads, creating art, calendar activities, manipulatives

for making patterns, block play.

Sequencing: retelling a story using pictures.

Measurement: cooking activities, weighing pumpkins or each other.

Science

Compare and Contrast: adding water to dry sand to see how it changes.

Physical Principles: balancing blocks as the structure grows higher.

Chemical Reactions: mixing cookies and then baking them.

Cause and Effect: building with playdough and then smashing it.

Natural Surroundings: collecting leaves, shells, or other natural materials, raising

caterpillars.

The Five Senses: taking a “listening walk”, finger painting, sensory table experiences.

Tempo and Pitch: dancing or clapping to shifts in tempo or beat, experimenting with

sound and musical instruments.

Social Studies

Cooperation: working on a project together, taking a vote on which song to sing.

Socially acceptable ways to express needs, concerns and fears: playing make-believe,

writing group stories, and journals.

Diversity: Talking about different cultures, discussion of different places around the

world, family photos, and reading stories.

History: constructing a time-line of the child’s life, sharing personal stories and

traditions, building the Mayflower

Programs Available

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LCCS preschool is currently offering a class for 4 and 5 year-old children. The children may

be enrolled for either a half-day experience or an all day experience.

Parents may choose to enroll for 3, 4 or 5 mornings/days a week. Which days and how many

will be chosen by the parents, with input from the director and lead teacher.

General Policies

Enrollment Policy

A child is considered enrolled in our preschool only after the registration form and fee have

been received, the director confirms the availability of space and the required paperwork is

received.

The following forms are needed by the time your child begins school:

1. Child Application Form

2. Copy of Child’s Birth Certificate

3. Confidential Information Form

4. Emergency Medical Form

5. Medical Statement w/ immunizations (Signed by a physician. This form is

required for admission and must be updated every 13 months.)

6. Transportation Form

7. Routine Field Trip Permission

8. Photograph Consent Form

9. Release Form (a listing of people other than the parents who have permission

to pick up the child from preschool.)

Important: Any time there is a change to this information, it must be

communicated to the office immediately so that current information is always

on file. This insures the security of your child.

Arrival and Departure Procedures

The preschool day begins at 8:15. Our door will remain closed until 8:00. At that time we

will open the door so that your child can enter the classroom. You will need to walk your

child to classroom, since the car drop-off line is not available to the preschool children

and older siblings may not be the sole drop-off person for a preschool child. While you

wait for the door to open, or upon your arrival if the door is open, your child should use

the restroom and wash his/her hands, then sign in on the door. Please do not leave your

child unattended while waiting for the door to open, or leave your child until a teacher

has acknowledged your child’s arrival.

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Door #4 is unlocked from 7:45am - 8:00am. If you arrive after that time you will need to

enter through door #1.

Half day children are dismissed at 11:30am. Full day students are dismissed at 2:30.

When returning to pick up your child, you will again need to enter the building and come

to the preschool room. Door #1 will be the only door open at those times. The teacher

will excuse the children to leave one at a time to assure a safe dismissal. Preschool

children may not be released to an older sibling, and only to those designated by you in

writing if someone other than you will be picking up your child.

Attendance and Absence

Your child has been enrolled for a specified set of days each week (for example: M,W, F

or T, Th, F). Your child may only attend on those days, and you may not have your child

attend another day of the week if he/she has missed one of his/her regularly scheduled

days. The only exceptions to this would be for special events, such as party days, or school

picture days, and then a parent will be asked to remain at school with the child. Holidays

and snow days are not made up.

If your child is going to be absent, please call the LCCS Attendance Hotline (330-587-

0200) by 8:00am.

Weather and Emergency Closings

When there is a need to close LCCS in response to inclement weather, or another

emergency, notification can be obtained in several ways. WCRF (103.3 FM) and WHBC

(1489AM) will provide that information on the radio, along with the local Cleveland

television stations. The LCCS website will post the closing notifications, and there will

also be an automated telephone call from the LCCS superintendent informing you of

closings. Also, if the Lake Local School District is closed due to weather concerns, LCCS is

also closed.

