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PARENT HANDBOOK

2016-2017 56 Whitlock Avenue

Marietta, GA 30064

770-429-7800

www.weekdayministry.com

www.mariettafumc.org

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from the Director 3 Mission Statement 3 Vision Statement 3 Accreditation 4 Goals 4 Confidentiality 4 Staff and Teacher Contacts 4 Our Program 4 2016-2017 Calendar 4 Classes Offered for 2016-2017 5 General Policies of Weekday Ministry Entrance Requirements 5 Notice of Non-Discriminatory Policy 5 Immunization Policy 5 Physician Statement 6 Toilet Training Policies 6 Staff Qualifications 7 Parent Volunteers 7 Playground 7 Curriculum 7 Lil’ Lambs Closet 8 Financial Policies 8 Tuition Payments 8 Methods of Payment 8 Past Due Accounts 8 Tuition Deductions/Refunds 9 Withdrawal 9 Pre-Registration Policy Concerning Past Due Accounts 9 Health and Safety Policies and Guidelines 9 Notification of the School by Parents 9 Temporary Exclusion Conditions 9 Special Circumstances for Exclusion 9 Reportable Illnesses for Parents/Guardians 10 Medication 10 Immunizations 10 Allergies 10 Child Abuse/Neglect 11 No Weapons Policy 11 Behavior Management Guidelines 11 Behavior Intervention Plan 11 Dismissal 11 Biting Policy 11 Bullying Policy 12 Child Custody 13 Special Needs Policy 13 Inclement Weather 13 Security 13 Accidents at School 13 Social Networking Policy 13 Car Seats and Safety Restraints 14 Cell Phones 14 Daily Policies and Procedures 14 School Hours 14 Arrival and Dismissal – Carpool and Walk-ins 14 Attendance 15 Diapering Guidelines 15 Clothing 15 Things not to bring 15 Snacks 15

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Conferences 16 Messages 16 Parent’s Observations of Classrooms 16 Special Days 17 Party Guidelines 17 Things to Bring 17 Pets 17 Plants 17 Lunch Bunch 17 Chapel & Spiritual Development 18 Toddlers and Twos Nursery Program 18 Three Year Preschool Program 18 Four Year Preschool Program 18 Kindergarten 19 Assessment Policy 19 Office Staff Contact Information 20 Carpool Diagram 21 Facility Map- Discipleship Center 22 Facility Map- Family Life Center/Sanctuary 23

A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR Welcome to our Weekday Ministry family at Marietta First United Methodist Church! We are thrilled that you are here and that you are sharing your most precious gift with us. The purpose of our ministry is to provide each child with opportunities to love learning while experiencing the unconditional love of Jesus. We will provide experiences that stimulate physical, emotional, social and cognitive development. Our goal is to make learning fun and make your child want to come to school every day. We believe that children learn best when they are active participants. Our teachers are very skilled at implementing and planning lessons that support this belief. I encourage you to take the time to read our e-mails, newsletters, recognize your child’s accomplishments when they bring home work and be active listeners to hear about their day. Please remember that we celebrate the process of learning in preschool more than the finished product. Weekday Ministry includes the Nursery School, the Preschool and Kindergarten. The Weekday Ministry Board of Marietta First United Methodist Church administers the policies of our school. Please refer to this handbook for calendar, policy and procedure issues. In effort to be good stewards, our handbook is not printed for each family, but it is posted on our website, www.weekdayministry.com. Print copies may be requested from the Weekday Office. I encourage you to become involved with our Parent Action Committee (PAC). Forms will be available when you visit the classroom or in the Weekday office. Please call me if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to working with each of you and watching these precious children grow.

NancyTatnall@mariettafumc.org; 770-429-7800 ext. 7842

Mission Statement

We believe that every child should experience the unconditional love of Jesus Christ through our actions and words.

We believe that every child should be provided with age appropriate learning experiences so that they may develop to their fullest potential

physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

We believe that our church, our weekday program and our parents should work as a team to enable each child to develop his/her fullest potential.

First United Methodist Weekday Ministry Vision Statement

First United Methodist Weekday Ministry provides each child with opportunities to love learning while experiencing the unconditional love of Jesus. We provide experiences that stimulate physical, emotional, social, cognitive, and spiritual development through directed play and active participation.

We encourage children and their families to truly enjoy their experiences here.

Accreditation Weekday Ministry is a School of Excellence in the North Georgia Preschool Association. Weekday Ministry is accredited by the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools (SACS), a global accreditation system committed to advancing excellence in education. These accreditations engage the entire school community in a continuous process of self-evaluation, reflection, and improvement. Accreditation standards promote quality assurance with both internal and external reviews. Weekday Ministry was re-certified as a School of Excellence in February 2014. Weekday was re-accreditated by SACS/AdvancEd in June 2015.

5 Year Long Term Goals

1. To continue to grow, evaluate and make uniform our curriculum from toddlers-fours.

2. Develop a long-term facilities maintenance plan for paint, replacement of fixtures, furniture, etc. for 60th anniversary

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3. Feasibility of an outdoor classroom space or garden boxes for exploration of nature.

4. Re-accredit in 2019-2020

CONFIDENTIALITY Weekday Ministry and its staff are prohibited from disclosing confidential information regarding any student except as may be required for the health, safety, and welfare of the student or any other students, as determined and directed by the Director. STAFF AND TEACHER CONTACTS Periodic conferences with your child’s teacher are established by the Director and are detailed in this handbook for the applicable age group. If you would like to contact your child’s teacher, please make your request through the Weekday office and our staff will communicate your request to your child’s teacher. Some teachers may provide other contact information at the start of school. Please understand that teachers cannot conduct individual conferences during morning drop-off, carpool or pick-up times. Parents are always encouraged to communicate with the Director or with the Weekday Board. OUR PROGRAM Weekday Ministry was established in 1959 and is an outreach of the First United Methodist Church of Marietta. Its policies regarding admissions, personnel, budget, curriculum, and finances are established by a Board of Directors comprised of lay leaders who are members of the church, church ministers, and Weekday staff. Our current board chair is Rob Teilhet. The daily administration of the Weekday Program is delegated to the Director who is responsible for implementing school policies to ensure a safe and positive learning environment for our children.

Weekday Ministry 2016-2017 School Year Calendar Dates and activities are subject to change

August 15 Open House/Parent Orientation 6:30 p.m., Reception Hall August 16 Meet & Greet/PAC Playdate 9:00 a.m. August 18/19 First Day of Classes August 29 Lunch Bunch Session 1 Begins August 30/31 Weekday Welcome for New Families, 9:15 a.m. in Reception Hall September 1 October Tuition Due September 5 NO SCHOOL Labor Day September 8-10 Little Lambs Consignment Sale September 13 EARLY RELEASE DAY Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch September 15 Spaghetti Supper Family Night September 26-30 NO SCHOOL Fall Break Cobb/Marietta October 1 November tuition is due October 3 Phone Conference Week October 10 Class Picture Week; Speech & Language Screenings October 12 EARLY RELEASE DAY Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch October 12/13 Toddler Phone Conferences October 18 Project 20/20 Vision Screening October 23 Tailgate Treats October 27, 28, 31 Harvest Parties November 1 December tuition is due November 6 Daylight Saving Time Ends November 8 NO SCHOOL Election Day November 11 Early Release Day Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch November 14-18 Scholastic Holiday Book Fair; Feast Days November 21-25 NO SCHOOL Thanksgiving Holidays December 1 January tuition is due December 12 Christmas Chapel 3’s December 16 Last Day of Lunch Bunch Session; Christmas Chapel 4’s/K December 19 EARLY RELEASE DAY Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch December 20 EARLY RELEASE DAY Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch; Last Day of First Semester December 21–January 4 NO SCHOOL Christmas Holidays January 1 February tuition is due January 5 Classes resume January 9 Lunch Bunch Session 2 begins January 16 NO SCHOOL MLK Jr. Day January 17 Preregistration for 2017-2018 begins January 23 Conference Week Threes, Kindergarten January 30 Conference Week Twos, Fours

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February 1 March tuition is due February 1 Preregistration for 2017-2018 ends February 2 Church Member New Registration February 3 Open Registration for 2015-2016 February 7 EARLY RELEASE DAY Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch February 20-24 NO SCHOOL Winter Break March 1 April tuition is due March 9-11 Lil’ Lambs Consignment Sale March 15 EARLY RELEASE DAY Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch March 12 Daylight Saving Time Begins March 24 Art From the Heart at the Whitlock Inn March 28 Individual Picture Week April 1 May tuition is due April 3-7 NO SCHOOL Spring Break April 14 NO SCHOOL Good Friday April 20 Early Release Day Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch April 24 Threes Spring Sing, Scholastic Book Fair April 27 Fours/Kindergarten Songs & Sundaes, Scholastic Book Fair May 1 September 2016 tuition is due May 12 Last Lunch Bunch Session 2 May 16-17 EARLY RELEASE DAYS Kindergarten; No Lunch Bunch May 17 Last day of school CLASSES OFFERED IN 2016-2017 CLASS #Days Registration/Monthly Tuition Toddler (T/Th or W/F) 2 $165 2 Year (T/Th) 2 $175 2 Year (M/T/Th or M/W/F) 3 $205 2 Year (M/T/Th/F) 4 $235 3 Year (M/T/Th or M/W/F) 3 $215 3 Year (M/T/Th/F) 4 $240 3 Year (M-F) 5 $270 4 Year (T-F) 4 $245 4 Year (M-F) 5 $275 Kindergarten (M-F) (9-1) 5 $355 + $125 technology & curriculum fee A discount is offered for paying the year in advance. Please call the office for more information!

