Policies

Dress Code

Comfortable and simple play clothes are recommended – ones that can easily be pulled up and down for “quick-trips” to the bathroom, and ones that can easily be washed since, no matter how careful we try to be, paints, markers and snacks sometimes get on them! Well-fitting running shoes are needed for jumping, walking, skipping and running. Please, no heeled boots or clogs – these can be very dangerous in active play.

Appropriate clothing for the day’s weather is a must. Make sure your child has mittens, hats, boots etc. when needed. We cannot keep one child in the classroom because of inadequate clothing while the others go outside for recess and we will not keep all students indoors because of one child. All children must be with the teacher.

Please do not allow your child to attend class wearing play or real make-up or to bring it to class. Even though this is a preschool we consider it an appropriate classroom setting. They may bring it for a Show-n-Tell item.  (Back to top)

Personal Belongings

Each child is assigned a personal coat cubby in their classroom. They are also asked to bring a personal backpack and folder each day they are in class. With daily use and instruction by the staff, students become accustomed to keeping their belongings in their backpacks.  We request that you leave toys at home, with the exception of “Show and Share” and other special days.  (Back to top)

Absences due to Illness

Please use good judgment and keep your child at home if he/she shows signs of the following:

• Eyes, ears or throat inflamed or have discharge
• Signs of fresh cold, such as running nose or temperature
• Skin rash or eruption
• General appearance of listlessness, irritability, flushed or pale

Please use the “24 Hour” rule when judging your child’s health in coming to school. If your child has vomited, had a temperature, or had diarrhea in the past 24 hours, please keep he/she at home. This means if your child has not been able to eat solid foods, if he/she has had more than two loose stools or if his/hers temperature has been over 100 degrees in the last 24 hours. DO NOT SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL.

Other reasons for exclusion from class are: Pink Eye with white or yellow discharge until 24 hours after treatment, Scabies until treatment has been completed, Lice/Nits until checked and cleared by the County Nurse, Strep throat until 24 hrs. after treatment and no fever, Chickenpox until 6 days of rash or all lesions crusted, Impetigo until 24 hrs. after treatment, Cold Sore/fever blisters in a child who cannot control drooling until sores are scabbed, Rash with fever or behavior changes, Ringworm until treatment has started.

All teachers at Martin Luther Preschool are given permission to assess your child’s health. If it is the teacher’s opinion that your child is not well enough to continue to participate in the day’s activities, parents will be contacted to pick up their child. If you need to give your child Tylenol or cough syrup before school, please reassess your child’s health.

Since this may be your child’s first exposure to a school setting, you may feel they are “picking up” every little bug that is going around. This is an important reason to keep an already ill child home. This lessens the exposure and/or re-exposure of the illness to the other children. Rest assured, we have good health habits at Martin Luther Preschool and are learning to wash hands, cover sneezes, etc. but often this is a time for building up our immunities for the following school years.

Please contact the school office (224-9070) should your child be sick and unable to attend.  (Back to top)

Medication Policy

When necessary, prescription medications can be administered in the office and MUST be brought to the office in the original container.

Martin Luther Preschool  will not administer any over the counter medication to enrolled students.

All teaching staff at Martin Luther Preschool hold and maintain all First Aid and CPR certifications that are required by county regulations.  (Back to top)

Dental Emergencies

Dental injuries will be given first aid as required by Martin Luther Preschool staff. Parents will be notified immediately.  (Back to top)

Accident and Incident Reports

All incidents, big or small, will be reported to the parents either immediately or upon pick-up. A written report will be completed after class by the staff and placed in the child’s personal information folder.

Any behavioral incidents will be reported to the parents upon pick-up. A written report will be completed after class by the staff and placed in the child’s personal information folder. If parents and/or teacher would like any conferences or counseling to discuss these incidents, arrangements can be made with staff.  (Back to top)

Suspected Child Abuse

All observations or suspicions of child abuse or neglect will be immediately reported to the child protective service agency no matter where the abuse might have occurred. Staff members will follow the direction of the child protective agency regarding completion of written reports and notification of the parents or legal guardian.

Martin Luther Preschool is licensed by the state of North Dakota and is required to report any suspicion of child abuse or neglect. (North Dakota Century code, chapter 50-25).  (Back to top)

Child Release/Custody

Martin Luther Preschool staff will only release children into the custody of the authorized persons stated on the Child Information Cards. You must inform the teacher if someone other than an authorized person will be picking up your child. If an unauthorized person is trying to seek custody of the child, teachers will contact the parents before relinquishing the child.

If Martin Luther Preschool staff feel that the person or persons, authorized or unauthorized, is under the apparent influence of drugs or alcohol, they will not release the child into that person’s custody. This is for the safety of the child. The staff will call another authorized person from the Child Information Card and have them come to the facility to help sort out the situation. If no one else can be contacted by the teacher regarding the release/custody of a child, the police will be contacted to resolve the situation.

