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Policies & Procedures

Programs Offered

Must be the age of the designated class by September 1st

Mother’s Morning Out: Choose 1-5 Days
Ages 12 months to 24 months
Days offered: Monday through Friday

2K: Age 2
Days offered: 2 Days - Tuesday, Thursday or 3 Days - Monday, Wednesday, Friday

3K: Ages 3 Must be Potty Trained
Days offered: 3 Days - Monday, Wednesday, and Friday or 5 Days - Monday through Friday

4K: Age 4
Days offered: 5 Days - Monday through Friday

Library

Our preschoolers will visit the school’s library with their teacher. The library is designed to foster literacy and create experiences that focus on the joy of reading. Our collection of literature encourages our students to become life-long readers. We also offer Scholastic Book Club orders once a month.

Our 4K classes are able to check out library books once a week.

Music

Music is a wonderful teaching tool, especially with preschoolers. Music helps develop your child’s language and math skills. Our music program provides an opportunity to learn through songs. Children are able to wiggle and dance during this class. Our music teacher teaches students a variety of Bible, education, and fun preschool songs. Children begin to attend music classes once a week in 2K. Our music teacher will conduct two music performances throughout the school year. One performance will be a Christmas play and the other will be an End of the Year Celebration.

Jump for Joy

Once a week, children will attend a health and exercise class. Students will be busy developing gross motor skills, coordination, and balance while having lots of fun! Students will use beach balls, parachutes, and many other pieces of equipment during this 30 minute class.

Enrichment Programs

We offer a variety of exciting programs after school for our 3 and 4 year olds. Programs begin at 12pm and end at 12:45. The staff escorts your child to the program of your choice and you pick them up at the designated area.

Prices for these programs vary, since they are operated by businesses outside of the school. Background checks are conducted on all adults that are working with children.

During Open House each Enrichment Program will be open for registration. You may also enroll your child throughout the year.

The programs we offer are the following:

Dance Express (variety of tap, jazz, and ballet)
Tiny Tennis (tennis basics for tiny tots)
Little Ninja’s (beginning karate for our 4K)
Charleston Mobile Gymnastics (gymnastics for 3K-4K)
Little Picasso (art for our 3K-4K)

Prices, times, and dates will be announced

Extended Day

We offer Extended Day on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays for our 3K and 4K students. Children bring lunch and are picked up by 2 pm in the designated area. Teachers focus on having fun! Extended Day is a time for the students to do things for others. The children make wonderful gifts for the shut-ins at Grace UMC and create cards for classmates or friends that might perhaps be sick or just need a little sunshine. Students also play games, do arts and crafts, sing, dance, play instruments, and have fun, fun, fun!

Extended Day Rates

Registration: $30
1 day a week: $30/month
2 days a week: $60/month
3 days a week: $90/month

Conferences

Conferences with the teachers are held twice a year: once in the fall and once in the spring. During these conferences, teachers will discuss how your child is doing socially, emotionally, and academically in class. Teachers will talk about the goals they have taught in class and discuss which goals your child has achieved and which goals he or she needs to continue to develop.

If you would like to meet with the teacher about your child’s progress, or a concern you have please schedule a time to meet outside of regular school hours. Do not wait until the last minute to address a concern or need. We are here to help you and make learning a great experience for your child.

Meeting with a teacher cannot take place while class is in session. This is distracting to the students and the teacher cannot take time away from supervising her class. Meetings should not take place where children or other adults are present. Meetings between teachers and parents are kept confidential and may only take place before or after school. Please be respectful of this policy throughout the year.

Please make time to meet the Director! Communication is welcomed and encouraged. Please call Joyce Gresh in the office at 766-1621 ext. 2, or at Director@GraceWeekdaySchool.com.

Tuition and Fees

Click here for current Tuition Rates and Fees.

Additional/Optional Costs

T-Shirts: $10 (K4 has to have a t-shirt for field trips)
4K Graduation Fee: $10 (required)
Spring and Fall Photos: ~$40
Parties: Cost Varies
4K Field Trips: ~$3 or more depending on trip
Art By Me: Cost Varies

Curriculum

Each teacher plans her own curriculum following the Goals and Standards set by the Director. The Goals and Standards are available on our website, or are available in the office.

