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Admissions Information

Enrollment:

The preschool will enroll children for the program based on age level and the choice of class days during the week. Classroom enrollment is limited by group size and ages of children. Our maximum class size is 18 children for each class. We have a teacher and parent helpers in each class every day to maintain our adult to child ratio of 1:6. Children must be three years old by September 15th (Poudre R-1 cutoff date) to enter the Primary program and four years old by September 15th to enter the Pre-Kindergarten program. Our preschool is open to all children regardless of race, religion, or nationality who may benefit from our type of program. Enrollment priority is given to children of First United Methodist Church members. Children with special needs will be assessed on an individual basis to determine their needs and make certain their needs can be met by our program.

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Tuition Information:

2007/2008 School Year

TWO DAY per week classes
THREE DAY per week classes
FOUR DAY per week classes
$180.00 per quarter $258.50 per quarter $348.75 per quarter
$80.00 per month $115.00 per month $155.00 per month

Tuition is figured as an annual fee and will be collected in four quarterly payments. A $50 nonrefundable registration fee guarantees your child's enrollment.

Tuition Schedule for 2007/2008 School Year  
August 1, 2007 mail to: FUMC Preschool, 1005 Stover St., Ft. Collins, CO 80524
October 15& 16, 2007  
January 7 & 8, 2008  
March 25 & 26, 2008  

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Registration for Fall 2008:

There is a registration Fee of $50 which will guarantee your child's place.

Registration Dates (for the 2007/2008 school year):

January 30th Open House with Tours 9:30am

February 11th Preschool Registration for Current Families Only
February 12th Preschool Registration for Alumni & FUMC Members
February 13th Open Preschool Registration for the Public Begins February 13 at 9:00

Also, come visit with all the preschools in Fort Collins at the City Wide Preschool Fair January 26th at 10:00am - 1:00pm at the Senior Center, sponsored by the Mother's Center.

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Class Offerings:

Classes for 2008-2009 will be:

Primary (must be 3 years old by September 15)
2 day/week: Mon. & Wed 9:00-11:30
or Tues. & Thurs. 9:00-11:30
3 day/week: Mon., Wed. & Fri. 9:00-11:30

Pre-K (must be 4 years old by September 15)
3 day/week: Mon./Wed./Fri. 9:00-11:30 (2 classes)
or Mon./Wed./Fri. 12:45-3:15 (1 class)
4 day/week: Mon./Tues./Wed./Thurs. 9:00-11:30 (1 class)

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Class Hours:

Class hours are 9:00-11:30 for the morning classes and 12:45-3:15 for the afternoon class.

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Tuition Information:

2008/2009 School Year

TWO DAY per week classes
THREE DAY per week classes
FOUR DAY per week classes
$184.50 per quarter $263.25 per quarter $353.25 per quarter
$82.00 per month $117.00 per month $157.00 per month

Tuition is figured as an annual fee and will be collected in four quarterly payments. A $50 nonrefundable registration fee guarantees your child's enrollment.

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Lunch Bunch:

Lunch Bunch is an extended day program that is offered on Mondays and Wednesdays. Your child will have the option of staying at preschool until 1:00 (afternoon children may be dropped off at 11:30 on these days). Lunch Bunch is available on a first-come, first-serve basis for the first 20 children and costs $6.00 prepaid, per day. The children will be transferred from their preschool class at 11:30 and served a sack lunch, including drink, which you provide. We will play and have fun until you pick them up at 1:00 (afternoon kids will be taken to their preschool class at 12:45). Two preschool staff members will supervise the children during this time. You will need to sign up and pay the $6.00 in advance. The sign up sheets will be put out one week at a time. Lunch Bunch is available for current enrolled preschool children only, no siblings. Lunch Bunch is scheduled to begin in September.

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Parental Involvement:

Parent Workday Information:

Parent Helpers are expected to be in the classroom 15 minutes before class begins, 8:45 for morning classes and 12:30 for the afternoon class. Parent Helpers are expected to remain for the entire class time.

