WEE @ MRBC

INTRODUCTION TO THE SCHOOL

The mission of the WEE@MRBC program is to extend the ministry of the church by providing biblically based, age-appropriate education for preschoolers and to support the home.

The purpose of the WEE@MRBC Program is to fulfill the need of a nurturing, educational environment for the families in our church as well as our community.

WEE@MRBC accepts children from the age of 12 months through 4 years old. The child must be the designated age by September 1st of the current school year. This school does not discriminate against any child based on race, color, religious belief, national origin, or gender. We reserve the right to determine a child’s eligibility based on special/medical needs. If we are unable to meet the needs of such a child, he/she may not be accepted into the program.

In order for your child to attend class, the office MUST have the following information on file:
• Completed Enrollment Form
• Completed Health Requirement Sheet
• A signed copy of the parent acknowledgement regarding the “Parent’s Guide to Daycare.”

All necessary paperwork and fees must be submitted in order for your child to attend class.

A child may drop in on a day he/she is not usually at school. The child must be currently enrolled in our school and there must be space available in the class. See registration information for the drop-in fee.

Before a child is admitted to the school, WEE@MRBC must have a copy of his/her current immunization record. Parents must update this information as new immunizations are given. The school must also have a signed statement from a practicing physician which states that your child is physically able to participate in this program.

Tuition is due on the first class day that your child attends each month. Checks should be made payable to WEE@MRBC. Please do not put your check in your child’s bag. The office staff will be available at the front desk to accept your payment. We will not hold a check past the designated “late payment” date. We charge a fee for insufficient checks. See your registration packet for the specified amount. There will be receipts given if needed for cash payments.

Tuition payments are late if not made by the 10th of the month, unless special arrangements have been made with the Director. A “late notice” will be sent home in the event of non-payment and an additional fee will be applied. There are no deductions made for absences. Tuition is paid on a ten-month basis (August -May).

The annual registration and supply fees are due at the time of enrollment and are NON-REFUNDABLE. These fees secure a place for your child and provide a complete developmental evaluation as well as daily supplies and materials necessary for instruction.

WEE@MRBC is a non-profit organization. Childcare expenses for working parents are tax deductible. Statements will be available upon request.

Please park in the west parking lot and enter through the southern most double doors that lead into the main hallway. That hallway leads to the reception area, located on the left (north) side.

School hours are from 9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (Monday - Friday). Children are not allowed into the classroom before 8:55 so teachers can finish preparations for the day. Parents must sign their child in each morning on the sign in/out sheet located outside their child’s classroom. Please include ALL information needed on the sheet.

School dismisses promptly at 2:30 p.m. Parents must sign their child out each day on the sign in/out sheet located outside their child’s classroom. Children who have not been picked up by 2:40 will be taken to the office and a late fee will be assessed. Some of our teachers have their own school-age children to pick up and need to be able to leave on time.

Children cannot leave with anyone other than those listed on the Enrollment Application sheet, including spouses. Persons on this list not known by the teacher will be required to show identification. The office must be notified if special arrangements are to be made regarding pickup of your child. If you arrange for someone not on the list to pick up your child, they must have the code, must be photographed, and sign a release for the child. We also record their driver’s license number.

WEE@MRBC has scheduled times for outdoor play, music and chapel. Weather permitting daily outdoor time will be observed. Please dress your child in comfortable “play” clothes unless there is a specific need for them to dress up. Other activities include story time, craft, and thematic learning.

The school will furnish a morning snack such as crackers, pretzels, cereal, etc., and a drink. Please be sure your child’s teacher knows about any food allergies.

Parents must send a lunch for their child. Please send nutritious food items that your child can handle easily, such as finger foods or bite size items that do not require heating or refrigerating. WE CANNOT HEAT OR REFRIGERATE ANY LUNCH. If your child uses a sipper cup, please send one for snack time and one for lunchtime. Please refrain from sending dark colored juices as they may stain the carpet or clothing if spilled.

PLEASE LABEL EVERYTHING WITH YOUR CHILD’S NAME. The staff of WEE@MRBC will not be responsible for lost articles.

