·         God is our Creator and we are made in His image for the purpose of loving and serving Him

·         spiritual development is just as important, if not more so, than academic development

·         children should be valued as individuals

·         children need to feel safe, supported and happy at all times

·         PLAYING and TALKING are the ways in which young children learn about themselves and the world around them

·         all learning should be meaningful and fun

·         children must be actively involved in learning

·         children learn through hands-on experiences

·         children learn through taking risks, making mistakes and celebrating success

·         mistakes are simply jumping off points for learning

·         what children CAN DO, rather than what children cannot do, are the starting points in their learning

·         learning should cater to the needs and interests of individuals and not to the seasons, weather, date or time

·         learning how to learn is key to success in the rapidly changing world our children will enter

·         children develop their spiritual, social, emotional, physical and cognitive abilities at differing rates

·         all aspects of a child's development are equally important and interwoven

·         children need time and space to produce work of quality and depth

·         children need to develop a sense of responsibility for their own learning

·         children who are encouraged to make their own choices become more confident and successful students

·         children learn from everything that happens to them and do not naturally separate their learning into subjects

·         parents are the first educators of children and play a vital role in the establishment of their child's learning environment

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Enrollment is open to all children who are at least two years of age, and children who are three or four years old and fully potty trained. Enrollment is limited, and granted on a first-come, first-served basis. A limited number of Curriculum Only (three hour program) and Part-Time (less than 5 days a week) class sections are available. The 2008 school year begins August 14^th, and will continue until the May 19th, 2009. Year-round, continual care is available through our Summer Camp program which allows your child to remain in the same surroundings and with familiar caregivers.

 

Cubs 2: Childrenmust be two years of age when they enter the program.

Cubs 3: Children must be three years of age before September 30th and completely toilet trained in order to start the school year. (Note: children who do not turn three by August 1 will need to repeat a second year of Cubs 3. This is to help them line up with the August 1 deadline for entering kindergarten.)

 

Cubs 4: Children must be four years of age before August 1^st. 

 

Students will not transition to Cubs 4 until they meet the above age requirement. Transitions will take place at the end of a school year.

 

Students will not be officially enrolled until all fees are paid and all required forms are completed and submitted to the office.

 

Westgate will be financially supported by the tuition and fees parents pay. There are no other sources of support except fundraising activities by our parents for specific projects and donations. It is necessary for families to pay tuition and fees regularly and on time. For a schedule of applicable costs please see the “Tuition and Fees” tab on this website. 

 

 

1.    Activity fees for summer camp experiences will be collected in advance.

2.    Registration fee, activity fee and first week’s fees are due upon enrollment. Subsequent fees are due on Monday morning (prior to the delivery of services) for students enrolled in extended care (curriculum + care). Fee payments are late if paid after 10:00 a.m. on Friday morning of each week and a $15 late fee will be assessed. Families enrolled in a T/TH program should pay on Tuesday mornings.

3.    Tuition (for curriculum only enrollees) is paid monthly, and is due on the first school day of the month.    A late fee of $15 will be applied for payments not received by the 7^th of the month. If you have special circumstances regarding payments, these must be arranged with administrative personnel in advance.

4.    Fee and tuition payments should be placed in a school envelope and given to administrative personnel at the front desk. Parents who pay with cash MUST request a receipt for their cash payment.

5.    There will be a $25 charge on all returned checks. These checks must be paid for by cash or money order. 

6.    You will receive a receipt, if requested, for your tuition payments. Payments in cash are not recommended and a receipt is mandatory for all cash transactions.

7.     End of the year tax receipts will be issued upon request.

8.     Withdrawing a child for any reason requires a two week advance notice in writing. Tuition is required during the notification period whether or not the child attends school.

9.     After two weeks of unexplained absenteeism, the child will be automatically dropped. Parents will be required to pay re-registration fees to restart enrollment.

 

 

All families must complete the following forms prior to the child’s first day of attendance. 

Families will have two “weeks” vacation time from July 1 to June 30 each year. “Week” is interpreted as the number of days your child regularly attends. Children who attend five days per week have 10 vacation days; children who attend three days per week have six vacation days, etc.   Please request vacation time from the Preschool office in advance.  

 

 

Children enrolled in any of the Cubs programs will receive dependable instruction and childcare. Westgate Christian Academy hires staff to provide this care. In order to do this, it is understood that parents will pay their weekly fees each week they are enrolled. If parents feel it is desirable to take a vacation or visit a relative during the school year, fees for the time period your child is absent are due and payable. If children are withdrawn from the WCA Cubs program, they may be readmitted after 30 days. An additional registration fee will be required for re-admittance at that time. It should also be understood that we will not “hold” an opening for a student once they have withdrawn. 

 

 

The Early Childhood Building will operate on a year round basis. We will be closed on the following days: Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the Friday following, two days at Christmas, New Years Day, President’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, and Fourth of July. Tuition will remain constant on all scheduled days off as these days have been factored into the established tuition and fee rate. 

 

Please monitor the “Calendar” page of our website – www.westgateacademy.com – for the latest information about events and school hours.