 
TWO DAY per week classes
THREE DAY per week classes
FOUR DAY per week classes
10 workdays per year
14 workdays per year
18 workdays per year

Parents are responsible for the number of workdays indicated above. However, you may choose to pay for all or part of these workdays at the rate of $15 per workday. Other parents will then be paid to do extra workdays. In order to help with our budgeting and scheduling of workdays, please fill out the Parent Helper Workday Options Form and send it in with first quarter tuition. You may choose to add the extra cost to this check (formula Number of workday paying for X $15 added to your tuition payment)

Committee Assignments:

For each child enrolled, a family serves on one committee. Each committee is responsible for a number of events/duties and members work on several related activities. Families should plan to work approximately five hours per year for each committee assignment. This is an estimate to help each family know the expectations of their time involvement. Actual hours may vary year to year. Sign ups for most committees will take place in August when families are signing up for their workdays. Early sign ups will be taken for inventory, playground clean up, carpool map and nametag committees.

Committee Responsibilities`
Halloween Parade Help to organize and publicize the Halloween parade in October
Saint Patrick's Day Parade Plan entry and recruit participants for the parade in March
All School Picnic Help to organize and publicize the all school picnic in May
Playground Clean Up Clean and maintain playground equipment, shed, and toys
Indoor Cleaning Clean and maintain classroom areas including Creative Movement equipment and hallways
Toy Closet Clean toys and equipment in classroom toy closet monthly
Community Service Organize and publicize service projects for preschool children each year.
Country Village Fair Plan, organize, and recruit for participation in the all church bazaar in October. EVEN YEARS ONLY
Carpentry Assist Purchasing Coordinator in maintenance of toy and equipment by using carpentry skill (repair or build).
Laundry Launder dressup clothes, paint smocks and additional times as requested every month
Sewing Maintain and provide dress-up clothes. Complete other sewing projects as requested. Sewing ability required.
Playdough Make playdough for classrooms monthly throughout the year
Homeroom Parent Assist classroom teachers as requested (preference given to returning families)
Music Lead special music in the classroom (musical proficiency required)
Inventory Assist Purchasing Coordinator with preschool inventory in May
Slide Show Maintain Preschool history via slide show
Scrapbook Maintain Preschool and classroom history via scrapbook (1 per class plus 1 for Preschool scrapbook)
Book Order Process and distribute book orders to each class
Nametags Make nametags for each class in August and January, or as needed for new enrolling students.
Language Provide introductory language sessions to all classrooms monthly throughout the year
Library Maintain Preschool library, including inventory of books during the summer and reshelving throughout the year

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Snacks:

Parents are asked to provide snack for their child's classroom approximately 5-7 times per year. Your snack responsibility includes bringing enough snack and beverage to serve 21 people (18 children and 3 adults). The snack needs to be nutritious and must be prepackaged; the Health Department has mandated that no home-prepared snacks may be served. The beverage needs to be an unopened container of juice or frozen juice concentrate (a 1/2 gallon of juice is plenty). The preschool provides the cups and napkins. Your child's teacher will assign the snack days and give you a schedule. Each child will be scheduled a day in which to celebrate a birthday or 1/2 birthday with their class. Parents may trade snack days with someone in the class if they are unable to bring something on the assigned snack day. Teachers an provide you with a list of nutritious snacks such as fruit, cheese, vegetables and dip, pudding, muffins, fruit bread, pretzels, popcorn, bagels, applesauce, etc. This is a brief list--use your imagination or get some ideas from your teacher. Nutritious snacks should be brought for birthdays as well--no cupcakes please!

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Child Care:

Two separate entities provide child care for siblings when a parent is working in the classroom -- FUMC Nursery and Mother's Day Out.

MONDAY and WEDNESDAY childcare is provided by the First United Methodist Church nursery. The hours are: Mondays & Wednesdays from 8:45 AM - 11:45 AM. The following guidelines must be met in order to use this program.

  • Nursery Punch Cards must be purchased in order to use the church nursery. Cards can be purchased at Parent Workday Sign-up or from the Preschool Director. CHILDREN WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT PAYMENT. All payments are made to FUMC Preschool.
  • Children need to be registered in the nursery in order to provide appropriate care. Registration signup sheets for the nursery will accompany parent workday sign-up sheets. Please sign-up your child for the nursery when you sign-up for your parent workdays.
  • In the case of last minute child care needs (i.e., filling in as a parent helper for someone with a sick child), nursery availability needs to be checked with the Coordinator.
  • Parents must remain at the church at all times due to state regulations for licensure exempt child care facilities.
  • Parents may leave only their own children in the nursery, also due to state regulations (no friends, day care children, etc.)
  • The nursery is available to children aged newborn to 5 years.
  • The cost for each session is $10.00 per child, $1.00 for each additional child in family.
  • Illness--Children will not be accepted into the nursery with heavy or colored discharge from nose and/or eyes. If a child has a fever, diarrhea, and/or constant cough or has symptoms of a communicable disease, the parent will be located to take the child home.