All of the children will have a rest time after they eat lunch. The length of time they will rest depends on their age. There are cribs available for the one year-old class and the two, three, and four-year-old classes must bring a ONE-INCH THICK rest mat with cover on it. A king size pillowcase may slip over the mat or you may choose to purchase a cover. You may also send a small blanket and any security item in your child’s bag. LABEL EVERYTHING WITH YOUR CHILD’S NAME.

Toys may be brought on teacher-designated “Show and Tell” days only. However, pets are not allowed.

We recommend a full change of clothes be sent for all ages, especially children in diapers and those who are potty training. Three-year-olds MUST be potty trained before enrolling into the threes class. Be sure to LABEL all pieces of clothing as well as any other personal articles.

Each week there will be a specific theme by which all crafts and activities will be centered around. We use the WEE Learn Curriculum.

Please do not send your child to school if he/she is showing signs of being ill. This requirement is for the good of everyone.

Children will not be permitted to stay at school if any of the following symptoms are occurring:

• Fever - Without having taken medication, the child MUST be free of fever for at least 24 hours before returning to class.
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea (must be free of symptoms at least 24 hours)
• Any symptoms of the usual childhood diseases (Scarlet Fever, German Measles, Mumps, Chicken Pox, Whooping Cough…)
• Common cold symptoms - onset until clear (sore throat, croup, colored nasal discharge, persistent cough…)
• Any undiagnosed rash.
• Skin infections (Boils, Ringworm, Impetigo, etc.)
• Eye infections - Pink Eye or any infection that causes the eye(s) to matt up.
• Lice - We must have a note from your child’s physician stating that he/she is cleared to return to school.

A child will not be permitted to return to class until they are no longer contagious. WEE@MRBC reserves the right to request a medical release from a physician regarding questionable illnesses.

In the event of a serious illness or injury, every effort will be made to contact the parent(s) of the child. If we are unable to reach the parent(s), we will then attempt to call the designated emergency contact person(s). If needed, the child will be taken to the appropriate hospital emergency room. Parents are responsible for such medical bills as may arise from accidents. Every effort will be made to prevent accidents.

Any medications brought for a child MUST:
• be in the original container (including non-prescription)
• be labeled with the child’s name
• be labeled with the date (if prescription)
• include directions to administer the medication including time to be given and amount to be given
• if prescribed, include the name of the physician prescribing the medication.
• be authorized by parent/guardian or physician.

Please note: The Director and/or office staff are the only personnel who will administer medications. Those designated persons will only administer medicine at 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. We will not give expired medication to a child. Absolutely no medications are to be kept in the classroom. There will be strict documentation kept in the school office.

The state of Texas requires that children in the four-year-old class have vision and hearing testing. We will have someone here on designated days in the fall to do this testing for your child. There is a fee for these tests and we will let you know more specifically about those fees before testing is done. You may, however, bring proof to the office indicating that your four-year-old has done such testing with his/her own doctor. The testing must have been done after their fourth birthday.

The three- and four-year-old classes may schedule various field trips throughout the year to correlate with the weekly learning themes. Parents are required to sign a yearly permission statement as part of the enrollment process. Parents will be given a 48-hour notice of each field trip along with pertinent information such as location, times, etc… This information will be displayed until the class has returned from the trip.

Each parent who offers to drive children and help on a field trip will be required to provide proof of current insurance, a valid driver’s license, as well as current inspection stickers and tags. According to the Minimum Standards, the Director must perform a Criminal History check on any parent who wishes to provide transportation. The office will receive an “approved volunteer list” as a result of the Criminal History checks. Your name must be on the list in order for you to do any type of volunteer work at or associated with WEE@MRBC.

Your child will participate in fire drills throughout the school year. This procedure is necessary to help all children know what to do in the event of a real emergency. All classes are instructed on proper procedures and we will endeavor to teach them how to handle such emergencies in a calm and orderly manner. Fire evacuation plans are posted near the door in each classroom.

School pictures will be scheduled for two times during the school year: during the fall semester and again during the spring semester (i.e. October and March). We will choose a professional photographer to come to the school two days each time and take individual and group pictures. You will be able to purchase the pictures if you choose to do so.

