Parent Handbook
August 2016
Table of contents
About New Life Preschool (NLPS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 1
Admission / Enrollment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 1
Appropriate Dress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 1
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 1-2
Child Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 1-2
Cost / Billing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 2
Discipline philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 2-3
Education philosophy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 3
Health & Medications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 3-4
Incident and Injury Reporting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .pg. 4
Meals & Snacks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 4
Parent Contract & Parental Consent Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 4
Parental Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 4
Safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 4-5
Schedule . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pg. 5
August 2016
About New Life Preschool (NLPS)
New Life Preschool is a ministry of New Life Community Church serving families in the
church and community with Christian education and child care. NLPS consists of a day
care, pre-school, and after school program. The day care serves children from the ages
of 6 weeks until 2 years old. The pre-school serves children from the ages of 3 years
old until 5 years old. The after school program is designed for children in the 1st
through 6th grades.
NLPS provides a quality learning environment on a daily basis from 7:30 AM until 5:30
PM, Monday through Friday. MWF and TTH full-day and half-day options are also
available.
As a religious organization, NLPS is exempt from licensure. Section for Child Care
Regulation (SCCR) of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS)
has determined that our program is exempt from licensure, as the program is operated
by a religious organization. However, Section 210.252.1, RSMo requires that our
program be inspected annually for fire safety by the state fire marshall and for health
and sanitation by the department of health and senior services. Safety inspection
certifications can be obtained by contacting the Director.
Admission / Enrollment
The enrollment process includes . . .
(1) Enrollment Application — Fill out the enrollment application with a $25.00 nonrefundable, application fee. Application forms can be found online at
www.newlifecolumbia.org/preschool.
(2) Interview — Schedule an interview by calling 573-443-5433 and touring the facility.
(3) Holding Fee — Placing your child’s name on the waiting list (requires a two-week,
non-refundable payment as a holding fee & the last two-week’s payment)
(4) Parent Contract — Offer of placement for your child and signing of parent contract.
(5) Parent Handbook form must be signed and a copy of your child’s immunization
records must be on file.
Appropriate Dress
Children should wear casual and comfortable play clothes that are appropriate to the
season. Shoes need to be worn by walking children. Be sure your child is dressed
appropriately for outside play (i.e. coat, hat and mittens in the winter).
*** An extra set of clothes should be sent with the child to be kept at the center in case
of an accident. The extra set of clothing should include shirt, pants or shorts,
underwear, and socks. If the child does not have a set of extra clothing, the parent will
be called and will need to bring clothes to the center.
Calendar
We follow the Columbia Public School calendar. Generally, we are closed when CPS is
closed. We remain open on CPS “delayed start” days. NLPS will be closed on the
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following national holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday / Presidents’ Day /
Memorial Day / Independence Day / Labor Day / Thanksgiving and the day after /
Christmas Eve / Christmas / New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day.
In the event of severe weather that prevents families from safely entering or exiting the
facility, NLPS will be closed, with as much possible notice given. Please be assured that
every effort will be made to avoid these situations. In this event, tuition will not be
reimbursed.
Child Assessment
We observe children as they participate in the activities of the daily schedule. The staff
and the director will communicate with the parents on a regular basis. Each semester,
we will provide you with a copy of a developmental checklist, showing observed skills
and knowledge specific to your child.
Cost / Billing
Day Care — Cost will be posted as the program is developed.
Pre-K education — $160.00 per week (full time), $40.00 per day (full time), $25.00 per
1/2 day
After School Program — Cost will be posted as the program is developed.
Tuition is due bi-weekly on the 1st day of the week. Attendance, illness, or closing due
to inclement weather or holiday does not affect tuition. Tuition is paid in advance and is
non-refundable.
Discipline Philosophy
One of the goals of New Life Preschool is to instill Christian character in children and to
help children learn appropriate behavior applicable in the classroom, at home, and in
society at large. We seek to encourage children to develop the fruit of the Spirit in the
way they act and react to others.
Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”
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love - putting others first.
joy - enjoyment of life and a vibrant spirit.
peace - inner satisfaction and contentment.
patience - tolerating frustration and irritations.
kindness - friendliness and considerate.
gentleness - tenderness and respect towards others.
self-control - controlling negative, unhelpful emotions so that a cooperative spirit is
nurtured.
To help children learn these attitudes and actions, we:
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Give praise for appropriate behavior with high-fives, hugs and clapping.
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Model the behaviors we want to see in the children.
Establish clear, consistent and simple behavioral rules.
Remain positive and calm in our approach.
In some cases, discipline is necessary. Our discipline policy consists of the following
four steps:
Step #1: We will redirect the child’s attention to an acceptable attitude or action.
Step #2: We will explain the negative behavior and help the child identify alternative,
more positive solutions.
Step #3: We will give a "time out” to provide time and space to cool off and change
attitudes (usually 1 minute per year of age) or we will give a "miss out” — a
lost privilege.
Step #4: We will provide a written report to parents if the undesirable attitude or action
persists. A parent-teacher conference will follow.
*** If inappropriate behavior persists and it be deemed necessary, the parent will be
called and the child will need to be picked up immediately. The child’s enrollment can
be revoked if all appropriate attempts to redirect the child’s behavior fail.
