The Mission of Our Program
The mission at Great Adventure Childcare is to provide a safe, loving environment for God’s youngest – a place where they can build a foundation of love, trust, and faith so they can hear the song God has planted in their hearts.
The Philosophy of Our Program
Here at Great Adventure, we provide a loving environment that encourages growth of our young children in the following developmental areas – social/emotional, cognitive, language, physical, and spiritual. One of the most important goals of our program is for each child to know that they are loved and are uniquely special to us and to God. We believe that it is very important that each child learn to get along well with others and become enthusiastic learners. In this way, we not only prepare them for success at school, but help put into place a foundation of success they can build upon their entire lives.
Great Adventure Childcare uses A Parent’s Guild to Preschool, written by Diane Trister Dodge and Joanna Phinney, as the philosophical foundation for our curriculum. They establish the following goals in four areas of development:
- Social/Emotional: to help children develop independence, self-confidence, and self-control, follow rules and routines, make friends, and learn what it means to be part of a group.
- Cognitive: to acquire thinking skills such as the ability to solve problems, to ask questions, and to think logically – sorting, classifying, comparing, counting, and making patterns – and to use materials and their imagination to show what they have learned.
- Language: to use words to communicate with others, listen to and participate in conversations with others, understand the purpose of print, recognize letters and words, and begin writing for a purpose.
- Physical: increase children’s large muscle skills – balancing, running, jumping, throwing and catching – and use the small muscles in their hands to do tasks like buttoning, stringing beads, cutting, drawing, and writing.
Great Adventure establishes goals in one area of development in addition to the four established by Dodge and Phinney.
- Spiritual: to help children begin to understand that God is a friend who loves them, created them, wants to talk to them, and will comfort and guide them.
General Information About Our Program
Hours of operation:7:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Preschool class time is from 9:00 – 3:30
Ages of children:Six weeks to Twelve Years Old
Fees:Registration fee - $75.00 per family, per school year
Registration fee for school age summer camp only - $25.00
Activity fee - $35.00 per child, per year for any child enrolled in the Early Childhood preschool program (ECERS)
Weekly Tuition:Infant/Toddler Program (ITERS)
Younger Infants$175
Older Infants$175/$170
1 year olds$170
2 year olds$155
Early Childhood Preschool Program (ECERS)
3 year olds$150
Jr. PreK$150
PreK$145
Part-time slots (MWF or TTh) are extremely limited, and are on a first-come, first-serve basis. Part-time children will not be allowed to switch days for any reason without authorized permission from one of the directors, and will be extremely discouraged.
3 year olds, Jr. PreK, and PreK (MWF) $ 90
(TTh)$ 60
School age Program
Before School Care$ 70
After School Care$ 70
Before & After School Care$ 80
Drop In Holiday Care (for non bus riders)$ 28
Family Involvement
Classroom Orientation
Parent Orientation for new classrooms will be held one week after promotion day in August. This event affords parents the opportunity to become familiar with teachers, classrooms and program goals and objectives for the new school year. Sign-up sheets will be available on the bulletin board for parents to sign up for individual time slots.
Open Door Policy
Great Adventure Childcare has an open door policy for both parents and staff alike. This means that our classrooms are always open for parent participation and observation. Parental input is very important and is always welcomed. Understanding parent’s feelings, attitudes, questions, and concerns is vital to the effectiveness of our program. We encourage each parent to share comments, inquiries, and concerns with the teachers and/or director. If you have concerns that need to be discussed at length with your child's teacher, it is best to make an appointment so that administration can cover your child's classroom so that the teacher is not distracted from, and taken away from, supervising and interacting with the other children during your conversation. If you would ever like to speak directly with the administration about any policy or concerns, we encourage you to stop by in person, phone, or email. Again, parental input is very important to us and is always welcomed!
Communication
Formal school-to-parent communication is achieved through mandatory parent conferences, postings on the all-school bulletin board, classroom information boards, monthly newsletters, daily classroom reports and occasional postings on the check-in computers. Teachers or the office will also send special announcements home as needed.
Curriculum and Child Assessment
Preschool First is a play based curriculum aligned to the states early learning standards and is used as an assessment tool to track each child’s developmental progress. Preschool First helps strengthen the home-school connection by suggesting at-home activities that enhance classroom activities. Parents can also view their child’s progress by logging in with their username and password. These codes will be given out at the September parent education meeting. Preschool First promotes targeted learning experiences, parent involvement, and school readiness.
