LITTLE LAMBS PRESCHOOL

A MINISTRY OF THE COMMUNITY CHURCH193 MAIN STREET, MEDWAY, MA 02053

(508) 533-8950

EMAIL: LITTLELAMBS@MEDWAYCOMMUNITYCHURCH.ORG WEBSITE: MCCLITTLELAMBS.ORG

PARENT HANDBOOK2014 - 2015

PHILOSOPHY

We believe that every child is a gift from God and that we are privileged to be given an opportunity to present a program that meets each child’s needs.

We endeavor to treat each child with love while presenting a strong developmentally-appropriate program of study centered around a Christian curriculum.

We encourage individual differences and believe that discipline within the classroom should center around a desire that the child becomes self-controlled or self-disciplined.

We believe that one of the most important factors in a child’s academic development is his or her feeling of self-worth. We endeavor to focus our curriculum around a desire for each child to feel good about his or her accomplishments.

Our goal is to present a developmentally appropriate curriculum that will allow each child to develop intellectually, socially, morally, emotionally, and physically while growing in his or her knowledge and understanding of God and His plan.

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GOALS

We at Little Lambs Preschool feel that the most important goal of our curriculum is to help children become enthusiastic learners. This is done by encouraging the children to be active participants in their everyday learning, to be creative, to try new ideas and not be afraid, and to think on their own. We believe that all children are unique individuals and should be allowed to grow at their own pace and in ways that are best for them.

Little Lambs Preschool encourages children to do the following:

To grow in their knowledge and understanding of God and His plan for them

Develop an interest in the world around them, be curious, and expand their knowledge

Develop habits of helping themselves, finishing what they have begun, and cleaning up after play

Learn the value of talking things over as a method of problem solving and decision making

Develop a love of music and books

Increase their large and small muscle skills and feel confident about what their bodies can do

Use their imagination, express their ideas, needs and feelings through dramatic play, rhythmic/musical activities, personal possessions and the attention of adults

Experiment with materials such as paint, sand, clay, water, etc. some of which may be too messy for home

Experiment with simple science and nature activities

Begin making a happy transition from home life to school life

Develop responsibility for themselves and their actions

Learn to respect all people

Build a strong self-image through successful experiences

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MEDWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

Christ

Elders

Little Lambs

Board of

Directors

Little Lambs

Director

Little Lambs

Families

Little Lambs

Faculty

Little Lambs Preschool is a ministry of the Medway Community Church,an evangelical, Protestant church.

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MEDWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH – STATEMENT OF FAITH

We believe in one God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This triune God has created humankind in His own image and has called us to exhibit and reflect holiness through obedience to His commandments.

We believe that humanity has woefully fallen in this responsibility and entered into a state of moral corruption; therefore we have become estranged from God, our Creator.

We believe that out of a profound love for His creation, God has initiated a plan of redemption that He has accomplished on behalf of His people. The fulfillment of this redemption is found in the incarnation of God in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. We confess Jesus to be the Christ of Old Testament prophecy, being at the same time fully God and fully man. Jesus, through His substitutionary atoning death and bodily resurrection, has provided the meritorious basis of our justification and salvation, which, by God's grace, we receive by faith alone.

We believe that the Holy Spirit dwells in the hearts of believers, effecting their regeneration and operating in their sanctification. He has been given to the people of God to empower them for the service of bearing witness to the kingdom of God.

We believe that the Holy Spirit brings His people together to form a corporate community of believers. We believe that Christ has established a visible church that is called to live in the power of the Spirit under the regulation of the authority of Holy Scripture, exercising discipline, administering the sacraments, and preaching the Gospel of Christ.

We believe that the Bible, in its entirety, is divine revelation, and we submit to the authority of Holy Scripture, acknowledging it to be inerrantly inspired by God and carrying the full weight of His authority.

We believe that all who trust in Christ are our brothers and sisters, and thus we support the work of Christian organizations and institutions that confess the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We believe our faith should be visible in holy behavior, acts of mercy, and verbal witness. We seek to be faithful disciples of Christ, enduring in love and obedience until He comes again to consummate His kingdom.