 

There may be days when the weather makes travel difficult. On these days, curriculum only classes will be closed, but children enrolled in childcare programs can depend on Westgate caregivers being on the job except in the most extreme circumstances. Parents should go to our website for immediate understanding of school status – www.westgateacademy.com. For parents who do not have access to the internet at home, tune in to KMOX radio, or television channels 4, or 5. If you see "Westgate Christian Academy - Closed" that means all K-8 classes and all classtime only classes in the Cubs program are closed. Children enrolled in curriculum plus care classes will find their caregivers waiting for them unless you see "Westgate Early Childcare Center - Closed." If you see this in the list, you will know that our staff could not make it in and all services are cancelled.  This will be very rare as it is our goal to meet your childcare needs.

 

In the case of severe snow/ice or other emergency, an early closing may become necessary. If this should be necessary, parents will be notified and asked to pick up children early. 

 

Westgate Christian Academy Early Childhood is open from 6:00 am – 6:00 pm. 

ü      Curriculum plus Care students may use any hours in this timeframe. WCA recommends that a child remain with us for no longer than 10 hours per day. This allows for an 8-hour parental work day plus drive time.

ü      Curriculum Only students operate on a half day schedule. AM classes run from 8:40 – 11:40 and PM classes run from 12:15 – 3:15. Extended care for Curriculum Only and PM classes may be available in emergency situations.  Please ask the Early Childhood staff if room is available.

 

 

Westgate’s EC program closes promptly at 6:00 pm each night. All children and parents must exit the building by this time. The school’s clock will serve as the “official clock” for determining time. Please synchronize your watch with this clock. Parents that have a lengthy departure routine must arrive early enough to meet the time criteria. A No Exception Policy is in place for several reasons:

ü      Teachers give their best to your children each day. They also have responsibilities to their own children and family. They need to know they can end their school day reliably at 6:00 daily.

ü      Late pick-ups require Westgate to pay their teachers overtime. These additional costs must be passed on to parents who create the need for overtime.

ü      Most preschooler’s internal body clock knows when their usual pick-up time is! Children can become nervous or fearful when they are at school later than normal. Please know that your child will always be comforted and safe, even in the event of an emergency.

 

The Westgate Late Policy is as follows: A fee of $1 for every minute that your child(ren) is in the building after 6:00 pm is applied per family. After 10 minutes, this “late pick up” fee goes to $2 per minute. This fee must be paid at the time when you pick up your child. A form, indicating the child’s name and time of dismissal to the parent, has been developed with this policy clearly stated. Signatures are required by both the parent and staff member in charge at the time of pick-up.

 

There will be no exceptions or warnings. If you are late for ANY reason, a charge will be issued. This “No Exception” policy makes it easier for us to apply the late policy to everyone consistently and fairly. It will be greatly appreciated, however, if parents call to notify us if they will be late and give an approximate arrival time so that we can better comfort your child. If this becomes a frequent problem, Westgate reserves the right to dismiss a family from the program.

 

 

Persons dropping off and picking up children must accompany them into the classroom or designated drop-off spot. They must also sign in and sign out in the daily register and notify a teacher that they are dropping off or picking up the child. Only people designated on the registration form, or designated in written form for a special occurrence, will have permission to pick up a child. Anyone picking up or dropping off a child from preschool must be at least 18 years of age, unless special permission has been granted by the office staff, due to unusual circumstances. Anyone not recognized by EC staff will need to know the “security code” and will be required to present a valid picture ID. 

 

In order to receive the full benefits of our program, as well as to help your child adjust accordingly, we ask that your child maintain a regular school schedule. Please try to have your child arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. Rest time is also a crucial part of our day. Please avoid dropping your child off during this time. We understand that special circumstances do occur, and that your child will be welcomed regardless of what time they arrive.

 

 

 

If your child is ill or experiences any of the following symptoms, please do not bring them to school. Should your child show any of the symptoms below while at school, you will be asked to make arrangements for the child to be picked up.

 

ü      Elevated temperature – Oral above 100 degrees F, Axillary above 99.0 F

ü      Diarrhea

ü      Skin rashes – undiagnosed or suspicious of being contagious

ü      Nausea or vomiting

ü      Congestion (thick, colored mucus)

ü      Discharge from eyes or nose

ü      Persistent cough

ü      Swollen glands or sore throat

ü      Unusual lethargy or sluggishness

 

A child MUST be symptom free, without fever reducing medication, for 24 hours before returning to school. Prescribed antibiotics must be taken for 24 hours before a child’s return. 

 

If a child contracts or is exposed to a contagious disease (i.e. chicken pox, pink eye, impetigo, strep throat, ringworm, lice), you must report this information to the child’s teacher immediately.  A notice of possible exposure to the disease will be posted outside the classroom. Confidentiality will always be maintained.

 

A parent must pick up a sick child within one hour of being notified. The child will be removed from the classroom and will be kept isolated and comfortable until parent’s arrival.

