2024-2025 Handbook
Welcome to Mother’s Day Out (MDO) at Living Word Church!
Thank you for choosing our preschool program. We understand our task is both a privilege and a great responsibility. We look forward to a fun and exciting year with you and your child. This handbook is designed to help you understand our program, its mission, and the guidelines under which we operate. You are always welcome to visit, ask questions, and make suggestions.
Our Purpose
We seek to provide all children with the best opportunity to discover God’s love and His importance in their lives by offering experiences that will enhance their development mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually in a nurturing, Christ-centered environment.
We hope to convey through everyday life experiences, classroom curriculum, play, music, art, and Bible stories that each child is a treasure from God and that He has a wonderful plan for his/her life. We consider it a privilege to assist you in the education and nurturing of your child.
Our goals
1. To help each child realize that he/she has worth and value and was uniquely designed by God.
2. To give each child a thirst for knowledge and to develop a positive attitude toward school and learning.
3. To provide stimulating experiences which encourage the child to think and analyze problems and arrive at possible solutions.
4. To encourage each child to express himself/herself through material, movement, and language.
5. To encourage independence.
6. To help each child grow. Wherever they are developmentally, we want them to always be learning and always be growing.
Our Curriculum
Our Mother’s Day Out program follows the A Beka curriculum. A Beka is an outstanding curriculum built on a foundation of academic excellence and Christian character training. We will also use other teaching resources to create a structured learning environment that is Biblically based. We also use the Handwriting Without Tears curriculum. Our four year old program focuses on getting children ready for “big school.”
Enrollment
Our openings go first to Living Word Church members and siblings of children already attending. All others are on a first come, first serve basis. Once a child is enrolled in the program, he/she is guaranteed a spot for the following year. If there are no openings for your child, he/she will be put on a waiting list and you will be notified when a spot comes available.
Enrollment starts in January. You will be contacted by March regarding whether your child has been accepted into our program for the following school year.
We hope to accommodate the needs of each child, but may not be equipped to do so in all cases. Students with special needs may be accepted into the program on a trial bases, but if we feel that we are not equipped to care for that child adequately, he/she may be asked to exit the program.
School Hours
We operate on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. We follow the Houma Christian School schedule. For the safety and welfare of our MDO families and staff, we will close for major inclement weather events, following the Terrebonne Parish School system recommended school closings.
Class Ratios
1 year olds 1:4
2 year olds 1:5
3 year olds 1:8
4 year olds 1:10
Drop-Off/Pick-Up
Students must arrive to school on time. Any child who is not at school by 8:45 AM will not be allowed to attend school that day. We begin taking students in at 8:30 AM. Exceptions will be made for students with an excuse from a doctor. In the drop-off line, each child will be individually escorted into the building. The teachers will unbuckle your child and help him/her out of the vehicle.
Students must be picked up on time. Pick-up begins at 12:15 PM for Regular dismissal. Parents should be in the pick-up line by 12:30 PM. Pick-up for Extended Care dismissal begins at 2:15 PM. Parents must be in the pick-up line by 2:30 PM. In the pick up line, children are escorted to the vehicles, but parents are required to buckle them in their seats.
There will be a $15.00 late charge for any student who is picked up after 12:30 PM or 2:30 PM.
Tuition
3 Days a week
Mon, Wed, Fri
8:30 am - 12:30 pm
$225 per month
3 Days a week
Mon, Wed, Fri
with extended care
8:30 am - 2:30 pm
$325 per month
*Tuition reflects the 2024-2025 school year.
Tuition is due by the first school day of the month. If a payment is not received on the day that tuition is due, a tuition reminder will be sent home in your child's folder. If you do not send in your payment on the second school day of the month, you will receive another tuition reminder as well as a $25 late charge. Cash or checks are accepted. Checks should be made out to Living Word Church. When a payment is received, it will be recorded on your child’s tuition log (in your child’s folder). There is a $35.00 charge for NSF checks. Failure to pay in a timely manner will result in dismissal from our MDO program. There is no refund for missed days or holidays.
There is a one-time (non-refundable) registration fee of $75 due at the time of registration.
Extended Care
Students enrolled in extended care will be required to bring a nap-mat to school for rest time. Only extended care students take naps. Any student who needs a diaper/pull up for nap time will have the opportunity to change into one. Students may also bring a small stuffed animal, blanket, or pacifier for nap time. We will begin dismissal at 2:15 PM. Parents must be at school no later than 2:30 PM.
Lunch
Each child must bring a lunch daily. We request each child bring a spill proof cup or juice box. Only spill proof drinks are allowed. Do not send glass containers or canned soda. Heating and refrigeration will not be available. All children will feed themselves (with assistance from the teacher when needed). Please do not send red/dark colored drinks or food for lunch. Small morning snacks will be provided for the children.
Health and Safety
It is our hope and prayer that no child gets injured, but if an injury occurs, you will be notified immediately. If the injury or accident requires immediate emergency attention, local emergency services will be contacted. In all situations, our MDO staff will take responsible measures to ensure the safety and well-being of your child. The teachers and staff at MDO are CPR and First Aid certified.
If an accident occurs and your child is injured, you will be notified and the teacher will fill out an accident report detailing what happened. For very minor instances, the teacher will send a note home.
Children who have a contagious illness or exhibit signs of illness may not attend. Your child must remain symptom free for 24 hours. Please keep your child home if he/she has any of the following symptoms:
*Nausea
*Fever
*Vomiting
*Diarrhea
*Sore throat
*Runny nose with green discharge
*Pink eye or other eye infections
*Head lice
If your child becomes ill during the day, he/she will be isolated from his/her class and you will be called to pick him/her up immediately.
Biting
A notice will be sent home with each child involved in a biting incident. No names will be exchanged. Every effort will be made to prevent biting in the classroom. If biting occurs repeatedly, a child may be asked to exit the program.
Clothing
We ask that you dress your child in comfortable clothes for active playing. All students should have a change of clothes at all times. You may either keep this in your child’s schoolbag or in a Ziploc bag to be left at school.
Diaper Changes/Potty Time
Children who are not potty trained should bring enough diapers/pull ups to for several diaper changes throughout the day. Make your child's teacher aware of any special instructions. The one and two year old classes are equipped with a child size restroom. All children will be encouraged to use the potty throughout the day.
The children in the three and four year old classes will use the church bathrooms. Children in these classes should be potty trained as they are not equipped to handle diaper changes in these rooms.
Items from home
Toys from home are only allowed for show and tell days. Show and tell items should be small enough to fit in your child’s school bag. Pacifiers are not allowed at school. Extended care students who need a pacifier/stuffed animal for nap time will be allowed to bring them to school for nap time.
Behavior
At MDO, we want every child to have the very best experience. Our staff values each child, and we understand that all children are special, unique individuals. We will positively reinforce good behavior and encourage all children to act appropriately. We understand that children will need reminders and redirection throughout the day. Each teacher will have their own behavior system set up in the class, but all children at MDO will be treated with love and respect at all times.
Parent/teacher communication is a very important aspect in your child’s educational experiences. You will be notified if there is a problem dealing with your child’s behavior. Extreme behaviors (in which your child is acting in a way that could cause harm) will result in a parent being contacted to pick that child up from school. If this behavior continues, your child will be asked to exit the program.