We accept those large areas of doctrinal teaching which historically have had agreement among all Christians and which have been expressed in the creeds of the church; more specifically the Apostles’ Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Creed of Chalcedon, the Reformed confessions, and the Savoy Declaration.

We believe the Bible teaches that marriage is the joining of a man and a woman in a lifelong, committed relationship. In the first book of the Bible, God established marriage; it says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

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STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATIONLittle Lambs serves Medway and surrounding communities. No child or family will be discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, cultural heritage, political belief, national origin, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability. No child will be discriminated against for not being toilet trained and no child will be made to feel uncomfortable or inadequate for not being able to use the toilet.

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION AND REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

In order to be accepted into the Little Lambs program, a child must be 2.9 years by August 31st for the 3-year-old class, and 3.9 years by August 31st for the 4-year-old class. Children are accepted on a first-come, first-returned application basis. At this time, a non-refundable registration fee of $50.00 is needed to secure a place on the class enrollment.

Upon enrollment, parents are required to fill out an application form, developmental history form, parental agreement form, authorization and consent form, and other forms required by the state. All forms, including a physician’s form, must be returned to the school by July 15th for entrance in September.

All forms must be filled out accurately. Signatures and dates must be present in the appropriate areas of the forms and all information must be kept current. If there are any changes during the year, please contact us immediately.

A physical examination form, signed and dated by the physician, which includes evidence of screening for 3 lead poisoning tests and all other required immunizations, must be included with the paperwork turned in to the school. Any child without all of the proper forms filled out and returned before July 15th will not be able to attend the program.

TUITION POLICYThe 3-year-old Preschool program meets two mornings a week with a yearly tuition of $1,900, which is broken down into ten installment payments of $190 each.

The 4-year-old Preschool program meets three mornings a week with a yearly tuition of $2,750, which is broken down into ten installment payments of $275 each.

Tuition installments will be made on the first of each month, in the amounts described above, with the first payment due by February 1st of the year your child registers. The remaining installment schedule will be as follows: August 31, October 1, November 1, December 1, January 1, February 1, March 1, April 1, May 1.

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(Tuition Policy, continued)

Payments received after the 10th of the month will be assessed a late charge fee of $10. Additionally, a $20 fee will be charged for checks returned for non-sufficient funds. Fees are due regardless of the number of school days in the month and whether the child attends or not.

If you intend to withdraw your child from school before the end of the school year, two weeks written notice to the Director is required. If you remove your child before the next installment payment is due and a two week written notice has not been received, you will be responsible for that month’s payment. If your child has attended any classes in the month of a withdrawal, that month’s installment will be forfeited in its entirety.

Please note that the tuition paid for preschool may be considered a child care expense and may qualify for a credit on your income taxes. Please consult your tax professional for further details. The tax ID for the Medway Community Church is 042-675-852.

Please pay your tuition in the box provided in the cubby area. Tuition checks should be made payable to “Medway Community Church” designating “Little Lambs” in the memo space.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSALSchool starts at 9:00 AM. The children should not arrive before 8:55 AM. Classes will be dismissed promptly at 12:00 noon (for 9 AM to noon class) or 1:00 PM (for 9 AM to 1 PM class). Parents are to pick up their child(ren) promptly from their classroom or playground after they are dismissed by their teacher. Please remain in the hall (where the cubbies are) or outside the gate of the playground until the teacher dismisses your child(ren).

NOTES TO AND FROM TEACHERSNotes are necessary for any departure from the usual routine. Please let us know ahead of time if your child will be arriving late or leaving earlier than usual. We also need written permission for your child to go home with another child or adult. The teacher will send a note home if the child has had a minor accident during school.

AUTHORIZATION AND CONSENT FORMOn the Authorization and Consent Form filled out during registration, please list any person(s) allowed to pick up your child up from school. We ask that you choose as a “code word” a word or phrase that you associate with your child (a favorite toy, pet, food, etc.) and that you can remember easily. Your child does not need to know this word. It is to be told only to a person that:

is sent by you to pick up your child (and is not on the authorization and consent form

is not known by sight by school personnel

The authorized person may need to show a license to pick up your child. We will also need a permission note for our files. These procedures are carried out for the protection of your child and are adhered to strictly.