General Policies of FUMC Weekday Ministry ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS Toddler Classes: Students are 1 year old on or before September 1, 2016 2-4 Year Classes: Students must have attained class age on or before September 1, 2016. Kindergarten: Students may be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2016, or have completed a Pre-Kindergarten class. Weekday reserves the right to deny admission or make exceptions in certain circumstances. NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATORY POLICY Marietta First United Methodist Church Weekday Ministry admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, national or ethnic origin in admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

IMMUNIZATION POLICY

All children attending Weekday Ministry Preschool and Kindergarten are required to provide a current Georgia 3231 Immunization form at the start of the school year. As the form expires, parents/guardians are required to renew forms and provide them to the school. Forms which are complete, which indicates immunizations are complete, do not require renewal. Children enrolled in Kindergarten should also provide the school with a Georgia 3300 form for vision, hearing and dental. Failure to provide the certificate in a timely manner may result in withdrawal of a child from the program. If a child is on an alternate immunization schedule, or is not fully immunized, the parent/guardian must provide a notarized affidavit of

religious exemption to immunization. In the event of an outbreak of any disease covered by vaccinations, children may be required to be vaccinated

or to be excluded from the school until the outbreak or epidemic has concluded.

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Influenza Immunizations for Children

Weekday Ministry recommends the parent/guardian of each child six months of age and older should provide written documentation of current

annual vaccination against influenza unless there is a medical contraindication or philosophical or religious objection. Ideally people should be

vaccinated before the start of the influenza season (as early as August or September) and immunization should continue through March or April.

Unimmunized Children

If immunizations have not been or are not to be administered because of a medical condition (contraindication), a statement from the child’s primary

care provider documenting the reason why the child is temporarily or permanently medically exempt from the immunization requirements should be

on file. If immunizations are not to be administered because of the parents/guardians’ religious or philosophical beliefs, a legal exemption with

notarization, waiver or other state-specific required documentation signed by the parent/guardian should be on file.

The parent/guardian of a child who has not received the age-appropriate immunizations prior to enrollment and who does not have

documented medical, religious, or philosophical exemptions from routine childhood immunizations should provide documentation of a scheduled

appointment or arrangement to receive immunizations. This could be a scheduled appointment with the primary care provider or an upcoming

immunization clinic sponsored by a local health department or health care organization.

If a vaccine-preventable disease to which children are susceptible occurs in the school or in its feeder schools where siblings of Weekday

students attend, and potentially exposes the unimmunized children who are susceptible to that disease, Weekday Ministry will determine whether

these children should be excluded for the duration of possible exposure or until the appropriate immunizations have been completed.

PHYSICIAN STATEMENT A Weekday Ministry Physician Statement, completed and signed by your child’s pediatrician, is required by our insurance company. This form is available in the Weekday Office, or on our website, www.weekdayministry.com.

TOILET TRAINING REQUIRED FOR THREE-YEAR CLASSES Students must be toilet-trained by the beginning of the school year. It is the policy of MFUMC Weekday Ministry that all students attending the three year old program must be fully toilet trained at the beginning of the school year. Each child should be wearing underwear, not pull-ups or diapers at school. Each class takes restroom breaks during the day as well as having easy access to the bathroom located in each room as needed. For purpose of clarification, Weekday Ministry defines fully toilet trained as follows—the child is capable of performing all toilet related functions independent of assistance from an adult: He or she recognizes the need to go to the restroom. He or she enters the restroom on his or her own. He or she manages hygiene independently (wiping). He or she manipulates his or her clothing off and on with little or no assistance. He or she washes hands and rejoins class. All children in three year classes should bring a full change of seasonally appropriate clothes including underwear, socks, tops and bottoms to leave at school in the event of a toilet accident or other spill. Following a short period of adjustment at the beginning of each school year, it is the school’s expectation that every child in Three Year and Four Year classes will be completely toilet-trained. While periodic accidents may occur, children who consistently soil themselves will be subject to the following protocol: On the first incident, the child will be changed and returned to class. A note home or phone call will let the parent know that the child will be sent home the next time an accident occurs. On the second incident, the child will be changed, and the parent/caregiver will be called and asked to pick up the child. On the third incident, the parent/caregiver will be called and asked to pick up the child in order to complete toilet training in the comfort of their own home. If there is a medical reason that a child is unable to be toilet-trained by the time school starts, a letter of explanation provided by the child’s primary care provider is requested. TOILET LEARNING/TRAINING FOR TODDLERS AND TWOS

Weekday Ministry seeks to partner with parents/guardians in the toilet-training process. Toilet learning/training, when initiated, should follow a plan

that is developed and coordinated with the parent’s/guardian’s plan for implementation in the home environment. Toilet learning/training should be

based on the child’s developmental level rather than chronological age, although it is the school’s expectation that children should be toilet trained by

the time they start a Three-Year class in August.

To help children achieve bowel and bladder control, teachers will enable children to take an active role in using the toilet when they are

physically able to do so and when parents/guardians support their children’s learning to use the toilet.

Indicators that the child may be ready to train when a child demonstrates:

- An understanding of the concept of cause and effect;

- An ability to communicate, including sign language;

- The physical ability to remain dry for up to two hours;

- An ability to sit on the toilet, to feel/understand the sense of elimination;

- A demonstrated interest in autonomous behavior.

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Classroom Procedure for Toilet Training in Toddlers and Twos

The toddler and twos classrooms share child-friendly restrooms.

At the parent’s request, we will take a toilet training child to the restroom on a regular schedule. Note: our schedule in the classroom may

not match the schedule at home.

- Teachers will help the toddlers with clothing removal and redressing during the toilet training process.

- Teachers will give instructions to the child while standing in the doorway.

- Teachers will encourage self-hygiene (wiping) but will assist with gloves if needed.

- The child and teacher will follow hand washing guidelines once the child leaves the restroom.

For a toddler or two year old who is out of diapers and wearing underwear to school, the following protocol applies:

- The child will bring two (2) complete changes of clothing (including socks) and one (1) pair of shoes to school each class day PLUS a Pull-Up or

diaper.

- If an accident occurs, the child will be changed into a clean outfit. The soiled clothing will be put into a plastic bag for transport home. Teachers do

not clean or rinse the clothes. The child will continue to be taken to the restroom on schedule.

- If a child has a second accident the same day, the child will be changed into a clean Pull-Up/diaper and clean clothes. The child will continue to be

taken to the restroom on schedule.

- If a pull-up/diaper has not been provided, the parent will be called and asked to pick up the child.

STAFF QUALIFICATIONS All employees submit to reference and criminal record checks. All employees attend at least 24 hours of Director approved training each year. All employees maintain current CPR credentials. All employees complete Safe Sanctuary training. Additional qualifications are required for specific areas of instruction.

