First Baptist Church Prosper

Parent Policies

2022-2023

601 S. Church St.

Prosper, TX 75078

firstfriendspreschool.org

972-347-2481 Ext: 105 {phone}

844-747-7285 {fax}

Our Program

First Friends Preschool is a weekday ministry of FBC Prosper, providing a quality

early education learning/preschool program for children ages 2 years through 5 years old.

The desire of First Friends Preschool program is to provide a loving and nurturing

environment for children to learn and grow. We are committed to providing a well-rounded

Christian and academic curriculum that will help develop the child in every aspect of his/her

life. We want all children to be eager participants in the activities that will enhance cognitive,

social, physical, emotional, and spiritual growth. Learning takes place as young children touch,

manipulate and experiment with things and interact with people.

We use two different curriculums within our program. The first is Frog Street, which promotes

"hands on" learning experiences and emphasizes development as a whole. Your child will be

taught through learning centers including language development, art, blocks, books, listening,

home living, music, nature, writing, and puzzles. Daily emphasis of hands-on learning activities

appropriate for each age group will be implemented.

In addition to Frog Street, classrooms may use the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness curriculum.

While attending our preschool, your child will be preparing for conventional

Kindergarten both socially and academically. We will work with the children, parents, and

teachers to provide a quality Christ-centered preschool experience on which the children can

build their future academic success.

All classrooms will have a scheduled circle time, learning times, snack, lunch, rest,

indoor/outdoor activity time, and music/movement class. In addition to the above, 3's, 4's and

5's will attend chapel weekly. The 2’s will join chapel in January.

Our teachers eagerly work with each child and parent to make the preschool experience

positive for all. All teachers have experience working with children and love ministering to their

needs.

If a change is made to our Parent Policies, parents will be notified through email and a written

notification will be sent home with each child. The updated Parent Policies will be available to

view on our website: www.firstfriendspreschool.org

Programs offered for the 2022-2023 School Year:

2’s - M/W, T/Th & T/W/Th

3’s - M/W, T/Th, T/W/Th & M/T/W/Th

4’s (Pre-K) - T/W/Th & M/T/W/Th

Transitional Kindergarten (TK) - M/T/W/Th

Admission & Enrollment

First Friends accepts children who are 2 to 5 years old by the first day of school. This year, that

date is September 7, 2022. We will accept children into our 2-year-old program if they turn 2 by

October 1. However, they may not attend our school until they turn 2 but are still required to

pay tuition to hold their spot. Children are placed in classes based upon their age as of

September 1st. Children 3 and up must be potty trained.* Children are accepted without

regard to race or religion. Children with special needs will be considered on an individual basis

and admitted as our capabilities allow. Immediately following the registration time period, all

children registered can access our web site at www.firstfriendspreschool.org to download the

enrollment packet. Registration for the following school year takes place in January for current

students and their siblings followed by FBC Prosper members. In late January/early February,

registration opens to new students. When classes are full, then applicants are placed on a

waiting list.

A student must be enrolled a minimum of six weeks to attend First Friends Preschool. We do

not provide short time child care. In addition, First Friends does not accept new students after

spring break for the current school year.

First Friends does accept students throughout the school year, as long as space permits. We do

not, however, guarantee space to be available. If a parent would like to "hold" a spot, all

tuition must be paid in full up to the child's start date. For example: A parent would like to

guarantee that there will be a spot for their child in January and it is November. The parent can

pay November and December tuition even though the child is not attending to guarantee

availability for January.

Calendar

First Friends is open from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday through Thursday. Children are

not accepted before 8:55am. Prior to 8:55am, our staff is attending meetings, preparing their

rooms, gathering supplies, and participating in prayer time. We also offer before care (8am-

8:55am) and after care (2pm-3pm) for an additional fee. Doors will open for pickup at 1:50pm.

We ask that if you need to pick up your child early, please do so before 1pm. Many classes are

having their rest time from 1pm until the end of the day, and this prevents distractions/waking

up other children.

