Welcome to Island Lutheran PreSchool!!

Children are a gift from God and each one is God’s unique creation. We consider it an honor to have your child enrolled at Island Lutheran PreSchool. We acknowledge the rewards of parenting, therefore, the preschool is here to support and assist you in any way as you endeavor to help your child reach his or her potential in these early years.
This handbook will answer many of your questions about the PreSchool. Read it carefully and should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Mission Statement

Our vision at Island Lutheran PreSchool is that every child will know, experience and respond to God’s grace through:

Christ-centered teaching/learning environments
Harbors of hope
Involved faith communities
Leaders united in a purpose
Dedicated child advocates

Objectives

The purpose of our school is to provide a preschool curriculum for the children of our church and local community. This curriculum includes an emphasis on Christian instruction with the intent of leading a child to grow in spirit, mind and body. Our curriculum is implemented through learning and play activities. These activities, along with guidance from the teacher, will teach and reinforce developmentally appropriate social, cognitive and motor skills that are needed to ready children for Kindergarten.

Racial – Non - Discriminatory Policy
Island Lutheran PreSchool admits students of any race, color, national or ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and local programs, and other school-administered programs.

Administration
The phone number at Island Lutheran PreSchool is (843) 342-2500. You can reach us between the hours of 8:30 A.M. and 2:30 P.M. Between the hours of 9:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. you may leave a message as we are spending time with the children. If there is an emergency, please call Island Lutheran Church at 689-5200. They will relay the message immediately. You may also email us with any questions you may have at deiha_torin@yahoo.com

Our Staff

Director/Lead Teacher: Deiha Torin
3-year old Teacher: Bonnie Fick
Teacher’s Assistant: Phyllis Willever

Our staff meets the South Carolina Division of Child development criteria to work in a childcare center while maintaining an employee screening process, which includes reference checks, along with local and national criminal record checks. The staff participates in continuing training and development. Staff members are required to obtain fifteen hours per year of training in child development and curriculum in addition to First Aid and Infant/Child CPR certifications.

Admission Requirements

Children who are three and four years of age are enrolled in the PreSchool. Admission requirements and enrollment procedures are as follows,
1 A child must reach the required age for the program on or before September 1 of that year to be admitted in the PreSchool class, unless the director grants special permission.
2 Children will not be allowed to advance to the next age level until the following PreSchool year.
3 All children must be potty trained.
4 Classes are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, according to the date of enrollment.

Attendance
To assure that your child receives the maximum benefit from his or her PreSchool experience, regular attendance is important. We stress that children arrive by 8:50am well rested and have had breakfast. The children enjoy time socializing with their friends, which is provided for by coming in on time.
Please call the school office before 9:00am if your child is ill or will not be attending PreSchool that day.

Consent For Pick-up

Children must be picked up by a parent or designated adult. ANYONE picking up a child for the first time must present identification. If the party is not listed on the consent form as an approved person, pick up of the child is prohibited. Should someone not listed be scheduled to pick up a child, the parents must provide the PreSchool with the proper notification, such as written or telephone message. Unusual custody arrangements require a court order on file at the PreSchool for enforcement purposes.

Academic Program
Island Lutheran PreSchool emphasizes spiritual development; therefore, Christian education is emphasized in our curriculum. Another goal at Island Lutheran PreSchool is for your child to truly enjoy a preschool environment! Our program has been designed carefully to help your child develop the spiritual, social, emotional and developmental skills necessary for a successful kindergarten experience.
Our curriculum for the children is “hands on”, interactive and open-ended. Each month we explore a different theme about the world around your child. We offer a three- and four-year old class. Lessons are planned carefully and presented in an interactive setting that capitalizes on their need to experience life with all their senses.
The skills we focus on are organized in ten groupings: size, colors and shapes, numbers, reading readiness, position and direction, listening, sequencing, fine and gross motor skills, music and movement and social/emotional development. We strive to maintain a balanced awareness of the relationship between social, emotional and intellectual growth.
Our Bible program consists of learning God’s Word and practicing our Christian principles with word and deed. Each day our classes have a Bible Time, which includes a Bible story, Bible passage, and songs related to the Bible story. Prayers are said upon opening, closing, before meals, and whenever they are needed. Once a week we go to the church for a Bible lesson, music and prayers. Pastor Spicer leads the short chapel services.
Preschoolers love to cook! Therefore a great deal of learning takes place in the classroom. During the year you may be asked to send an ingredient for a special recipe.
Show-and-tell is an important part of our curriculum. Your child’s teacher will include a schedule suggesting items that may relate to the unit in the monthly newsletter. It is helpful if each child brings only one item for each show-and-tell on his or her scheduled day. Please do not send valuable or breakable items.
Field trips are a part of our learning environment. You will receive notice of a field trip in the monthly newsletter. Each child must have a completed permission slip to attend each field trip with the Island Lutheran PreSchool.
1 Each trip will need license and insured drivers and chaperons! Please sign up to help. Parents are our only means of transportation, your help is greatly appreciated.
2 Each student must have a car seat/ booster seat for field trips.
3 We request that your child wear the Island Lutheran PreSchool T-shirt when taking field trips. Tee shirts may be purchased for $10.00.
In addition to taking field trips, we also schedule special guests to visit us at school for some added fun and enrichment.
Sharing a birthday is a very special time in the life of a preschool child. You may send in a special treat at snack time on your child’s birthday. Children with summer birthdays are encouraged to enjoy a celebration within the classroom. Please discuss this with your child’s classroom teacher for appropriate scheduling. If you decide to have a party outside of school invitations may be brought to school if your child will be inviting the entire class. Please mail invitations if you are planning to just invite a few students to your child’s party. We will be happy to provide you with an address or phone number.
The children will have the following holiday parties: Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s, Doughnuts for Dad Day, Easter, Mother’s Day and end-of-the-school-year party.
Each year the Island Lutheran PreSchool will perform two programs. The first will be either a Thanksgiving or Christmas Program. Our Spring Program is held the end of May. All children will participate in these programs. If you will be out of town, please let us know as soon as possible so your child will not be given a part. Four year-old graduation is held after the Spring Program. Children turning five by September 1st and are eligible for Kindergarten will participate in the graduation ceremony.