Periodically, pictures of the children may be placed on bulletin boards or used in other areas of the church, including the website and promotional materials. Please discuss any special requests or needs with the Director.

We love to celebrate birthdays and we encourage you to bring a special treat for snack time if you wish. Please bring a snack that would not be too messy and that would not be easily choked on. Cookies are always a big hit with children. You are welcome to bring party favors or you may supply a gift for your child’s classroom for all to enjoy, such as a toy, book, puzzle, etc. We do not encourage gifts for the child to be brought to school for unwrapping. Please save that special event for a later time. Private invitations are not allowed unless every child receives one. Feel free to mail invitations if only some of the children are invited.

Parents are welcome to attend all parties. Please check with your child’s teacher for specific party times.

Throughout the year the classes will have holiday parties. Such times will be fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine, Easter, and at the end of the year. Please look for sign ups if you wish to help by bringing food items, drinks, favors, etc. There will be no dressing up as characters or “Halloween” figures unless there is a special occasion to do so. However, we do invite all families to attend our church’s Fall Fun Festival as an alternative to Halloween. The children can wear costumes for this particular event.

Our school observes all of the Arlington Independent School District holidays. In case of snow or ice, if AISD closes, we will be closed. If AISD opens late, we will be closed for the day. Bad weather days will not be made up. Parents should always check with the local television and radio stations for reports of school closings or late openings. The information will also be available, if possible, on our answering machine (817) 466-2492 and on our website: www.WEE-MRBC.org.

WEE@MRBC’s policy is to use positive guidance with children. There will be no form of physical punishment. The children will be guided to behave appropriately.

In the event that a child chooses to behave inappropriately, he/she will be given a verbal warning. Upon a second occurrence of the misbehavior, the child will be isolated from the rest of the group. This is called “time-out.” A child may take time-out in a chair away from other children or in the Director’s office.

We do not condone any type of corporal punishment as a disciplinary action. The Director will immediately notify parents in the event of a behavior problem that exists constantly. In the event of disciplinary action, the parents are contacted as soon as possible.

Toddlers, Twos and Three year olds
Other than “Meet the Teacher” day, the conferences will be scheduled individually and as the need arises.
If at any time, you wish to have a conference with your child’s teacher, please contact the office to set up an appointment

Four year olds
Four- and Five year olds will have up to three conferences throughout the school year:
a. The “Meet the Teacher” group conference at the beginning of the school year is for the purpose of acquainting the parents and children with the curriculum and their teachers.
b. Following observation, an optional mid-year evaluation can be done. This evaluation is for children who may need certain learning/behavior concerns to be addressed before the end of the year.
c. The end-of-year individual conference is completed when the child’s overall progress is reviewed and recommendations and plans for the future are made.

All children will be evaluated at the beginning and end of each year by their teachers. Specific areas of evaluation are physical development, social skills, gross/fine motor skills, recognizing colors, shapes, letters (depending on the age of the child), communication, etc…

WEE@MRBC has an open door policy for parents of children enrolled in the program. If you would like to observe your child during the day, you are welcome to come at any time. We ask that you check in with the office so we can be aware of those who are present in the building. The only exception to such a visit would be if there is any legal, custody, or court mandated restrictions for a parent who is not allowed to see a child.
If you would like to visit with your child’s teacher, we ask that you set up an appointment. This allows the teacher to appropriately cover the class and to provide you with individual attention.

It is the law that we report any suspicions we have of possible child abuse. The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services’ definition of abuse includes, but is not limited to, “acts or omissions by a person responsible for a child’s care. Mental or emotional injury to a child, and physical injury that results in substantial harm to the child…” Please tell your child’s teacher about any bruises the child may have or any emotional trauma the child may be experiencing. By keeping the staff informed, you will prevent any inappropriate suspicions.

The Texas Department of Protective and Regulatory Services’ Minimum Standards and Guidelines states that people must not smoke at the facility, during transportation, or on field trips.

WEE@MRBC is sensitive to the needs of each parent and child. If you have any concerns or questions, please see the Director.