The academic school year for First Friends is September 7, 2022 through May 11, 2023,

excluding school holidays and inclement weather days. Our program will follow the Prosper

Independent School District calendar for holiday and inclement weather. During inclement

weather, we will update our Facebook page, as well as send a school wide email if possible.

* If a child in our 3’s or PreK/TK classes has repeated accidents, parents will be asked to come up and

change their child before they will be allowed back in the classroom.

First Friends does not make up inclement weather days. However, if Prosper ISD's make-up day

hits the same student group that missed a day due to inclement weather, the director can

amend the school calendar at her discretion. If Prosper ISD is delayed or closed, First Friends

will be closed that day.

Fees & Payments

A non-refundable registration fee is required to register your child at First Friends Preschool.

This registration fee is cut in half for new registrations January through March.

Registration Fee

2 days

$250.00

3 days

$300.00

4 days

$350.00

Tuition Schedule

2 days a week tuition

$275/month

3 days a week tuition

$345/month

4 days a week tuition

$400/month

4 days a week tuition TK

$425/month

Please note that there are not any 4-day a week classes for 2 years old. A 2 year-old attending

4 days a week will pay two, two days’ a week tuitions.

A payment box is provided at the front desk of the Children’s Building to drop off your tuition.

You may also pay monthly tuition through the link provided in your monthly statement. If

possible, we prefer payment by check to reduce online payment charges. Tuition is due Sept -

May, on the 1st of each month. Payments received after the 5th are considered late and will be

assessed a $25 late payment fee. If your tuition is going to be late, please notify the director.

There is a 10% discount (tuition only) on a second child enrolled in our program. Members of

First Baptist Prosper receive a 10% discount on their child(ren). This does not apply if it is a

grandchild, niece/nephew, etc. Also, if any family is in need of financial assistance, please reach

out to the Director as funds are available.

Payment is expected for all children enrolled whether present or not. Space is

reserved for enrolled children. Thus, to hold that space, payment must be made regardless

of attendance. This includes illness, holidays, vacations etc... The Director must approve

any exceptions.

If a student's account is a month or more past due, the student may not return to school until

their account is current. Similarly, as spring approaches, students’ accounts must be paid in full

in order to participate in end of the year actives, including, but not limited to, Pre-K/TK

graduation & our end of the year carnival. Once again, please let the director know if there are

financial concerns that First Friends should be made aware.

Late Pick-Up Fee

Children who are not picked up by 2:10 p.m. will be escorted to the extended care room (Room

7 of the Children’s Building). A fee of $10.00 will be assessed for late pickups & will be paid

directly to the party providing extended care. Once a child is placed in the extended care

program, the $10 must be paid and the child must be picked up no later than 3:00pm. Even if

you arrive at 2:15pm, $10 payment is still due. If pick up is after 3:00pm the extended care

provider may charge an additional late fee of $10. This applies even if your child’s ride is late &

that ride could be you or your appointed pick-up. Please be considerate of your child’s

teacher’s time (many have to pick up their own children) & be on time for pick up.

Attendance

your child in the afternoon, you must note the time of departure and include your initials.

Notification of Absence: Please call the school at 972-347-2481 Ext 105 by 9:00 a.m. if

your child is going to be absent, or email us at firstfr[email protected].

Arrival & Departure

Arrival: We do not accept children prior to 8:55am for First Friends. This enables our

staff to prepare for your child’s arrival.

Children’s Building: Tables with classroom signs will be outside underneath the breezeway by

the children’s building. When dropping your child off, please sign in your child and then wait

for the teacher/aide/staff member to greet you and escort your child to the classroom. Please

do not leave your child unattended while waiting for your child to be walked inside.

Portable Building: Pre-K/TK students will be signed in at the bottom of the ramp and will then

walk independently to their classroom. No child should walk themselves to their room unless

they are enrolled in Pre-K/TK and walk up the ramp with teacher supervision.

Departure: Picking your child up on time should be a priority. Children will be released only to

parents or persons who have been listed on the enrollment forms and have proper

identification. Persons other than the parent picking up a child must come to the office, provide

their driver’s license, which we will copy, and then they will be given a red pickup card to check

the child out from his or her classroom. The red card will inform the teacher that you have been

cleared by the front office to pick up the child. Please inform the director or teacher in writing

if someone else will be picking up your child.