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(Authorization and Consent Form, continued)

If you do not plan to have anyone except yourself and your spouse pick up your child, write “NO ONE” on the Authorization to Release section.

Photographs of the children will not be taken or displayed without written parental consent.

SICK CHILD POLICYPlease do not send your child to school if the child has a fever (temperature over 100 degrees orally), diarrhea, severe cold symptoms (nasal discharge that is greenish, yellow), nausea, vomiting, conjunctivitis, strep throat, head lice, rash on body, chicken pox, etc. If your child isn’t “acting like himself” (not feeling energetic and fit), or if you feel that your child should not participate in certain parts of the school day such as eating snack or playing outside, they would not benefit from being at school and should be kept home. Children should be free of signs and symptoms for 24 hours or more without the aid of medication (i.e. fever controlling medications) as indicated before their return to school. Please seek medical attention if your child shows symptoms of illness and you are not sure if he/she should be in school. If a child becomes ill while at school, the parent will be notified immediately and the child will wait in an area that is separate from the group. A staff member will attend to the child until the parent arrives. If the symptoms require emergency care, emergency medical personnel will be summoned.

Any child who has been diagnosed with a communicable disease will not be allowed to attend school during the time of communicability. Parents will be notified in the event that a communicable disease is introduced into the school.

VACCINATION ADDENDUMChildren with exemptions to vaccinations: susceptible students or staff, who are not appropriately immunized or are without laboratory evidence of immunity or a reliable history of chickenpox, shall be excluded from school from the 10th through the 21st days after their last exposure. A susceptible child shall be excluded every time they are in close contact of a case; thus the child may be excluded several times throughout a school year.

Updated I and Q Varicella 6-03.doc

ABSENTEE NOTIFICATIONIf your child develops any communicable condition (see Sick Child Policy above), please notify the school as soon as possible. Please phone the school between 8:00 and 9:00 AM if your child will be absent. The school telephone number is 508-533-8950.

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SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHERWhen the Medway Public Schools are closed due to inclement weather, Little Lambs will be cancelled. WBZ (1030 AM) on your radio will announce Medway school closings. If Medway Public Schools have a delayed opening of less than two hours, Little Lambs will have the same delayed opening. If Medway Public Schools have a delay of two hours or more, Little Lambs will be cancelled. Any additional information provided by the station will not apply to us –i.e. “A one hour delay with no morning Kindergarten” means Little Lambs will have a one hour delay. If Little Lambs deviates from the Medway closings, your child’s teacher will contact you.

SCHOOL CALENDARA Little Lambs school calendar will be given to each enrolled family prior to the start of the school year. This calendar will denote all holidays, vacations, and other related information.

CLOTHING AND TAKE-HOME BAGChildren should come to school in “play clothes”, i.e. clothes that do not have to remain spotless and are fine for messy, active play. Each parent should supply a change of clothing (undies, pants, socks and shirt) in case of accidents. (Label all clothing including outer clothing.) Please adhere to this request! “Accidents” refers to spills, falls in puddles, etc. and not just toileting. Please seal extra clothes in a zip-lock bag, clearly labeled with your child’s name. Please dress children in clothes that can be worn independently (e.g. children that cannot buckle and unbuckle themselves should not wear belts) No-slip, sturdy shoes are a must (no flip-flops).

Please furnish a backpack for the child’s use as a take-home bag. The backpack should be big enough to securely hold all of your child's belongings including snow pants. Please check this bag each day, as it will be the communication vehicle between home and school.

CRAFTS AND NOTICESYour child’s crafts, notices, artwork, etc., can be found in the area designated by the classroom teacher.

PERSONAL POSSESSIONSWe urge parents to discourage children from bringing personal possessions to school.