Occasionally, instead of a school closing, schools may call for a delay to the start time,

such as a two hour delay. If a delay is called, there will be no half day preschool. The

families of the children who attend full day can decide for themselves if they would like

to have their children attend the portion of the day that remains after the delay.

Large Motor Play

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LCCS has an outdoor playground, and there will be times when the preschool children are

given time to enjoy it. They will, however, only use the playground when there are no

elementary or older children using it. There are also many grassy places to play outside, as

well as indoor space the preschool may use, but the preschool children will only occupy those

spaces when there are no elementary or older children using them.

Water Play

There will be times when water play is available to the children. The children will be

required to wash their hands with warm water and soap before and after using the water

table. The water in the water table will be emptied and refilled daily, and the table

disinfected.

Field Trips

Due to seat belt and car seat laws for children under forty pounds, we will not take field trips

where transportation is provided by LCCS or parents other than the child’s own. When the

opportunity for a field trip arises, the parents will transport their own children to the field

trip site, remain with them, and take them home as well. Before any child participates in a

field trip, the preschool will obtain written permission from the parent or guardian. All

details of a field trip would be explained to the parents prior to the trip.

Snacks

A snack is served to the preschool children in attendance each day, and is part of the

routine learning experiences. Please inform us if your child has any food allergies.

Each snack will contain at least 1 food from two of the four basic food groups

(fruits/vegetables, breads/grains, milk, and protein/meat). Only full strength (100%)

fruit juice will meet the fruit/vegetable requirement.

While the lead teacher will be responsible for planning the monthly snack calendar,

parents will have the opportunity to sign up to provide the necessary items.

Lunch

Children who are enrolled in the all day program will be served a hot lunch in the

preschool room. Lunch may also be brought from home.

The cost of lunch is $3.15 (all lunches include milk)

Milk only may be purchased for $.50

The menu is posted monthly on RenWeb. Paper copies are also available at the

Central and Elementary offices.

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Parents may volunteer to help serve lunch by making arrangements with the

preschool teachers.

Parents are to maintain a positive balance in each student’s lunch account. Checks or

cash should be given to the cashier or sent to the business office. Reminders will be

sent home when a student’s balance is low.

Rest/Nap Times

For preschool children who will be attending the full day program, a rest/nap time

will be scheduled every afternoon. Each child will have a rest mat that will be labeled

with the child’s name. A small blanket, small pillow, or small “cuddly” may be brought

from home to be used only during rest/nap. During the rest of the day those items

will be stored in the child’s backpack. Blankets should be taken home and laundered

weekly.

The rest/nap time will be scheduled for an hour. Of course, not all children will sleep,

but their bodies will benefit from lying quietly and listening to the soothing music

that will be softly played during that time. Children who do sleep will be allowed to

sleep for up to an hour and a half.

Parent Involvement

Calendars

You will receive a calendar of the year’s schedule. From this you will know when

classes are scheduled and when breaks, conference days, or Professional

Development days are scheduled. If there are any unforeseen changes, you will be

notified by notes, emails, or postings outside the preschool room.

Newsletters

Each month you will receive a newsletter that will give you specific information

regarding that month’s activities and news. Weekly Recaps are also provided.

Volunteering

Parent volunteers are a valuable resource to our preschool. Look for sign -up sheets

to read to the class, write dictated journal entries, help with special activities, and so

forth. LCCS also has an active PTF group.

Conferences and Evaluations

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Teachers will hold parent conferences twice a year, in the fall and again in the spring.

Teachers will be assessing your child formally and informally. You are also invited to

schedule a conference any time you have something you would like to discuss.

Parents, of course are always welcome to visit our class.

Helpful Information

What to Bring

A small backpack to bring home your child’s work, as well as keep “home

items” (Please label the backpack) this bag is hung on the hook that is

designated as your child’s for the year. When you purchase your child’s

backpack, please avoid the ones with violent, scary pictures.