A child may not be picked up during rest time, unless there is an emergency. If your child must

be picked up during rest time, please communicate with your child's teacher so she can make

an alternative plan for your child during rest time. Ideally, if they need to be picked up early,

please do so before rest time so that other students are not disturbed.

Entering the building: Please use the double glass doors in the breeze way to enter the

children's building. Please do not attempt to access the building from the back-double glass

doors. Our doors are kept locked for the safety and security of the children. As always, we are

an "open preschool" which means that at any time during the day, you may come in for a visit

without having to schedule a time to do so. You are always welcome to observe your child, the

program’s activities, building, premises, and equipment at any time during our hours of

operation. Please check in at the front office even when visiting a classroom located in the

portables. Portable teachers are not allowed to open the door. You must be let in by an

administrator.

Under the Texas Penal Code any area within 1000 feet of a child-care center is a gang-free zone,

where criminal offenses related to organized criminal activity are subject to a harsher penalty.

Behavior Management

Discipline will be loving, consistent, and based on the individual development and

understanding of each child’s needs. Children need to learn to interact with one another on a

consistent basis. Learning to take turns and cooperate is an ongoing process and, consequently,

aggressive behaviors will occur (i.e. hitting, yelling, name calling, biting, pinching, kicking, etc…).

Although we will not allow this behavior to persist, we acknowledge the fact that it does take

time for a child to learn more appropriate ways of expressing anger and frustration (i.e. using

appropriate words to express feelings).

To minimize inappropriate behavior, we use age appropriate lesson plans that provide a variety

of hands on activities and positive guidance. First Friends uses the following rules of conduct for

each classroom:

• Any behavior considered inappropriate will first be redirected in a positive manner.

• If behavior continues and could become harmful to the child, harmful to another child,

or destroy property, further disciplinary actions will be used. A “time-out” will be used if

the child continues behavior and chooses to ignore the teacher’s directions. Time outs

are limited to one minute per the child’s age (i.e. a 3-year-old will be in time out for

three minutes).

• If a time out within the classroom is not effective, the child will be sent to the director

and removed from the classroom until orderly behavior can be observed. Parent(s) will

be contacted if the child is removed from the classroom repeatedly.

• A parent conference will be requested for continual and/or repeated behavioral

concerns. Both the director and teacher will be present at the conference and as a

team, an action plan will be made for the child.

• For more extreme behavioral concerns, that put other children in the classroom safety

at risk, First Friends has the right to suspend a child for a time period. During the

suspension period, tuition is still owed and paid.

We will always try to work as a team with parents to make a child successful in the classroom.

Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment, and abusive or profane language are

prohibited on our campus. Please refer to page 16 for a complete discipline & guidance policy.

We reserve the right to dismiss a child, upon two weeks' notice, for serious behavior

problems and/or aggressive behavior. All necessary means will be pursued to resolve the

behavioral issues before any child is dismissed from our program.

Biting Policy

Parents of both the child who was bit and the parents of the child that was bitten will be

notified. Biting is quite common among young children. It happens for different reasons with

different children and under different circumstances. The first step in learning to control it is to

look at why it may be happening.

• 1st offense - note sent home and parents called

• 2nd offense – conference (can be by phone) with parents, resources given

• 3rd offense - 1-week suspension

• 4th offense - 2-week suspension

Withdrawal & Dismissal

Following a two-week written notice, parents may withdraw their child from our program at no

penalty. Written notification must be furnished to the Director two weeks prior to the date of

withdrawal. If a two-week notice cannot be given, a half-month’s tuition fee will be assessed

and applied to your account. All balances are considered due and payable upon withdrawal.

Monthly tuition is not refundable. First Friends will not accept student withdrawals after April

15, 2023. Any withdrawals submitted after April 15, 2023 will be subject to payment for the

full month of May.

