White Oak Baptist Creative Arts Preschool

Fall 2024

August 8 - Orientation Day

August 15 - First Day Fall Semester

September 2 - Closed for Labor Day

September 10 - Grandparents Day

October 14-18 - Fall Break

October 19 - Fall Festival/Trunk or Treat

November 25-29 - Thanksgiving Break

December 11 - Christmas Program

December 13 - Last Day of Fall Semester

December 16 - January 8 - Christmas Break

Spring 2025

January 9 - Classes Resume

January 20 - Closed for MLK Day

February 17 - Closed for President’s Day

March 17-21 - Spring Break

April 12 - Easter Egg Hunt

April 18 - Closed for Good Friday

April 21 - Closed for Easter

May 14 - Preschool Graduation

May 15 - End of School Bash

May 16 - Last Day of Spring Semester

Registration for White Oak Baptist Creative Arts Preschool begins with a tour of our facility. Please schedule a tour or email whiteoakmdotours@whiteoakbaptist.org with questions regarding a tour.

Tours are given on Thursdays at 11am unless otherwise arranged, and MUST be scheduled through our office. Please do not show up for a tour without contacting us first.

After completing a tour, you will be given a registration link and asked to create an account on Brightwheel, our communication app. Once we receive the registration form online, we will bill the registration and supply fees which will confirm your child's place in our program.

This is an abbreviated version of our Parent Handbook. A full, printed version will be given to the family at orientation, or at their child's first day attending.

Drop Off/ Pick Up Policy

Drop off begins at 8:30am and goes through 8:45am. Pick up begins at 2:15pm and lasts until 2:30pm on Tuesday/Thursday. On Monday/Wednesday/Friday, drop off begins at 8:30am and goes through 8:45am, and pick up begins at 12:15pm and going through 12:30pm.

All persons dropping off and picking up children should be included in paperwork and bring photo ID. A 4-digit Brightwheel code will be assigned for use at drop off and pickup. We have found over the years the easiest way to drop off is to take your child to their classroom, give a quick hug, and let your child know when you will be back. Lingering in the room makes drop off harder for your child. Please use consistency with drop off and pick up. Late arrivals and early pickups tend to disrupt the classrooms.

Late pick ups (after 12:30pm on M/W/F or 2:30pm on T/Th) are charged $5 per minute for aftercare.

What Should I Pack For My Child For The Day?

Your child will need to bring the following:

• a snack (labeled and packed separately from lunch)
• packed lunch (preferably nothing that has to be warmed)
• Diapers/Pull-ups for the day
• Wipes
• Preferred Diaper Rash Cream if needed
• Change of Clothes, seasonally appropriate
• Bottle/ Sippy Cup
• Additional weather appropriate clothing - hats, coats, gloves. We do a lot of outdoor activities!
• Please label all items with Child’s name

Biting Policy

• 1st incident: Verbal warning to parents
• 2nd incident: Verbal warning and child will be sent home for the day
• 3rd incidence: Child will be expelled from program

We do notify parents of both the biter and the child receiving the bite.

Sick Child Policy

Immunizations

Immunizations are not required to attend White Oak Baptist Creative Arts Preschool. Parents retain the right to make medical decisions about vaccines. We encourage parents to educate themselves regarding vaccines and to speak with medical professionals they trust. The only time we intervene is in the event of a medical emergency on our campus, or to enforce our sick child policy.

Illness

We understand that it is difficult for a family member to leave or miss work, but to protect other children, you may not bring a sick child to the center. The center has the right to refuse a child who appears ill. You will be called and asked to retrieve your child if your child exhibits any of the following symptoms. This is not an all-inclusive list. We will try to keep your child comfortable but he/she will be excluded from all activities until you arrive.

• Illness that prevents your child from participating in activities.
• Illness that results in greater need for care than we can provide.
• Illness that poses a risk of spread of harmful diseases to others.
• Fever of 100.4°F or higher.
• Hand, Foot, Mouth - symptoms include: fever, sore throat, reduced appetite, mouth sores, skin rash usually on the hands and soles of the feet, but can also appear on the buttocks, legs, and arms. Children may return 7 days after symptoms present and blisters are gone.
• Diarrhea – stools with blood or mucus, and/or uncontrolled, unformed stools that cannot be contained in a diaper/underwear or toilet.
• Vomiting – green or bloody, and/or more than 2 times during the previous 24 hours.
• Rash with fever, unless a physician has determined it is not a communicable disease.
• Pink or red conjunctiva with white or yellow eye discharge, until on antibiotics for 24 hours.
• Impetigo, until 24 hours after treatment.
• Strep throat, until 24 hours after treatment.
• Head lice, until treatment and all nits are removed.
• Scabies, until 24 hours after treatment.
• Chickenpox, until all lesions have dried and crusted.
• Pertussis (Whooping Cough), until 5 days of antibiotics.
• Hepatitis A virus, until one week after immune globulin has been administered.
• Tuberculosis, until a health professional indicates the child is not infectious.
• Rubella, until 6 days after the rash appears.
• Mumps, until 5 days after onset of parotid gland swelling.
• Measles, until 4 days after onset of rash.
• Has a physician or other health professional written order that child be separated from other children.