If certain legal custody restrictions have been made due to divorce, marital separation, etc., Martin Luther Preschool must have a copy of those guidelines for the child’s personal information folder. Staff cannot enforce something they know nothing of. Here again, the safety of the child is the most important issue.  (Back to top)

Discipline and Guidance

Teachers at Martin Luther Preschool will use a Christian approach in disciplining and guiding your child in learning appropriate behavior for each age group. Each classroom has a quiet area where a child can go to calm their bodies and minds down when the teacher feels that child needs to regroup. Children are better able to understand and accept instruction/correction about their behavior if they themselves are calm. This time also helps the student learn the independence/responsibility of their bodies and actions while giving them space/time to regain that control themselves.

Teachers will easily redirect children throughout the class time from an activity that is causing frustration and unacceptable behavior, all the while modeling desired Christian behavior. Martin Luther Preschool staff understands that each age group has their own behavior challenges that are part of normal development in a child’s life. The modeling of desired behavior, understanding/accepting instruction/correction is always based on that child’s stage of development for the best outcome.

Conferences between parent/teacher, concerning a child’s behavior does not mean immediate termination of services by Martin Luther Preschool. Many times these conferences are a time when parent/teacher can talk in an undisturbed setting about what is working/not working in the classroom and at home. Working as a team, solutions can be found and results more effective. Termination of services by Martin Luther Preschool may occur only when it is clear that a child needs more direct behavioral instructions by a professional trained specifically in that area.  (Back to top)

Immunizations

Immunization Forms, Parent’s Statement of Health of Child and Child Information Sheets must be filled out before your child starts school. Immunization forms are on hand at your clinic or you may copy your child’s current immunization card.

All immunizations must be up to date and complete. We can no longer accept children without complete immunizations. If your child cannot be immunized for medical , religious, moral or philosophical reasons, you must complete the Statement of Exemption to Immunization Law.  This form is found on the Certificate of Immunization.  This form can be obtained from the North Dakota Department of Health.  (Back to top)

Bee Sting Allergies and Asthma*

If your child has an allergy and that allergy is severe enough for an Epi-Pen use, the Epi-Pen MUST BE with the child when he/she is attending class. (Martin Luther Preschool staff will not administer any “Benadryl” type medication for any allergic reactions.) You will also need to sign a medication release form for our office. Emergency procedure for severe allergic reaction will be: Epi-Pen, 911 and then a call to the child’s parents. We will not call parents to administer the Epi-Pen or for their consultation on whether to call 911 or not. Emergency personnel will make the judgment on whether or not to transport the child to the hospital after they assess the child’s condition.

If your child has asthma and that conditions is severe enough for an inhaler-type medication, the inhaler MUST BE with the child when he/she is attending class and the child must know how to use it. (Martin Luther Preschool staff will not be responsible for administering any asthma medication). Asthma attack procedure will be: see that the child has used the inhaler and immediately call the parents. Parents will need to physically come and assess the child’s health before the child can rejoin the classroom. If the teacher feels the attack is an emergency, she will: see that the child has used the inhaler, call 911, call parents.  (Back to top)

Evacuation Plans, Drills, and Closings

Martin Luther Preschools comply with regulations by having a set Evacuation Plan posted in each of their facilities. If for some reason either facility needs to be evacuated due to a problem within the building, each facility has a nearby location within a short distance where they are assigned to seek shelter.

Our Zion location will relocate to Will-Moore Elementary School. Our Shepherd of the Valley location will relocate to Wachter Middle School. Parents/Guardians will be notified by phone of the relocation of the students AFTER the relocation is complete and will be expected to pick up their child immediately. Contacting parents/guardians after relocation will be done to first, ensure the safety of the students. Second, to reassure the parents/guardians who may feel overly anxious of the safety of their child. If that facility needs to remain closed for repairs, parents/guardians will be notified of this and for what length of time. If the program has an alternative site to continue without interruption it will do so, notifying parents/guardians of all changes as they occur.

Through periodic fire and storm drills students become familiar with these plans and procedures. If reentry of the building is not possible after an evacuation, parents/guardians will be called for immediate pick-up. Authorized persons may pick-up their child anytime during a storm if they feel the need to. School closings due to storms will be announced by radio along with Martin Luther School closings prior to opening hour. If the preschool facility must close during operating hours because of storms, Martin Luther Preschool staff will notify authorized persons by telephone for immediate pick-up.  (Back to top)

Referral to outside resources

If at any time during your child’s time at Martin Luther Preschool a referral to an outside resource, such as hearing or speech therapists is warranted, Martin Luther Preschool staff will work with the family to get whatever help is needed for the child.  (Back to top)
*As a private program, Martin Luther Preschool holds the right to deny enrollment of a child into their preschool program if that child’s allergies or physical/mental disability cannot be reasonably accommodated by the present staff and facility without posing an undue burden on that staff and/or facility or if it would fundamentally alter the nature of the existing program or the care/teaching of the other children enrolled.