Parent Handbook 2023 - 2024

MISSION:

The mission of New Covenant Preschool is to provide our students and their families with a loving and nurturing Christian environment in which the children will grow and develop academically and physically, as well as spiritually, in their love and understanding of God.

PHILOSOPHY:

Early childhood is a crucial period in the development of a child. In these early years, the child is most eager and receptive to learning experiences. We believe that school for young children is very important and that their way of learning is different from that of older children.

Our early childhood program is a mixture of structured activities and information learning experiences. Our teachers provide a happy and challenging environment with carefully planned learning activities which stimulate the growth and development of each child. The physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual development of the child is considered vital.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

New Covenant Preschool will enroll children who have reached the age of admittance by September 1st. 18 months by September 1st for the Toddler Group, 3 by September 1st for the Preschool Group and 4 by September 1st for the Pre-K Groups. Returning students, siblings and children of New Covenant Church members and their siblings will be given registration priority. Open registration will be held for members of the community when current member registration has been completed. Once open registration begins, all children are registered and/or placed on a waiting list on a first come - first served basis.

DIVERSITY STATEMENT:

The Center does not discriminate in the enrollment of children or selection of staff or volunteers upon the basis of race, cultural values or beliefs, age, gender, national origin, mental or physical disability or status as a veteran. 

TUITION PAYMENTS:

It is our desire to provide a quality preschool experience for all children enrolled at New Covenant. Tuition is based annually that is divided into 10 equal payments for your convenience. Tuition is due before the first day of the month beginning in August through May. When tuition is not received by the 7th of the month, a late fee of $10 will be assessed. In cases where more than 1 child from a family is enrolled in our program, a single discount of 10% will be applied to the monthly fee of the child whose tuition is the least. 

Payments should be placed in an envelope and attached to your child’s tote bag or mailed to school (New Covenant Preschool, 800 Tuskawilla Road, Winter Springs, 32708). There is a $25.00 service fee assessed to all returned checks.  Once a check has been returned, further payments must be paid either by money order or cash.

WITHDRAWAL NOTICE:

If, for any reason, you withdraw your child for the remainder of the school year, you are asked to notify the Director at least 30 days in advance. Full tuition is due for the following month if less than 30 days’ notice is given. Registration and Supply fees are non-refundable. 

EMERGENCY PLANS:

New Covenant Preschool has an emergency preparedness plan for all emergent situations including fire, severe weather, relocation, shelter in place, and lockdowns. The plan includes how to contact the parents of each child and how to meet the needs of the children during this time. Teachers will have a current roster of all children in attendance and all parents will be contacted as quickly as possible by phone for reunification. Please be sure we have your current phone number. 

• Fire/Emergency drills must be practiced once monthly while children are in our care. Prior to a practice fire drill, your child will be told what to expect and how to respond in a calm and friendly manner.

Emergency phone numbers and our location are posted by each phone in our center. 

SCHOOL CLOSURE:

In the event of severe weather, such as a hurricane, we will follow the course taken by Seminole County Public Schools. Please listen to your local radio or television broadcast for school closures. 

DISCIPLINE:

The use of corporal punishment is not permitted at New Covenant Preschool. We are committed to building children’s social and emotional development through the implementation of a positive guidance and discipline strategy.  It is the school’s policy to use redirection, modeling positive reinforcement whenever possible in eliciting proper behavior. One of the most important things that a child learns in preschool is how to get their needs met in socially acceptable ways. It is our belief that positive discipline includes being clear with children that their actions, such as pulling hair, pushing, and hitting, will hurt people, and cannot be allowed. Teachers will provide natural consequences which will allow the child to understand that actions result in consequences. For example, if a child tears a book, the natural consequence is that the child will assist the teacher in repairing the book or bring in one of their own as a substitute. Teachers will use firmness, coupled with removing the child temporarily and redirecting his/her attention to something else.  