Snack Basket Helpers

Snack time is an extremely important part of our daily program. Your child will be working on a variety of skills during this time including math skills, social interaction skills, manners, and fine-motor skills. Snack time is a fun social time for our children, as well as, a wonderful time to engage in the delightful social conversations that flows from children this age.
The parents are asked to bring snack on a rotating basis. When it is your turn to provide snack, please follow these guidelines:
1 The snack basket will be sent home a few days prior to your child’s turn.
2 Send in one snack and one drink for each child and teacher to enjoy.
3 Insure that snacks are easy to distribute into individual servings.
Use your imagination and remember Snack Time is fun! Involve your child in the decision making process. They often have great ideas and brining the snack is exciting for them. The child who brings the snack also has the very special job of assisting with serving snack.

Parent Involvement

We encourage our parents to be an active part of our program. There are many areas in which we can use your help. Three times a year we will have a parent dinner and meeting. As a parent, you will be required to attend at least two meetings. Please sign up to join our parent group, which helps organize these important evenings.

Communication With Parents

The Director or teacher will display various messages on a dry-erase board that is visible to the carpool line on a regular basis. A Newsletter is sent out once a month. The Newsletter includes a monthly calendar, which informs parents of the bible story, theme of the month, snack servers and special events. We also maintain a web site for Island Lutheran Church and PreSchool. The address is www.islandlutheran.org.

Daily Schedule

Arrival and Departure
Our carpool line will begin at 8:50am. We ask your cooperation in not bringing your child before this time, as teachers are busy preparing for the day. At 8:50am, a teacher will meet your child at the car and help him/her into school. You can help us by having your child at the right hand side of the car for easy unloading.

Dismissal, children will be walked to their car at 11:50am and 12:50pm.
Please do not get out of your car in the carpool line. We will buckle your child in his/her car seat.

If you need to come into the building, please park your car in the parking lot so that the traffic flow will not be affected. Do not leave a child unattended in your car while you are parked.

Morning Program
Our PreSchool day is 8:50 a.m.- 11:50 a.m. Between 8:50 and 9:00 the children are engaged in various music and movement activities. Worship time begins at 9:00am. Snack is served at 9:20am. Circle Time begins promptly at 9:45am. It is strongly recommended that your child be in school for this important beginning of each day. Having this routine will help your child to learn the routine and structure carefully designed by the teachers at Island Lutheran PreSchool. A complete schedule of activities is posted in your child’s classroom.

Lunch Bunch
Lunch Bunch is a fun time for children to interact with their classmates while sharing lunch and many interesting conversations. Lunch Bunch is available for children from 11:50am – 12:50 P.M. at an additional cost of $4.00 per day. Your child must bring his/her own lunch and a drink with an ice pack. Please limit warm-up foods to 30 second heating times in a microwave safe container.
It is not necessary to make a reservation or send money. You will be billed at the end of the month.

Visitor Policy

Here at Island Lutheran PreSchool we have an open door policy and parents are encouraged to visit the PreSchool at anytime.

Health Guidelines For PreSchool Attendance

For the protection of your child, as well as others, we ask that they not attend PreSchool if they exhibit any of the following symptoms:
1 Fever of 100 degrees and above. Children must be fever-free for 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medicine to return to school.
2 Constant diarrhea, vomiting (more than two times) within the last 24 hours
3 Red, runny eyes (conjunctivitis)
4 Rash that is unknown or contagious
5 Any contagious disease or illness, such as chicken pox, from incubation through outbreak
If any of these symptoms should occur in your child during the day, we will contact you in order to pick up your child.
If your child will be absent from school for any reason, such as an illness, vacations etc… please notify the PreSchool Director.
You are required to give proof of immunizations. South Carolina law requires you keep your child’s immunizations current. Please help keep our records updated each time your child receives an immunization.
Should your child receive a slight injury at PreSchool, he/she will receive first aid from a staff member. A medical form will be sent home for you to sign and return the following day.
Should it be a serious injury, he/she will immediately receive the necessary first aid from a staff member and additional treatment from the nearest medical facility. Parents will be notified immediately.
Please alert us of any allergies your child may have.