PARENT VOLUNTEERS The Weekday Ministry Staff and The Weekday Ministry Board welcome and encourage participation by parents and grandparents as volunteers. There are many different ways you can become involved. We need parents to help in their child’s classrooms, substitute when a teacher has to be absent, serve on the Parents In Action Committee (PAC) and help in the school as an extra pair of hands on many occasions. Volunteers may be asked to submit to appropriate screening under Marietta FUMC’s “Safe Sanctuary” policies. Please become a member of our Parents In Action Committee after you read the written information you receive on volunteering and return the involvement sheet to your child’s teacher or to the Weekday Ministry Office. You may also sign up at Open House or Meet & Greet if you prefer. A PAC member will contact you to make firm arrangements. On days that you do volunteer, you will need to check in first with the Weekday Ministry Office. We will help you find the place you are committed to be, or find the place you are most needed that day. Thank you for your willingness to serve as a volunteer. We could not be the quality of program that we are without your willingness to get involved! OUR PLAYGROUND We are proud to have a MIRACLE playground from Hasley Recreation for our children. The playground has three distinct areas designed specifically for nursery school, preschool and elementary aged children. Each area meets or surpasses all safety standards established for playgrounds. INDOOR PLAYROOM When weather conditions prevent the classes from visiting the playground, the teachers take the Toddlers and Twos to the Indoor Playroom on the Nursery Hall. CURRICULUM Zoo Phonics Young children learn when they are active and having fun. The Zoo-Phonics program uses 26 friendly “animal letters” which lead to step-by-step development of reading, spelling, and handwriting fundamentals. All of our classes will experience Zoo-Phonics activities in music, circle time, center games and, art activities. Handwriting Without Tears Children in Threes, Fours and Kindergarten classes utilize various components of the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. HWT teaches fine-motor and handwriting skills, as well as keyboarding for Kindergarten. All Things Bright and Beautiful Weekday Ministry has developed its own curriculum for Toddlers through Kindergarten which incorporates the school-wide theme of All Things Bright and Beautiful, the poem by Cecil Frances Alexander. Our curriculum is aligned with the Georgia Early Learning Developmental Standards (GELDS) and Common Core (Kindergarten). Music Children from Toddlers through Kindergarten experience learning through Music on a weekly basis. Two year olds will end the year with a parent sing-along while the Threes present a Spring Sing, Fours and Kindergarten present Songs and Sundaes. Music is an important aspect of daily

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learning in the classroom as well. Art Creative art activities are begun at an early age with many of the activities being experiences that will not be brought home on paper. The process of doing activities is much more valuable to the child than the product. Yes, a finished product is nice to look at and helps build a child’s positive self-concept, but please be advised that the children will not bring home artwork each day they are present. Fours and Kindergarten attend Art classes on a rotating basis every other week. Science/Exploration Children learn about the world around them through hands-on experiences. Toddlers, Twos and Threes have their own exploration rooms which allow them to explore nature, scientific principles and have fun while learning. Fours and Kindergarten students participate in Science class on a rotating basis every other week to learn scientific principles, the language of science and how to conduct experiments. Movement The development of the whole child requires a lot of attention to physical development as a precursor to academic skill acquisition. Threes, Fours and Kindergarten participate weekly in Movement class which provides fun experiences while helping to develop specific skills such as hand-eye coordination, balance, core strength. Toddlers and Twos experience Movement through Music, Exploration, and the Indoor Playroom. Smart Phonics and Everyday Math Kindergarten curriculum includes Smart Phonics and Everyday Math as the foundation of its Language Arts/Reading and Math components. All curriculum and instruction is aligned with Common Core Standards which are the standard for instruction in the state of Georgia. LIL’ LAMBS MFUMC Weekday Ministry is one of the sponsors of the Lil’ Lambs Consignment Sale, and a portion of sale proceeds support our programs. The sale is held on September 8-10, 2016 and March 8-10, 2017. Visit the web site for more information: www.lil-lambs.org.

FINANCIAL POLICIES

Weekday Ministry relies on tuition to meet its operating expenses. As a non-profit organization, a major portion of the school’s expenses is related to teachers’ salaries. Since this expense is contractual in nature and is based on the income projected by enrollment, it is essential that the income from tuition be received. It is for this reason that the following policies are in effect. TUITION PAYMENTS Tuition is due on the first of each month. It is payable one month in advance. If you would like to pay for the entire year, please call the office for information. Your payment will be considered late if it is not received in our office by the first business day on or following the 5th of the month and a late fee of $15.00 will be charged to your account at the close of school that day. If you need to make special payment arrangements, please contact the Chairperson of the Weekday Ministry Board or the Weekday Ministry Administrative Staff. A processing fee of $25.00 will be charged for checks returned because of insufficient funds.

PLEASE PUT YOUR CHILD’S FULL NAME ON ALL CHECKS

No monthly invoice will be sent for tuition. All tuition payments should be mailed to the Weekday Office, placed in an envelope in the Classroom Communication Folder in your child’s tote bag, or delivered personally.

PLEASE DO NOT ASK A STAFF MEMBER TO RECEIVE A PAYMENT AT ANY TIME IN THE CARPOOL LINE OR CLASSROOM.

METHODS OF PAYMENT CASH ~ Please hand cash in an envelope marked with your child’s name to Jenny, Terri or Nancy and request a receipt. Please DO NOT put cash

in an envelope in your child’s Classroom Communication Folder, or in the basket in the Weekday Office.

CHECK ~ You may mail a check, put the check in the basket in the Weekday Office in Building C, or please a check in an envelope addressed to the

Weekday Office in your child’s Classroom Communication Folder. Please write your child’s name on the memo line of the check.

AUTOMATIC BILL PAY ~ Please set up automatic bill pay through your bank. Use your child’s name as the Account Number. Please allow extra

time for the bank to mail Weekday the check. We must receive the check by the 5th of the month in order to avoid a late fee.

DEBIT/CHARGE CARD ~ You may make an online debit/credit card payment by visiting this link, https://secure.cpteller.com/terminal/wizard/?op=o9nlPTBxaIvE. You will also find this link at www.weekdayministry.com, under tuition payments, or on the Weekday Ministry page at www.mariettafumc.org. There is a 3% fee charged for each transaction. You may also bring your card to the Weekday Office for a swipe, or make a payment by phone. Please see detailed information on the debit/credit payment system sheet in your parent folder.

PAST DUE ACCOUNTS The following procedures will be followed in the case of past due accounts:

1. You will receive a statement if your payment was not received on the first business day following the 5th of the month notifying you of the assessment of a $15.00 late fee. 2. If an account remains past due for 30 days, the Chairman of the Weekday Ministry Board will contact you. 3. Families will have the following options after receiving the letter:

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A. Pay account in full (including all late fees) B. Meet with Finance Committee of the Weekday Ministry Board to present a payment plan. Those who choose Option 3B should call the Chairman of the Weekday Ministry Board and schedule a meeting. When an agreement has been

reached, the family will be asked to sign a financial covenant agreement. 5. Penalties for failure to live up to the covenant will be decided by the committee. Any account that remains seriously past due may result in dismissal. Financial assistance may be available for families experiencing extreme difficulty meeting their tuition obligations. Contact the Chairperson of the Weekday Ministry Board or Director for further information.

TUITION DEDUCTIONS/REFUNDS We do not make deductions or refunds for absences due to illness or travel, holidays or inclement weather days of any kind. Tuition, registration and Lunch Bunch fees are non-refundable. WITHDRAWAL Before a child is removed from the program, the parents must confer with the Director and must give a one-month notice of their intention to withdraw. The parents are obligated to pay all tuition up to and through one month from the date of notification of withdrawal. Once the registration fee is paid for the current or subsequent school year, it is not refundable in the event the child withdraws or elects not to return to the program the following school year. PRE-REGISTRATION POLICY CONCERNING PAST DUE ACCOUNTS All current tuition and fees must be paid by the registration date in February in order for a family to register for the upcoming school year.

HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICIES AND GUIDELINES HEALTH For the child’s own sake and for the protection of other children and the staff, we assume that responsible parents will not send a child to school if he shows any signs of illness such as: fever, green and runny nose, frequent cough, flushed skin or rash, earache, red eyes, skin eruptions, diarrhea or vomiting in the PAST 24 HOURS. (Please see below). If a child becomes ill or shows any of these symptoms during the morning, we will contact the parents. It is vital that we have accurate emergency numbers in our file. Notification of the School About Infectious Disease or Other Problems by Parents

Weekday Ministry requests that parents/guardians notify the school within twenty-four hours after their child or any member of the immediate

household has developed a known or suspected infectious or vaccine-preventable disease. When a child has a disease that may require exclusion,

the parents/guardians should inform the school of the diagnosis. The school encourages parents/guardians to inform the teachers of any other

problems which may affect the child’s behavior.

Temporary exclusion is recommended when the child has any of the following conditions:

- The illness prevents the child from participating comfortably in activities;

- The illness results in a need for care that is greater than the staff can provide without compromising the health and safety of other children;

- An acute change in behavior - this could include lethargy/lack of responsiveness, irritability, persistent crying, difficult breathing, or having a quickly

spreading rash;

- Fever (temperature above 101°F [38.3°C] orally, above 102°F [38.9°C] rectally, or 100°F [37.8°C] or higher taken axillary [armpit] or measured by

an equivalent method) and behavior change or other signs and symptoms (e.g., sore throat, rash, vomiting, diarrhea).

