St John Lutheran School

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

Preschool Calendar................................1
Philosophy and Purpose............................2
Goals and Objectives..............................3
Program...........................................4
Daily Schedule....................................5
Organization......................................6
Admission Requirements............................7
Health and Safety.................................8
Arrivals, Departures, and Absences...............9
Nutrition........................................9
Additional School Policies and Information.......10
Parent / School Communication....................12

St. John Lutheran School

Little Lamb Preschool

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR 2012-2013

August 1	Sat.	Little Lamb Work Day @ 9 am
August 12	Sun.	Parent Orientation Meetings 1 - 2:00pm for PM 3&4; 2 - 3:00pm for AM3; 3 - 4:00pm for AM4
August 19	Sun.	Preschool Fall Open House – Students and Families 1 - 2:00pm for PM 3&4; 2 - 3:00pm for AM3; 3 - 4:00pm for AM4
August 22	Wed.	First Day of School
September 3	Mon.	NO SCHOOL . . . Labor Day
September 7	Fri.	PTF - Back to School Picnic
October 4 & 5	Thurs. & Fri.	NO SCHOOL . . . Teacher Institute Days
October 11	Thurs.	Parent Growth Night 7pm (Parents Only)
October 25	Thurs.	NO SCHOOL - Parent Teacher Conferences
October 26	Fri.	NO SCHOOL - Parent Teacher Conferences
October 30 & 31	Tues. & Wed.	Halloween Parties
November 5	Mon.	See Me at School Night (AM4)
November 21	Wed.	NO PM 3 & 4 CLASS . . . Thanksgiving Vacation
November 22 & 23	Thurs. & Fri.	NO SCHOOL . . . Thanksgiving Vacation
December 20 & 21	Thurs. & Fri.	Jesus’ Birthday Parties - Parents invited last 45 min. of class
December 24 – Jan. 4	Mon. – Fri.	NO SCHOOL . . . Christmas Break
January 14	Mon.	See Me at School Night (PM3&4)
January 18	Fri.	NO SCHOOL . . . Teacher Institute Day
January 21	Mon.	NO SCHOOL . . . Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
January 28	Mon.	See Me at School Night (AM3)
January 28 - February 1	Mon.-Fri.	National Lutheran Schools Week
February 12 & 13	Tues. & Wed.	Valentine’s Day Parties
February 14	Thurs.	NO SCHOOL . . . Parent Conferences
February 15	Fri.	NO SCHOOL . . . Parent Conferences
February 18	Mon.	NO SCHOOL . . . Presidents’ Day
February 28	Thurs.	St. John School & Little Lamb Community Open House
March 15	Fri.	NO PM3&4 CLASS - Teacher Institute Day
March 18 – 22	Mon. – Fri.	NO SCHOOL . . . Spring Break
March 27 & 28	Wed. & Thurs.	Easter Egg Hunts
March 29	Fri.	NO SCHOOL . . . Good Friday – Jesus Dies For Us
April 1	Mon.	NO SCHOOL . . . Easter Monday – Jesus Lives For Us
April 9	Tues.	Math Night (4s & Kindergartners) 5:30-7:00pm
May 8	Wed.	NO PM3&4 CLASS - Teacher Institute Day
May 17	Fri.	End-of-the-Year Family Picnic 5:30-7:00pm
May 27	Mon.	NO SCHOOL . . . Memorial Day
May 29	Wed.	Last Day of School for Little Lamb

PHILOSOPHY OF ST. JOHN LUTHERAN SCHOOL

We believe a Christian education provides a solid foundation for the future.

We believe that all children deserve an education that fulfills their intellectual as well as spiritual needs and requirements. We believe that our priority is spiritual, but we also seek to provide a quality academic education, which will help children develop their God-given gifts and abilities.

We believe that the Lutheran school is the most effective educational agency available to the church for equipping God's people for ministry.

We believe that God reveals Himself in the Holy Scriptures.

We believe that St. John Lutheran School, in all its teachings and practices, subscribes to and supports the doctrines and confessions of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod as based on the Holy Scriptures.

We believe that the spiritual growth and development of children as it applies to their personal relationship with God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is the reason for, and the primary function of, our school. This spiritual growth would be demonstrated in:

• behavior that reflects a oneness with Christ both in their private lives as well as in their social lives;
• an eagerness to participate in worship and study opportunities within the church;
• a willingness to serve their church in capacities appropriate to their age levels;
• an awareness of their obligation to witness to those outside of their Christian community.

