Handbook

Longview Chapel Preschool Handbook

Longview Chapel Preschool
850 SW Longview Road
Lee’s Summit, MO 64081
816-763-8074
longviewchapelcc.org/pdo
pdo@longviewchapelcc.org

Welcome to Longview Chapel Preschool!

Being a part of Longview Chapel Preschool will be both a unique and exciting experience for your child. Starting school at any age is an important milestone in your child’s life. However, feel free to contact me or your child’s teacher whenever you have a question or concern! Answers to many questions can be found here. This handbook is a resource for you and your family.

We are very excited to partner with you in the growth and development of your child!

Sincerely,

Amy Stechman
Interim Preschool Director

Arrival/Dismissal

We will always have the safety of our students as our number one goal. Please use the main preschool entrance when bringing your child to school and picking them up at the end of each day.

Students may be dropped off beginning at 9:15 AM at the main preschool entrance. Students will be checked in by a member of the preschool staff and walk down to their classrooms or be escorted down by a teacher. We ask that parents let their students go in the building independently, as we have found this facilitates a smoother start to the preschool day.

Please notify the Director/Teacher in writing (by email, sending a note, etc.) if someone besides yourself will be picking up your child, or if there is a deviation from your child’s normal pick-up routine. A child will not be released to any unauthorized persons. Please list all authorized persons on your child’s enrollment form. We will ask for ID to verify information.

Please pick your child up on time. If you are late in picking up your child, you will be charged a fee of $5.00 per child for every 15 minutes after the end of class time will be assessed for late pick-ups. This extra charge will be billed to your account.

Backpacks

Students are requested to bring a full-size backpack daily. Teachers will not check backpacks for notes or special instructions. If you have a note, please have it ready to hand to the teacher or preschool staff. Also, please keep a full spare set of clothing in the backpack for “just in case” times. Please include pants, shirt, underwear, and socks. If your child is not potty trained, he/she will need to keep diapers, wipes, etc. in his/her backpack.

Behavior

We work with parents to provide an environment that is safe for all children. Working on social development skills is an important part of our curriculum. We use positive reinforcement to help build a child’s self-confidence. Students are accountable for all behavior choices. They will have time to reflect on their behavior choices through redirection and discussion. Students may be temporarily removed from an activity when necessary for safety issues. Parents will be contacted if a continued problem occurs.

Birthdays

Birthday celebrations are coordinated by your child’s teacher. If the teacher allows, children may bring in store-bought treats to share for their birthday. If you wish to bring treats, please make arrangements with your child’s teacher. For the safety of all, we are not allowed to distribute homemade or opened packages of food. Please check for food allergies in your child’s room.

Book Orders

We love books! We periodically send out Scholastic Book Order forms. Please do not send cash. If you wish to order, make checks payable to Scholastic or online via Scholastic’s website. We will give a specific code to use to link to our preschool’s order. Book orders will be distributed approximately every two months.

Celebrations

We have lots of fun at the Chapel. We have several gatherings throughout the year where we invite parents to join us. These events include: Faulkner’s Field Trip, Halloween Parade, Christmas Program, Sweetheart Breakfast, Donuts with Dad, Muffins with Mom, and Spring Picnic. Special events are subject to change.

Chapel Time

This is a special time for our students that occurs monthly on Wednesdays with Longview Chapel Christian Church’s Children’s Director. The kids will learn about Jesus and end with a prayer.

Clothing

Students will work with paint, glue, and markers, so please dress your child in casual clothing. Please label your child’s name on jackets and coats on the inside tag.

Communication/Newsletters

Communication between the teacher and parent is very important. Please keep us informed of changes of address, phone number, etc. Weekly emails are sent by your child’s teacher and the director. Monthly calendars will be sent out so that you know what skills your child will be working on and any other upcoming events at school.

The best way to communicate with preschool staff is through their preschool email. If you would like to communicate via text, please text the preschool phone at 816-763-8074. If your matter is urgent and you can’t reach someone on the preschool number (sometimes we’re down the hall from the office helping students and teachers), please call the Longview Chapel Christian Church office at 816-763-6290, and they can make sure we get your message.