EXPULSION POLICY:  

Unfortunately, there are sometimes reasons we must expel a child from our program. We want you to know that we will do everything possible to work with the family of the child(ren) in order to prevent this policy from being enforced. The following are reasons we may have to expel a child from this center: 

• The child is at risk of causing serious injury to other children or
  him/herself.
• Parent threatens physical or intimidating actions towards staff members.
• Parents exhibits verbal abuse to staff.
• Failure to pay payments.
• Failure to complete required forms.
• Habitual tardiness when picking up your child. 

EMERGENCY PLANS:

New Covenant Preschool has an emergency preparedness plan for all emergent situations including fire, severe weather, relocation, shelter in place, and lockdowns. The plan includes how to contact the parents of each child and how to meet the needs of the children during this time. Teachers will have a current roster of all children in attendance and all parents will be contacted as quickly as possible by phone for reunification. Please be sure we have your current phone number.

• Fire/Emergency drills must be practiced once monthly while children are in our care. Prior to a practice fire drill, your child will be told what to expect and how to respond in a calm and friendly manner.

Emergency phone numbers and our location are posted by each phone in our center. 

ATTENDANCE POLICY:

Drop-off
Due to the nature of our program and our desire to provide a safe and positive daily experience, New Covenant Preschool has a strict arrive by 9:15 am policy. If you are not going to be able to drop off your child by 9:15 you will need to find alternant care for the day. New Covenant Preschool ask parents not to put us in the position of denying your child entry.  
Morning appointment are not an excuse to bring your child in after 9:15. If you cannot arrange for an appointment after the school day, you may pick your child up early from the school day. 

Pick-up 
Children will be ready to leave at 1:00 pm when the doors open.  Please be prompt in picking up your children.  

PICK-UP POLICY: 
All students should be dropped off and picked up by a parent or authorized person over eighteen years old.  Your enrollment form will ask you to list alternative persons whom you are authorizing to drop off or pick up your child. All persons, whom we are not familiar, must supply us with a state driver’s license. Please be sure to advise anyone you authorize in this capacity to have their driver’s license with them.

When parents are late, the children become anxious.  We understand that emergencies occur.  Should that happen, call the office before 1:00 PM.  

• At 1:10 PM, children will be taken to the Preschool Office and a $15.00 late fee will be assessed. Keep our number, (407) 699-0040, for reference. 

VPK:

In 2005, Florida instituted the VPK (Voluntary Pre-k Program) stating that the pre-kindergarten year is very important and all Florida’s children should have access to attend.  The state came up with a program consisting of 540 educational hours to be designated as VPK hours with specific educational standards, credentialing criteria for teachers, and strict attendance guidelines for parents. The state-funded portion of our VPK program runs from M-TH 9 am - 1 pm; New Covenant offers the additional Friday VPK 9 am - 1 pm, for an additional fee. Parents choosing to enroll their children in the VPK program are responsible for complying with the attendance policy, verifying student attendance each month, and presenting their child for the state kindergarten screening, regardless of whether the child attends kindergarten in a public or non-public school.   Students are expected to attend at least 80% of the program. The state will not pay for absences that exceed 20% of the program length. VPK providers have the option of dismissing children for excessive absences. Absences must be documented with a written note to the child’s teacher and will remain in their file.

STAYING CONNECTED:

We know that leaving your child in the hands of others whether for the first time or in a time of changing procedures can be a very emotional and challenging process.  Feel free to stay close and trust that we will call you if the transition does not go well, and parent comfort is needed. Visitors are required to sign in with the director at the preschool office so that we know who is always on campus. Parents are welcome to call during the day to check up on their child. 

EMERGENCY NUMBERS:

All student files should contain at least two alternate emergency phone numbers in case something happens to a student and parents cannot be reached by phone. If there are any changes in these numbers, please notify the school of the new information immediately. It is imperative that current numbers are always on file.

ABSENCES:

All parents or guardians must notify the school via email Robin@new-covenant-church.com or phone (407-699-0040) and leave a message as to when children will not be in school, the morning of any absence not documented prior.  

SCHOOL CLOSURE:

In the event of severe weather, such as a hurricane, we will follow the course taken by Seminole County Public Schools. Please listen to your local radio or television broadcast for school closures. 