A change of clothing to be kept in your child’s backpack (please label all items)

A 5x7 family picture

Children who will be staying for the afternoon may bring a small blanket, small

pillow and/or “cuddly” for nap that will be kept in the child’s backpack.(please

label all items) The blanket should be laundered weekly.

What Not to Bring

Toys from home. Toys from home are easily lost or broken, and are not always shared

willingly. Our preschool has plenty for your child to do. Please do not allow your

child to bring toys from home. (Some children do have difficulty separating from

parents. In those cases alone, the child may be allowed to have a “cuddly” in his bag.

He may not bring it into the classroom, however.)

What to Wear to School

Think of your child’s comfort. Your child should wear simple, washable, comfortable

play clothes that are free of complicated fasteners and extra decoration, and that also

follow LCCS dress code guide lines. (A copy of the dress code is available from the

teacher). We are here to play and work. If a child is worried about ruining her

clothing, play is inhibited and so learning will be. Some families buy used clothing for

preschool so paint or other spills are not a worry. Note: Your child will get dirty at

preschool!!!

Be sure too, that the fasteners are easily worked by your child. Independence,

especially in the bathroom, is very important for the child.

Your child should also wear comfortable, safe shoes to school. High heels, slippery

soles, flip flops, etc maybe stylish, but they are not safe to play in. Expensive shoes are

an unwise choice because your child will get dirty at preschool!

Birthdays

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Birthdays are a highlight of a preschooler’s year! We are glad to help your child celebrate

their big day at school. We can celebrate on the day itself, or on a school day closest to it. If

your child has a summer birthday, you may choose to celebrate a half-birthday, or a random

day, just for fun. You may provide a special snack for that day, but please let the teachers

know ahead of time. No one is obligated to bring a birthday treat, however.

Home Happenings

Anytime there is anything at home that affects your child emotionally (such as a death in the

family, a hurt pet, a fire, etc), please let your child’s teacher know so that we can be sensitive

to your child’s needs. Confidential information will be respected.

Parking

Some of the parents in our preschool will also have children enrolled in elementary classes,

or even Jr. High or high school. In those cases, please drop your older children at their

assigned door to the building while following the designated traffic flow before you bring

your preschooler to school. After dropping off the older siblings, you may then park your car

in the parking lot closest to the elementary doors (door #4) and walk your child into the

building. Those doors will be locked after 8:00. If you arrive after 8:00, you will need to use

Door #1. The starting and ending times of the preschool are staggered with those of the

other LCCS classes to accommodate the car lines and to avoid preschool children being in the

hall during peak traffic times.

Of course, if you do not have older children to drop off, you may park upon your arrival and

enter the building from either door #1 or #4.

At the end of the school day, whether you have older siblings to pick up or not, park your car

and enter the same doors as the morning drop off, and walk into the building to pick up your

preschooler. If you have older children to pick up, you may then join one of the car lines to

pick up the older children.

As you and your preschool child cross the parking lots, please walk in the striped crosswalks

and hold your child’s hand. Remember, preschoolers are small and may not be seen by

drivers.

If you have a younger child with you in the car, please do not leave that child unattended in

the car while you come in with or for your preschooler.

Communicating With the Teacher

We value communication with you! Simple questions can be answered at drop off and pick

up times. Please check the new LCCS App (lccsmobile.com) for classroom/school updates. If

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there is a matter that requires more than a quick response, please feel free to send an email

through RenWeb, or call to make an appointment for a conference (330-877-2049).

Tuition

Yearly tuition fees are set according to the number of days a child is in attendance weekly:

For Half - Day Session

3 Days/week=$284/month=$2840/year

4 Days/week=$356/month=$3560/year

For Full Day Session

5 Days/ week=$569/month=$5690/year

Other attendance options and fees may be discussed with the teacher and business office.

PAYMENT SCHEDULE: Payments are made over ten months. The first payment is due August 15th and the last

payment is due by May 15th. Families who would like tuition payments automatically deducted from their bank

account each month should contact the Business Manager.