- Diarrhea is defined by watery stools or decreased form of stool that is not associated with changes of diet. Exclusion is required for all diapered

children whose stool is not contained in the diaper and toilet-trained children if the diarrhea is causing soiled pants or clothing. In addition, diapered

children with diarrhea should be excluded if the stool frequency exceeds two or more stools above normal for that child. Readmission after diarrhea

can occur when diapered children have their stool contained by the diaper (even if the stools remain loose) and when toilet-trained children are

continent (no less than 24 hours after the last episode).

-Special circumstances that require specific exclusion criteria include the following

- Toxin-producing E. coli or Shigella infection, until stools are formed and the test results of two stool cultures obtained from stools produced twenty-

four hours apart do not detect these organisms;

- Salmonella serotype Typhi infection, until diarrhea resolves. In children younger than five years with Salmonella serotype Typhi, three negative

stool cultures obtained with twenty-four-hour intervals are required; people five years of age or older may return after a twenty-four-hour period

without a diarrheal stool. Stool cultures should be collected from other students and staff members, and all infected people should be excluded;

- Blood or mucus in the stools not explained by dietary change, medication, or hard stools;

- Vomiting more than two times in the previous twenty-four hours;

- Abdominal pain that continues for more than two hours or intermittent pain associated with fever or other signs or symptoms of illness;

- Mouth sores with drooling unless the child’s primary care provider or local health department authority states that the child is noninfectious;

- Rash with fever or behavioral changes, until the primary care provider has determined that the illness is not an infectious disease;

- Active tuberculosis, until the child’s primary care provider or local health department states child is on appropriate treatment and can return;

- Impetigo, until treatment has been started;

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- Streptococcal pharyngitis (i.e., strep throat or other streptococcal infection), until twenty-four hours after treatment has been started;

- Head lice until after the first treatment;

- Scabies, until after treatment has been given;

- Chickenpox (varicella), until all lesions have dried or crusted (usually six days after onset of rash);

- Rubella, until six days after the rash appears;

- Pertussis, until five days of appropriate antibiotic treatment;

- Mumps, until five days after onset of parotid gland swelling;

- Measles, until four days after onset of rash;

- Hepatitis A virus infection, until one week after onset of illness or jaundice if the child’s symptoms are mild or as directed by the health department.

(Note: immunization status of classmates should be confirmed; within a fourteen-day period of exposure, incompletely immunized or unimmunized

contacts from one through forty years of age should receive the hepatitis A vaccine as post exposure prophylaxis, unless contraindicated.) Other

individuals may receive immune globulin. Consult with a primary care provider for dosage and recommendations;

- Any child determined by the local health department to be contributing to the transmission of illness during an outbreak.

List of Reportable Illnesses for Parents/Guardians

For the following symptoms, the parent/guardian should have the child evaluated by a primary care provider. The advice of the primary care provider

should be documented for the teacher in the following situations:

- The child has any of the following conditions: fever, lethargy, irritability, persistent crying, difficult breathing, or other manifestations of possible

severe illness;

- The child has a rash with fever and behavioral change;

- The child has tuberculosis that has not been evaluated;

- The child has scabies;

- The child has a persistent cough with inability to practice respiratory etiquette.

MEDICATION WE WILL GIVE NO MEDICATION AT SCHOOL. It is best that a child who needs medication during school hours be kept at home. Epi-pens for allergic reactions or inhalers for asthma flare-ups are the exception, but must be accompanied by an authorization to administer medication form, signed by a physician. IMMUNIZATIONS Immunizations must be kept up-to-date in accordance with state health department policies. We require the immunizations as recommended by the State of Georgia. A Georgia Form #3231 must be on file for each child. See more under Immunizations, page 6.

ALLERGIES If your child has an allergy of any kind, please see that we have written information specifying the allergy and his or her reaction. This should be included on the Physician Statement, and application for enrollment at the time of registration. Your child’s teacher will ask you to fill out an allergy information form when you make your first visit. Children with Food Allergies

Children with multiple food allergies are requested to provide their own daily snack, or to provide a “safe snack” to consume when a “safe snack” is not available. When children with food allergies attend the school, please note the following requirements:

- Each child with a food allergy should have a care plan prepared for the school by the child’s primary care provider, to include:

- Written instructions regarding the food(s) to which the child is allergic and steps that need to be taken to avoid that food;

- A detailed treatment plan to be implemented in the event of an allergic reaction, including the names, doses, and methods of administration of any

medications that the child should receive in the event of a reaction. The plan should include specific symptoms that would indicate the need to

administer one or more medications;

- Parents/guardians and staff will arrange for the school to have necessary medications, proper storage of such medications, and the equipment and

training to manage the child’s food allergy while the child is at the school;

- The school will notify the parents/guardians immediately of any suspected allergic reactions, the ingestion of the problem food, or contact with the

problem food, even if a reaction did not occur;

- The school will recommend to the family that the child’s primary care provider be notified if the child has required treatment by the school for a food

allergic reaction;

-The school will contact the emergency medical services system immediately whenever epinephrine has been administered;

- Parents/guardians of all children in the child’s class will be advised to avoid any known allergens in class treats or special foods brought into the

school;

- Individual child’s food allergies will be posted prominently in the classroom where staff can view and/or wherever food is served;

- The written child care plan, a mobile phone, and the proper medications for appropriate treatment if the child develops an acute allergic reaction will

be routinely carried wherever the child goes.

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CHILD ABUSE/NEGLECT: Please be aware that as of 7-1-2012, volunteers and staff members are now mandatory reporters for suspected child and it is a misdemeanor offense if you fail to report. A report is to be made immediately, but no later than 24 hours from the time there is reasonable cause to believe a child has been abused (O.C.G.A. 19-7-5). To make a report please call Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS) at 770-528-5000 or 770-319-3739 or after hours, call 1-855-422-4453. Please be sure and notify the Director (Nancy Tatnall 770-429-7800, ext. 7842) as soon as possible after a report has been made. You will receive a flier with this information in your parent folder. NO WEAPONS POLICY The law in the state of Georgia found at O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127 states that carrying a weapon or long gun while in a place of worship is a violation of the law unless the governing body or authority of the place of worship permits the carrying of weapons or long guns by license holders. As Christians, we are guided by the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called

children of God” (Matthew 5:9).

THEREFORE, it is resolved that the campus of First United Methodist Church of Marietta, Georgia is declared a weapon-free zone. Except for authorized certified law enforcement personnel acting in the performance of their duties, First United Methodist Church of Marietta, Georgia chooses not to permit weapons or firearms of any type to be carried on the person of anyone on the grounds or in any of the buildings of the church property. If anyone other than a law enforcement officer, who is acting in the performance of his or her duties, brings a firearm onto church property, the weapon must remain in that person’s locked vehicle and the weapon shall not be visible from outside the vehicle.

BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES The goal of Weekday Ministry is for each teacher to provide individual guidance of each child tempered with love and consideration, keeping aware of each child’s needs and self-image. Good manners are taught and reinforced. Appropriate behavior is recognized with encouragement, while inappropriate behavior is handled in a positive manner. It is our policy never to use corporal punishment or deny the essentials of rest, food and toileting. When it is necessary the following steps are taken. Instruct ~ Remind the child of classroom rules and re-direct to another activity Verbal Warning ~ Remind the child of the class rules, and move the child to teacher’s direct proximity Reflection Time ~ Remove child from situation and re-direct to a chair or other place away from the group until the child has calmed down. Time with the Director ~ If the above procedures are not effective, the teacher or assistant may bring the child to the office. Parent/Teacher Conference ~ Repeated problems will be discussed with the Director and parents. It is our policy to work with the parents to

correct the situation. All such discussions will be confidential in nature. Parents will generally be notified if a student has a problem following a rule at school and has received consequences for such behavior, depending on the severity of the problem. After all the above, in very extreme situations, the school reserves the right to remove a child from the program. “Discipline is a learning process, not a punishment to be imposed on the child.” Behavior Intervention Plan

When children exhibit or engage in challenging behaviors that cannot be resolved easily, as above, the teacher and director will:

- Assess the health of the child and the adequacy of the curriculum in meeting the developmental and educational needs of the child;

- Immediately engage the parents/guardians/family in a spirit of collaboration regarding how the child’s behaviors may be best handled, including

appropriate solutions that have worked at home or in other settings;

- Develop an effective behavior intervention plan to address the child’s challenging behaviors and to assist the child in developing age-appropriate,

pro-social skills;

- Facilitate, with the family’s assistance, a referral for an evaluation for either early intervention or preschool special education, as well as any other

appropriate community-based services (e.g., child mental health clinic);

- Facilitate with the family communication with the child’s primary care provider (e.g., pediatrician, family medicine provider, etc.), so that the primary

care provider can assess for any related health concerns and help facilitate appropriate referrals.