Comfort Items

Please keep all comfort items, including but not limited to toys, pacifiers, blankets, and stuffed animals, at home.

Conferences

Parent-Teacher Conferences for children will be scheduled in February/March for the Bears/PreK and Tigers Classes. Additional conferences may be scheduled as needed. Progress reports will go home at the end of the year.

Daily Schedule

Every day, children will be immersed in activities that foster growth in all developmental areas. Students will be involved in:

Circle/Calendar Time – Pledge, sing songs, calendar, letter of the week, and theme review
Center Time – Children decide or plan where they will work and what will be done. Implement their plan in one of these areas: art, blocks, dramatic play, toys/games, math, library/listening, discovery, sensory table, or writing.
Clean-Up – Materials are returned back where they belong.
Snack Time – Each student will bring their own snack for the day.
Directed Activity – Children are involved in a small lesson that focuses on a specific academic skill.
Movement Time – A time to develop large muscle skills
Story Time – Everyone loves a good story!

Eligibility

Children will be in age-appropriate classrooms. Longview Chapel Preschool Program is for children ages 2 through 5. All classes meet Tuesday through Thursday, 9:20 AM to 1:00 PM.

Class	Requirements
Lions Class	Must be 2 years old by July 31
Tigers Class	Must be 3 years old by July 31 Must be potty-trained
Bears/PreK Class	Must be 4 years old by July 31 Must be potty-trained

Email

Please feel free to contact us via email at pdo@longviewchapelcc.org.

Emergency Procedures

If an emergency lock down is announced, staff members will implement the following procedures:

In the event of a fire alarm, students will be taken out the nearest exit. They will take cover in the proper position.
In the event of a tornado warning, students and staff will move to an area in the basement with no windows visible.
In the event of a lockdown situation, staff will check and lock all doors, including classrooms. Students will be asked to get into lockdown position by getting into an area in the room where they cannot be seen through any of the windows.

In the event the students and staff at Longview Chapel are in need of a location for long-term evacuation, Longview Farm Elementary (located two blocks south of Longview Chapel) will serve as a safe haven until parents and/or guardians can be notified to pick up children. Arrangements have been made with the Principal of Longview Chapel Elementary for the use of their facility in case of emergency.

Field Trips

Our main field trip is to Faulkner’s Ranch. These trips are designed to provide the children with hands on and fun learning experiences that go beyond the classroom environment. Written permission will be sent home prior to each field trip. Parents are welcome to accompany their student on the field trip.

Inclement Weather

If the Lee’s Summit School District is closed for inclement weather, we will be too. If the Lee’s Summit School District is closed or changes learning models to virtual learning because of inclement weather, we will cancel preschool. If the District has a delayed start due to inclement weather, we will also have a delayed start.

In the event of inclement weather, please tune into local news and radio channels for appropriate school closings information. The director will also send out communications in the event preschool is affected by inclement weather.

We include three extra school days in our preschool calendar to account for inclement weather days. After those three school days are missed due to inclement weather, we will allow two more snow days before we begin making up instructional time. Starting with the 6^th day missed for inclement weather, we will schedule make-up days for additional days missed, up to two missed days.

No financial reimbursements will be given for days missed.

Immunization Policy

All children requesting admittance to Longview Chapel Preschool will be required to present proof of current immunizations. As of August 1, 2020, all new students enrolling in the Longview Chapel Preschool Program must provide proof of immunizations or a medical exemption (signed by physician) before the child will be allowed to attend school. When an outbreak of a disease or exposure occurs for which a student is classified exempt from immunization, that student will be excused from school either for the duration of the incubation for that disease or until immunization is given.

Lunch and Snacks

Please send a healthy snack, a lunch, and water bottle for your individual child each day.

Please have your child practice opening their snacks and lunch items, and please send items that are easier for your child to open independently.

Medical Exam Form

Missouri Department of Childhood requires that each child enrolled at Longview Chapel have a Physical Assessment signed by a physician before attending.