We believe that the role of the Lutheran teacher is to model the loving example of the Master Teacher in:

• guiding, directing, and instructing the children;
• working with parents to foster the spiritual, academic, and social growth of their children.

PURPOSE OF ST. JOHN LUTHERAN SCHOOL

The purpose of St. John Lutheran School is to offer a Christian education for the children of St. John Lutheran Church and the community so that they may:

• develop as children in God's kingdom through God's Word and Spirit;
• know God and the forgiving love He offers them through Jesus Christ;
• respond to His grace by witnessing with lives of Christian faith, worship, service, love, and hope;
• relate to His creation by acquiring knowledge and understanding;
• develop skills for continued education, and responsible living and serving;
• develop talents and social skills through interests in a variety of activities.

Little Lamb Preschool was founded to provide a quality program of early childhood education in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Christian lifestyle permeate the total day in every possible way. The goal of Little Lamb is to develop individuals who are free to respond to God’s love in Christ with their total lives.

Little Lamb Preschool will thus provide a happy, secure, and educationally sound environment in which this growth and development can occur, fulfilling the special invitation of our Savior:

“LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME.” Mark 10:14

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Each child has the right to experience care that provides the opportunity to live and grow as a whole individual and become a completely effective person. The early childhood years are crucial for developing a positive self-image which leads to a mature and healthy functioning personality.

SPIRITUAL - To help the child:

1. Understand that God loves him/her and feel secure in that love.
2. Know Jesus as his/her Savior and Friend.
3. Give and receive love and forgiveness.
4. Praise God in worship and prayer.
5. Understand that God speaks to him/her through the Bible.

PHYSICAL- To help the child:

1. Develop body awareness and large and small muscle coordination.
2. Know and follow simple rules of safety.
3. Establish desirable health habits in exercise, nutrition, and hygiene.

INTELLECTUAL- To help the child:

1. Develop self-motivation, concentration, and the ability to see a task through to its completion.
2. Acquire thinking and problem solving abilities.
3. Develop language communication skills.
4. Develop emergent literacy skills through reading aloud to the child, exposing the child to concepts about print, as well as, providing language and literacy play, writing activities, and activities for phonemic awareness.
5. Create mathematical concepts through sorting, matching, pairing, numbering, measuring, and studying patterns.
6. Develop a scientific attitude of active investigation of the world around him/her through observing, questioning, and exploring.
7. Find enjoyable opportunities for creative self-expression in art and music.

EMOTIONAL- To help the child:

1. Develop a positive self-concept which includes a feeling of worth, accomplishment, and self-respect.
2. Recognize and accept his/her own feelings as normal and healthy.
3. Learn appropriate ways to: a) respond to other’s feelings and b) express his/her own feelings.
4. Begin learning right from wrong.

SOCIAL- To help the child:

1. Grow in the ability to work and play with others.
2. Respect the rights and property of others.
3. Learn attitudes of kindness, courtesy, and helpfulness.
4. Accept appropriate individual and social responsibility.
5. Develop attitudes of respect and appreciation for cultural and ethnic diversity.

PROGRAM

Little Lamb Preschool curriculum adopts self-directed learning as its basic principle, knowing that the most effective learning is that which grows out of the child’s own motivation. Our teachers:

1. Provide the children with choices.
2. Offer opportunities for experiencing and understanding through manipulation, through play, through exploration of materials and ideas at each child’s own rate.
3. Interact with the children to reinforce and extend their choices and discoveries.

We will provide a variety of experiences and a wealth of materials for the children to look at, touch, and handle. Our facility is organized with learning centers which include: block building, housekeeping, library, writing, art, sand and water play, science, math, language, and manipulatives. Children move freely from center to center and learn by doing.

Our program has a balance of:

1. Indoor and outdoor activities
2. Group and individual time
3. Child-selected and teacher-determined activities

The program is orderly and routine to foster security and confidence, but flexible enough to allow for the feelings and needs of the children.

Scheduled into the days and weeks of our preschool program are concepts and activities in religion, language arts, emergent literacy, math, science, social studies, music, creative movement, art, physical education activities, learning centers, dramatic play, health and safety, nutrition, snacks, social niceties, values, and attitudes.

The Little Lamb Preschool sessions meet for a total of 2 ¾ hours per day. Morning sessions meet from 8:15 – 11:00 a.m. and afternoon session meet from 12:15 – 3:00 p.m.