Bible Curriculum
Core Essentials Values is a virtue based curriculum that supports the foundation you have formed in your child to treat others right, make smart decisions, and maximize their potential. It is another tool to help our teachers promote Christ-like behavior. Each month a new value is introduced in an engaging and positive lessons. The teachers will implement Core Essentials every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in 3 distinct ways: make it fun, make it real, and make it stick. The curriculum is also designed to incorporate the family and each month a newsletter will be emailed out so that you can reinforce the specific virtue, along with other activities to promote family values.
Conferences
Parent conferences are offered for all classes. The purpose of any conference is to provide parents with an opportunity to establish dialogue with the teachers regarding their child’s progress. Conferences are conducted in October and March to discuss areas of growth/progress in all developmental areas. A developmental checklist is provided at each conference, outlining appropriate milestones in the areas of social, emotional, cognitive and physical growth. A completed developmental profile will be given to parents in May. Should concerns arise, a conference may be scheduled with teachers/parents and director/parents at anytime throughout the year, or to consult with teachers regarding recommendations for placement the following year.
Family Participation
Great Adventure Childcare families are welcomed and encouraged to participate in a variety of classroom activities such as reading to the class, assisting with art projects, helping with holiday celebrations, or providing any needed curriculum resources. GAC family volunteers are always needed to help periodically throughout the school year, and will be recruited by postings in our newsletter. Extended family members (grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc.) are always welcome to participate in classroom activities or special events at GAC.
Resources Available To Families
Great Adventure Childcare is a mission of HeartsongChurch and can be a great community resource for our families. Some examples of resources include the HeartsongFamilyCounselingCenter, Grief Share Groups, and variety of 12-step recovery programs. GAC administration can provide information on a variety of additional outside community resources as needed. Please see Donna or Beth to confidentially discuss your family needs.
Supplemental Curriculum Classes
Great Adventure Childcare offers one supplemental curriculum class for 3's, 4's and PreK classrooms. Computer Explorers meets Wednesdays and is a hands-on class that incorporates robotics microscopes and other technologies in a small group setting. This class reinforces math, science, reading, language, arts, music, and technology skills. Children are in groups of three or four. This class costs $30 per month if using automatic draft or $35 per month if paying with a check.
Special Days
Great Adventure Childcare enjoys celebrating children and life and often has a variety of special days that correspond with holidays, curriculum themes, and seasons. Many special events will be held during the year involving parents and families. A variety of mission opportunities and family fun days are scheduled throughout the school year and summer. Our goal for every special event is to minimize cost while maximizing fun. Some activities are fully furnished and funded by Great Adventure Childcare, others parents are asked to supply food, supplies or a minimum cash donation to offset entertainment. Some special events are school wide; others are celebrated by individual classrooms. Teachers are responsible for communicating upcoming events to parents that affect their children.
Individual Parties
Special parties to celebrate individual children are allowed at Great Adventure Childcare. If you wish to celebrate your child's birthday or other major event with their class, please communicate your wishes with your child's teacher. Special care must be given in regard to other's food allergies, customs, and traditions. If you wish to invite your child's class to an outside birthday party, please understand that we will only help distribute invitations if all class members are invited.
Admission Procedures
Registration:
The registration process for new families begins with their receipt of enrollment paperwork and a pre-enrollment visit of the facilities with administration. This visit will include a family orientation where you will receive written information about center operations, schedules, fees, calendar, health requirements, and discipline policies. You will receive a guided tour of the facilities, introduction to the teaching staff, an opportunity to ask questions of the administration, and information about family programming and family-friendly supports. Once all required forms have been filled out and returned, and registration and activity fees have been paid, your child is officially registered in our program. New infants and fall bus riders are also required to pay their first two weeks tuition in advance, this is a non-refundable deposit to hold their spot.
After one month of attendance, you will receive a family survey you may fill out in order to give us feedback on your experience with Great Adventure Childcare.
New Enrollment:
Your child will then be enrolled in his/her appropriate classroom according to his/her date of birth, cognitive skills, and social development.
You will be asked to have at school the following items (labeled with child’s name) every day:
1.Change of clothes labeled in a zip locked bag (to remain at school)
2.Mat cover (crib sheet fits best) and blanket for naptime
3.Any child comfort items to help with naptime (pacifier, stuffed animal, etc.)