Each lesson and activity is made to be developmentally appropriate for each child. Our staff works hard to create a stimulating environment for all students. Students are nurtured throughout the day by all of our teachers.

Preschool age children thrive on stability, consistency, and repetition. Each day students are given time to be creative through play, socialization, arts and crafts, and our special area classes. Students are immersed with literacy, including Bible stories. Students begin to learn about the calendar, colors, letters, shapes, phonics, numbers, life-cycles, cooking, and many more exciting things. Students also learn an assortment of prayers and are taught about Christian values and principles.

Teachers are required to have 15 hours of early childhood education training each year. Teachers and the Director are members of the SCECA (South Carolina Early Childhood Association and the Southern Early Childhood Association). The Director is also a member of the NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children). All teachers are First-Aid and CPR Certified.

Primary Curriculum Resources Are the Following:

United Methodist Curriculum
South Carolina Curriculum Standards
AIMS Science & Math Curriculum
Perpetual Preschool Guidelines
National Association for the Education of Young Children
Various other successful resources based on research

Portfolios

At the end of the year, each student will receive a portfolio. Each portfolio is filled with pieces of his or her class work that demonstrates the growth he or she has made throughout the year. The work placed in the portfolio is based on the goals that each class is given. The portfolio also serves as a memory book for the year. Photographs of happy moments and class activities are placed throughout the portfolio, special pieces of artwork, and items that your child feels proud of are placed inside his or her portfolio.

Please remember that portfolios are meant to demonstrate each child’s growth. Students do not have to master all goals in order to move up to the next class. All children develop and learn at different rates.

Religion and Christian Values

It is our goal to help the students at GUMC Weekday School to learn about God and develop a real love for Him. Students will learn songs, prayers, and short Bible verses. Students will participate in Chapel in the Sanctuary throughout the year as the Pastor, Youth Pastor, and others bring Bible lessons. Also, church members volunteer to read Bible stories to the children throughout the year. We have the opportunity to offer the finest in early childhood education and to direct attention to the Christian faith. By teaching Christian values, we recognize the importance of adults as models of acceptable behavior for children. Adults reflect faith in God through words they use and the way they relate to each child. Children will witness acts of thankfulness, sharing, patience, love, joy, and fairness in his or her teachers.

Through Christian education, we affirm each child’s worth. We recognize and celebrate each one’s joy and accomplishments. We see the world as good. We marvel at creation. We rejoice in the changing seasons and recognize the dependability of our world. We teach care for plants, animals, and all other living things.

Resource: The United Methodist Weekday Programs

Of course, in order for these values to be instilled in your child, the values must also be a way of life in the classroom and at home.

Arrival at School

School begins promptly at 9:00 am each day. You are required to bring your child to his or her class between 8:50 and 9:00 am. It is very important to respect these times. The teachers only have three hours to spend with your child; therefore, every minute is precious teaching time. Preschoolers thrive on schedules and consistency. When a child arrives late, it can be very upsetting. The child realizes that they have missed out on class time and fun activities. This tends to make the child feel left out or uncomfortable. When a child is tardy this disrupts the entire class.

Please note that MMO times are different from the 2K-4K programs. Please drop off your child to the Nursery House by 8:50 am and pick-up your child at the Nursery House by 11:50 am.

Departure from School

MMO: Students must be picked up from the Nursery House by 11:50 am.

Parents may park in the grass closest to their child's classroom or in the parking lot and walk to the classroom. We ask that you wait until the door is opened by the teacher at Noon. You will be asked to sign your child out. If someone other you will be picking up your child, please contact the office ahead of time. Inform the person picking up your child to have identification available to show the teacher.

Please do not block the Pastor's driveway.

Should you need to pick up your child earlier than 12:00 PM, please visit the office first.

Volunteers

Volunteering at your child’s school is the best way to get to know the teachers, parents, director, and students. It is also fun and very rewarding. There are many ways to volunteer. You must first fill out a Volunteer Form which will be available during Open House and Meet the Teacher. You may list ways in which you are interested in volunteering. It may include reading to the class, helping with Art-By-Me, laminating, cutting out things, preparing for parties, Teacher Appreciation, helping with the Christmas play, office work, watching children on the playground, helping new parents get involved, and many more things.

Substitutes

Being a substitute is a wonderful way to get to know the school. The teachers will prepare lessons for substitutes and have instructions ready. All of our substitutes are parents of children that attend the Weekday School. All subs must have a SLED background check conducted by the school and attend a brief training session before entering the classroom.

