Our Policies

Arrival and Dismissal

School drop-off is at 9:30 am. Parents are welcome to wait either outside the school or in the front foyer before school starts. Please walk your child to the classroom and say goodbye at the door.

When picking up your child at the end of the day, park in the lot, walk to the main entrance, and wait for your child to be dismissed to you. Please let us know ahead of time if someone other than that child’s parent or guardian will pick them up. We understand that it is sometimes difficult to be here right at 12:30 pm. If there are problems arriving on time, you can call the school at 215-576-0783.

Our Extended Day options include:
Early Drop-off: 9:00-9:30 am daily, $5/day
Enrichment: 12:30-2:30 pm daily for all classes. $20/day per diem or $17.50/day when pre-registered

Biting

If a child bites, the teacher will correct the child through a positive discipline approach, just as with any other disciplinary concern. The Director and parents will be informed of the incident.

If a bite is severe enough to leave a mark and/or break the skin, the parent will be required to pick the child up from school. The child may return the next day.

If a child repeatedly bites, a parent-teacher conference will be held to develop an action plan to correct the behavior. If biting continues, the child may be disenrolled from NLNS.

Child Abuse Prevention Policy

New Life Nursery School is committed to the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of our students. As part of our commitment to the children in our care, we implement the following steps to protect our students from potentially abusive situations:

  • All staff members and substitutes are required to have current PA Child Abuse, PA Criminal History, and FBI Criminal Background Checks
  • All new hires read and sign the CAPP document provided in the employment packet by New Life Glenside administration
  • Two staff members are assigned to every classroom
  • All staff members complete the Mandatory Reporter training offered online by the University of Pittsburgh
  • All volunteers have PA Child Abuse and Criminal History Background clearances. Volunteers are always in the presence of NLNS staff and are never left alone with students.
  • Open Door Policy: When staff members are assisting a child with toileting or changing a diaper, the door to the restroom remains open. Children are encouraged to do as much as they can independently. Staff assists with diapering and toileting only as needed.
  • When a child asks to go to the bathroom during recess, or at another time when a restroom outside of the classroom is being used, the staff member will ask the class if anyone else needs to go. Taking two or three children at a time reduces the occurrences of staff being alone with any child in the restroom.
  • As trained, mandatory reporters, NLNS staff members will report suspected abuse to PA Childline.

*To make a PA Childline report, the toll-free hotline, 1-800-932-0313, is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to receive reports of suspected child abuse. All reports are anonymous and will be investigated by trained professionals.

Clothing

Nursery School can be a messy business and we ask that you dress your child for play and potential paint splats (though we do use smocks for painting projects). Children are encouraged to come dressed in comfortable clothing suitable for indoor and outdoor play.

During the winter we do try to go out whenever possible so please always provide coats, mittens, and hats, labeled with your child’s name. A good place to store mittens and hat each day is in the coat sleeve.

Please send in a well-labeled bag with a set of spare clothes to be kept in your child’s cubby in case of an accident. These clothes may need to be exchanged for a new set as the weather changes.

Children who are not toilet trained are to send along a supply of diapers/pull-ups and wipes. The school does not supply these.

Communications with Parents

Communication is important to us at NLNS. Families will receive a weekly e-newsletter from the Director, called Buds & Sprouts. Teachers will send a monthly classroom e-newsletter, as well as other communication via email. Staff may be reached via email, and will respond in a timely manner. Each student receives a communication folder, which will travel between home and school each day. Progress Updates are sent home in November. Parent-Teacher conferences are held in March, however, a conference may be held upon request at any time.

Discipline

In September, we learn the Bible verse “A friend loves at all times” and talk about what it is to be a friend: that we use kind words, use gentle hands, we take turns, and ask to share toys. When conflicts or behavior counter to classroom rules happen, teachers reinforce classroom expectations with clear positive statements; we redirect to another activity or take a moment one-on-one to jog or jump in place.

Please refer to the “Our Approach” tab for more information about our positive approach to classroom management.

General Health and Wellness
  • Please carefully monitor your child’s health. Do not send your child to school if s/he is not feeling well.
  • Please do not send your child to school if he or she has had any of the following symptoms within the prior 24 hour period: fever, vomiting, diarrhea, undiagnosed rash, infection of the eyes (typically indicated by discharge or crusting of the eyes), undiagnosed cough or sore throat, runny nose with a discolored discharge
  • Please notify your child’s teacher of any absences due to illness
Inclement Weather

If Abington Schools District is closed or has a late opening, New Life Nursery School will be closed. Abington’s closing number is 301. Parents can listen to KYW (1060) or check their website ( kyw1060.com). You can also check Abington School District’s website for school closing information abington.k12.pa.us.

Lice

Head lice are a common occurrence for children. If NLNS staff find hatched lice moving on a child’s scalp, we will notify the parents to pick up the child before lice can move from one head to another via clothing or contact. The child may come back as soon as the lice, but not necessarily all nits are gone. Here is additional information on treating head lice.

Notice of Nondiscrimination Policy

New Life Nursery School admits students from all families in our community with all the rights and privileges, programs, and activities. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, or scholarship.

Safety Practices

We hold Red Light and Green Light drills throughout the year. Red Light drills are shelter-in-place drills where we move away from windows and doors and stay quietly in one corner of the classroom. Green Light drills are our fire and evacuation drills where we move quickly out of the building to a safe location.

Snacks and Meals

The school serves a peanut-free snack to the children every morning. We also accommodate any other allergies that we know about through our enrollment forms. If you have other dietary preferences, please let the classroom staff know. We also have Fruity Fridays and ask parents to bring washed, sliced fruit for the class. Teachers will provide a monthly sign-up sheet.
Families are asked to provide a peanut-free lunch for their child daily.

Students with Special Needs

New Life Nursery School welcomes children with a range of aptitudes and abilities. We value the learning and growth potential that results from small class sizes. Within each of these small classes, we maintain a beneficial ratio of children with general and special needs. While outside service providers are welcome, the number of service hours provided in each class is limited in order to maintain a classroom atmosphere consistent with the goals of our ministry. Attendance at NLNS is dependent upon having a plan in place that helps each child be safe and effective and allows the class as a whole to run effectively.

Tuition

We give a 10% discount for younger siblings.

Tuition payment is due on the first of the month. Payment can be given directly to the director, mailed to the school, or paid online. We allow a five (5) day grace period on the payment of tuition, as not all children are in class on the first day of the month. After the 5th of the month, you may be required to pay a $10.00 late fee in addition to any tuition due.

Please note that tuition is a total amount divided into 9 equal payments and is not dependent on the number of days of school in the month.

Withdrawal

If you wish to withdraw your child from the school, written notice must be given to the Director four weeks before billing is terminated. A child who has withdrawn from the school, and then wishes to return will be placed on a waiting list.