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GENERAL
INFORMATION
Staff
The teaching staff is a group of trained, qualified teachers who maintain
professional standards by attending workshops and staff meetings; also, planning
sessions are scheduled monthly for assurance of shared ideas and knowledge.
Each teacher has her own gifts and teaching style, and when united as a staff,
the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts. A deep love and commitment
to children is evident in each staff member.
Hours / Drop-off and Pick up Procedures
School hours are 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The Preschool operates five days a week from the Tuesday after Labor Day
through the last Thursday before Memorial Day.
Teachers open our doors to receive children promptly at 8:50. Occasional
drop-off before 8:50 will need to be arranged in advance. Consistent early
drop-off will need to be approved by the director, and a $5.00 per day charge
will be incurred.
For your convenience, we will continue to provide curbside assistance during
morning drop-off. For the safety of your child, please wait for a teacher to
open the car door. If you feel you must walk your child in, please park your car
away from the car line, and please HOLD his/her hand.
For the convenience of others, if you need to unload a car seat, converse with
the teacher, or anticipate a more involved drop-off, pull forward past the
receiving area.
A teacher will escort children into the building.
If you arrive later than 9:10, walk your child in through the Preschool hall
and to their classroom.
Dismissal will be at 12:00 noon. There is no car line service for pick up. You
will need to park in the upper parking lot and enter the side Preschool hall
doors. Your child will be in his/her classroom.
Each day, please make sure you, or your designee, sign your child out on our
posted attendance charts noting the time of pick-up.
A child will not be sent home with anyone except those authorized by the
parent on forms kept in the child’s file. A parent must leave a written message
with the teacher to authorize any other person to pick up the child. We may
require identification when someone other than the parent comes to pick up the
child.
Please be prompt in picking up your child. If you see that you will be late,
call us. Excessive tardiness in picking up your child will result in a warning,
and then a late fee. A fee of $5.00 will be charged after 12:10 p.m., and $5.00
for each additional 15 minutes.
If the need arises for a lengthy, in depth conversation concerning your child,
please arrange for a scheduled conference time.
Behavior Management Procedures
The staff at TLC strives to offer a safe and loving learning environment for
every child. Positive reinforcement is used to encourage good behavior. If
behavior problems arise, staff members will handle the situation positively.
Consequences for inappropriate behaviors are adjusted for each age level and
personality. A “hand on the shoulder” works as a reminder for many children. A
brief “time-out” of one to three minutes usually works well for the two’s,
three’s and four’s. If misbehavior continues, the teacher will discuss the
problem with the director and the parents. A follow-up conference may be
requested with the parents at school.
At no time will any form of corporal punishment be used.
Child Abuse
We are required to report any suspected child abuse or neglect to the Department
of Family and Children’s Services in accordance with the Official Code of
Georgia, and our “Reduce the Risk” Program, which is implemented in the
Methodist Church System.
Children with Disabilities
TLC is not equipped to accommodate children having a physical, mental, or
emotional condition, which requires special supervision, instruction, or
facilities for the child.
Special Needs Children
If it is determined that a child is having difficulty adjusting to school, is
frustrated with the learning environment, or is a disruption to other children,
the director will be called to observe in the classroom. A conference will be
scheduled to meet with the parents and discuss the observations. The parent may
be requested to contact the county in which they live to take advantage of the
Preschool Intervention Program. Since the staff is not trained to teach children
with special learning or behavioral difficulties, it may be necessary to ask the
parent to withdraw the child from school.
At any time, if the health, safety and welfare of this child or other children
are at risk, the child will be dismissed from the program.
Calendars and Newsletters
The school calendar generally follows the major holidays for the Clarke County
School District. Your child’s teacher will send home a monthly calendar and
cover letter pertaining to the unique events and activities in her classroom.
Current updates on class news will be sent home as needed.
Evaluations
Evaluations are prepared twice a year for the two’s, three’s and four’s classes.
The evaluations may be discussed with parents at a parent-teacher conference by
request. Pre-K evaluations will be done in October and May. Evaluations will
allow teachers and parents to set individualized goals for each child.