4.Labeled diapers, pull-ups, and wipes as needed each week
Continued Enrollment:
All families will be given an enrollment packet each summer that must be filled out and returned in order for the child to be re-enrolled for the fall. DHS mandates that all registration formsmust be filled out yearly. An updated copy of shot records must be turned into the office as soon as new shots are given, and must be on the Tennessee daycare form. An enrollment letter will be sent to each family with the child's new classroom assignment and tuition rates. Registration and activity fees must be paid by August 31.
Withdrawal Policy
A two-week written notice must be submitted to a director prior to withdrawal from the program. However, advanced notice of more than two weeks is appreciated and encouraged when possible.
Payment Policies
Tuition:
All tuition must be paid in advance. Please write in the memo section of every check the dates that payment is for. Tuition is due by 6:00 p.m. on the Friday before the next week’s services are provided. School tuition paid after 9:30 Tuesday will be considered late. A late fee of $10.00 will be charged for all payments made after that time. Any child enrolled will pay the full rate regardless of days absent or present. There is no credit for absenteeism or school emergency closings (i.e., bad weather). The school will be closed for five days after Christmas Day. Tuition is not due for those five days. If any child is absent from the center for a two-week period without notification, we will consider that child withdrawn. If the child returns, a new enrollment fee will be required in order to accept the child. If their space has been given to another child and no other spaces are left, the child will be put on our waiting list. In order to maintain a space for your child, your payment record must remain current.
Vacations:
No credit on tuition is given for scheduled school holidays and unscheduled vacation periods. Two weeks (ten days) vacation at no charge will be allowed for those children who have been in attendance for three months. One week of credit must be taken at the Christmas closing. The other week may be used at your discretion (the entire week at one time) per school calendar year, August to August. Notification must be given by turning in a vacation credit form (located on the check-in bulletin board) at least one week in advance as to when you will take your vacation time. Please drop this form into the tuition box, just as you would a payment.
Calendar
Great Adventure Childcare will be closed for the following holidays: MLK birthday, Good Friday, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Thursday and Friday, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. New Year’s Day is included in the five days the school is closed after Christmas and therefore is not considered a paying holiday for parents.
In the event of inclement weather, our center will be closed when Shelby County School System closes. If Shelby County Schools are out on a holiday, please check by calling the center at 507-9427.
Food Program
We are participating in the USDA food program, and provide lunches for all children who are over the age of one year old. Breakfast will be served to school agers from 8 am to 8:30 am. Breakfast will be served to all preschool children at 9 am. All children under one will follow their own individual schedule.Any food needed before these timeswill haveto be eaten at home. Menus will be posted weekly, on the bulletin board in the main hall by the infant room. Please alert us of any allergies your child has and keep us updated throughout the year by filling out new enrollment forms when new allergies are discovered. If you are concerned about your child eating a specific day’s food, you may send alternate food from home, but we ask that it not be anything that must be warmed up or prepared by the staff. Also, we will not credit any tuition for lunches you choose to supplement. Please keep in mind when sending alternate food that no peanuts or peanut products will be served. Please be considerate of any food allergies in your child’s classroom.
Arrival and Departure Procedures
The following procedures should be adhered to when dropping off and picking up a child.
Arrival:
- Children should only be brought for drop-off through the daycare main entrance. Only adults are allowed to punch in security codes.
- Check the child in at the desk laptop computer, making sure to click "FINISHED" on the computer screen.
- Walk your child to their classroom and place them under the supervision of their teacher. Parents should exit out the daycare entrance through the right hand side door. It is not required to hit the green exit button to exit any security door.
- Early childhood preschool class times run from 9:00 – 3:30. Please make every effort to have your child checked in by this time.
Departure:
- Parents should again enter the center through the daycare main entrance.
- Check the child out on the desk laptop computer, making sure to click "FINISHED" on the computer screen. Always be prepared to show proper picture ID if requested.
- Walk to your child’s classroom and inform your child’s teacher that you are there to pick up your child.
- Parents and children should exit through the center’s entrance through the right hand side door.
- If an emergency arises and you feel you may not be able to reach the center by 6:00pm, we ask that you call the center at 507-9427 to let us know you may be late. If a family is continuously late picking up, they will be put on notice and any additional offenses will then be charged $10.00 per minute.
- If your child is not picked up by 6:00pm and we have not been contacted, the center will begin calling emergency numbers listed for that child.
Health/Illness and Emergency Procedures