SICK POLICY:

New Covenant Preschool prides itself on strictly enforcing our sick policy to ensure that families are not burdened by consistent illness. 
We strive to keep our center healthy! Please understand our policies as follows. If your child has any of the following, they may not attend and will be sent home from our school: 

• A temperature of 100 degrees or greater.
• Symptoms or signs of possible illness, such as; coughing, irritability, persistent crying, wheezing, sore throat and if lethargic or displaying other unusual behaviors.
• A low-grade fever accompanied by other symptoms.
• Diarrhea; runny, watery, or bloody stools within the last 24 hours
• Vomiting in the last 24 hours
• Rash with fever or behavior change
• Any type of infestation; for example, head/body lice (St. Mary’s Preschool requires that all lice nits be removed before children may return).
• Any infectious disease.
• Eye discharge (white or yellow) or pink eye.

Your child may return when they are fever or symptom-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication. 

LUNCH AND SNACK:

Our daily schedule includes a mid-morning snack and lunch time. Each family will be responsible for sending the snack and lunch for their child. Snack should be a small nutritious item separate from your child’s lunch.  The snack items should come in a disposable bag (nothing to return home) clearly LABELED with the child’s name. New Covenant will provide the filtered water at snack and lunch. 

Lunch - Please pack your child a small lunch every day. Please place an ice pack (cold pack) in their lunch box.  Lunches will NOT be refrigerated. Therefore, lunches must contain a cold pack. Lunches are not heated but you may use a thermos for hot items. LABEL the outside of the lunch box with your child’s name.  

DCF requires lunches and snacks to be nutritional. No cookies, cakes, or candy. Check the sugar content and yogurts and the fruit snacks.  

BIRTHDAYS:

New Covenant Preschool ensures that everyone child receives recognition (unless asked not to) on their special day. In the Toddler and Preschool classes, your child’s birthday could be celebrated in the classroom during snack time. In the VPK classes, due to regulations, Birthday celebrations can only occur in the additional Friday program.  

Invitations to parties outside the school may be handed out at school if every child in the class is invited. Otherwise, invitations should be sent by mail to prevent any hurt feelings. 

CHANGE OF CLOTHES:

Each student should have a change of clothes in a gallon-size Ziploc bag that remains in their child’s cubby. If a student soils their close at school, the teacher will assist them in changing and will place the soiled clothes in the Ziploc bag to be sent home. Please be sure to bring a fresh set of clothes the next day. If a student soils his clothes and does not have clothes to change into, the parent will be notified and asked to bring them new clothes. 

CHILD ABUSE POLICY:

All employees of childcare facilities in the state of Florida must report any signs of child abuse to the abuse hotline as per the Department of Children & Families.  

TOTE BAGS:  

Each child will receive a tote bag from the school for carrying papers and schoolwork. Please send your child’s bag to school each day. On the bag will be a large binder clip. When we have important information for you, it will be clipped to the front of your child’s bag. Likewise, when you have notes for us, please attach them to the front of the bag. Please put ALL payments in a labeled envelope and clip it to the bag for your child’s teacher. Please send your child’s bag to school each day.

DRESS CODE:

Things to remember when dressing your child: 

• Easy to manipulate at bathroom time – i.e., elastic waists, snaps rather than buttons, snaps all the way to the cuffs on those who wear diapers
• Appropriate for the weather – a jacket or sweater when it is cool
• Sneakers, no sandals, or Crocs– easier climbing outside and less insect bites
• When a child has soiled their clothes, we will send home soiled clothing (including socks) in the zip-lock bag. Return another change of clothes the next day when your child comes to school. Each piece of clothing should be labeled.

EXPLORABLES CLUBHOUSE:

Enrichment programs for extended care:

• Within the first few weeks of school, enrichment program offers will be introduced. Enrichment programs will run for a certain number of weeks and offer an enhanced skill or specific subject. Suggestions for enrichment programs are always welcomed. Cost for the enrichment programs will vary and parents will be asked to provide a snack for their child.  
  
  

Call Us at 407-699-0040 for More Information