First Friends reserves the right to dismiss a child for serious behavior problems, non-

compliance with our polices, or non-payment of fees. A student will be considered dismissed

after four weeks of consecutive absences, if there is no communication with Director and/or

teacher concerning the absences. Tuition will still be due and owed up to the date the Director

sets as the official withdrawal date. Written or verbal communication will be given before

dismissal is issued. All necessary means will be pursued to resolve the problem before any child

is dismissed from the program.

Health & Medical Information

A complete, accurate, and up-to-date Immunization Record along with a Health

Statement from your health care professional must be provided to First Friends. The Health

Statement should state that your child has been examined within the past year and is able to

participate in a school program. This must be on file in our office. If not, your child

cannot attend First Friends. No exceptions will be made to this rule. Immunizations records

must be kept current. If your child is unable to receive an immunization, a written statement

from the child’s physician must be on file. For TB testing requirements please see the First

Friends Director. If a parent chooses to exempt their child from immunizations, they must

complete the Exempt Immunization for Reasons of Conscience. This form must be mailed to

the state, and we must have the original certificate the state mails back for your child’s file.

All names and phone numbers of parents, emergency contacts, and the child’s doctor

must be kept current by the parents. If there is not a number listed for a doctor, an emergency

room doctor will be called in the event of an emergency. In the event of an accident or

emergency, the child’s parents will be notified immediately after attending to the welfare of

the child. A copy of our Injury/Illness Report form is available from the office, and a parent's

signature is required on this form.

The state of Texas requires that all 4 and 5 years old have a hearing and vision screening results

on file. We have contracted with Metroplex Educational Consultants to provide this service.

They will be at First Friends in October. The cost is approximately $20 for both services. You

may choose to have your child's physician perform this service for you, but we must receive a

copy of the results for our files. Actual results are required, "pass/fail" is not acceptable.

Medical Emergency Procedure:

If a child becomes injured while in the care of First Friends, the following steps will be taken:

• Immediate and appropriate first aid will be given to the child

• The child will be brought to the Director or other Administrator for further evaluation

• The Director/Administrator will determine if further treatment is necessary & if a parent

or EMS call is needed.

• If further medical attention is needed, parent and/or EMS will be called.

• If child is taken to a physician/hospital, due to an injury that happened at First Friends,

First Friends will self-report the incident to DFPS.

• An accident and illness report will be filled out and signed by the Director and guardian

for any injury that happens during the First Friends school day and placed in the

student's file.

Staff Immunization Requirements:

Immunizations are not just for students. Keeping up-to-date on vaccinations helps protect not

only the teacher but the children as well from vaccine-preventable diseases, such as the flu,

whooping cough (pertussis) and varicella (chicken pox). Pertussis is worse for children, but

varicella is worse for adults.

Staff is encouraged to protect themselves from theses disease by receiving the appropriate

vaccines. The risk of contracting varicella and pertussis due to working at First Friends

Preschool is low. First Friends does not require staff to have these vaccines. A yearly flu

vaccine is recommended but not required for all staff.

Medication

No medicine will be administered to your child unless a “Medication Form” is

completed. This form may be obtained from the Director. All medications must be in the

original container and labeled with the child’s name and date, directions for administering the

medication, and name of the prescribing physician. The medication may not be expired.

Instructions about storage must be clear. Please bring your own dropper or dosage cup.

Prescription medications will be the only medication given. Tylenol can only be given after

immunizations. If your child is sick, they must remain home. Your child's teacher may not

administer medication, including teething tablets & vitamins.

Medicine may not be kept in your child’s bag, lunch box, etc. For safety reasons, the

medicine must be turned into the First Friends office. You are responsible for bringing it to us

and picking it up every day. No medications are to be included in juice cups, bottles, etc.

