About Preschool
School Day: Preschool students may be dropped off as early as 7:30 am free of charge. Socialization play time under teacher supervision takes place from 7:30-8:00 am. The Preschool day formally begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 3:00p.m.
Extended Care: Extended care is available from 7:00 – 7:30 am and 3:00 – 6:00 pm. Fees are $2/day for Morning Extended Care and $5/hour for Afternoon Extended Care. Please note: Any part of an hour will constitute the full charge.
Preschool Summer Explorers Program: Click for more information.
Beginning the Day: For your child’s safety, we ask that preschool parents park in the gym side (south) lot and walk their child into the classroom. Each child is signed in daily by his/her parent or designee, at which time the order is taken for milk and hot lunch. The family’s plan for dismissal time or any special needs is also communicated at this time.
Dismissal: Children are only dismissed to their parents or designee. A photo ID is required to be shown before a child is dismissed to anyone. Children who attend the half day sessions will be walked to the courtyard at 11:30 a.m. Children attending the all day session will be walked to the parking lot at 3:00 p.m. Accompanied by the teacher, they will be placed into the care of their parents or designee. Children not placed in the care of parents at the end of the school day will go to Afternoon Extended Care.
Curriculum: A variety of stimulating learning stations create the classroom environment. Stations include dramatic play, construction, puzzles and games, math, language and writing, science, art, library and listening center, as well as table-top, open-ended activities to meet children’s individual learning needs. We teach the whole child, encompassing the social, emotional, cognitive, physical and spiritual needs. Individual and group learning allows children to experience learning in a variety of ways. Afternoon specialty classes further our curriculum and allow students to explore different topics, including Spanish, technology, music, art history, science, gardening, cooking, gym and music & movement.
Conferences: Progress reports are sent home in October, January, and May. A Parent-Teacher conference day is set aside each year in October. You will be informed well in advance so a date and time can be scheduled for your convenience. Throughout the year, teachers are available to discuss any concerns or questions you may have concerning your child. Teachers may be contacted through the school office, 501-663-5212 or by email.
Recess: Children enjoy the outdoors on a daily basis, weather permitting. During the chilly months, children must dress appropriately with jacket, hat, and gloves. And, when wearing a skirt or dress, we request girls wear shorts or bloomers.
Change of Clothes: Each child will need to keep a change of clothes, including socks and underwear, at school. We prefer the change of clothing be kept in a backpack and sent to school on a daily basis to ensure your child has clean, seasonal clothes on-hand at all times.
Snacks: We serve snacks to children once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Parents are welcome to send a snack for a special day such as birthday or a holiday. Parents rotate bringing the snack for the class, and a monthly snack calendar will be sent home with your child. Please keep snacks healthy and feel free to go with the theme for the week. Fruit, popcorn, cheese and yogurt make great healthy snacks. Because of food allergies of children in the classroom, please do not send items containing peanuts or peanut products.
Lunch: Hot lunch is included in the tuition for the preschool program. Each day, children have two choices, either the hot lunch entrée or the weekly lunch option. You may always send a lunch from home. Parents are welcome to eat lunch with their child. Just meet us in the courtyard at 11:30 as we walk to lunch. Weather permitting, parents may choose to eat outdoors in the courtyard.
Field Trips: Parents are informed well in advance of an off-campus field trip. Children are transported to and from field trips via parent transportation. Children are not permitted to participate in a field trip without signed parent permission. Drivers must supply a copy of a valid driver’s license and proof of insurance, kept on file with the school office.
Preschool Field Trip Safety Requirements:
All preschool children must ride in a toddler car seat or booster seat.
All preschool children must ride in the back seat.
All passengers must wear a seatbelt.
All vehicles will travel to and from the destination in a convoy fashion.
All children must wear their Christ Lutheran T-shirt.
Medication: Parental permission along with dosage, dispensing requirements and instructions and the original prescription container must be submitted prior to any medications being administered. Medication request forms are available in the school office. Parents must bring all medications to school; do NOT give the medication to a child to bring to school. Any information relating to allergies should be clearly communicated to his/her teacher.
Toilet Training: All children attending Christ Lutheran Preschool must be toilet trained. We are not licensed by the Arkansas Department of Human Services to change diapers or pull-ups. We understand occasional accidents, but should your child establish a pattern of frequent accidents, the teacher will be in touch with you. If it is determined your child is not totally trained, he/she may be ultimately removed from the program, to be re-enrolled, space-permitting, when training is successful.
Mandated Reporting: All preschool staff members are mandated by the State of Arkansas to report instances of suspected child maltreatment. Staff and parents may also anonymously report licensing violations of the preschool. The telephone numbers listed below for reporting child maltreatment and/or licensing violations are also posted on the parent information board in the classroom. Those numbers are:
Childcare Licensing, Central Office – 501-682-8590 or 800-454-3316
Child Maltreatment Hotline – 800-482-5964
Discipline: We seek to create a positive, nurturing Christian learning environment through consistently and lovingly establishing safety and order. Children are treated with dignity and respect. Teachers plan age appropriate activities and teach behavior with positive reinforcement and suitable consequences. Children are expected to follow the reasonable expectations of the teacher and practice self-control. Classroom rules are as follows:
As a child of God…
We will listen to our teachers.
We will walk in our classrooms.
We will use our quiet voices
We will be kind to our friends.
We will clean up after ourselves.
Corporal punishment will never be used. And, by State Law, parents and/or guardians are prohibited from using any form of physical discipline while on campus.