Children who have been ill may return when:

• They are free of fever, vomiting and diarrhea for 24 hours.
• They have been treated with an antibiotic for 24 hours.
• They are able to participate comfortably in all usual activities.
• They are free of open, oozing skin conditions and drooling (not related to teething) unless:
  • The child’s physician signs a note stating that the child’s condition is not contagious, and;
  • The involved areas can be covered by a bandage without seepage or drainage through the bandage.
• If a child had a reportable communicable disease, a physician’s note stating that the child is no longer contagious and may return to our care is required.

Allergy Prevention

Families are expected to notify us regarding children’s food and environmental allergies. Families of children with diagnosed allergies are required to provide us a letter detailing the child’s symptoms, reactions, treatments and care.

Potty Training Policy

We believe that children advance on their own potty training schedule. We do not force kids to potty train, instead we come alongside you, as the parent, and assist in anyway we can. We do not allow a child to start any Pre-K classes (3, 4 or 5) without being fully potty trained.

Fully potty trained requires that a child can use the restroom unassisted, wash their hands, and return to the classroom.

We understand that potty training is a process and accidents happen. During the potty training period, please pack a pull up or other diaper in the event of an accident. Should your child have an accident, they will be put in a pull up or diaper for the remainder of the day.

Discipline Policy

We use redirection as our main form of correction. We always ask the parents what method works best with their child. Time outs are used when needed. Repeat correction will be reported to parents.

Late Payments and Fees

There is a 7 day grace period after the payment due date. Once the 7 day grace period is expired, there will be a $25 late fee per week.

Important Tuition Notes

An early withdrawal fee of $150.00 will apply if a child is withdraws before the school year is complete. This fee is applied to any child withdrawing before the 10 month recreational school year ends in May, regardless of notification or time of enrollment.

A 30 day notice is required when dropping from our program. For instance, if you notify us on the 20th of the month that you would like to withdraw your student, you will owe for the following month as well as the early withdrawal fee. Your student may attend for all months you are billed.

Tuition is based on a 10 month plan paid monthly. No months are pro-rated for holidays or partial attendance.

God’s Little Explorers Preschool Curriculum is an interactive, fully customizable preschool curriculum with 28 weeks of lesson plans. In this curriculum, students are traveling through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation in 28 weeks, incorporating kindergarten preparatory work including letters, shapes, colors, order of operations, counting, sensory play, fine and gross motor skill development, lots of outdoor time, learning games, crafts, and independent, hands on play in appropriately prepared environment that encourages growth and development. It is hands-on and active, with a few worksheets for older children. The curriculum is written for 3-4 year olds, but it can easily be adapted for 2-year-olds or 5- year-olds. This program is easy to modify for the individual needs of the student.

The curriculum is intended to be a tool for the teachers and not an exclusive, all inclusive product. Teachers will customize each lesson tailored to their classes, the monthly theme, and weather appropriate activities. Each child will have customizable instruction, one-on-one and group learning time, as well as free playtime during their time at our program. Program Activity Specialists will include specialized lesson activities in their rotations, coordinating with teachers’ lesson plans and individualizing student needs.

During our time together, our prayer will be: Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth… Psalm 86:11.

Jennifer Cathell, RN – Director and Program Activities Coordinator – Jennifer is the founding Director of White Oak Baptist Creative Arts Preschool and has been leading the program since November of 2017. Jennifer also serves as the worship leader for White Oak Baptist Church. A mother of four, she brings her love of children and music to the program. As the church worship leader, she not only leads worship on Sunday morning, but also plans, implements, and coordinates special programs such as the Christmas and Easter cantatas. She implements this same creative approach in a preschool setting. Her goal as Program Activities Coordinator is to help teachers engage in hands on, age-appropriate learning with the students. Not content to merely manage curriculum, Jennifer is also an active participant in the teaching process where she engages with children in music, dance, and drama. She works with teachers and students collaborating these activities through a series of purposeful, structured, and inspirational actions to help them learn to love the major benefits of creative arts.

Lindsey Howell, MATS – Assistant Director and Curriculum Coordinator – Lindsey has been teaching and tutoring kids aged preschool through high school for over 15 years. During her time teaching, she has developed curriculum, taught in the classroom, and tutored privately in a variety of subjects.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from William Jewell College in Liberty, MO and a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, IL.  Lindsey is a former USA Gymnastics National Team Member, representing Team USA at international competitions, as well as serving as a coach, judge, and athlete representative during her 17 years in the program. An avid writer and storyteller since childhood, Lindsey has authored several children’s books, the first of which will be published later in 2024. She and her husband, Tyler, have been blessed with four amazing children – Oliver, Henry, Arthur, and Elowen.