The first month's tuition plus any unpaid fees must be received by August 15th in order for your child to begin the

school year.

If your monthly tuition payments become 90 days overdue, Lake Center Christian School has the option to remove

your child from school.

If your tuition and next year's re-enrollment fee are not paid in full by June 15th, your child is not eligible for admission

in the coming school year.

LCCS must be notified by July 15th if your child is not returning next school year. You will owe the 1st quarter's tuition

for students withdrawn after July 15th, unless you have notified the Business Office of any extenuating circumstances.

Guidance/Discipline

Our preschool staff believes that helping a child learn self-control is very important. That is

what “training up” our children all is about. Our hope is that each child will learn self-

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discipline through careful guidance, which not only includes a guidance plan, but also strives

to avoid problems by careful planning of the environment and the activities. Your child will

be treated with love and respect. If children are treated with respect, they in turn learn to

respect others. Our expectations will be kept within the child’s capabilities and stage of

development, and the child will be made aware of these expectations.

The philosophy of our preschool is to meet each child’s needs as evidenced by his or her

behavior, to use natural consequences whenever appropriate, and to put the responsibility

for appropriate behavior in the child’s hands. Expectations are made clear to the child

through direct teacher guidance and modeling. We only have two basic rules in our

preschool: we respect and take care of each other and we take care of the materials in our

room. The entire approach to guidance is positive (what to do), not negative (what not to

do). A child may be asked to sit for a short period of time (1 minute per year of age) so as to

give the child time to regain control if he is having a difficult time.

If a situation arises where a child is consistently endangering him or herself, peers, or staff,

it may become necessary to un-enroll the child. Every attempt will be made to work together

with the parents and the child to correct the behavior. However, the safety of all the children

is always our primary concern. The teachers and the director would be in communication

with the parents prior to this occurring.

If the child demonstrates behavior that requires frequent “extra attention” from the staff, we

may choose to develop and implement a behavior management plan. This would be

developed in consultation with the parents.

Specific methods of discipline include the following:

To encourage appropriate behavior, the teacher will:

1. Understand the developmental needs of the preschool child.

2. Create an environment that avoids problems by its very design (keeping toys and

equipment within easy reach, placing only developmentally appropriate items that

may be handled in the room, putting centers that tend to be noisier together while

grouping quieter centers together, creating a floor plan than encourages walking

rather than running, etc.)

3. Communicate to the child the behavior expectations.

4. Reinforce appropriate behavior through verbal and/or nonverbal communication (

a smile, a wink, a pat, “good job”, or “thank you for picking up the blocks”)

5. Redirect the child to another area.

6. Model the behavior desired.

7. Allow the natural consequences of a child’s actions to make him or her feel

uncomfortable or pleased.

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8. Anticipate and communicate any special expectations for an out-of –the –ordinary

experience before it takes place.

To correct inappropriate behavior, the teacher will:

1. Think first about the child’s developmental needs: Why is this happening? Is the child

tired, hungry, sick, upset, etc?

2. Communicate with the child. “I see that you are angry. What can we do about that?”

The teacher does not ask the child why he/she did it. She helps him/her verbalize

what has happened, how he/she feels, and what he/she can do to solve the problem.

3. Utilize natural or logical consequences whenever possible. “Blocks are for building”

could be the first reminder to a child misusing that material. If the inappropriate

behavior continues, the child could be told,” Blocks are for building. Since you are not

building, you may join me using the play dough.” The child is given a constructive

solution to the problem and told what he/she may do rather than what he/she may

not do.

4. Take immediate action if a child is being hurt. Stop the behavior by moving quickly to

the child, remove, physically if necessary, the child who is hurting the other, and offer

comfort to the one who is hurt. The teacher remains calm and speaks quietly to the

hurt child. At no time is an apology forced. The teacher may ask the offending child

how he/she can make this right, or ask him/her to ask for forgiveness if he/she feels

that should be done. This makes the decision to do right the child’s and also suggests

appropriate behavior. Later, the teacher will talk alone with the offending child to

reinforce what is expected and why.