School Schedule

For the 2023-24 school year, our first day of preschool is September 5, 2023, and our last day of preschool is May 15, 2024.

For the 2024-25 school year, our first day of preschool is September 3, 2024, and our last day of preschool is May 14, 2025.

Class times are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 9:20 AM – 1:00 PM.

If the district is closed for a holiday or break we will generally also be closed. Our program will generally run with the Lee’s Summit School District with the exception of the first day and the last day of school. Please see our calendar for specific dates and events.

Separation Anxiety

For some students, this will be their first experience in a school setting. Some children may cry, but our teachers and staff will help your child settle down. Here are some suggestions to help your family through this transition time:

Talk with your child about what to expect. Discuss details about what to expect, including where the school is located, what activities he/she will be engaging in, when mommy or daddy will be back. When children do not know what is happening, the separation becomes the most difficult.
Practice the separation beforehand. At home, practice separation by using toys, books, or leaving the room where your child is playing and then returning.
Keep track of the days remaining before school begins using a calendar and stickers.
Bring something in your child’s backpack that will calm fears, like a photograph of the family

As tough as it may be, please do not prolong your good-byes. Keep it simple and try establishing a ritual, such as two kisses and a hug. Always tell your child you are leaving. It is important for a parent to inform their child when they’ll return.

Specials Classes

Ms. Michelle teaches Gym Class on Thursdays. She incorporates some basic gymnastics and other fun movement activities. It is amazing to watch the kids develop their gross motor skills and learn ways to stay healthy.

Ms. Kim teaches Music and Movement Class on Tuesdays. She leads the kids in fun preschool songs and movements to music. She also coordinates the Christmas Program and Graduation Program. Students often end up singing those songs at home!

Toys

We have plenty of manipulatives and toys for your child. We ask that your child keeps his/her toys at home.

Tuition

Tuition is due the first school day of the month and is past due by the 15^th of the month. Tuition fees received after the 15^th will be charged a late fee of $20.00. For families with more than one child enrolled at Longview Chapel Preschool, there is a $10 discount off of tuition for the second child. Tuition fees are paid on a monthly basis.

If your child is absent due to illness, vacation, or school cancellation due to emergency conditions, you will still be required to pay for the day missed.

A 30-day written notice must be given if your child is exiting the program. You are responsible for the tuition during this time.

Volunteers

We have several opportunities for you to be more involved in our classroom, including reading aloud to the class, going on field trips, lending an extra hand during special projects or activities, and doing clerical work, such as cutting paper. If you are interested in helping, please contact the director. Your help is so valuable! Thank you!

Wellness Policy

Sick children should not be brought to school. For the protection for your child and other students and staff, no child or staff member will be permitted to come to school if they have any of the following symptoms:

Fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher (Please make sure your child has been fever free without the use of fever-reducing medication, such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen, for 24 hours before returning to school.)
Cough
Sore Throat
Shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
Body aches
Headache
Runny Nose/Congestion
New sensations of loss of taste or smell
Vomiting within the last 24 hours
Diarrhea within the last 24 hours
Any symptom of a childhood disease, such as German measles, mumps, chicken pox
Any unexplained rash (Please keep your student home until the rash is gone or provide a doctor’s note confirming the rash is not contagious.)
Any skin infection
Pink eye, or any other eye infection
Blisters from Hand Foot and Mouth Disease that have not scabbed over.
Or are generally not feeling well.

Students should remain at home for 24 hours after taking the first dose of antibiotics for an infection, or the amount of time recommended by your child’s physician.

It is important that we prevent the spread of communicable diseases, so please report communicable diseases to the Director.

COVID-19 Policies

We will follow guidance from the Jackson County Health Department and other best practices to create a safe and healthy learning environment. Guidelines are subject to change throughout the year as health officials update their guidance and as things continue to evolve with COVID-19.

What happens if someone is exposed to or tests positive for COVID-19? Longview Chapel Preschool will follow the Jackson County Health Department and CDC guidance for each case of a confirmed positive COVID test or exposure.