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SNACKSA nutritious snack will be provided each day. The child does not need to bring any food with him although a sign-up for snacks on a volunteer basis will be available to the parents. Due to our “peanut, peanut butter, nut-free” environment, only snacks designated on the special snack list will be allowed. Please keep this list handy for reference throughout the year. This will help in providing a variety of nutritious snacks to the children. If your child has a special diet that cannot be met within the classroom, please discuss this with your child’s teacher prior to the start of the school year.

BIRTHDAYSAll birthdays are special and will be celebrated on the birth date or a suitable alternate date. Parents are encouraged to bring a treat for the birthday to share with his or her classmates and are invited to spend the day with us. Please remember to check the special snack list when preparing for the treat. Since we often have more than one birthday celebration in a week, we encourage creative, nutritious treats. Please let the teacher know on which day your child’s celebration will be. We ask that you do not pass out birthday party invitations at school unless all of his/her classmates are invited.

PARTIESThere will be a number of parties to celebrate special occasions that occur during the school year. We would appreciate each child’s parents offering to contribute to the refreshments for at least one of these parties.

TOILETING POLICYThe purpose of the toileting policy is to promote healthful habits and attitudes with respect to personal hygiene and toileting. To that end, the principles and procedures outlined below will be followed:

1. Through the teacher's attitude, word, and behavior, children will learn that toileting is a normal part of the daily routine. No child shall be punished, verbally abused, or humiliated for soiling, wetting, or not using the toilet.

2. Children shall wash their hands with soap and running water after toileting and before snacks and meals or handling food. Staff members shall also wash their hands with soap and running water after assisting children with toileting. Individual paper towels shall be used to dry hands.

3. Clothing soiled by feces, urine, vomit or blood must be double bagged in sealed plastic bags and stored apart from other items.

4. Extra clothing will be available for changing purposes. The extra clothing must be laundered after being worn by a child.

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TOILET TRAINING PROCEDURESEvery child will be encouraged to use the toilet at least once per day to help children learn that toileting is a normal part of the daily routine. No child shall be punished, verbally abused, or humiliated for soiling, wetting, or not using the toilet. Teachers will ask parents what training techniques are being used at home and whenever possible, staff will incorporate such techniques. The procedures outlined below will be followed:

1. Upon their own initiative each child will be able to use the toilet.

2. Children will be asked individually to have a turn on the toilet each day regardless if they are trained or not.

3. Parents will be asked for ideas on what works best for their child and verbally informed of their child’s progress.

TRANSPORTATION POLICYTransportation to and from Little Lambs is the responsibility of the parents. In the event of a medical emergency, an ambulance and/or EMT will be summoned to transport the child to the hospital.

EXCURSIONSAt least one field trip will be taken during the school year to places of interest in and around the community that may require that we take the children off the school property. Transportation on field trips will be provided by a licensed school bus driver. The bus will carry a first aid kit and emergency information on each child within the bus. A cell phone will also be available. Staff will not transport children in their vehicles. Parents, who have received a successful CORI/DSS report, are welcome to accompany the group on these trips. (Due to EEC regulations, siblings are not allowed.) Permission slips will be sent home to be signed by a parent and returned to school on the child’s next school day. Most of the field trips that Little Lambs offers will be “in-house”.

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DAILY SCHEDULE3 and 4-year-old program

9:00-9:15 am Arrival/Free Play/Choice

9:15-9:30 am “Morning Meeting”

Teacher brings the group together for a discussion of the day’s

activities, related stories, planning for work time, sharing, and prayer.

9:30-10:30 am Work Time

Children choose from activities in Learning Centers. teachers also use

this time to work with individuals or small groups of children on

specific skills or special activities.

10:30-10:40 am Clean-Up

10:40-11:00 am Quiet/Story Time

11:00-11:15 am Snack Time

11:15-11:30 am Group Time and Preparation for Dismissal

11:30-12:00 noon Outdoor Play/Dismissal

12:00-1:00 pm Lunch, Story/Classroom Activity/Dismissal

ORIENTATIONBefore the first day of school, an Orientation Night for the parents will be held. There will also be a separate time for the children to come and meet their teachers and spend some time with the other children from their class. Schedules will be sent out in the summer. In order to make for a smooth transition on the first day of school, parents are welcome to stay in the classroom for approximately 30 minutes. This process differs for the 3-year-olds; specifics will be sent during the summer.