Illness

Your child’s health is of major importance to us. For the protection of your child, as

well as others, children must not be brought to First Friends if they are ill. Please keep your

child home if any of the following symptoms/conditions exist or have existed in the past 24

hours:

. Fever of 100 degrees or more and accompanied by behavior changes or other signs or

symptoms of illness

. Vomiting or diarrhea

. Any symptoms of usual childhood disease

. Common cold, with excessive cough or nasal discharge (cloudy, yellow, or green)

. Viruses, even those that do not require antibiotics (they are still contagious)

. Sore throat

. Croup

. Any unexplained rashes

. Any skin infections (boils, ringworm, impetigo, etc…)

. Suspected mononucleosis

. Pink eye or matted eyes

If your child has been diagnosed with the flu, please keep them home a minimum of one school

week. Please refer to http://www.cdc.gov/flu/school/ about the flu. Not spreading germs is

the best way to keep all students at First Friends healthy.

If your child or anyone in your household is diagnosed with Covid-19, the director must be

notified immediately. Directions will then be given by the Health Department as to how long

the child must stay home, but it will be for a minimum of one school week. These directives are

constantly changing and will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

If your child has diarrhea while at First Friends we will notify you by phone. If the child

continues to have more than one loose stool, then we will call you again and ask for you to

come and pick them up. They will not be able to attend the following school day.

If a child becomes ill while in the care of First Friends and develops a fever 100 or greater or any

other symptoms while at school, you will be notified to pick up your child immediately. Children

who are ill will be isolated and given appropriate care until a parent/guardian arrives. It is

important that you pick up your child promptly. After an illness, children must be free of fever

and other symptoms for 24 hours, and/or have been on medication for a 24-hour period

before returning to our program.

Please notify the Director if your child is ill with a communicable disease (i.e. chicken

pox, lice, pink eye etc.). First Friends reserves the right to request a written permission slip from

the child’s physician before your child can return to our program.

Please let your judgment err on the side of caution, as we know you would like other

parents to be as considerate of your child. We hope these precautions will help First Friends

have a healthy environment for all the children and staff.

Nutrition

Parents must provide a bottle of water filled with water only (no juices, flavored drinks, etc…)

and a nutritional snack and lunch for each school day. Snacks provided from the home help

keep First Friends tuition costs low. Parents must provide a nutritional lunch and drink to be

served at lunchtime. Please pack your child's snack and lunch in different containers and label

them accordingly.

First Friends is not responsible for the nutritional value of food provided or for meeting your

child’s daily food need. According to state guidelines, a child’s lunch should include something

from each of the four basic food groups. All lunches must be ready to eat. Please keep in mind

preschoolers easily choke on peanuts, popcorn, uncut grapes, uncut hotdogs, pineapple chunks,

and hard candy. Please do not send sodas and candy as they may cause problems with other

children. Also, sugar and caffeine may cause undue hyperactivity.

State guidelines also require that students have access to water throughout the day. Please

send a water bottle or sippy cup of water with your child each day. Their water will be served

and offered at each snack and lunch time and will be kept available for them throughout their

school day.

Toddlers who are not on table foods must complete an "Infant Care Instruction Sheet" each

month as required by the State of Texas.

Before snack/lunch time, each class says a prayer. We are proud to instill in the children

a love for God and a strong faith in all He has blessed us with.

Breastfeeding moms will be provided a comfortable place to nurse in our toddler classroom

with a pillow for support, a stepstool for ease and water for hydration. Moms have the right to

breastfeed their child at First Friends and/or provide the caregiver with breast milk to feed their

child throughout the day.

Personal Belongings

Please dress your child in comfortable clothes, remembering that children will experience

messy activities at school. Open toed sandals are not allowed on the playground. All

children need to bring a complete change of clothing, including shirt, pants, socks, and

underclothes. Extra changes of clothing need to coincide with the season (i.e. shorts in warm

weather, long pants in cool weather). Please make sure these items are clearly labeled and

brought EVERY day. If a child soils their clothing, they will be changed & the soiled clothing will

be sent home for washing. We do go outside during cool weather, so a coat is a necessity

during the winter months.

2’s and 3’s are required to bring a nap mat for rest time every day. Younger children need to

bring a diaper bag/backpack stocked with disposable diapers, wipes, an extra change of

clothing, bibs, pacifiers (if needed) needed for the day. We have nap mats available for our

PreK & TK classes if any child feels the need to take a nap during their scheduled rest time.