Dismissal

Reasons for considering expelling, suspending or otherwise limiting services to a child on the basis of challenging behaviors are:

- Continued placement in the class and/or program clearly jeopardizes the physical safety of the child and/or his/her classmates as assessed by the

school AND all possible interventions and supports aimed at providing a physically safe environment have been exhausted; or

- The family is unwilling to participate in referrals and consultations that have been recommended by the school; or

- Continued placement in this class and/or school clearly fails to meet the mental health and/or social-emotional needs of the child as agreed by both

the staff and the family.

Biting Policy A child biting another child is one of the most common and most difficult behaviors in preschool. It can occur without warning, is difficult to defend against, and provokes strong emotional responses in the biter, the victim, the parents, and the teachers involved. For many toddlers, the biting stage is just a passing problem. Toddlers try it out as a way to get what they want from another toddler. They are in the process of learning what is socially acceptable and what is not. They discover that biting is a sure-fire way to cause the other child to drop what they are holding so the biter can pick it up. However, they experience the disapproval of the adults nearby and eventually learn other ways of

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gaining possession of objects or expressing difficult feelings. For other children, biting is a persistent and chronic problem. They may bite for a variety of reasons: teething, frustration, boredom, inadequate language skills, stress or change in the environment, feeling threatened, or to feel a sense of power. No matter what the cause, biting in a group situation causes strong feelings with all involved. It does help, however, to be aware of the potential problem before it happens, and to form a plan of action if it does occur. Weekday Ministry has adopted the following plan of action to be used if and when biting occurs in any of our classrooms. Step 1: If a child bites another child, the teacher will comfort the child who was bitten and remind the biter that biting hurts and we do not bite.

Children should be given some space from each other for an appropriate amount of time.

Step 2: The teacher should follow first aid instructions to handle potential exposure to blood.

Step 3: The teacher should allow for “dignity of risk,” and let the children back in the same space with increased supervision. Interactions should be

structured between children such that the child learns to use more appropriate social skills or language rather than biting. If there is another incident,

teachers should repeat step one. The biter can play with children they have not bitten.

Step 4: A teacher will shadow the biter to ensure safety of the other children.

Step 5: For all transitions when the biter would be in close contact, the teacher should hold him/her on her/his hip or if possible hold hands, keep a

close watch, and keep the biter from close proximity with peers.

Step 6: The child (biter) should play with one or two other children whom they have not bitten with a favored adult in an area separate from the other

children.

Step 7: Parents/guardians of both children of the incident will be informed, without revealing the name of the biter or the bitten.

Step 8: The teacher will document the incident using an “ouch” or “incident” report, with one copy going home with the child who is bitten, another

copy going into the biter’s file and a third copy for the office.

If a biting child has three consecutive incidents of biting in the same day or week, that child’s parents will be called immediately to pick up

the child and remain at home for the next class day as a means of interrupting the cycle of behavior.

- Upon returning to the classroom, the process begins again, with the above procedures to be implemented.

Bullying Policy and Procedures

Teasing is an AMBIGUOUS social exchange that can be friendly, neutral, or negative.

How a teasing interchange proceeds really depends upon how the person BEING TEASED reacts.

Teasing is playful when: • We use teasing or roasting as a way of fitting in or when talking with our friends, and everyone involved is getting an equal piece of the “teasing pie”. • People are not making fun of someone’s disabilities, ethnicity, faith or other characteristics that are out of the other person’s control. • It is not meant to harm you in any way and if you asked the person to stop, they would stop. • The teasing is done by someone you have a close relationship with. • The teasing is not repeated over and over again . Teasing is hurtful when: • One person gets more than their fair share of the teasing and it becomes a group ganging up on one person. • The teasing happens repeatedly, even when that person has asked them to stop. • Hurtful teasing is done by someone you do not have a relationship with. • People are making fun of characteristics that are out of that person’s control (faith, disability, etc.). Characteristics that distinguish hurtful teasing from bullying behavior Most studies that define bullying behavior have three to four common characteristics. Cobb County Schools have put together an acronym to help you

remember the three main components that distinguish bullying behavior from hurtful teasing. Cobb calls this acronym RAP©. R - repeated often to the same person or different people A - an imbalance of power P - purposeful with the intent to make fun of, embarrass or exclude others Typically all three of the above characteristics need to be in place for it to be called bullying behavior. Bullying is when a student:

- uses harmful words and actions - repeatedly and intentionally - and there is a power difference between the victim and the bully, with the bully having power in numbers (group vs. one) or power in creating fear for the victim.

A young child may be being bullied if he/she: is suddenly scared to go to preschool; complains of headaches or stomachaches for no reason; is clingy and whiny; comes home with unexplained

injuries; is withdrawn or depressed; talks about one particular child doing mean things to him/her; has trouble concentrating; avoids eye contact when parent asks him/her about school

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO:

Communication is Key ~ you suspect your child is being bullied at preschool, let him/her know that you can help with the situation if he tells you

what’s happening. If your youngster seems scared or embarrassed, use books as a nonthreatening way to open the lines of communication. When

your child discloses all the details about being bullied, stay calm, avoid judging, and reassure him that you’ll help put a halt to the bullying.

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Talk to the Teacher ~ It’s important to talk to your child’s teacher and make her aware of the situation. Give as much information about the situation,

where, when and who (or a description of the child) as possible.

Take Advantage of Open Doors ~ Schools should have an open door policy which allows parents to drop by anytime (as long as they’re not

disruptive) during normal hours.

Schedule a Parenting Parley With School Administration ~ Work with your child’s administrators to address the behavior with the other child’s

parents.

Bully-Proof Your Child ~ Teach him how to stand tall, look the bully in the eye, tell an adult, and avoid being alone.

CHILD CUSTODY In issues of child custody, parents must submit a court copy of the custody agreement. Unless an official document is on file, the school cannot

prevent a natural parent from picking up a child. It is the responsibility of the parents to inform the Weekday Ministry Office staff of any changes in

emergency contacts, addresses, or custodial care. If a relative is not allowed to pick up a child, please provide the school with a current photograph

of the individual.

SPECIAL NEEDS POLICY

A special needs child is defined as one who is physically, socially, emotionally, developmentally or behaviorally challenged, and one who would

require modification to a regular classroom.

When a teacher and/or the director observes that a child is having difficulty performing at an appropriate developmental age level, is

having difficulty adjusting to school, or is disrupting the learning environment for other children, efforts will be made to address these issues with the

parents. Weekday Ministry will make every effort to work with the family, to provide resource information regarding referrals in Cobb County or the

City of Marietta, and to help determine the optimal arrangement for the special needs child. This may include the parents providing additional support

or facilitation from a private or public resource.

The Weekday Ministry reserves the right to accept or decline the application of, or suspend the enrollment of, any child whose condition

poses a possible threat to the health, welfare or safety of himself, herself, other students, faculty and staff.

INCLEMENT WEATHER

Weekday Ministry will close for inclement weather if either Marietta City or Cobb County Schools close or if either school system is delayed. Please

listen to your local TV or Radio Stations for these advisories. In the event of locally severe weather, school may be dismissed early. Check your e-

mail for messages from school, Facebook postings on PAC Weekday https://www.facebook.com/groups/WeekdayPAC/ or FUMC Weekday Ministry

Preschool and Kindergarten, https://www.facebook.com/WeekdayMinistryFUMC?fref=ts.

. SECURITY All visitors, including volunteers, must request admittance to the buildings through our secure entry system. Once admitted to the building, please check in at the Weekday Office in Building C or Nursery School Office in Building B. This requires signing the Guest Register and wearing a name tag. ACCIDENTS AT SCHOOL Teachers or employees of Weekday Ministry will provide First Aid treatment for minor emergencies. In the event of a serious injury, emergency assistance will be called and the child will be taken to the Wellstar Kennestone Emergency room. The Director will contact the person listed on the child’s emergency information card. In the event a child is injured in any way, an accident form will be completed the day of the accident and a copy will be sent home with the child. Another copy will be placed in the student’s file in the Director’s office. Children who become ill at school may be removed to the Director’s office and the Director will contact the person listed on the child’s emergency information card to pick up the child. SOCIAL NETWORKING POLICIES

Web Postings

FUMC Weekday Ministry covenants that your child’s image will only be used in the manner designated and approved by you. Please be advised

that with the advent of social networking sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc., third parties may post pictures of your child’s image taken

at official Weekday Ministry events. This activity is beyond the control of Weekday Ministry and you should address such postings with the

responsible party yourself.