DAILY SCHEDULE 2 ¾ Hours = 165 Minutes

1. 70 minutes- Free Choice Time The following learning centers are available:
   • Unit or Small Blocks
   • Housekeeping
   • Writing
   • Language
   • Math
   • Library
   • Large Blocks
   • Manipulatives
   • Bean/Rice/Sand Table
   • Water Play
   • Clay or Play Dough
   • Science
   • Art and Easel Painting
   • Listening
   • Puppet Show
   • Computer
2. 5 minutes- Clean-up Time
3. 20 minutes- Large Group Large Group consists of a welcome song, calendar activities, weather, songs, finger plays, guess & share, star of the week, and Bible lessons.
4. 15 minutes- Wash-up and Snack The children wash hands and then sit at snack tables to participate in a class snack time with the teachers. Snack always begins with a prayer.
5. 10 minutes- Bible Time The children listen to a Bible based story, sing songs, recite Bible verses, and pray.
6. 30 minutes- Outside Play The children are free to ride bikes, play in the sand, swing, run, climb, jump on a mini-trampoline, shoot baskets, etc.
7. 10 minutes- Story Time The children listen to one or two stories that relate to the current unit of study.
8. 5 minutes- Creative Movement Activities.

These time allotments are very flexible to allow for unexpected circumstances, unplanned learning situations, interests of the children, and emergencies.

ORGANIZATION

Little Lamb Preschool is a part of St. John Lutheran School which is a ministry of St. John Lutheran Church located at 509 South Mattis Avenue. Our school is associated with over 2,400 other schools in the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. The school is under the supervision of the Lutheran School Board, which in turn is responsible to the congregation. The Board meets the first Tuesday of every month, and visitors are welcome.

Our teachers are fully qualified and certified according to the state of Illinois licensing standards requirements. Our teachers are dedicated to their Lord and Savior, and they view each student as a child of God. Each child is shown the love of Jesus by word and example both in and out of the classroom.

WORSHIP AT ST. JOHN LUTHERAN CHURCH

Worship is Sunday 8:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., plus Wednesday evenings at 7:15. We have year round Sunday School and adult Bible classes that meet at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday mornings.

By the nature of our Christian philosophy, Little Lamb Preschool admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other school-administered programs.

Our preschool is licensed by the Department of Children and Family Services and has been inspected and approved by a representative of the State Fire Marshall’s Office. We are licensed for a maximum of 19 children in a classroom.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

1. To enter the Little Lamb Preschool program, the child must be 3 years old.
2. A certified birth certificate is required of all students entering preschool
3. Illinois law stipulates that all children entering school for the first time must submit a completed health exam prior to entering school. The law states that students shall present this form or be excluded from school. The physical exam must include immunization records which show the dates on which the immunizations were administered (be sure the Hepatitis B series & Chicken Pox are listed), a current TB test or doctor’s exemption, a notation for either lead screening or lead testing, and diabetes screening. The form must be completed and signed by a physician.
4. At the time of registration, the following information needs to be submitted:
   • Completed Enrollment Application
   • Consent for Medical Treatment and Emergency Contact Information
   • St. John F.A.I.T.H. (Families Actively Involved to Help) Form
   • Little Lamb Preschool Child Pick-Up Policy/Acknowledgement of Religious Instruction
   • Little Lamb Preschool Authorized Pick-Up Persons Release of Child
   • Verification of Receipt of the Summary of DCFS Licensing Standards
   • Little Lamb Preschool Discipline Policy
   • Registration Deposit
5. Little Lamb Preschool students with Food Allergies must submit the following information:
   • Food Allergy Agreement Form with approval of the Little Lamb Safe Snack List
   • Permission for Administration of Medication signed by a physician
   • Food Allergy Emergency Action Plan (if Epi-pen is prescribed)
6. Parents are expected to attend an orientation meeting before the school year begins.

Priority in admission during the enrollment period in March shall be granted as follows:

• Children of staff members (pastors, teachers)
• Children currently enrolled and returning
• Siblings of currently enrolled returning St. John School families
• New St. John Lutheran Church member families
• New children from other Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod churches
• New children from other families in the community

HEALTH AND SAFETY

The health and safety of your child is a primary concern at Little Lamb Preschool.

Hand Washing: In order to comply with licensing laws, we ask that each child wash his/her hands upon arrival at school. During class time all children wash hands before snack, after toileting, and whenever their hands become soiled.

Illnesses: Please keep your child at home if he/she has any of the following:

• Communicable disease—such as measles, mumps, chicken pox, pink eye
• Acute cold
• Earache
• Pediculosis (head lice)
• Nausea or vomiting
• Skin eruptions or rashes
• Sore throat
• Fever - A temperature above normal for your child: Please keep the child home for 24 hours following a return to a normal temperature.