For those children who are wearing diapers or pull ups, a supply of these should be

provided for daily needs of the child. This supply should be labeled with the child’s name and

will remain in the classroom for use as needed. Diaper rash ointment and lotion if needed, must

be sent labeled with the child’s name. If sunscreen is needed on certain days of the year, you

must send the sunscreen labeled with the child’s name and give us written permission to re-

apply at school.

Please do not allow your child to bring toys from home unless there is a special day planned

and your child is asked to bring something (special toys may be lost or broken). It is easier for

your child to take turns, which is the groundwork for learning to share, with the play tools we

provide. The activities planned by your child’s teacher support the overall theme of the day.

Please make sure the bag or backpack that your child brings his/her things, to and from school,

is large enough to hold everything. The bag should be able to easily close/zip with all contents

safely stored inside.

Outdoor Playground

Please keep in mind that we play on the outdoor playground regularly during both

summer and winter months. Please dress your child appropriately, ensuring that a light coat or

jacket is available as the weather turns colder. For safety reasons, open toed sandals are not

allowed on the playground. Children will be kept inside when the temperature is below 32

degrees. If your child needs to be kept in on red ozone days, please notify the Director.

Toilet Training

A child learns to use the toilet when he or she exhibits physical and intellectual readiness.

Parents and teachers will work together during this significant stage of development. Please

bring a supply of underwear, clearly labeled with your child’s name, as well as a change of

clothing, socks, and shoes. Children will not be forced to use the toilet at any time. For children

going into our three’s and four’s classes, students must be fully potty trained in order to attend

the program. Unfortunately, due to the inability to have the correct items needed to change

diapers/PullUps, exceptions cannot be made.

Birthday & Celebrations

Children love celebrating their birthdays. We want them to feel special here as well. If

you are planning to bring a special snack for your child’s birthday, please inform the teacher a

minimum of two school day prior so she can make arrangements for snack time and contact

families with allergy or dietary restrictions. Teachers can also make you aware of any allergies

of the students in her care.

Birthday parties are fun, unless you are the only child not invited. Invitations may be

passed out at First Friends only if all students in the class are invited. Otherwise, please mail

your invitations.

At times, we are asked to provide a class roster to parents to aid in the mailing of party

invitations. These rosters show children’s names, addresses, and phone numbers. If you do not

wish this information to be disclosed, please inform us in writing.

First Friends will have class parties to observe Fall, Christmas, Valentine’s, and Easter.

Parents will be asked to “sign up” to bring party favors, snack items, etc. Keep in mind that we

are celebrating Jesus’ birth at Christmas and His resurrection at Easter. Therefore, we ask that

no Santa or Easter Bunny party items be brought to school.

Parent Involvement

Involved parents help our children see the importance of learning. All parents can help in

some way. Please ask your child's teacher how you can be involved in their class. Periodic

parent meetings will be held on an individual basis if needed. Parents are invited to give

suggestions and feedback at any time and parents are encouraged to visit.

If at any time, you feel the need to discuss any questions or concerns about our program,

please feel free to stop at the office or make an appointment with the Director. Parents may

review a copy of the minimum standards, the most recent Licensing inspection report, or

contact the local state licensing authority, The Collin County Child Advocacy Center, 2205 Los

Rios Blvd, Plano, TX 75074 or by phone at (800) 252-5400. The Texas Department of Protective

and Regulatory Services website can be accessed at www.tdprs.state.tx.us/childcare or by

phone at 800-582-6036.

Parent Code of Conduct

Due to the nature of working so closely as parents and educators, we recognize there can be a

natural conflict of opinions from time to time. As a school, it is our genuine aim to work for the

good of the school and communicate as effectively as possible to work through any & all issues.

We do our very best to honor you & your families by not sharing sensitive information or

speaking any ill will about you, your child, or your family, & we ask the same of you. While

attending our program, we ask that you refrain from slanderous talk or gossip within the

community, whether that be talking in the parking lot, social media, or even in bread isle at

Kroger.