Families of students at Marietta FUMC Weekday Ministry are asked not to post or tag photographs, images or video recordings on

Facebook or any social networking media of any students who are not their own children without written permission from parents of those children.

The non-response of a parent to a request for such permission should not be treated as consent.

Weekday Ministry assumes no responsibility for any damages incurred through personal postings on Facebook, Twitter or any other similar

social media sites, or through email, and websites.

We encourage families and individuals who have concerns to express them privately to the Director, rather than posting comments or

statements in a public forum which may reflect negatively on Weekday employees, families or students. In short, we ask that everyone affiliated with

Weekday Ministry use common sense and common decency when contributing comments or content on social media networking sites.

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Families of Weekday will be invited to join Facebook pages exclusive to Weekday families and staff each year. Upon withdrawal, families

will no longer have access to those pages.

CAR SEATS & SAFETY RESTRAINTS: Effective July 1, 2011, Georgia state law requires all children ages 8 & under who are 4’9” or less in height to be restrained in a child passenger restraint system in a rear seat. The Weekday staff will not place a child in a car without the proper car seat or safety restraint in place. Staff members do not buckle seat belts at carpool time. NO CELL PHONES IN CARPOOL

Please discontinue your cell phone conversations when you are in our carpool lines dropping off or picking up.

DAILY POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Our Nursery School includes the Toddlers, and Twos. Our Preschool program includes Threes, Fours, and Kindergarten. SCHOOL HOURS Classes meet from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon. Classrooms will not be open before 8:50 a.m. Teachers need time before school begins to prepare adequately for the students and CANNOT accept children before this time. Only in emergencies are students permitted to arrive earlier than 8:50 a.m. and advance permission must be given. DISMISSAL begins at 11:55 a.m. Dismissal for Fours Plus, Kindergarten and Lunch Bunch begins at 12:55 p.m. ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL ARRANGEMENTS — Carpool and Walk-ins Walk-ins for Pick-up and Drop-off A reliable person must leave and call for your child. If there is ever a change in your carpool, please send a note pinned to your child’s bag explaining changes for the day, e-mail us or telephone the Weekday Ministry office. Please include the name and relationship of the person picking up your child. If they are riding home with another student, please include that child’s name and carpool number (if available). Please send a note pinned to your child’s tote bag if you need to pick your child up early on a particular day. Please inform the person you have assigned to pick up your child to be prepared to show identification. Parents of Toddlers and Twos: Those parents wishing to walk their child in—please enter through the Nursery Lobby doors (by the elevator). The door under the bridge is for carpool only. Please remember to sign your child in and out at the Welcome Desk in the Nursery Lobby when dropping off late or picking up a child early. Parents of Threes, Fours and Kindergarten: Those parents wishing to walk their child in—please enter through the Weekday Lobby doors (by the elevator). Please remember to sign your child in at the Weekday Office when dropping off late and out at the Welcome Desk in the Weekday Lobby when picking up a child early. CARPOOL PICK-UP AND DROP-OFF

ALL CARS MUST ENTER FROM POLK STREET. NO CELL PHONE USE IN THE CARPOOL LINE!

THE DRIVER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROPERLY BUCKLING IN CHILDREN. STAFF MEMBERS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BUCKLE IN CHILDREN.

Carpool numbers should be hung from the rear view mirror of the vehicle so that it may be easily seen. Please keep the number in view until your vehicle has been loaded.

PARENTS/CAREGIVERS SHOULD NOT LEAVE THEIR VEHICLES WHILE CHILDREN ARE BEING LOADED/UNLOADED UNLESS REQUESTED BY A STAFF MEMBER TO ASSIST.

PLEASE USE COURTESY AND EXTREME CAUTION.

PLEASE PICK-UP TODDLERS & TWOS BEFORE ENTERING THE CARPOOL LINE FOR OLDER CHILDREN.

TODDLERS AND TWOS: Toddlers, Twos and their parents may use the Nursery Lobby door by the courtyard for walk-in arrival and dismissal. When picking up and dropping

off, please park in an appropriate spot. PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN THE CARPOOL LANES!

Morning and noon carpool for Toddlers and Two year olds will begin on the first day of school. Toddlers may be dropped off and picked up in carpool, or parents may walk in to drop-off or pick up their toddlers. All two year olds will receive a carpool number in the 200 range; Toddlers in the 100 range. Parents wishing their child to carpool with an unrelated child MUST complete a carpool form and receive a 700 number (e.g. when you pick up just your child, use the 200 number; when carpooling use the 700 number). Toddler and Two-Year-old parents will continue through the back parking lot, proceed straight, alongside the playground, turn left under the breezeway and pick up child at brick steps. THREES, FOURS AND KINDERGARTEN: There will be staff members at the door each morning to greet the students beginning at 8:50 a.m. Please do not send students into the building

unless a staff member is there to greet them.

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Each parent will be given a carpool number to be used at dismissal time (3 year olds will be given 300 numbers; 4 year olds will be given 400 numbers, Kindergarten 500 numbers.) Parents wishing their child to carpool with an unrelated child MUST complete a carpool form and receive a 700 number (e.g. when you pick up just your child, use the 300, 400, or 500 number; when carpooling use the 700 number). Please be prepared to show identification when picking up your child. Walk-in Dismissal For Preschool/Kindergarten In order to ensure the safety and security of the children, it is BEST if all parents use the carpool line. If you must walk in, please observe the following procedures: Park in the lower Whitlock Avenue lot Wait outside the double patio doors until a staff member provides entry. Have your carpool number in hand or be prepared to show identification. Sign your child out at the Weekday Welcome Desk. A staff member will bring your child to you. Walk safely to your vehicle. Anyone walking in before or after school MUST park in the lot closest to Whitlock Avenue and come up the hill along the Discipleship Building (Building C). This is to alleviate children crossing the traffic lines. Please do not park in the lot between our building and the playground and come up the concrete steps or cross the carpool line in any way. SEE CARPOOL DIAGRAM ON PAGE 21. ATTENDANCE Your child needs to be in attendance every day. However, if your child shows ANY indications of illness, please keep him/her at home for their own well-being, as well as for that of the other children and the staff. When he/she returns after any absence, please send a note giving reason for the absence. If the absence is anticipated, please send a note ahead explaining. If possible, please call or e-mail the Weekday Office on the day your child is absent especially if the absence is due to a communicable disease. Please refer to. Please refer to information under Health on page ___. DIAPERING GUIDELINES FOR TODDLERS and TWOS The Weekday Ministry Staff follows a strict diaper changing procedure that consists of the following: Using a new pair of latex gloves when changing each child. Cleaning the changing surface and covering it with a new piece of wax paper for each child. Disposal of diaper, wipes and wax paper. Hand washing with liquid soap. CLOTHING We recommend that children wear PLAY CLOTHES that are practical, comfortable, and washable. Cowboy boots, sandals, and flip-flops are not appropriate footwear for school. (They cause accidents and injuries in the classroom, as well as outside on the playground equipment. Soft, crepe sole boots are fine during the cold winter months. ) Tennis shoes or closed toe rubber soled shoes are best. Remember to mark your child’s outer clothing with his/her name. Many sweaters, raincoats, etc., are of similar size and color. We do maintain a “Lost and Found” in the Weekday Office. Your child will need warm, removable clothing for outside wear. Please label all lunch boxes, sippy cups, blankets, pacifiers, etc. NO GLASS CONTAINERS. SEND A CHANGE OF CLOTHES – just in case. “Accidents” can happen even with older children. Please send disposable diapers or Pull-ups only. THINGS NOT TO BRING We have adequate toys and equipment in the school. We discourage children from bringing mouth toys for hygienic reasons. Children may share a favorite book or music. No toy guns or war toys are allowed. Please do not let your child bring money or wear jewelry. SNACKS Bringing a snack to share with his/her class is an exciting opportunity for the preschool child. The snack will be used as a learning experience for the child to help reinforce the learning of letters, colors, shapes, and patterns which are used daily in the classroom curriculum. Parents will be asked to bring or send up to one week’s worth of snack at intervals throughout the school year. The snack can be store bought or homemade. Each teacher will provide parents with specific information at the beginning of the year regarding snacks for their classrooms. This information will include the amounts of snack needed, ideas and suggestions for certain types of snacks that will work well in their classroom and with the curriculum, any specific allergies to be aware of and the dates for which each child/family will be responsible to provide snack. If you would like to bring something special for a birthday, please make arrangements with your child’s teacher. Parents will be asked to help with refreshments for special holidays. Children with food allergies will be asked to provide their own snack to assure their safety. Please let your child’s teacher know prior to the first day of school if your child has allergies. Nutritional Value Snacks that are nutritionally sound are greatly appreciated. We assume each child eats a good breakfast, however; very busy little growing bodies enjoy a healthy snack by mid-morning. Below you will find a snack list to help guide you with your snack selections.