Contagious diseases must be reported to the school office immediately so that notice of exposure can be sent home to the parents of the child’s classmates.

Injuries: In case of minor accidents, a Band-Aid will be applied for cuts or scrapes after they have been cleaned with soap and water. An ice pack will be applied for bumps. Also a written report will be given to the parents at the end of the school day, and a duplicate report will be placed in your child’s file at school.

When emergency medical care is required, we will contact the names listed on your Consent for Medical Treatment and Emergency Contact form. If immediate medical help is required, we will call 911 and have your child taken to the hospital emergency room that you have indicated on your emergency form. ***Please inform the school staff if the contact information changes.

We carry a policy of liability insurance for students for bodily injury that meets or exceeds state requirements.

Health:

• Preschool students will have annual vision and hearing screenings from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health Department sometime during the school year.
• Inform teachers about any health problems or concerns for your child.
• Inform teachers of any allergy concerns or needs for your child.

Fire Safety: The school will conduct a monthly fire drill following the evacuation routes approved by the Fire Department. Fire extinguishers and smoke alarms are located on the premises.

ARRIVALS, DEPARTURES, AND ABSENCES

Each child must be signed in and out by a parent or authorized person.

To ensure the safe arrival and departure of your child, please notify the staff of your child’s regular pick-up person(s) and any restrictions or changes in your authorization list which may occur during the year. We will not release your child to anyone without prior notification from you. Changes can be made to your authorized list by using the Change of Authorized Pick-up Persons forms located in the sign in/sign out area.

Preschool morning classes start at 8:15 a.m. and afternoon classes begin at 12:15 p.m. Students may enter the building 5 minutes before class begins.

Please pick up your child promptly at the 11:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m. dismissal time. A late pick-up fee will be assessed at the rate of $5.00 per 15 minutes of delay. The $5.00 may be paid with the next month’s tuition payment. Please phone if there is an emergency that causes you to be late picking up your child.

Please notify the school office by the time your child’s class would normally begin if he/she will be absent from school that day.

NUTRITION

Little Lamb provides a daily snack for your child. This nutritious snack consists of ½ cup of 100% real fruit juice in addition to a fruit, vegetable, or grain item. A monthly snack schedule is posted at Little Lamb and also distributed to families. Each family is required to pay a snack fee at the beginning of the school year.

Little Lamb follows a "Safe Snack List." This is a list of snacks that we believe to be safe for children with the following allergies: eggs, milk, tree nuts, and sesame seeds. All snacks provided are chosen from this list of food items.

If your child has a food allergy:

1. Notify your child's teacher before the start of school.
2. Review the Little Lamb Safe Snack List.
3. Complete the Food Allergy Agreement Form.
4. If medication or an Epi-pen is prescribed for your child:
   • Submit a doctor signed Permission for Administration of Medication Form.
   • Submit a Food Allergy Emergency Action Plan.
   • Provide medication / Epi-pens in a 3-ring binder pencil case.

Birthday Celebrations: During the school year, we celebrate your child's birthday as close to his/her actual date as possible. The birthdays are listed on the snack schedule posted at Little Lamb. When it is your child's birthday, feel free to bring in special birthday napkins to use at snack time. We will follow the Safe Snack List for snacks the day of the birthday. No food items can be brought from home for snack or as treats for birthdays. It is optional to send in one non-food party favor item to pass out to classmates on the day of your child's birthday celebration. Some examples of party favors are a small book, bubbles, small toy, stickers, etc.

ADDITIONAL SCHOOL POLICIES AND INFORMATION

Children’s Supplies – Please bring the following items on or before the first day your child comes to school:

1. School Supplies: Each year students are assigned certain supplies such as paper cups, paper plates, facial tissues, napkins, etc. A parent reminder notice will tell you what is needed prior to the start of school.
2. Extra Set of Clothes: Each student needs to have a complete change of clothing in a plastic bag labeled with his/her name.
3. School Bag

Outside Play – Little Lamb classes will play outside daily unless the temperature and wind-chill fall below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. When it is raining, snowing, or too wet, we will play in the Little Lamb garage and under the car port.

Weather Conditions – In case of inclement weather, listen to radio stations WDWS 1400 AM, WLRW 94.5 FM, WIXY 100.3 FM, WILL 580 AM, or WKIO 92.5 FM to hear about school cancellations. Information can also be found on the television stations WCIA Channel 3, WAND Channel 17, and WICD Channel 15. If St. John Lutheran School is closed, Little Lamb Preschool is also closed. In the case of a late start for St. John Lutheran School, Little Lamb Preschool AM session will be cancelled for the day.