CONFERENCESPreschool parents will receive a written report and conference opportunities two times during the year (fall and spring). Parents desiring a conference at other times during the year, or have questions or suggestions, should not hesitate to call the school for an appointment.

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PARENT INVOLVEMENTIt is our goal and desire at Little Lambs that parents feel completely welcome and comfortable at the school. We want you to be familiar with the program in which your children work and play. We encourage parents to visit the school at any time. A sign-up list for parent helper days will be available to parents on a volunteer basis. In addition, we encourage parents to make suggestions related to the program’s policies and programs. If you have any questions, concerns, or grievances, we want to address them and will be available for individual conferences when necessary.

VISITATIONWe have an open-door policy. Once the children are accustomed to the routine, we encourage parents to visit at any time. Prior notice about visits is not necessary. Siblings may not accompany parents during these visits due to state regulations.

CORI REQUESTAt Little Lambs, we have an open door policy and encourage parents to participate. While we encourage this policy, we must follow all rules and regulations of the Department of Early Education and Care. A new regulation for volunteers states that “anyone who has the potential for unsupervised contact with children must have a CORI check on file.” To that end we are requesting all parents to fill out a CORI form if they think they will volunteer in the classroom or on a field trip at any time during the school year. A CORI form was included in your registration packet. All CORI results are kept in strictest confidence in a locked cabinet. 

CONFIDENTIALITYLittle Lambs encourages parent participation and recognizes your right to be involved in your child’s preschool experience. While you exercise this right, please keep in mind the rights and privacy of other children and the staff.

Please do not discuss with anyone any situations observed at the center involving children or the staff while you are volunteering. Even the most seemingly innocuous story or comment shared with someone else is a breach of confidentiality.

If you ever have a question about appropriate behavior for children while you are volunteering, just ask a teacher. Please do not be offended if a teacher redirects the play in the area you are supervising. It is the teacher’s job to monitor the dynamics of the classroom and to implement any behavior management plans as necessary. If you observe something of concern, please discuss it with the teacher in the classroom or with the director. Situations are not always as they appear, particularly if they are observed singularly and not in a broader context.

Thank you for considering this matter and most especially, thank you for sharing your time with Little Lambs.

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DISCIPLINE POLICYOur goal is to provide a quality program. In order to provide a safe environment, the children are encouraged to develop self-control. Praise and encouragement are used to promote acceptable behavior and to help the child build a positive self-image, as well as a positive feeling about school and their classmates.

We will teach and encourage each child to love God and all of God’s creations, including him/herself. We will encourage a loving and caring atmosphere between children and caring respect for their learning materials and environment. We will not allow any child to hurt themselves, other children, or damage their learning environment. We will encourage positive behavior and discourage negative behavior.

If a child is disruptive, the teacher will talk with the child about the unacceptable behavior and will direct that child to acceptable alternatives. If the behavior persists, the teacher will ask the child to take a time out by sitting in a designated spot away from the group activity. A staff member supervises the child and after a reasonable period of time the child will be allowed to rejoin the group. No child will be sitting longer then 1 minute per year of age. If the child’s behavior continues, the Director is notified and a parent conference may be required which will be scheduled as soon as possible.

No child will ever be spanked or treated with any form of corporal punishment. No child will ever be subject to cruel or severe punishment such as humiliation, verbal or physical abuse, neglect, or abusive treatment. No child will be deprived of outdoor time, meals or snacks, nor will they be force fed or made to eat against their will. No child will be disciplined for soiling, wetting, or not using the toilet. No child will be left in wet or soiled clothing. No child will be confined to a piece of furniture or equipment of any kind in lieu of supervision.

MISSING CHILD POLICYIf a child should go missing an immediate head count and initial search will be done. If the child is not found, the Director or teacher will call 911 and the church office (508-533-7032) for assistance in the search. At this point, the parents will be notified. The Director, all teachers, and church staff will continue to search the premises inside and outside. All assistant teachers will keep the other children safe and together either on the playground or in a designated room.