Medicine Policy

We will administer over-the-counter and prescription medicine if warranted and accompanied by a medicine form properly completed by the parent. Medicine must be in its original container with original label on the bottle. Any expired medicine will be discarded.

Clothing

Children should wear comfortable, washable play clothes and sturdy play shoes. Flip-flop sandals and boots will interfere with your child’s ability and willingness to participate in musical, movement and playtime activities.
Toileting accidents happen! Clothing easily removed by the child helps prevent these accidents. However, one change of clothing in a large zip seal bag with his/her name clearly marked on the outside is required upon the first day of school. As the weather turns colder, please send an appropriate change of clothing.


Fire/Hurricane/Tornado Drills

Fire drills are conducted monthly. Fire evacuation routes are posted inside the classrooms. Regulations require everyone to evacuate the PreSchool.
Hurricane/tornado drills are conducted twice a year during the “severe weather season”. Children are evacuated to an area in the church that does not have windows or glass doors. Children are taught to get in their “turtle shells”(on their knees, hands over their heads). The children are instructed on how the turtle shells will protect them in the event the weather turns “ugly” or “very windy”.
In the event of severe weather and the school loses power, we will remain closed until power is restored and travel is safe. Island Lutheran PreSchool will open as Beaufort County and State officials lift all emergency evacuation mandates.

Calendar

Island Lutheran PreSchool will follow the Traditional Beaufort County School schedule. A copy of our school calendar will be given to you upon starting school. Island Lutheran PreSchool will close when the Hilton Head Elementary schools are closed due to inclement weather.

Discipline

Discipline occurs in a nurturing Christian environment. PreSchool is a place other than the family environment where children learn acceptable behavior. Classroom rules are discussed and explained on the first day of school. Children continue to learn to treat others and their belongings with respect. If your child has difficulty understanding or following the rules, the teacher will take the following steps:
1. Simple and direct verbal correction.
2. Speak individually with your child about inappropriate behavioral choice.
3. With the child, suggest alternative appropriate behavior; if necessary an alternative activity.
4. If your child chooses to ignore the rules, he/she will be removed just a few feet away from the group for one minute per the child’s age.
5. If the problem is reoccurring, we will contact you so that you may help by discussing appropriate behavior with your child.
6. If necessary, a conference will be scheduled with the director, parents,
PreSchool board member and the pastor.
7. If a child exhibits dangerous behavior to him/herself or others, we will send the
child home with a disciplinary warning. Discipline warnings may lead to
suspensions or possibly a release from Island Lutheran PreSchool. We will release
any child found to be such a constant behavior problem that the other children’s
education and/or safety is hurt by this behavior.



Fundraisers
Each year the Island Lutheran PreSchool will conduct one major fundraiser. Each parent is requested to participate. Our fundraiser includes a Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction.
We also participate in the Harris Teeter Together In Education program. Simply link your VIC card to the PreSchool. Our TIE number is 4633. You only need to link your card once a year.
A list of other ways to raise money for the PreSchool is available to all families.
Proceeds benefit the children of Island Lutheran PreSchool and Staff for Teacher Development and Continuing Education.

Scholarships

We believe that being awarded a scholarship is a privilege that should not be taken for granted. Limited funds to provide scholarships have been donated to the PreSchool by individuals and organizations expressing their interest in promoting a loving, Christian education such as offered by the Island Lutheran PreSchool. Both partial and full scholarships may be available.
Please see the PreSchool Director to request an application. Upon completion of the application, the PreSchool Committee will assess each request form. All applications must be submitted by June 30 for the following school year. Scholarships are limited and are given to those most needy. Each family will receive in writing an acceptance or reasons why the application was denied. If you need assistance completing the form, please call the number listed on the application to make an appointment.


Summary

Please ensure that all policies and information contained herein are read and understood. If there are any questions, do not hesitate to ask us. Remember to give your child adequate time to adjust to his or her new environment. Beginning jitters can cause teary, clingy mornings. We will help your child adjust to the best of our abilities. Please keep us informed on information such as a new allergy or illness, changing a family situation or other events that affect your child. Please do not hesitate to provide us with telephone numbers for home, work, physicians, or emergency contacts as needed.
We have an open door policy and parents are invited and encouraged to visit the preschool at anytime. The lines of communication are always open, so feel free to express your comments or questions. We welcome the opportunity to share with you the journey of loving your child and watching him/her grow into a bright and happy young boy or girl. Island Lutheran PreSchool serves as a connecting resource for leaders as they affect children’s lives with the love of Jesus, so that every child may know and experience His grace.

In Christ,


Deiha Torin, Director