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Kindergarten Students in our Kindergarten and Fours Plus classes will bring lunch daily. Birthday treats are welcome as long as they fall within recommended nutritional guidelines and are appropriate for children with food allergies.

SNACK RECOMMENDATIONS Fresh, Frozen, Dried or Pre-Packaged Fruit

Apple slices with yogurt dip

Bananas

Grapes (cut in ½ for 3’s and under)

Melon

Orange slices

Strawberries

Pineapple fresh or in juice, not syrup

Blueberries

Raisins or yogurt covered raisins

Cranberries

Fruit(s) Continued: applesauce; peaches in juice, not syrup;

fruit cocktail in juice, not syrup; squeezable fruit pouches; fruit

kabobs and yogurt for dipping; frozen fruit Popsicles

Breads/Grains/Cereals

Banana Bread ~ nut free

Cranberry Bread ~ nut free

Date Bread ~ nut free

Pumpkin Bread ~ nut free

Cinnamon-Raison Bread ~ nut free

Mini-Muffins ~ nut free

Mini-Bagels

English Muffins

Pita Bread

Whole wheat sandwich shapes (no peanut butter)

Breads/Grains/Cereal Continued:

Low-sugar cereals

Rice Cakes

Cereal mixes (no nuts)

Waffles with fresh fruit

Beverages

Water is provided and is preferred.

For parties, light colored juices are acceptable

Crunchy Treats

Crackers (low sodium, plain or with cheese)

Pretzels, yogurt covered pretzels

Goldfish

Popcorn (4’s & Kindergarten only)

Dairy/Protein

Lean Deli Meats

Hummus cups

Pudding Cups

Yogurt cups or squeezable yogurt

Cheese cubes, slices or sticks

Cream cheese and fruit blend dips/spreads

Chicken nuggets

Pizza

Cheese quesadilla & salsa

Vegetables

Carrot & celery sticks (4’s & Kindergarten) with dips or cream

cheese filling

Broccoli, peppers sliced with dips

Cucumbers & yogurt or salad dressing dip

CONFERENCES Teachers will contact parents by phone after the first six weeks of school to let you know how your child is adjusting to school. Twos, Threes and Four-year-old teachers will have conferences in January. Toddler teachers will have conferences later in the Spring. Additional conferences may be initiated by parents or by the school and should in no way be regarded as anything other than a mutual effort to meet the needs of the child. Progress reports will be given twice during the year, but teachers will be happy to discuss a child’s progress with any parent who so desires prior to that time. MESSAGES Notices, newsletters, and messages will be sent to you in your child’s tote bag in a home-to-school folder. Pinning notes to your child’s bag or placing them in the home-to-school folder is the best way for you to send a brief message to your child’s teacher. Please do not remove the pin, binder clip or folder from your child’s bag. Teachers remain at Preschool until 12:30 p.m. (1:30 for Kindergarten) each day. You may call the office between 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. if you would like to leave a message for the teacher to call you after school. PARENT’S OBSERVATION OF CLASSROOMS Parents are invited to visit the school and observe their child’s class. These visits may begin after the first six weeks of school and are set up by appointment by the parents with the teacher. For security reasons, ALL VISITORS MUST CHECK IN AT THE WELCOME DESK IN NURSERY LOBBY OR THE WEEKDAY OFFICE. Special instruction will be given to guide the parent’s observation.

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SPECIAL DAYS Our teachers make a sincere effort to observe special times in a child’s life, such as a new baby in the family, a trip, losing a tooth, etc., in an appropriate and memorable way. Please let us know about any significant family events, so the discussion at home and at school will give your child a rich, well-rounded experience. PARTY GUIDELINES The purpose of these parties is to enrich the child’s awareness of seasonal events and holidays. Please be aware of food allergies in the classroom and plan accordingly. The following guidelines are intended to help identify the needs for each party. Theme Parties We have five theme parties during the year: Fall Harvest, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines, and Easter. No goodie bags or balloons, please. Sometimes we culminate our units with special events and foods. Suggested menu for children might include a mini muffin or other healthy choice and a drink. Cakes, cookie cakes, and

cupcakes are too sweet. Please see your child’s teacher before planning your menu to accommodate children with allergies or special dietary needs. We celebrate Fall Harvest. We do not observe Halloween. Children are not allowed to wear costumes to school. We do not use

black cats, witches, jack-o-lanterns (scary faces), or ghosts in our decorations. Happy pumpkins are welcome. Birthday Parties Parents are welcome to provide a special snack for their child’s birthday. No goodie bags or balloons, please. For children with summer birthdays, “un-birthday” parties are a wonderful idea. Please check with your child’s teacher for the date, time, and refreshments needed. Please do not ask the teacher to hand out party invitations for your child’s birthday outside of school. “End of the Year” Each class will plan celebrations or parties near the end of school. The parents and teachers should work together closely in the planning process. There are many areas available outside as well as in the classrooms for these parties. Four Year and Kindergarten classes will not have “Graduations.” Graduations complete with caps, gowns, rings, and diplomas have a place later in the lives of these young students when they have a true appreciation of accomplishment.

THINGS TO BRING Children are encouraged to bring nature objects and articles pertinent to the current unit of study that can be shared with the

class. Your child’s teacher may make requests in the class newsletter. Parents are encouraged to save and send scrap materials that may be usable in art activities, such as spools, laces, ribbon,

boxes (both very small and large), shirt boards or other sheets of cardboard, cotton, egg-like cases which are containers for ladies stockings, baby food jars, etc.

Men’s and women’s dress-up clothes, cut down to child-size, are always needed. Formal and everyday clothes, hats, jewelry, and other accessories will be welcomed.

Doll clothes and doll bed sheets, pillows, and blankets need to be made, repaired, and kept washed. This could be a happy experience for a mother and child to share.

PETS Children like to show and share their pets. If your child so desires, please check with his/her teacher before bringing a pet to school. Parents should plan to bring the pet to the room, stay a few minutes, and take the pet back home. Please check with the teacher to determine if there are children with pet allergies before bringing a pet to the classroom.

PLANTS Classrooms shall be free of plants that are poisonous or hazardous. LUNCH BUNCH Lunch Bunch is offered to Weekday students as an extended day activity on Monday — Friday in two sessions. Lunch Bunch is offered to all age groups except Kindergarten which dismisses at 1:00 p.m.. Each child will need to bring a lunch and drink from home. All lunches need to be ready to eat. Please avoid sending peanut products. Registration for Lunch Bunch will be done prior to each session. We must have at least eight children to make a class, so please register promptly. We cannot guarantee a place after deadlines. You may enroll your child from one to five days for each session, depending on the number of days they are enrolled in regular Nursery or Preschool. At noon dismissal time students will go directly to their Lunch Bunch Class, have lunch, and begin their activities. Lunch Bunch consists of lunchtime and a combination of activities: playground time, music, free play and story-time. Regular

