GENERAL INFORMATION

What hours are you open?
Trinity Lutheran's Early Childhood Center is open Monday through Friday, from 6:30am to 5:30pm.

In what event will the center be closed? Do you close for weather?
We will close for the following holidays: New Year's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and the Friday after, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Please note: with the exception of Easter, we will be closed on Friday if any Holiday above falls on a Saturday and/or we will be closed Monday if any Holiday above falls on a Sunday. In some cases, we will also be closed during inclement weather. Please follow our Facebook page (@TrinityLutheranChildCare) for closure updates.

What is your children-to-teacher ratio?
Our child-to-teacher ratio is 4:1 for infants and young toddlers (2 weeks to 30 months). Our child-to-teacher ratio is 8:1 for our 2.5 year old to 3 years old classroom. Our child-to-teacher ratio is 10:1 for our Preschool classrooms (3 years to 5 years). Our child-to-teacher ratio is 18:1 for school-age children in our Before & After School Care Program.

How do you communicate with parents?
The parents of infants, toddler and preschoolers can utilize the Procare app to see details about feedings, naps, diaper/potty times and other important notes. In addition, we provide a monthly newsletter to share news, event information, and other notes with our parent community. We also offer a Facebook page.

How can I contact staff?
We have a daycare app, Procare, which is a great way to communicate with staff.

How can I pay my bill?
Your child's billing statement will be printed monthly and sent home with your child. Your child will also have a Gradelink account created (www.Gradelink.com). You can access your bill on Gradelink anytime with your login info. You may pay on the Gradelink website with a credit or debit card, or you may also pay with cash or check. There is a red payment box in the entryway of the daycare.

What is the difference between part-time and full-time?
Part-time is a higher rate; the child will only be charged for days they attend daycare. Full-Time is a lower rate; the child will be charged for EVERY day the center is open, even if the child is not present.

Does my child get any vacation days?
Full-time daycare children get five vacation days a year that they don't pay for. Part-time children do not receive any vacation days since they pay on an attendance basis.

Do you provide meals and snacks?
Yes! The children will be fed a variety of food from all food groups. Daycare children are served a nutritious lunch each day, in addition to a light morning and afternoon snack. Children in enrolled in preschool will have a snack and milk break in the morning, and are also served a nutritious lunch. Children will eat lunch everyday at 11:00am. If your child will be arriving at daycare LATER than 9:00am, please call or notify a staff member so we have a correct lunch count.

A few reminders: Children on the 2 and older side should eat breakfast before arriving at the center. Parents are responsible for sending all food for infants until the child can safely eat all table food served at the center. Infant formula should be sent in bottles and other infant food should be sent in packaging clearly labeled with the child’s name on each item. Breast milk bags must be labeled.

What should my child wear to daycare?
Your child should be fully dressed in street clothes when arriving at the center (not pajamas). Easily cleaned and comfortable clothing is recommended. Please remember we play outdoors whenever the weather permits and we often do crafts that involve paints, markers, and glue. Although your child will be carefully supervised, the center cannot be responsible for damages or stains.

What do I need to provide for my child?
We ask that you please send an extra set (or two!) of clothes for your child. Accidents and messes happen. Also, although the center does have a few extra jackets and hats, it is your responsibility to send the appropriate clothing for outside play. It is always a good idea to label clothing when possible. Children on the 2 and older side will need a pillow and blanket or a napmat for naptime. For babies who are nursing or formula feeding, please send breastmilk or formula with your child each day, and any other specific beginning foods they may be using (i.e. pureed baby food). We also ask that you send diapers and wipes if your child is not potty trained. Please label any items you send with your child's name so we ensure they are using their own items. Please see the Daycare Handbook for a complete list and other details about what to send.

CHILD DEVELOPMENT

Will you potty train my child?
We would love to help you potty train your child. It's a joint effor.t It is a very age-appropriate skill for our "big" kids. We encourage and follow routines to help with potty training.

Do you mix age groups?
No. For the safety and comfort of your child, we group children according to their age. In this way, we can guarantee age-appropriate activities and play. The infant side is divided in to three rooms: Newborns and small babies, Crawlers, and Walkers. Two- and three-year-old's are together on the "big kid" side. In addition, 3-year-old and 4-year-old preschool children have their own room.

What are you doing to help my child developmentally?
For babies, we follow the CDC milestone markers in infants through 2 years old. All staff follow the Missouri Early Learning Standards (MELS) that prepare children for preschool. You can find both of these resources online at dese.mo.gov or posted around our facility.

What types of activities do you offer for infants and toddlers?
We provide age-appropriate activities, both indoors and outdoors, to stimulate the minds of infants and toddlers, and to promote motor and social skill development. We use paints, glitter, play dough, glue, chalk, books, sensory tables with beans, rice, water, snow, dirt, noodles and more. Our infants and toddlers say very busy throughout the day.

What will my child be learning in your preschool?
We introduce the fundamentals of Arithmetic, Art, Reading, Writing, Music, and Science, Math, Cooking and other fun activities that are theme based.

HEALTH & SAFEFY

What is your policy regarding sick children?
In order to keep our children, their families and our staff as healthy as possible, we require that any child with a fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or contagious disease be kept at home. Their symptoms must be gone for 24 hours (without medicine) before returning to daycare or preschool.

What requirements and certifications must your staff members and teachers possess?
Teachers and staff must be at least 18 years old to be a caretaker. All of our staff members and teachers must pass a comprehensive fingerprint and background check and are CPR & First Aid certified. In addition, they must complete an online training for all 12 modules including dietary needs, early childhood social and emotional health, behavior and discipline, safety, and a hands-on CPR/First Aid class.

What security measures are in place to protect my child?
Your child’s safety and your peace of mind are of the utmost concern at Trinity's Early Childhood Center. All visitors must register in our lobby to gain access into our facility. Our facility utilized a double entrance security system, and all doors are locked throughout the day. Our playground is fenced in around the entire playground.

How often do you clean the rooms and toys?
All of our rooms have cleaning schedules for different areas of the classroom throughout the week. It a teacher sees a child cough, sneeze or put a toy in their mouth the toy goes directly into the sink in the classroom to be cleaned and sanitized. The infant room is cleaned twice a day, and the changing tables and bathrooms are disinfected after each diaper change.

What if someone other than my spouse/partner or me has to pick up my child?
In order to protect your child, each child must have an "Authorized Pickup Form" filled out prior to beginning care, which lists the names of any individual who has permission to pick up your child. We require advance notice from you when someone other than a family member will be picking up your child and will check identification. If we have any questions or concerns, we ask that you are available via cell phone to provide confirmation.

If you have any other questions not answered on this page, please feel free to reach out to any teacher or staff member, or see the Daycare Handbook.