Day Care Information
PHILOSOPHY
It is the philosophy of St. John’s Day Care Center that childhood should be a time of fun, warmth, security, exploring, and discovery. Since this is your child’s home away from home for a portion of his/her day, we want him/her to feel like a part of our family here at St. John’s.
Preschool children are creative and receptive; the staff strives to nurture and encourage these qualities in the children who attend. Planned within the framework of philosophy and purpose, St. John’s Day Care preschool curriculum includes sharing and conversation time; stories, songs, and fingerplays; creative art activities and crafts; games and large muscle activities; field trips, food preparation, science and nature activities, exposure to shapes, colors, numbers, letters and celebrations of birthdays and holidays.
The needs of school-age children are somewhat different from those of preschoolers. Our program is designed to accommodate the physical and emotional needs of every child. Our school-age philosophy is based on a good mix of two differing views:
1. We believe in free choice and the necessity of providing time for children to structure their own activities, and
2. We see the need for organized activities so that children’s lives can be enriched. It is our hope that through our before and after school programs and summer program, our older children’s needs will be met.
The Day Care’s purpose for all of our children is to provide an atmosphere that encourages social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth and development of the child as a whole.
STANDARDS
St. John’s Day Care Center, established in 1988, is licensed by Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare, and complies with all the standards put forth by the Department. Its operation is advised by St. John’s Preschool/Day Care Directing Committee, a unit of the Learning Team. All final policy decisions are approved or established by the Congregation Council of St. John’s Lutheran Church, 201 East Main Street, Kutztown, Pennsylvania.
AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STATEMENT
St. John’s Day Care Center advertises in the public media in order to make openings known to all. Children are admitted regardless of race, creed, color, sex, national origin, or religion.
LOCATION
St. John’s Day Care Center is located on the first floor of St. John’s Lutheran Church, 201 East Main Street, Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Please use the entrance on North Maple Street where the ramp is located.
SECURITY SYSTEM
St. John’s Lutheran Church has a security system on the door at the Daycare/Preschool entrance on Maple Street. This measure was taken for the increased security of all our children and staff.
Parents/guardians will be assigned a unique code number, which must be used to gain entrance to St. John’s. Only parents/guardians and those you have specified in writing to the Daycare/Preschool should have this code number. Children should not have access to your code. Please do not allow anyone else to enter while you are entering unless you know the person. This security system will only be as effective as the people using it.
Daycare codes are in operation from 6:00 AM until 6:00 PM Monday through Friday.
DAYS AND HOURS OF OPERATION
The Day Care Center is open Monday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, 12 months a year. The year is broken down into 2 sessions – the school year session which follows the public school year calendar from September through June and the summer session which runs from June through the end of August. The center is closed the week between Christmas and New Year’s and during the 4th of July week. Additional days the center is closed are Labor Day, Thanksgiving, the Friday after Thanksgiving, Good Friday, and Memorial Day.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
With safety in mind, it is required that all children will be brought to the Day Care room accompanied by the transporting adult and not merely dropped off at the door. Likewise, children will not be released until the transporting adult picks them up.
St. John’s Day Care maintains a strict policy regarding the individuals to whom we will release a child. Enrollment forms require parents to specify individuals to whom children may be released either on a regular or emergency basis. In the case of an emergency, the staff may be notified by phone as to the name and physical description of an alternate pick-up. Please be sure to notify St. John’s Day Care of any changes in application information concerning persons who you authorize to drop off or pick up your child. The safety of your children is our utmost concern.
FINANCIAL ARRANGEMENTS
Registration
At the time of registration, the following is required:
1. A $25.00 registration fee—non-refundable.
2. Complete application forms—necessary before child may attend.
ENROLLMENT AND PROGRAMS
Enrollment is open to any child 3 years (must be toilet trained) through 12 years (6th grade) of age. Admission requirements and enrollment procedures are as follows:
1. Day Care is filled on a first come/first served basis according to the date of enrollment with the Director.
2. Should Day Care be filled when a parent calls, the child=s name will be placed on a waiting list to fill vacancies as they occur.
3. Day Care children fall into the following categories:
A. Preschool C 3, 4, and 5 year olds
B. School-Age C Kindergarten through 6th grade (Latchkey C before and after school)
KINDERGARTEN AND SCHOOL-AGE BUSING
Busing is available for Day Care children who attend Elementary School in the Kutztown Area School District, both kindergarten and latchkey. The school bus will pick up Kutztown Elementary School children at approximately 8:30 AM at St. John’s and will drop them off at approximately 3:30 PM at the same spot. The school bus will pick up Greenwich and Albany children at 7:50 AM at St. John’s and will drop them off at 4:20 PM at the same spot.
Parents are responsible for contacting the school and making provisions if their children need busing.