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Lunch Bunch is designed primarily for children enrolled in Toddlers and Twos. Threes and Fours may enroll in regular Lunch Bunch or in Lunch Bunch Plus with choices of arts & crafts, science, sports, games and others during the school year. These classes consist of lunchtime and 30 minutes of activities in the area they have chosen for the session. Additional offerings of dance, tennis, martial arts and other sports are available through Marietta First United Methodist Fuse program. Registration for these classes is separate and will be made available to Weekday students at the beginning of each session. Lunch Bunch Sessions for 2016-2017 The sessions are as follows: Session 1: Aug. 29 – Dec. 16; No Lunch Bunch on September 5,13, 26-30; October 12; November 8, 21-25 Session 2: Jan. 9 – May 12; No Lunch Bunch on January 16; February 7, 20-24; March 15; April 3-7, 14, 20 Lunch Bunch Carpool If someone else is picking up your child, please notify the office prior to dismissal. Please use the same carpool procedures, flow and guidelines that we use during the regular school day (noon pick up), refer to page--- in this handbook for a diagram. While carpool is highly recommended, we do understand that there will be circumstances where you will need to come in and get your child. Please be sure and sign them out in the Weekday Office (if you arrive before 12:55) or in the Lobby (if you arrive after 12:55 p.m.). CHAPEL & SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT The Three Year, Four Year, and Kindergarten Classes will gather together once a month for Chapel in the Latimer Chapel. This is a special time to pray together, sing, and learn about Bible stories in a child friendly way. Our stories come from the Old Testament until we welcome baby Jesus in December. Beginning in January the stories come from the New Testament. Our basic principles as a faith-based school is that God made me; God loves me; Jesus wants to be my friend forever. We have introduced the concepts of the Fruit of the Spirit as Christian character development. Children pray daily in their classrooms, have Bible stories and verses which correspond with our curriculum, and each day ends with a communal prayer at carpool dismissal time. TODDLERS AND TWOS NURSERY PROGRAM Our Nursery School includes the Toddlers and Twos. A baby is one of God’s most precious gifts. The new life is celebrated and those close to the child watch and growth and development in amazement. That sense of each child being special is continued once the child leaves the familiar surroundings of home and family, and begins to attend school. The Nursery School staff love and nurture each young child, paying close attention to individual characteristics and needs. As the child develops into a more sociable toddler, opportunities and guidance are given when he or she reaches the milestones of learning to play with other children of a similar age. The two-year old child is ready for slightly more structured routing while being exposed to themes, letters, shapes and colors. Music, movement, art, circle, center and indoor/outdoor playtime are part of every child’s day. THREE YEAR PRESCHOOL PROGRAM The three-year old child quickly learns daily schedules and routines. The teachers have planned the environment so the children are surrounded by opportunities for discovery-style learning to reinforce the topic of the week. Intertwined with the topics are opportunities to learn colors, shapes, letters, and numbers through daily experiences. The work of the children is play and they learn through their play. There is recent research to support the theory that children are less stressed as preschoolers and experience less educational burnout in later school years when their preschool environment is based on learning through play activities. The three- year olds learn by participating in well- planned learning activities. The crafts, music, and center activities foster social skills, communication skills, phonics, and basic academic readiness skills. The children work individually with the teacher as well as in small and large groups. Good manners are stressed all year long. The three year olds have music with a music teacher once a week and movement led by a movement teacher in our activity room once a week. FOUR YEAR OLD PROGRAM The Fours program continues to build on the skills learned and introduced in the Threes program with an eye toward Kindergarten readiness. Our program is structured around thematic units and in each unit, there are five areas which are consistently reinforced. We do presentations at Christmas and at the year’s end which all parents, grandparents, and friends are invited to attend. Fine Motor Skills: Includes cutting with scissors, playing with manipulatives such as blocks, lacing and puzzles, writing, and drawing. Gross Motor Skills: Includes time spent daily on our state of the art playground, movement, dancing and rhythm

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activities. Socialization: Includes listening skills, large group activities, small group activities (such as puzzles and building), music, and of course—playground free play. Pre-Reading: Includes letter recognition, story dictation, listening to stores, zoo phonics, and tracking eye movement left to right. Pre-Arithmetic: Includes recognizing numbers, counting by one, calendar, patterning, and sorting Throughout the Year: Making up a story; telling a story; repeating songs, poems, rhymes, and Bible verses; working to complete a group project; following directions; cooking activities; cut with a knife—make a small snack; listening skills. KINDERGARTEN The Kindergarten program content includes the same Common Core Standards and Georgia Performance Standards as local public schools with an emphasis on English Language Arts and Mathematics. Throughout the year, students will receive instruction on these educational standards and concepts: Reading: demonstrates concepts of print, identifies upper/lowercase letter names, identifies and produces rhyming words, identifies consonant letter sounds, identifies short and long vowel sounds, reads common high-frequency words, reads text with purpose and understanding, identifies key ideas and details Writing: identifies and produces text types (narrative, informative, explanatory, and opinion) Language: accurately prints upper and lower case letters, accurately capitalizes, recognized and names ending punctuation, spells phonetically in writing Speaking and Listening: participates in collaborative conversation Math (Number and Algebraic thinking): knows number names and the count sequence, counts to tell the number of objects, compares numbers, represents addition and subtraction, solves addition and subtraction word problems Math (Geometry): identifies 2-D and 3-D shapes, analyzes, compares, creates and composes shapes Science: investigates earth, life, and physical science concepts, applies and identifies scientific knowledge Social Studies: identifies and describes our national holidays, identifies and explains our national symbols, explains maps and globes, states geographic location, explains how money is used to purchase goods and services Students will bring a lunch to school daily. If the weather permits, students will go outside to the playground for recess. They will also attend Music, Movement, Spanish, Art and Science class. Chapel will be attended once a month. The Kindergarten program will begin dismissal at 12:55 each day. Please follow the carpool directions for the 4-year program. ASSESSMENT POLICYWeekday Ministry teachers monitor each child’s development, share observations with parents/guardians, and provide resource

information as needed for screenings, evaluations, and early intervention and treatment. Teachers work in collaboration to

monitor a child’s development with parents/guardians and in conjunction with the child’s primary care provider and health,

education, mental health, and early intervention consultants. Teachers utilize a variety of sources including health and safety,

education, mental health, and early intervention consultants to strengthen their observation skills, collaborate with families, and

be knowledgeable of community resources.

Weekday Ministry has a formalized system of developmental evaluation of all children that is used at least yearly, and

as developmental concerns become apparent to staff and/or parents/guardians. The formalized system includes a process for

determining when a health or developmental screening or evaluation for a child is necessary. This process includes

parental/guardian consent and participation.

Parents/guardians are invited to:

- Discuss reasons for a health or developmental assessment;

- Participate in discussions of the results of their child’s evaluations and the relationship of their child’s needs to the teachers’

ability to serve that child appropriately;

- Give alternative perspectives;

- Share their expectations and goals for their child and have these expectations and goals integrated with any plan for their child;

- Give written permission to share health information with primary health care professionals (medical home), child care health

consultants and other professionals as appropriate.

- Weekday Ministry will document parents’/guardians’ presence at these meetings and invitations to attend.

- If the parents/guardians do not attend the screening, the teacher will inform the parents/guardians of the results, and offer an

opportunity for discussion.

- Formal evaluations of a child’s health or development may also be shared with the child’s medical home with parent/guardian

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consent.

Weekday utilizes validated screening tools to monitor children’s development, as well as various measures that may

inform their work facilitating children’s development, such as authentic-based assessment, work sampling methods,

observational assessments, and assessments intended to support curricular implementation.

Weekday uses reliable and valid methods of developmental screening with all children and for makes referrals for

diagnostic assessment and possible intervention for children who screen positive. Weekday also uses methods of ongoing

developmental assessment that inform the curricular approaches used by the staff. Screening is a way to identify a child at risk of

a developmental delay or disorder. It is not a diagnosis.

If the screening or any observation of the child results in any concern about the child’s development, after consultation

with the parents/guardians, recommendations will be made for the child to be referred to his or her primary care provider

(medical home), or to an appropriate specialist or clinic for further evaluation. In some situations, a direct referral to Babies Can’t

Wait may be made for children under three years of age.

Office Staff Contact Information

Director: Nancy Tatnall 770-429-7850 ext. 7842 nancytatnall@mariettafumc.org Nursery School Supervisor: Sandy Caldwell 770-429-7850 ext. 7834 sandycaldwel@mariettafumc.org Office Manager: Jenny Bruner 770-429-7850 ext. 7852 jennybruner@mariettafumc.org Administrative Assistant: Terri Mathis 770-429-7850 ext. 7841 terrimathis@mariettafumc.org Weekday Direct Phone Line 770-427-3809 FUMC Main Switchboard 770-429-7800 FUMC Fax Number 770-420-0929

Revised 7/2016

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To

dd

ler

s &

2’s

Car

pool

Lin

e

3’s, 4’s and K Carpool Line

En

ter

HE

RE

Entrance

Entr

ance

POLK STREET Stop

Light

WHITLOCK AVENUE

PO

WD

ER

SP

RIN

GS

RO

AD

Stop

Light

Back Parking Lot

Basketball Court

PARKING LOT

Park Here For

Toddler Drop-Off/Pick-Up

Family Life Hall

Building A

PARKING

LOT

Park Here

For

Walk-in

Drop-Off/

Pick-Up

Activity Field

Pla

ygro

un

d

Handicap

Parking

Parking Lot

TODDLERS &

2 YEAR OLDS

Sanctuary

Building B

Lower

Parking

Lot

Court

Yard

Form

Two Lines Here

Here

Drop-off & Pick-up

Drop-Off/Pick-Up

3’s, 4’s &

Kindergarten

Discipleship

Center

Building C

4-Way

Stop

KEY

Toddler & 2’s Carpool:

3/4’s & K Carpool:

NOTE:

When dropping off both Toddlers/ 2 ’s & 3/4

year olds/Kindergarten —begin carpooling at the

Toddler/2 year old line— then move on to the

3/4’s/ Kindergarten line.

** The driver is responsible for properly buckling in all children.

Staff members are not allowed to buckle children in.

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