Education philosophy
New Life Preschool offers safe, fun, quality Christian education designed to prepare
students for success in school and life. Our education philosophy is based on four core
values of education.
• Safe — Everything we do is designed with safety in mind for the students.
• Fun — We believe that learning should be fun as learning is a life-long adventure of
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growth.
Quality — Our teachers strive for excellence and creativity in the teaching methods
utilized.
Christian — Our program is God-centered seeks to promote the character of Christ in
every student.
Health & Medications
Infants and children do not possess a fully developed immune system and are more
vulnerable to viruses and bacteria. For the sake of your child and all children in the
classroom, please respect mandated health policies. This is the policy New Life
Preschool, part of being a responsible parent, and also set forth and required by the
State of Missouri:
• Parents enrolling a child at New Life Preschool will be required to fill out the “CHILD
MEDICAL EXAMINATION REPORT” and the “CHILD IMMUNIZATION HISTORY”.
• Children with a body temperature above 100.4° internally (oral) or 99.4° axillary
(armpit) will not be accepted until their temperature has returned to normal and
remained there for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. Children who are
vomiting, have diarrhea, a rash, green/yellow mucous (first two days) or show other
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signs of potentially contagious diseases will not be accepted for care until a doctor’s
note stating that the child is not contagious is presented.
• If your child becomes ill during the time he or she is at New Life Preschool, you will
be notified immediately and expected to pick up your child as soon as possible.
• Tuition is paid for all days when care is canceled due to the illness of your child.
• If possible please try to administer medications at home. In the event that your child
needs to take medication while at NLPS, the medications must be in their original
containers and labeled with storage instructions, specific directions for administration,
the appropriate dosage for your child and the contact information of the prescribing
physician in case of an allergic reaction. Please give medications directly to a staff
member to ensure it is placed out of reach of all children.
Incident and Injury Reporting
In the event of an accident or medical emergency, NLPS will take the appropriate
emergency measure to ensure the necessary care and protection of your child. The
parent/guardian will be notified.
When a serious incident of any nature involves a child at NLPS, an incident report is
made. This information is provided to the parent/guardian and kept on file at the facility.
Meals & Snacks
NLPS does not currently provide lunch. Lunch must be brought from home. Nutritional
snacks will be provided throughout the day.
Nap Time
Children are required to lay down for rest & quiet time for at least 45 minutes. children
are encouraged to bring a blanket or stuffed animal to the center.
Parent Contract & Parental Consent Form
Parents enrolling a child at New Life Preschool will be asked to sign a parent contract
outlining the number of days enrolled and methods of payment. Parents will also be
asked to provide consent for (1) Arrival & Pick Up, (2) inside/outside play, (3) snacks, (4)
transportation, and (5) a photography release.
***Early arrival is not permitted. All children must be picked up by 5:30 PM. A late fee
will be charged if your child is not picked up on time as outlined in the parent contract.
Parental Participation
Good communication between parents/guardians and NLPS staff is essential to a
successful preschool program. Parents are encouraged to share information related to
any changes in their child’s life with staff on a regular basis.
Safety
The following safety policies are frequently monitored and administered to ensure a safe
learning environment for the children at New Life Preschool:
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Children are continually supervised and the preschool maintains the proper staff/
child ratio as suggested by the state of Missouri.
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Community service telephone numbers are posted by the telephone (police, fire,
ambulance, poison control).
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Play area is fenced and free of dangerous objects.
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Furniture and other equipment are safe, maintained, and in working order.
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First aid kits are adequately stocked and available.
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No poisonous plants are in the center or outside play areas.
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Cleaning supplies, medicines, all toxic substances and dangerous objects are out
of reach of children.
Parents and guardians are welcome to inspect NLPS for safety at any time. We
welcome and encourage any suggestions or recommendations that would make
the environment even safer for the children.
Schedule1
Preschool Schedule
7:30-8:00
8:00-8:30
8:30-8:45
8:45-9:00
9:00-9:30
9:30-10:00
10:00-10:30
10:30-11:00
11:00-11:30
11:30-12:00
12:00-12:30
12:30-2:00
2:00-2:30
2:30-3:00
3:00-3:30
3:30-4:00
4:00-4:15
4:15-5:00
5:00-5:30
Arrival of full-day preschoolers/Free play
Breakfast/Restrooms
Arrival of half-day preschoolers/Free play
Circle Time – Prayer/Announcements/Pledge/Sharing Time
Bible Time – Bible Story/Verse/Theme Song
Arts & Crafts – Drawing/Coloring, etc
Morning Snack/Restrooms
Morning Education – ABC’s/123’s/Reading/Writing/
Outdoor Play
Lunch/Restrooms
Pickup of half-day preschoolers/Lay Down In Cots/ Story Time
Nap/Quiet Time
Wake up/Pick up Cots/Restrooms
Afternoon Snack
Language/Music
Outside Play
Restrooms
Play & Learn Centers
Pickup
Schedules are currently being developed. Check with the lead teacher for up-to-date daily
schedules or 1/2 day schedules.
1
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