All subs are compensated for their time. Please see the Director for more information.

It is recommended that you do not substitute for your own child’s class. As you may already be aware, children act much differently around parents then they do teachers.

Safety Around the School

We do everything we can to insure that all of our students are safe. Please review the list below of our safety procedures and precautions that we have in place at the Weekday School.

All classroom doors lock automatically. No one can enter a room without a key.
Fire drills are conducted throughout the year.
There is a fire extinguisher and at least two exits in every classroom.
All children must wash hands after using the restroom, playing outside, and before eating snack.
No child will be released to anyone that cannot show proper identification, does not know the family password, or does not have a carpool sign.
The playground gates cannot be opened by children. Adults place carabineers in the gates so children cannot open them.
All visitors must come by the office and check-in before visiting classrooms. All visitors must wear a visitor sticker.
No running is permitted on the sidewalks.
Hands must be held at all times when children are walking outside the classrooms.
Children are NEVER left alone at anytime.
Playground equipment must be used appropriately.
Intercoms are located in all classrooms.
PLEASE NOTE - TENNIS SHOES must be worn at all times. Due to insurance purposes, we are asking that sandals, clogs, etc. not to be worn.

Health

All students must have a SC DHEC Certificate of Immunization on file in the Weekday School Office. The certificate expires on the date of your child’s next scheduled shots. By law, a new form must be submitted to the office.

If your child needs to receive medication during school hours, a physician’s note with instructions must be given to the Director. The medication must be kept in the office and administered by the Director, or person in charge.

SICK POLICY

Do not bring sick children to school. If you think they don’t feel well or may be coming down with something, please leave the child at home.

You MAY NOT BRING YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL if they have
- a green or yellow runny nose
- fever – even a low grade fever!
- vomiting (within the last 24 hours)
- diarrhea (within the last 24 hours)
- excessive coughing
- any contagious disease
- red sore throat
- spreading rash

It is normal to expect that your child will catch colds at school. Most children will have clear runny noses. However, when sick children are brought to school it is very hard to contain the virus or bacteria that have been introduced into the school.
Teachers use disinfectants on a daily basis and do the very best they can to keep your children well and the environment germ free. However, parents and teachers working together are the key to keeping our school a healthy place!
If your child has a religious exemption from immunizations please notify the director of any contagious diseases your child may have or has been exposed to. In the event that the teacher of an un-immunized child becomes pregnant, the director will have to move the child into another classroom.

Potty Training

Potty training can be a very difficult challenge for students and parents. Our MMO program and 2K program have the proper equipment to change diapers. We ask that you bring 2-3 diapers each day that your child attends school.

If your child shows an interest in potty training, we will do all we can to meet his or her needs. Teachers will encourage, but not push children into using the potty. Accidents do happen. Please make sure to bring an extra pair of clothes for your child. If your child has just learned how to use the potty, you may want to bring more than one change of clothes.

It is our policy that all children entering our 3K program are potty trained. Our teachers will not be able to change diapers at this age level. If you are having trouble with potty training please don’t hesitate to contact the director.

Biting

Biting is a normal behavior in small children. In the event that a child is bitten, a note will be sent home informing the parents about what happened. The child who bit and the child who was bitten will receive a letter home. If a child is a habitual biter, the parents will be called in for a conference with the teacher and Director. During this meeting we will discuss ways to cease the biting and solve the problem. If the child still does not stop biting, the Director will have to discuss the case with the Weekday School Board. The Board and the Director will then decide what action to take.

Head Lice

Unfortunately, head lice are a fact of life when you have small children. If your child becomes infected with head lice please contact the Director and the child’s teacher. At that time, we will notify the class that there is a lice outbreak. Since head lice is passed by direct contact and clothing, we ask that every parent washes all clothes and jackets that have been recently worn by the child. Please check hair for nits (little white/gray eggs) on the hair shaft and lice near the nape of the neck and on the scalp. Your child will have to be examined by the Director before being allowed back in school.

Discipline

Discipline plays a key role in education. Without discipline, children cannot learn and to achieve their very best potential. Discipline is best learned when started early in life. Preschool is a great place to begin to implement discipline. It is normal for preschoolers not to share, to act selfishly, and want do their own thing. The best way for them to learn is through patience, love, and consistency.