TUESDAY AND THURSDAY child care is provided by the Mother's Day Out program. This is a licensed drop-in day care program with hours of 9:00 AM -1:00 PM. The following guidelines must be met in order to use this program.

  • Children are registered at 8:45am on the day in which care is needed. The teachers will open their doors at 9:00. Payment is made when you retrieve your child.
  • Reservations are recommended but not required and may be made one week in advance in person (after the appropriate paperwork has been completed). Payment must be made at the time reservations are made.
  • Because Mother's Day Out is a licensed day care program, parents may leave the building. Children may stay any length of time. If a child will stay past noon, a sack lunch will be needed to be provided by the parents. Snacks are provided.
  • The program is available for children age 1 (and walking) to 6 years.
  • The cost is $4.50/hour for the first child and $3.50/hour for each additional child.
  • Paperwork and proof of vaccination is required prior to leaving your child for the first time.

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Toilet Training and Diapering:

It is ideal and desirable for a child to be toilet trained before beginning preschool. However, the staff understands that not all children accomplish this at the same time and we try to accommodate different developmental levels.

We treat toilet accidents calmly and make as little fuss as possible about them. Spare clothes are kept on hand at the preschool for these accidents. We help the children into clean clothes in a calm and pleasant manner and casually wipe up the floor. We understand and try to help the children realize that toilet accidents are a natural part of growth in children. Parents are notified at pickup time of the accident and are asked to launder the spare clothes and return them to the preschool.

Protective gloves should be worn when assisting children with bathroom accidents. Teachers should primarily be the adult who helps children with these accidents and parent helpers should only be used in extreme situations.

If a child continues to have frequent accidents, the teacher will discuss a plan with the parents. Because we serve three, four and five year-olds in our program, the preschool is not equipped or staffed to daily change diapers or Pull-Ups. If a child requires daily diapering, he is not ready for our preschool. It is not safe for the rest of the class when the teacher has to leave the classroom each day to diaper a child. If this continues to be a problem, the teacher may recommend a trial period and if success is not mastered, the child may be asked to withdraw from the preschool until he is toilet trained or no longer requiring daily assistance.

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Enrichment Opportunities

  • Creative Movement is a bi-monthly class which fosters physical development, creative expression and coordination while building self-esteem in a fun and safe environment. This class is taught by a creative movement teacher with degrees in physical and special education.
  • Field Trips include visits to Poudre Valley Hospital, CSU Vet School, a pumpkin patch, Lee Martinez Farm, a local nursery, and an ice cream manufacturer.
  • Special Classroom Visitors include firefighters, postal carriers, police officers, entomologist, Hug a Tree program, dentist, plus more
  • A parent committee provides enrichment programs in music such as: exploring a variety of instruments including bagpipes, drums, banjo, etc; learning musical concepts; puppetry; drama and much more
  • Our teachers incorporate some cultural arts knowledge into their curriculum by introducing the children to famous artists and composers. The children might learn about and paint with the techniques of van Gogh, Picasso, or Seaurat. They may also listen to and learn information about Bach, Beethoven, and Mozart.
  • The children are also introduced to some foreign language words, phrases and stories with an instructor on a regular basis.
  • Special events include Dad & Me Night, Mom & Me Night, a Halloween parade, visits from the 3 Wisemen, and a school-wide picnic at City Park. (see calendar for dates)

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Mother's Day Out

Mother's Day Out is a licensed drop-in day care system that is run separately from the Preschool program. It runs from 9:00am to 1:00pm. The following guidelines must be met in order to use this program.

  • Children are registered at 8:45am on the day in which care is needed. The teachers will open their doors at 9:00. Payment is made when you retrieve your child.
  • Reservations are recommended but not required and may be made one week in advance in person (after the appropriate paperwork has been completed). Payment must be made at the time reservations are made.
  • Because Mother's Day Out is a licensed day care program, parents may leave the building. Children may stay any length of time. If a child will stay past noon, a sack lunch will be needed to be provided by the parents. Snacks are provided.
  • The program is available for children age 1 (and walking) to 6 years.
  • The cost is $4.50/hour for the first child and $3.50/hour for each additional child.
  • Paperwork and proof of vaccination is required prior to leaving your child for the first time.

For more information on the Mother's Day Out Program, please call: (970) 482-2436

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