1. Purpose of Policies
2. Mission Statement
3. Goals
4. Objectives
5. Safety and Security
6. Illness
7. Curriculum & Schedule
8. Hygiene & Sanitation
9. Teaching, Volunteer and Paid staff
10. Parent Responsibilities

Purpose of Policies
These policies will give expectations of teachers and parents so that each knows and understands his/her responsibilities.  They will also enhance and clarify the work of the preschool ministry.

Mission Statement
Our mission is to lead all preschool children and their families to know and treasure Jesus above all things.

Goals

1. Provide a quality learning environment for preschool children where the Bible is the basis of their education, regardless of age.
2. Help preschoolers and their families know that church is a happy and secure place to learn about God and Jesus.
3. Encourage family worship and spiritual growth for preschoolers and their families.

Objectives

1. To associate God, Jesus and the Bible with happy thoughts.
2. To know that the Bible is a special book that tells about God and Jesus.
3. To think of church as a place of love and security.
4. To begin to show love, respect, and acceptance for others.                                                             

Safety and Security

1. Safety
2. First aid kits will be provided in every preschool classroom.
3. Child safety locks will be on all lower cabinets.
4. Cleaning solutions will be stored out of reach of preschoolers.
5. All fire codes will be observed and the staff will be trained annually in evacuation procedures.
6. A phone is located in the main preschool suite area for emergency use.
7. Only age appropriate equipment will be in each room.
8. All allergies and special needs will be recorded in the preschool area.

Medical and Emergency Procedures

1. Gloves will be worn when treating a child’s injury.
2. Minor cuts and scrapes will be cleaned and bandaged, if needed, by the teacher or other adult.
3. Parents will be paged if the child is not able to continue classroom activities.
4. If a child is injured while in our care and needs professional medical attention, parents will be paged and asked to return to the preschool area.

In the event of a more serious emergency, we will follow the procedures below:

1. A teacher or an adult will stay with the injured child.  We will not move an injured child.  Another adult will immediately call 9-1-1.
2. The Victory Baptist Church First Response Team will be notified and asked to attend to the child while we wait for 9-1-1 emergency officials to arrive.  A list of First Response Team member names will be posted above the phone in the main preschool suite area.
3. Parents will be paged and asked to return to the preschool area immediately.

Security

1. All preschoolers must be checked in and out of the preschool area by a parent or guardian.
2. Preschoolers will never be allowed to remain or leave the preschool area unsupervised.
3. Older siblings/friends should not be given unsupervised access to preschool classrooms and or equipment.  Older siblings will not be allowed to pick up preschool children.
4. All preschool doors will be kept closed unless a child safety gate is in use.

Paging System

1. Parents are assigned a pager when they register their child at the preschool welcome desk.
2. The child’s pager number will be written on the child’s name tag.
3. Parents will present the pager to their child’s teacher when they pick up their child.  The number on the pager must match the number on the name tag before the child can be released.
4. Only authorized adults may pick up preschool children.

Illness

A preschool child should not attend services or an event at Victory Baptist church if they have had any of the following symptoms in the past 24 hours:

• Fever
• Vomiting or diarrhea, child must be symptom free for 24 hours
• Runny Nose with yellow or green discharge
• Unexplained/untreated rashes or skin infections
• Any symptoms of a contagious disease, pink eye, chicken pox, scarlet fever, mumps, measles, cold, cough, or sore throat, croup, ringworm, boils, impetigo, fifth disease, flu, strep, or staph infection of any kind

This list is for general information only and is not limited to the conditions listed above.  If a child becomes ill while in our care, parents will be notified immediately and they will be asked to remove their child from the preschool area.

Teachers, volunteers and other staff will not be permitted to give any medications to preschoolers.

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Curriculum and Schedule

Curriculum
We believe that each time we have preschoolers in our facilities we are responsible to teach them about God.  Preschoolers learn through play, so, many goals are accomplished through hands-on, age appropriate activities.

1. All curricula will be Biblically based.
2. Videos will only be used to enhance teaching.  They must be rated G and have a Christian and/or educational theme. Videos must display appropriate language and behavior.
3. Volunteers and paid staff will be provided with regular training events to enhance their knowledge and understanding of curriculum materials, developmental levels and discipline techniques.
4. Only age appropriate equipment and teaching tools will be used in each class. 
5. Snacks may be served as a part of our preschool curricula.  Snacks are served to preschool children ages toddler through PreK during the second worship service.  Please let your child’s teacher know, in writing, of any allergies or special dietary needs.