Potty Training – Parents are encouraged to have their child potty trained prior to the start of school.

Field Trips – Field Trips will be planned to enhance unit studies. Parents will be informed of all field trips in advance and a permission slip will be sent home with each student prior to field trips. The cost of the field trip admissions and transportation is paid by Little Lamb families. Parent help is always needed and welcome on field trips.

Discipline – Early childhood discipline takes the form of “preventative measures.” Little Lamb provides:

• an appropriate learning environment
• a consistent routine with a combination of active and quiet activities
• planned transitions between activities
• simple and easily understood rules
• re-direction of misbehavior

When inappropriate behavior does occur, discipline is handled with dialogue, patience, and love. A child will be asked to leave a learning center or activity when he/she continues to act inappropriately. Brief time outs may be used to help a child regain control of his/her actions and emotions. These time outs are often spent at the playdough table or in the quiet corner with relaxing activities.

If a problem behavior continues, the teacher and parents will meet to discuss possible solutions. If no workable solutions come from this meeting, further discipline procedures will be as follows:

1. A meeting with the parents, teacher, and principal.
2. A special meeting of the school board with parents, teacher, and principal.
3. A child who continues to jeopardize the best interest and well-being of the program as a whole will be asked by the school board to discontinue his/her enrollment.

Family Involvement Hours – The involvement of families at Little Lamb is vital. In an effort to foster a Christ-centered atmosphere, families are asked to donate their time to support the efforts of the school staff and the various school programs.

Little Lamb families are expected to volunteer a minimum of eight hours of service during the school year. Families are responsible for recording their F.A.I.T.H. hours in the binder at Little Lamb. All service hours need to be completed by the last day of school. In the event that a family cannot fulfill the required hours, the family will be billed for the remaining hours at a rate of $20.00 per hour.

Parent Teacher Fellowship – P.T.F is an organization consisting of St. John Lutheran School parents and teachers and any member of St. John Lutheran Church. The purpose of P.T.F. is to provide social opportunities and events that facilitate fellowship among the church and school, provide educational opportunities for parents, and provide additional support for the goals and programs of St. John Lutheran School. The P.T.F. Board meets every fourth Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. in the fellowship hall at St. John Lutheran School.

Pesticide Policy – Pesticides will not be administered at the Little Lamb Preschool building or grounds while students are present. If there would ever be reason for this policy to change, parents will be notified in advance of any action. Only pesticides approved by the public health department will be permitted at Little Lamb.

PARENT / SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

Home Visits – Before the start of school, the Little Lamb teachers will visit the homes of new students. It will be a time for the teacher and student to get acquainted.

New Parent Orientation Meetings – Orientation meetings are scheduled during the month of August. The purpose of these meetings is to explain the required paperwork, discuss school policies, share information on daily activities, and answer parent questions.

Fall Open House – The last Sunday of August before classes begin is the annual Fall Open House at Little Lamb. Preschool families come to school and spend an hour playing in the classroom which is set up exactly as it will be the first day of school.

Classroom Observation and Volunteers – Parents are welcome to visit or observe the classroom any time; however, it is suggested that parents wait until your child is comfortable with the classroom routine before visiting or observing. Beginning in November, Little Lamb teachers will give parents an opportunity to sign up to be a Parent Helper.

Parent Growth Night – In October Little Lamb offers a Preschool Parent Growth Night. The purpose of this event is to present information about early childhood development in areas such as literacy, writing, math, etc.

Conferences – Please feel welcome to arrange a conference/meeting with your child’s teacher at any time. Formal Parent-Teacher Conferences are offered twice a year coinciding with conferences for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Parent and Child Activity Nights – Throughout the school year, teachers plan and implement an evening where parents and children come to school together. These nights are posted on the Little Lamb calendar, and reminders are sent home before the event.

Parent Pockets – Each student has a pocket for messages. There is also a parent bulletin board in the school kitchen area where information of interest to families is posted regularly.

The Lamb O’ Gram - is the preschool newsletter. It contains information about curriculum, special events, calendar changes, news from the classroom, and future plans.

Disclosure of Information – Information pertaining to an individual child, or parents or guardians of the child, shall be confidential and shall not be disclosed to persons other than the staff unless the parents or guardians of the child grant written permission for the disclosure or an emergency arises. The school has release of information forms available for parents or guardians to sign.

Calls – The St. John School Office receives all calls at 359-1714 and will contact Little Lamb by intercom with any messages.