5. Usually no further problem will occur. However, if the same child continues in an

inappropriate behavior after teacher intervention, that child would be removed from

the area.

6. Under no circumstances is physical punishment or humiliation used in our preschool.

7. A child will never be physically restrained, other than holding for a short period of

time as he/she regains control.

8. A child will never be isolated in an enclosed or locked area. If separation, such as time

out is required, the child will always be attended by an adult within sight and hearing

of other staff members.

9. The teacher may also pray with and/or for the child about the situation to restore

peaceful relationships.

There are forms of discipline that the LCCS Preschool will never employ, and guidelines set

up by the Ohio Department of Education that the preschool will follow. They include:

1. There will be no cruel, harsh, or corporal punishment or any unusual punishments

such as, but not limited to, punching, pinching, shaking, spanking, or biting.

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2. No discipline shall be delegated to another child.

3. No physical restraints shall be used to confine a child by any means other than holding

a child for a short period of time, such as in a protective hug, so the child may regain

control.

4. No child shall be placed in a locked room or confined in an enclosed area such as a

closet, a box, or a smaller cubicle.

5. No child shall be subjected to profane language, derogatory remarks about himself or

his family, or other verbal abuse.

6. Discipline shall not be imposed on a child for failure to eat, failure to sleep, or toileting

accidents.

7. Techniques for discipline shall not humiliate, shame, or frighten a child.

8. Discipline shall not include the withholding of food, rest, or toilet use.

9. Separation, when used as discipline, shall be brief in duration and appropriate to the

child’s age and developmental ability, and the child shall be within the sight and

hearing of a preschool staff member in a safe, lighted, and well-ventilated space.

10. The preschool teachers will not abuse or neglect children and shall protect them from

abuse and neglect while in attendance.

Health and Safety Practices and Policies

In the Case of General Emergency (Defined as any threat to the safety of children due to environmental situations or threats of violence, natural disasters and loss of power, heat or water)

LCCS has devised several procedures to follow in the event than an emergency should

occur while a child is in the Preschool’s care. In the event of a fire or tornado, staff will

follow the written instructions posted in the classroom describing emergency evacuation

routes and procedures to be followed to assure that the children have arrived at the

designated spot. In order to prepare the children for the unlikely need to evacuate, LCCS

conducts monthly fire drills, and periodic tornado drills.

Safety Drill procedures are defined in the school Crisis Management Plan which is

modeled after the National Incident Management System (NIMS). A Safety Drill is

practiced twice a year. All classes are instructed to go into lock-down according to the

Crisis Management Plan.

In Case of Serious Incident, Injury, or Illness (Defined as any situation occurring while a child is in the care of LCCS Preschool that requires emergency medical treatment or professional consultation or transportation for emergency treatment.)

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In the case of illness, the child is taken to the nurse’s office, where the nurse will call the

parents and remain with the child until the parents arrive.

If the child requires the services of a physician or hospital, and the parents cannot be

reached, the child will be transported by EMS to the physician or hospital. The child’s

records, including medical records, must be transported with the child. One staff member

will remain with the injured/ill child until the parent or EMS arrives.

An incident report will be completed for any accident or injury. The parent will receive

a copy, and a copy will be kept in the child’s file. The following would require the

completion of an incident/injury report:

Illness the requires First Aid Treatment

Accident involving an injury which requires First Aid Treatment

Bump or Blow to the head

Emergency Transporting

Unusual or unexpected event which jeopardized the safety of children or staff

A fire alert plan with written instructions and a diagram indicating evacuation routes are

posted in each area that the children use.

A weather alert plan with written instruction and a diagram indicating “safe” locations are

posted in each area that the children use.

Management of Communicable Disease

LCCS Preschool provides children with a clean and healthy environment. However, we

realize that children do become ill from time to time. If this is your child’s first group

experience, it is possible that he/she may have more frequent illnesses as his/her immune

system becomes more active. We observe all children as they enter the program to quickly

assess their general health. Please do not bring a sick child to preschool. He/she will be

sent home!