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECTAll staff members are mandated by law to report suspected child abuse or neglect. We are required to report any suspected abuse or neglect to the EEC and the Department of Children and Families, and are required to and willing to cooperate with all aspects of an investigation.

The Director of Little Lambs shall notify the EEC immediately after filing of a 51A report or learning that a 51A report has been filed. The school shall cooperate with any investigation. Any staff member alleged to have been abusive or neglectful will not work directly with the children until the DCF investigation is complete and for such further time as EEC requires. (reg. 7.05(3)B5)

The complete policy on abuse and neglect is available upon request. The Policy Handbook and Health Care Manual are available if at any time you would like more detailed information.

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TERMINATION/SUSPENSION POLICYIf a child or the school would benefit from termination/suspension, the director will determine an appropriate period of time and conditions for return. Before a termination or suspension the following actions will occur:

1. The parent will be invited for a meeting with the child’s teacher and the Director of the program to inform the parent of inappropriate behavior.

2. With the advice of the parent an action plan will be created. The action plan will be developmentally appropriate to the child and appropriate for the behavior.

3. An appropriate list of referrals will be given to the parents and any specialist will be invited to observe the child in the school environment as needed.

4. A follow up meeting will occur to discuss child’s progress. At this meeting it will be determined if the child’s needs are beyond the schools abilities to keep the child at the school.

Reasons for termination/suspension may include but are not limited to: biting, swearing, illness, behavior that endangers the safety/well-being of him/her or others, behavior that requires undue or excessive attention or restraint from the staff, or behavior of a child whose needs cannot be best met by the Little Lambs program. Termination/suspension may also be deemed necessary due to parental abuse toward a teacher or failure to comply with the regulations and policies (including financial) of Little Lambs. A complete termination/suspension policy is available from the Director.

RECORDSThe information in the child's records is confidential and will not be released without written consent from the parents. The parent may request in writing that the child’s records be transferred to any other person after the child leaves the school. The parent can have access to the child’s records and has the right to add or request the deletion of information in the child’s records. A copy of the information contained in the child’s records will be supplied to the parents, upon request, for a minimal copying charge. The information required to be maintained on each child must be made available to the EEC.

INDIVIDUAL HEALTH CARE PLANSAn Individual Health Care plan is required for all children needing medication of any kind including, but not limited to, EpiPens, Benadryl, and inhalers. An Individual Health Care Plan typically is generated through your child's pediatrician. Little Lambs can provide necessary forms if needed. All Individual Health Care Plans need to be signed and approved by your child’s pediatrician. Medication can only be administered by a trained Staff member. All Staff members are trained with the 5 Rights training offered through EEC.

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MEDICAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURESAlthough safety is a high priority, providing a totally risk-free learning and play environment is neither possible nor desirable. In order to grow and develop, children should be encouraged to face challenges and take risks. Though children are taught to be careful both at home and at school, they sometimes inadvertently injure themselves or their classmates as they work and play. In the event that a child becomes injured at school, the following procedures will be followed:

A.  Minor injury

1. Appropriate First Aid will be administered to minor cuts, scrapes, bruises, and bumps.

2. The incident, circumstances, and treatment applied will be recorded in the Accident Log book.

3. Parents will be notified when picking up the child.

B. Major injury

1. Appropriate emergency First Aid will be administered.

2. Emergency medical personnel will be summoned immediately.

3. Parent will be notified.

Only staff members trained in an approved First Aid Course may administer First Aid. All Little Lambs Staff are trained in First Aid and CPR within 6 months of hire.

REFERRAL POLICYEach teacher on the school staff is provided with resources to help them determine if a child should need outside assistance that Little Lambs Preschool cannot provide. If a teacher suspects that a child would benefit from other assistance, they are to share their observations with the Director. A log will be kept of all observations in the child’s file that can be shared with the parents at a conference or earlier if needed. Little Lambs Preschool will make every effort to keep the child in the program provided they are not a risk to themselves or other children and staff.

The Director, with the assistance of the teachers, is responsible for referring families to appropriate agencies as necessary. The following steps are to be taken when making referrals:

1. A concern that the child may need special services is expressed and documented in the child’s record by any staff member.