If a child is not acting appropriately, our teachers have many options. One option is to redirect the child’s behavior, or distract them. Another option is to quietly talk to the child in terms he or she can understand. A third option is time-out from the situation that is causing problems. This can mean many things. Time-out can be in a chair, or time away from a classmate, or toy, or time-out on the playground. Corporal Punishment is NEVER an option and will NEVER be used at GUMC Weekday School. We believe that discipline can be done in a non-threatening and loving way. With discipline comes respect. With respect learning can take place.

Severe or repeated unwanted behaviors, such as biting or aggression will always be discussed with parents and with the Director. We will work as hard as we can to come up with a positive solution to any kind of behavioral problem.

Please talk with your child’s teacher or the Director with any questions or concerns you may have with your preschooler’s behavior.

Remember we are here to help.

Food and Nutrition

We provide your child with a daily snack. Snacks usually consist of a mixture of finger foods. Some foods include: crackers, pretzels, graham crackers, gold-fish, and Chex-Mix. Many children in MMO eat Cheeto’s and other similar foods that dissolve in the toddler’s mouth to avoid choking. Children are served water or 100% white grape-juice.

Parties are a special time for fellowship at the Weekday School. Parents go all out for class parties and the children have a great time. Food that is brought to parties must be first discussed with the teacher. We ask that you try to mix up the sweets with fruits and or vegetables.

If your child has a specific dietary need please let the teacher know immediately. If there is any food you do not want your child to have, you must notify the teacher ahead of time. Please advise the teacher if you do not want your child to have juice.

Teachers often provide a "special snack". This means that the snack has something to do with what the class learned about during the week. This could be licorice spider legs, marshmallow butterflies, or corn on the cob! Teachers must know if your child has any allergies before something is served to them that they cannot eat.

ALLERGIES!

Some students area allergic to PEANUTS, TREE NUTS, AND DAIRY PRODCUTS. During the preschool years not all allergies have been discovered yet in children. Let the school know immediately if you even suspect your child might have a food allergy.

Please find out if a student in your child’s class has a food allergy and make note of it. If your child has a severe food allergy, you must supply your own snack. During the event of a class party, you must either attend the party or monitor the food your child eats, or you must pick up your child before the party. This is for the child’s safety!

Field Trips

Only students in 4K attend off-campus field trips. A field trip is meant to be an extension of what the students are learning in class. Previous field trips have included the Pumpkin Patch at Legare Farms, Mr. Al in Concert at the N. Charleston Coliseum, making pizza at CiCi’s, and touring the Outback Steakhouse!

Field Trip Guidelines:

All students must wear his or her GUMC Weekday School T-Shirt on the day of the field trip. This helps everyone stay together.
All children attending the field trip must be at the school on time. If a student is late, the class cannot wait for him or her to arrive.
All children must be buckled into a car seat or booster seat that is appropriate for his or her height, age, and weight. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Chaperones are responsible for his or her group of children at all times. Chaperones must constantly watch the group assigned to him or her. This means counting children often, escorting children to restrooms, making sure car seats are properly installed, and that all children are behaving appropriately. Field trips are not a time for parents and teachers to socialize. Chaperones are responsible for the safe return of their assigned group.
All chaperones must have a valid SC driver’s license. A copy of the chaperone’s driver’s license will be kept on file in the Weekday School Office. If you have any previous driving infractions within the past year, you may not drive any child but your own.
Chaperones cannot bring younger siblings on field trips. Please make arrangements for your other children.
Students that do not have signed permission slips cannot go on the field trip.
Updated emergency contact information must be given to the teacher.
All chaperones must follow a pre-planned route to the destination.
All chaperones must have a cell phone. The teacher and the office must have this number. No talking on cell phones while driving and monitoring children. Please provide the office with your cell phone number before leaving.
When turning LEFT onto Sam Rittenberg Boulevard all cars must use the traffic light at the intersection of Ashley Hall Road and Sam Rittenberg. Follow Stoney Street to the end – turn Left onto Woodcrest Avenue – turn Left onto Ashley Hall Road – follow to traffic light.

1601 Sam Rittenberg Boulevard Charleston, SC 29407
843-766-1621 ext. 1

Contact Joyce Gresh, Director
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