Children should remain at home (or will be sent home) with:

Temperature- of 100 degrees or higher (underarm temperature of 99.4 or higher)

in the past 24 hours.

Conjunctivitis “Pink Eye”-redness of the eye and/or lids, usually with secretion of

yellowish discharge and crusting.

Diarrhea-more than two abnormally loose stools within a 24 hour period.

Severe Coughing-causing the child to become red in the face or to make a whooping

sound.

Difficult or Rapid Breathing

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Yellowish Skin or Eyes

Vomiting-within 24 hours

Untreated skin patches, unusual spots or rashes

Stiff neck with and elevated temperature

Head Lice-live contagious insects or their nits that infest hair. Children will not be

readmitted without being free of lice and nits for 24 hours

Sore Throat or Difficulty swallowing

Some unknown illness -without obvious symptoms other than unusual paleness,

irritability, tiredness, or lack of interest.

Any Contagious Disease- including Measles, Chicken Pox, Mumps, Roseola, Strep

Throat until the child has been diagnosed, treated and cleared to return to school by

a physician.

Children may return to school when:

There has been no recurrence of fever for 24 hours.

Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea has subsided for 24 hours.

The child who has been diagnosed with an infectious disease has received the

recommended doses of an antibiotic for a 24 hour period.

The child is eating, sleeping and playing normally.

Children may be brought to school if they have a mild cold or allergy, or an allergic rash, and

can cope successfully while at school.

Any child who begins demonstrating signs of illness while at school will be taken to the

nurse’s office and carefully observed. The parents will be notified. If the child does not feel

well enough to participate in the preschool’s activities, the parents will be called to pick up

the child. The cot and any linen used will be washed and disinfected before being used again.

Children’s exclusion or re-admission to preschool is subject to review by the child’s teacher,

the director, or the school nurse.

If your child has a chronic illness or disability, please discuss a plan for reasonable

admission/exclusion criteria with the director.

Staff members with any signs of communicable disease will follow the same procedure for

isolating themselves from the children and will remain away from the center as

recommended by their physician.

Generally, it is our policy that the preschool teacher does not give medication to children.

Because there is a nurse on site at all times, there may be situations when medication would

be administered by the nurse while a child is at school. That would be considered on a case

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by case basis, and appropriate medication request forms have been completed. One

exception to the general policy would be in the situation where a child’s allergies are such

that an epi-pen is required to be available at all times. A teacher would be permitted to

administer such a medication with proper medical/medication request forms on file and

training for the teacher. Any medications would need to be in the original container, and will

be stored in a place inaccessible to children. Whether the medication is an over the counter

treatment or a prescription, it will be administered in accordance with label instructions.

Over the counter medications will not be administered more than three days without

instructions from the child’s physician.

Children, parents, and teachers are expected to wash their hands with soap and water upon

arrival, after using the bathroom, after nose blowing, before preparing or eating snack (or

lunch), and after handling class pets.

Tables are washed (with warm, soapy water) and disinfected (with a bleach solution) before

and after the children are served snack or eat lunch. Toys and other materials in the

classroom are washed and disinfected on a regular basis. The bathroom will be cleaned and

disinfected daily

By helping us to observe good health standards, you will be protecting your child,

other children, and your child’s teachers. Thank you for your cooperation.

Safety

The following guidelines are followed in order to insure the safety of each child enrolled in

LCCS Preschool:

1. No child will ever be left alone or unattended.

2. Children are brought into the classroom by the parent (or parent’s representative

such as a care-giver or grandparent) and greeted by the teacher, who then assumes

responsibility for the child. At departure, the parent (or parent’s representative)

meets the child and the teacher at the door of the classroom where responsibility for

the child is then the parent’s again. The child will be released only to person(s)

authorized in writing by the parent. Note: Please leave your child only with one of

his/her teachers.