2. The concern is reported to the Director or the teacher who then observes the child, reviews the record, and determines what further action needs to be taken.

3. If a referral or conference is determined to be necessary, the parent is notified verbally of the concern by the Director or teacher.

4. During the conference the Director or teacher will recommend any services that might be helpful to the family.

5. Assistance in making the referral will be offered and written permission from the parent must be obtained.

Appropriate resources will be provided for any family that requires a referral of any kind; these resources are as follows.

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Local Community Resources

Regional DEEC Offices Lori DafoeDepartment of Early Education and Care10 Austin StreetWorcester, MA  01608(508) 798-5180

DentalFranklin Dental Associates397 East Central StreetFranklin, MA  02038(508) 528-0610

Vision and HearingFranklin Pediatrics355 East Central StreetFranklin, MA  02038(508) 541-8000

 

Child Care Resource Agency Child Care Resource Agency100 Grove Street, Suite 102Worcester, MA  01605(508) 757-3880 URL: www.cccfscm.org

Speech and LanguageSLP Associates5 North Meadows RoadMedfield, MA  02052(508) 359-4532

Early Intervention ProgramsCriterion Valley Early Intervention Program375 Fortune BoulevardMilford, MA  01757 (508) 478-7752

Public School Systems

Medway Public SchoolsKim CondonEarly Intervention LiaisonBurke School16 Cassidy Lane Medway, MA 02053 (508)-533-3242

Franklin Public SchoolsKaren Seyfried, DirectorF.X. O’Regan ECDC224 Oak Street Franklin, MA  02038(508) 541-8166

Milford Public Schools Lucy JenkinsShining Star Early Childhood Center31 West Fountain StreetMilford, MA  01757(508) 478-1135 x0513

Bellingham Public SchoolsPamela Fuhrman, DirectorBellingham Early Childhood Center342 Hartford AvenueBellingham, MA  02019(508) 966-2512

Department of Early Education and Care51 Sleeper Street, 4th FloorBoston, MA  02210(617) 988-6600

New England I-N-D-E-X

The Shriver Center200 Trapelo Road, Suite 2

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http://www.eec.state.ma.us

Department of Public HealthDivision of Early Childhood Health250 Washington StreetBoston, MA  02108(617) 624-6060

New England IndexThe Shriver Center200 Trapelo Road Waltham, MA 02452 (781) 642-0248  

Waltham, MA  02452(781) 642-0248

Federation For Children With Special Needs1135 Tremont Street, Suite 420Roxbury Crossing, MA  02120(617) 236-7210 

TRANSITIONSTransitions may include: transferring to another program during the school year, moving from the T, Th. program to the M,W,F program, or moving to Kindergarten. Written parental permission must be obtained before sharing child information with other programs.

When a child transfers within the school, the teacher and Director check to see that the child is age appropriate for the program. At registration time in January, if there is a concern for a child who does not seem to be progressing as we had hoped in order to have a successful transition to the next class level, we will take registration for the next level only with the stipulation that said child will be re-evaluated in June. The parents are invited for a conference to discuss if it is developmentally appropriate to move onto the next program, whether within the Little Lambs or into Kindergarten. At that time, based on the teacher’s assessment of the child’s progress, the child may be denied enrollment into the next level. We feel strongly that we are here to serve your child’s best interests both emotionally and academically; if we feel that it is truly not beneficial for a child to “move up”, we reserve the right to deny enrollment into the next level. For a child moving into a program within Little Lambs files are shared with the teachers only.

During the summer, children receive a post card welcoming them back and letting them know who their teacher will be.

For each Little Lambs program, the children will visit for an hour to become familiar with the program and staff.

A questionnaire is filled out on each child moving into Kindergarten. With the parent’s permission, it is sent to the school.

For a child who withdraws from Little Lambs, whether it be due to a family move or to another program, the child's files will be made available upon the parent’s written request.

In all situations the teacher will discuss the transition with the child and address any of the child’s concerns about the change.