Alyssa Archuleta – Teacher, Creative Arts Program Specialist – Alyssa brings with her a wealth of experience in music, photography, and studio arts. She is an accomplished singer and musician, specializing in piano, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. Alyssa is also a talented self-taught artist and photographer, with her painting skills on display throughout our preschool wing. She is currently working towards her degree in Music Education. Alyssa’s love for children and the fine arts makes her an invaluable member of our recreational preschool program.

Erica Hill – Teacher – Erica comes to us with experience as a Tinkergarten teacher, bringing along a love for learning outdoors. Tinkergarten is an outdoor, play based learning program that specializes in mixed age group play in an outdoor classroom. Erica excels at teaching such skills as focus, creativity, communication, and wellness, where sticks, mud, flowers, herbs, rocks and acorns are her class tools. She is passionate about nature, gardening, and getting kids outside every chance she gets to teach them about the joys of our wonderful world. In addition to Tinkergarten, Erica also spent 7 years leading and volunteering with the Girls Scouts, enjoying camping trips, teaching survival trips, and soaking up the outdoors. She Is also a seasoned baseball mom, where she helps managing the dugout, keep the books, and engages in fundraising efforts for her son’s baseball team.

Cindy Manning – Teacher – Cindy has been a member of White Oak Baptist Church for over 21 years. During her time serving in the church, she has been a children’s Sunday School teacher and has worked in the church nursery for several years. Her love for children makes Cindy a vital member of the White Oak Baptist Creative Arts Preschool team.

Cheryl Underwood – Teacher, Little Sprouts Coordinator – Cheryl has been working with children for over 15 years, with extensive knowledge and experience working with children with special needs. The mother of an autistic son, she has had hands on experience in creating learning environments that are nurturing, calming, and developmentally appropriate for a wide array of needs. Before coming to White Oak Baptist Creative Arts Preschool, Cheryl ran an in-home daycare for 15 years, for which she developed her own preschool curriculum, and has been a personal nanny for several families. She is also a Youth Select Baseball team mom and helps run youth baseball events. She ha served as PTA president for four years, volunteered at children’s soccer, baseball, and swimming events.

Rachel Cline – Teacher – Rachel joins our team with a love for children and experience teaching all ages. She has been an avid volleyball player for over 10 years and has had four years of experience teaching volleyball camp. During her time as a volleyball coach, Rachel taught skills, drills, patience, teamwork, and helped students set daily and long-term goals. Her love of sports, fitness, and children brings a wonderful energy to our program at White Oak Baptist Creative Arts Preschool.

Hallie Layne – Teacher – Hallie is a Childhood and Family Studies major with a minor in Psychology. Her long-term career goal is to be a children’s counselor. She loves children, teaching, and being physically active. She has worked as a coach for Soccer Shots, teaching not only the sport of soccer and associated skills, but also encouraging students to be confident, respectful, responsible, and to work together as a team. Her goal in coaching was not just to teach students how to kick a ball and score goals, but to make a lasting impact on their lives. Hallie is also CPR, First Aid, and AED certified. She enjoys being outdoors, being on the lake, hiking, and camping.

Gale Drennen – Teacher – Gale has a long history of loving and educating children. A homeschool mom, Gale has taught every subject on every level, guiding her own children to success on their education journey. One of her greatest joys is helping children discover God’s world, with a particular love for reading. She has served as a camp counselor, taught Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and coached girls’ softball. Gale also played volleyball and softball. She enjoys hiking, enjoying nature, and being outdoors as much as possible.

Diane Ingram – Teacher, Baby Sprouts Coordinator – Diane has had over 40 years of childcare experience and has been with White Oak Baptist Creative Arts Preschool since it began. She has been a member of White Oak Baptist Church for almost a decade and has served in several ministry capacities during that time. Diane’s love and devotion to children is an invaluable component to our program.

Chloe Porterfield – Teacher – Chloe is currently attending UTC earning her degree in Elementary Education. She has worked with children as a church nursery attendant, VBS teacher, daycare teacher, and personal nanny. She also brings with her a love for physical fitness with skills in rock climbing, dance, and soccer.

Pour Over Preschool is our donations drive for this ministry. We raise money and supplies for our program three times a year - once for each semester, and once for the summer session. We also have specific Pour Over Preschool needs each month of the year. These can be found on our Facebook page.

 Jesus tells us in the gospel of Luke, “Give, and it will be given to you; a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over…” Well, we have an opportunity for you to give and be blessed! Our preschool has a supply expense of approximately $1000/month. We would be able to reduce that drastically with a few key items donated by our incredible church members.

Since we are a ministry based preschool, we do not receive any state funding. This means that our budget is comprised entirely of tuition fees and donations. Some of the key items we can use are:

• Play-Doh
• baby wipes
• Clorox wipes
• hand sanitizer
• dot markers
• cardstock
• watercolor paint
• snack crackers
• construction paper
• batteries (AA, AAA, D)
• monetary donations

If you would like to donate any of these items, please drop them off at White Oak Baptist Church located at:

310 Memorial Drive
Chattanooga, TN 37415

For monetary donations, we can accept cash or checks at the church, or you can give online via our Venmo @WOBRPDonate