3. As well as office telephones, there is a phone located in the classroom for any

emergency calls.

4. A monthly fire drill is held at varying times and the children are instructed about the

proper evacuation process.

5. The school nurse is available across the hall at all times.

6. The director and each employee of the preschool are required to report any suspicion

of child abuse or child neglect to Stark County Children’s Protective Services.

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7. The use of spray aerosols is prohibited in the classroom when children are in

attendance.

Policy on Child Abuse and Neglect

Any staff member suspecting abuse or neglect of a child is required to make a report

to the proper authorities. Ohio has a mandatory reporting statute, and child care staff

are included as mandated reporters. In Ohio, failure to report suspected abuse or

neglect may be an offense punishable by fine or imprisonment.

It is a state law that at least one person in the building be trained to recognize the

signs of abuse and neglect. It is our policy that both the lead teacher and assistant be

trained.

Custody Cases

If there are custody issues involved with your child, you must provide the preschool

with court papers indicating who has permission to pick up the child. LCCS Preschool

may not deny parent access to their child without proper documentation.

Negotiating Difficulties and Resolution of Grievances

If at any time you have a concern about something in your child’s preschool experience,

please talk with your child’s teacher. She works daily with your child and can best address

your concerns. If, however, you feel dissatisfied with the results of that discussion, you may

schedule an appointment with the director or the elementary principal, who will help

mediate any difficulties. Depending on the situation, a conference may be scheduled to

include all concerned parties as well as the principal. Please communicate your concerns

with us because we cannot address the concern we do not know about.

If there is a grievance that has not been resolved, there is a procedure in place for the

resolution of grievances.

The purpose of this procedure is to provide a framework for the settling of

misunderstandings or complaints that involve members of the school community. It is urged

that an honest attempt be made to settle the misunderstanding and complaints between the

persons before involving the administration or Board. This is in accordance with Colossians

3:13 “Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievance you may have against each other.

It also incorporates the principles of Matthew 18:15-17.

1. Presenting Grievances

A. It is the intention of these procedures to secure, at the lowest possible

administrative level, and in the shortest time, equitable solutions to the grievance.

This means that whenever a parent has a complaint against a member of the

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faculty or staff he/she should first attempt to settle the complaint personally with

the employee involved.

B. If the above fails to resolve the matter, the complainant may bring the matter to

the administrator (the preschool director, elementary principal, or

superintendent) for resolution.

C. If the matter is not resolved by the administrator at the administrative level, it

shall be brought before the Board for final disposition.

D. Complaints or concerns from patrons, parents, or other members of the school

community who wish to address the Board should first be brought to the attention

of the superintendent, not to individual members of the board. The

superintendent shall bring the request to the Board. The Board will set a time for

the complainant to address the Board.

E. Any grievance not directly involving an employee shall be brought to the attention

of the superintendent. If necessary the superintendent shall bring it to the Board.

2. Appeal of Complaint

The complainant may appeal an administrative decision to the Board through the

Chairman of the Board, but only after following the above procedures and making

necessary arrangements.

3. Other Stipulations

Recognizing that grievance resolution requires adequate time, and the time required

for resolution may well increase at each level, the following time periods are

considered reasonable at each level:

Initial Complaint-30 Days

Complaint Brought to Administrator- 45 Days

Complaint Brought to the Board- 60 Days

Lake Center Christian School

Verification of Preschool Handbook Awareness

Please sign and return by Friday, September 16th.

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We ask that at least one parent take time to review the Preschool Parent Handbook to become

familiar with our program’s policies and procedures. Once you have reviewed the handbook,

please sign and return this form to the classroom.

Thank you.

Student

Name_________________________________________________________DOB__________

By signing below, you are indicating that you have read, understand and agree to abide by the

guidelines and procedures as stated in the Preschool Handbook.

Parent

Name____________________________________________________________Date________________________

Parent

Signature_________________________________________________________Date________________________

Parent

Name____________________________________________________________Date________________________

Parent

Signature_________________________________________________________Date________________________