 

 

Administrative Staff can dispense medication ONLY if a Medication Form has been completed by a parent. Please only send medications that can’t be given on an alternate schedule. All medicines should be in the original container and bear the child’s name. All medication must be given directly to staff when your child arrives at school – NEVER send any medication in book bags – not even cough drops. If the steps outlined above are not followed, medication will not be dispensed. 

 

If your child is involved in an incident or accident at school, the teacher will tend to the children involved. A program accident/incident report will be completed and a copy sent home to the parents of each child involved as well as a copy kept in each child’s file. If the injury is such that we feel the child may need care or treatment beyond what we are able to provide at school, a parent or emergency contact person will be called. Emergency help will be summoned if we deem it necessary for the welfare of the injured child. 

 

 

Breakfast: We will serve a healthy, nutritious breakfast every morning from 6:00-7:45 a.m.  Breakfast will be listed on the monthly menu.  A variety of foods will be offered each day with the option of choosing cereal instead of the main course listed on the menu.  There is a minimal charge of $1 per day.  Please do not allow your child to bring food or drink for breakfast.  

 

If your child has special dietary needs and you would like to send snacks and/or lunch, please discuss this with your child's teacher.  This is not an option for breakfast.

 

Snacks: Morning and afternoon snacks and drinks will be provided by the preschool. The snacks and drinks are nutritious and we will offer two components of the four food groups for each snack. 

 

If your child requires special snacks due to dietary restrictions, parents may send the special treats to school. Please discuss this with your child’s teacher. 

 

Lunches:  Lunches will be provided by Westgate Christian Academy. Milk will be served with each lunch. Meals will follow state recommended guidelines and will contain elements from the four basic food groups. 

 

 

 

Proverbs 10:17 tells us "He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.” It is our desire for Westgate students to be salt and light in the world, showing others the way to live and not leading others astray!

 

Children cannot become self-disciplined unless adults teach them right from wrong. At Westgate, children will be taught the expectations for correct behavior and encouraged to live and act accordingly. When children know something is wrong, and choose to do it anyway, negative consequences will follow to communicate that there is a price to be paid for misbehavior. This is in line with God’s relationship to us. He has given us His Word so that we may know how to live, and He has promised to discipline us if we belong to Him. (Proverbs 3:11-12 - My son, do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.)

 

Disruptive Behavior which distracts from the full benefit of the preschool program, will result in negative consequences.  The following behaviors are considered disruptive:

 

ü      Requires constant attention from the staff

ü      Inflicts physical or emotional harm on other children, adults or self

ü      Disrespects people and materials provided in the program

ü      Disobeys the rules established to enable a community of learners

ü      Verbally threatens other students and/or staff

ü      Uses verbal or physical activity that diverts attention away from the group of

            children

 

 

A very important part of the preschool experience is helping children learn how to get along in the world and enjoy being with other children as well as following the direction of an adult other than their parent. The teachers will focus on the positive behaviors of the children and reinforce those behaviors as often as possible.

 

Our discipline policy will consist of the following strategies:

 

 

Children are asked to bring a backpack large enough to hold a complete change of clothing and all of his or her nap gear. Please - no bags on wheels! All personal items must be clearly labeled with the child’s name. The program cannot be responsible for lost or damaged property.

 

We understand that some children are attached to comfort objects (blankets, stuffed animal, etc….) but please do not send sippy cups, pacifiers or toys. A teacher may delegate certain days as Show and Tell days – items brought for this activity must fit in the child’s backpack.

 

A Lost and Found box can be found at the Front Desk. Any items left over a thirty day period will be donated to charity. 

 

 

We would like to encourage families to donate a favorite book to the school on your child’s birthday. Please inscribe child’s name in the front of the book to serve as a lasting memento of your child’s place in the Westgate family for many years to come.   

 

Please, please, please dress your child in PLAY CLOTHES. Our program is extremely hands-on and your child’s clothing will show this! Smocks will be strongly encouraged but preschoolers usually find a way around this. If you must go some place directly after school, please bring a change of clothes.

 

Clothing should be comfortable and suitable for safety when running and playing. We recommend all children wear tennis shoes to school. Shorts under girl’s dresses are recommended. 

 

 

Outdoor play is an important part of our social curriculum. It is important for parents to provide the appropriate clothing and outerwear for weather conditions. Staff members use the following general guidelines when determining whether to go outside: 

Winter: If the temperature (including wind chill) is 27 degrees or greater, children will go outside. Be sure children are dressed appropriately. The colder the temperature, the shorter the outdoor playtime.

Summer: If the temperature (including heat index) is 95 degrees or greater, children will not go outside. When the weather is hot, water will be taken to the playground to replenish body fluids. Length of outdoor playtime will be adjusted to be sure children do not get overheated.

 

 

 

We encourage full family involvement at every opportunity. Some possible ways to “join our community” are:  

 

 

 

Westgate Christian Academy reserves the right to terminate services due to a parent’s failure to adhere to school policies or procedures, or when a child’s repeated negative behavior or extensive special needs prevent staff from providing adequate care. Parents will have at least two weeks notice to plan for termination of services. Tuition will be required during the two week period.