Schedule
We will provide preschool age appropriate classes during regularly scheduled Sunday services and Wednesday activities.  Additional childcare may be provided for special church sponsored events or activities and will follow the Preschool Policy Manual guidelines.

Promotion Policy
Preschoolers will be promoted by either developmental or chronological criteria.  The infant and toddler class promotion may be based on the critical developmental stage of walking and other developmental criteria.  After children are age two, our preschoolers will promote with their group of peers all on the same day to ease difficulties of individual adjustment.  This will also create a sense of continuity in their environment.  Any parent with concerns for their child can speak to the Preschool Ministry Director to assist in finding the appropriate class for their child.

Hygiene and Sanitation

Hygiene

1. All teachers, volunteers, and staff are to wash their hands when they enter the preschool classroom and before they leave.  This will cut down on the spread of germs in and out of the preschool classroom environment.  Proper hand washing methods are posted at each sink area.
2. Preschoolers will be taught the proper methods of hand washing.  They will wash their hands before snack, after using the toilet, and as needed.  They may use an appropriate waterless hand sanitizer in lieu of hand washing at the sink.

Sanitation

1. Toys in the infant and toddler rooms will be cleaned with a disinfecting solution of ¼ cup bleach per one gallon of water after children use them or they will be disinfected in the dishwasher located in the preschool area with detergent and hot water.
2. All cups used or left in the preschool area will be disinfected in the dishwasher located in the preschool area.
3. Diaper changing areas should also be sanitized after each diaper change.  A new, clean diaper changing table liner should be used for each child.
4. Rubber gloves will be available for each diaper changing area.
5. Linens will be changed between each child.  All bed linens, blankets, or other linens used are washed in laundry detergent and hot water.

Teaching, Volunteer and Paid Staff

Places of service

1. Directors:  Each worship service hour has a Life Group Director who is responsible to oversee the needs of the preschool ministry during that Life Group session.
2. Greeters:  These volunteers are responsible to greet arriving preschool families at the Preschool Welcome Center and will present them with a pager and a name tag for their child(ren).
3. Teachers:  Each age group will have a minimum of two teachers who are responsible for preparing their lesson, instructing the children, and meeting the needs of the preschoolers in their class.  Each teacher will be a member of Victory Baptist Church, have undergone a background screening and demonstrate Christian character and integrity in both speech and conduct.
4. Substitutes and other volunteers may serve in the preschool area on an as needed basis.
5. Teen volunteers or paid staff, who will be caring for children, will be at least 14 years old and will have adult supervision.
6. No child will be left in an individual’s care in an isolated or private location.
7. Adults will not assist children with bathroom visits with the door closed.

Discipline Policy
When a child is acting in an inappropriate manner, an attempt will be made to redirect his or her behavior.  If this does not work, a time out will be used, one minute per year of age.  If corrective action fails, and a child’s behavior is out of control, the parent will be notified immediately.  Some examples of such behavior would be, but are not limited to, the following:

• biting, hair pulling, hitting, shoving, bully behavior, spitting, and refusal to obey the teacher’s instructions. 

Under no circumstances shall the use of physical force be used.

Parent Responsibilities

1. Preschoolers should be picked up promptly at the close of each session.  Failure to do so creates anxiety for your child.
2. Parents should avoid letting preschool children bring toys or personal belongings into the preschool area.  Toys brought from home may be lost or broken.
3. It is very important to us that we provide the safest, most sanitary environment possible for preschool children.  Please help us do that by not allowing older children, along with their older germs, in the preschool area.
4. Parents should let all preschool leaders know when their child has a special need or allergy.  Special needs will be posted in the child’s classroom unless the parents request otherwise.
5. Any questions or concerns should be shared with the teacher or Preschool Ministry Director.
6. Everything a child brings in to the preschool area should be labeled (i.e. cups, bags, coats, blankets).
7. Preschool children may have transition or separation anxieties.  If you need to see your preschool child during or between services, please see the director for assistance.
8. Please notify the Preschool Ministry Director if your child contracts a childhood or contagious condition after attending activities at Victory, i.e., chicken pox, measles, etc.

It is not required that all preschool families serve, but we hope you will work and pray with us as we help lay the foundation necessary for your child to grow up knowing Christ’s love.  We pray that you will join us in this exciting ministry!

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These policies were revised and approved by Victory Baptist Church 8-20-08.
COPYRIGHT © 2009 VICTORY BAPTIST CHURCH ALL RIGHTS RESERVED