Overview and Goals
The curriculum is based on knowledge of early childhood development and program
philosophy. Developmentally appropriate activities and materials will be used in
order to achieve the following goals.
Promote a positive self-concept.
Promote Christian attitudes, values, and actions.
Develop social skills.
Encourage the child to think, reason, question, and experiment.
Encourage language development.
Enhance physical development and skills.
Encourage sound health, safety, and nutritional practices.
Offer a variety of art and music experiences.
Encourage creative expression.
Promote respect for individual and cultural differences.
Growth and developmental stages, a planned sequence of units, lesson plans, and
curriculum files for each age level are kept in the office. Resource books and
early childhood magazines are available in the supply room.
Class Arrangement and Size
It is our desire to maintain a small student-teacher ratio to provide the utmost
in individualized instruction.
Mother’s Morning Out
This class is for children under the age of two by September 1st of the current
school year. Enrollment in this class is based on the ages of the children. It
is designed for the child under two, who is not age appropriate for the other
classes. Our goal for this class is a 5:1 ratio. Any child who is under age two
is limited to eight total hours per week.
MMO meets Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. See schedule
for fees.
Two Year Old
A child must be two years old by September 1st of the current school year. This
class is usually a two-day class, and our goal for this class is a 7:1 ratio.
Two’s meet Monday, Wednesday or Tuesday, Thursday, *or your child can come all
four days. Classes are filled on a first come first served basis. See schedule
for fees.
Three Year Old
A child must be three years old by September 1st of the current school year.
This class is usually a three-day class, and our goal is an 8:1 ratio.
Three’s meet Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. *Three-year-old children do have an
option to come on Thursdays, and if space permits, on Fridays. Classes are
filled on a first come first served basis. See schedule for fees.
Pre-K
A child must be four years old by September 1st of the current school year. This
class could be offered as a four or five day class. Our goal for this class is a
9:1 ratio.
Four’s meet on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. *Four-year-olds have
option to add Fridays to their schedules. Classes are filled on a first come
first served basis. See schedule for fees.
* ALL CLASSES MUST BE ATTENDED IN CONSECUTIVE ORDER AND DAYS CANNOT BE SKIPPED
WITH A DISCOUNT.
Fees
Tuition is due the first of each month. The school is non-profit and is entirely
self sufficient, so prompt payment is essential. There will be a late fee charge
of $10.00 for any tuition received after the 10th of the month. Tuition is the
same each month regardless of holidays or vacations. No deductions are made for
absences.
Make checks payable to Tuckston Learning Center. There will be a $20.00 charge
on all returned checks. If your child is sick, out of town, or is not scheduled
to return to school before the tuition deadline, please mail your payment to:
Tuckston Learning Center, 4175 Lexington Road, Athens, GA 30605. Payment must be
received by the 10th of the month.
Fun Friday
Fun Friday is a day that allows the children more creative expression time as
well as a little more time to enjoy playing with their friends. It is enjoyed as
an escape from the more structured routine that the previous days offered, as
well as providing an opportunity to enjoy more art, baking, play acting, an
organized game time.
Lunch Bunch
Lunch Bunch is offered five days a week for the children in the three-year-old
and four-year-old classes. The cost of Lunch Bunch is $5.00 each day. The
children bring their lunch with $5.00 inside the lunch box. Pick up time for
lunch bunch is 1:00 p.m. Lunch Bunch gives the children an opportunity to eat
lunch with friends and have extra playtime.
Withdrawals
In the event it is necessary to withdraw a child from our program, one month’s
notice is required. If notice is not given, an additional month’s tuition will
be charged.
Confidentiality
All information concerning children and/or families will be kept confidential,
and is for Preschool staff use only.
Grievance Procedure
All grievances are to be directed through the following channels. First, parents
should discuss the matter with the Preschool Director within 10 working days.
Usually, the problem can be solved through this informal conference. If a parent
still needs to pursue the matter, then he/she should direct a written grievance
to the TLC Board within 10 days.
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