GRIEVANCE POLICY

As a general rule it is best to handle all problems at the lowest level possible. At Little Lambs we desire to handle all concerns in a Biblical, efficient manner. Please help us to handle

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problems or concerns effectively.

If you have a complaint or concern:

1 Pray about it. Ask God to help you express your concern in such a way that it will result in the betterment of our school. “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievance you have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Colossians 3:12 -13 NIV.

2. Express it promptly. Keeping it to yourself can cause ill feeling and friction.

3. Tell it to the right person. If you have a concern about discipline, classroom situations, or instruction, please go directly to the teacher first. If the situation is not able to be resolved please see the Director.

4. Once the above steps have been taken, an appeal can be rendered to the Chairperson of the Little Lambs Board. The Little Lambs Board is a governing board and will not act on any matters that have not been first formally addressed with the Director and teachers. The Chairperson of the Little Lambs Board can be reached at LLBoard@medwaycc.org.

TEACHER QUALIFICATIONSThe qualifications for our teachers and assistants are based on the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC) standards.  All teachers must have a minimum of an Associate’s Degree in ECE/CD and at least 3 credits in Early Childhood Education for Teacher.  As Little Lambs Preschool is a ministry of the Medway Community Church, we also require all staff to share and support the doctrinal views of the church.

LICENSINGAccording to the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Department of Early Education & Care must license all private Preschool programs. The EEC has set specific guidelines and regulations which must be met by each center. Staff members must meet specified qualifications for the positions applied for, and specified quotas and ratios between staff members and children must be maintained at all time. Parents can contact EEC for the program’s compliance history at 10 Austin Street, Worcester, MA 01609 (508-798-5180).

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Table of ContentsABSENTEE NOTIFICATION.....................................................................................................8

APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION AND REGISTRATION INFORMATION.....................6

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL.......................................................................................................7

AUTHORIZATION AND CONSENT FORM............................................................................7

BIRTHDAYS................................................................................................................................10

CHILD ABUSE AND NEGLECT..............................................................................................14

CLOTHING AND TAKE-HOME BAG......................................................................................9

CONFERENCES.........................................................................................................................12

CONFIDENTIALITY.................................................................................................................13

CORI REQUEST.........................................................................................................................13

CRAFTS AND NOTICES.............................................................................................................9

DAILY SCHEDULE....................................................................................................................12

DISCIPLINE POLICY...............................................................................................................14

EXCURSIONS.............................................................................................................................11

GOALS...........................................................................................................................................3

GRIEVANCE POLICY...............................................................................................................19

INDIVIDUAL HEALTH CARE PLANS...................................................................................15

LICENSING.................................................................................................................................19

MEDICAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES............................................................................16

MEDWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH ORGANIZATIONAL CHART....................................4

MEDWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH STATEMENT OF FAITH............................................5

MISSING CHILD POLICY.......................................................................................................14

NOTES TO AND FROM TEACHERS........................................................................................7

ORIENTATION...........................................................................................................................12

PARENT INVOLVEMENT........................................................................................................13

PARTIES......................................................................................................................................10

PERSONAL POSSESSIONS........................................................................................................9

PHILOSOPHY...............................................................................................................................2

RECORDS....................................................................................................................................15

REFERRAL POLICY.................................................................................................................16

LOCAL COMMUNITY RESOURCES................................................................................17

PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEMS..............................................................................................17

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SCHOOL CALENDAR.................................................................................................................9

SCHOOL CLOSING DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER......................................................9

SICK CHILD POLICY.................................................................................................................8

SNACKS.......................................................................................................................................10

STATEMENT OF NON-DISCRIMINATION............................................................................6

TEACHER QUALIFICATION .................................................................................................19

TERMINATION/SUSPENSION POLICY...............................................................................15

TOILETING POLICY................................................................................................................10

TOILET TRAINING PROCEDURES......................................................................................11

TRANSITIONS............................................................................................................................18

TRANSPORTATION POLICY..................................................................................................11

TUITION POLICY.......................................................................................................................6

VACCINATION ADDENDUM....................................................................................................8

VISITATION................................................................................................................................13

Revised 1/25/2014

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