We encourage parents in our program to accept invitation from teachers to their private

classroom Facebook pages that are used strictly for classroom pictures, updates, newsletters,

reminders, etc… Not all classes will have one, but we will be using an app for regular

communication from teacher to parent. To help protect the integrity of our program, please

know that slanderous comments on social media are prohibited and could be grounds for

dismissal.

We prefer not to get involved in custody battles. If we are brought into these battles & feel the

safety of our students is compromised then this will be grounds for immediate dismissal.

Liability Insurance

First Friends maintains the liability insurance coverage required by Child Care Regulation in

accordance with Texas Health & Human Services.

Abuse

The State of Texas is a mandatory reporting state with regards to abuse. All personnel working

with children are required by law to report all suspected cases of child abuse or neglect. A

person who reports abuse in good faith is immune from civil or criminal liability. DFPS keeps the

name of the person making the report confidential. Anyone who does not report suspected

abuse can be held liable for a misdemeanor or felony.

Our staff has completed annual training to recognize the warning signs of abuse. If you have

concerns, please notify the Director immediately or contact the Texas Department of Protective

and Regulatory Services at www.tdprs.state.tx.us/childcare, at 550 E. 15th St, Plano, TX 75078

or by phone at 800-252-5400, or the Collin County Child Advocacy Center, 2205 Los Rios Blvd,

Plano, TX 75074 or by phone at (800) 252-5400.

Ministry

If our pastoral staff and/or any other ministers of our church can help you or your family, please

call the church office at 972-347-2481. We are located at 601 S. Church Street, Prosper, TX

75078.

Scott Kay – Senior Pastor

Amanda Kongthong – Children’s Director

Katie Burgess - First Friends Director

Office Administrator – Heather Dumas

Discipline & Guidance Policy for First Friends

* Discipline must be:

(1) Individualized and consistent for each child;

(2) Appropriate to the child's level of understanding; and

(3) Directed toward teaching the child acceptable behavior and self-control.

*A caregiver may only use positive methods of discipline and guidance that encourage self-

esteem, self-control, and self-direction, which include at least the following:

(1) Using praise and encouragement of good behavior instead of focusing only upon

unacceptable behavior:

(2) Reminding a child of behavior expectations daily by using clear, positive statements;

(3) Redirecting behavior using positive statements; and

(4) Using brief supervised separation or time out from the whole group, when appropriate

for the child's age and development, which is limited to no more than one minute per

year of the child's age.

*There must be no harsh, cruel, or unusual treatment of any child. The following types of

discipline and guidance are prohibited:

(1) Corporal punishment or threats of corporal punishment:

(2) Punishment associated with food, naps, or toilet training:

(3) Pinching, shaking, or biting a child:

(4) Hitting a child with a hand or instrument:

(5) Putting anything in or on a child's mouth:

(6) Humiliating, ridiculing, rejecting, or yelling at a child:

(7) Subjecting a child to harsh, abusive, or profane language:

(8) Placing a child in a locked or dark room, bathroom, or closet with the door closed;

(9) Requiring a child to remain silent or inactive for inappropriately long periods of time

for the child's age.

Emergency Preparedness Plan

Teachers bring:

1. Life Line Book

2. Parent contact phone numbers

3. Cell phone

4. Flash light

5. Emergency kit – band aides & gloves

6. Whistle – if you have one

If the Emergency involves the entire church, then teachers will relocate children to the covered

basketball court of Rucker and/or the gym at Rucker (once permission has been obtained). If

Rucker evacuates, then we will follow and stay with Rucker students. In the event of an

emergency, please call your child’s teacher or the Director at 972-347-2481 Ext 105. Once our

students are relocated and safe, your child’s teacher will text, call, and/or email with details on

how to reconnect with your child.

Emergency Procedures:

Fire

In case of a fire at FBC Prosper, teachers will evacuate the children to the designated place on

their evacuation routes posted on the classroom doors. Children will evacuate to the far end of

the parking lot as far back as they can go. Teachers should close the classroom door and bring

their Life Line with any pertinent information (including class roster with names and phone

numbers).

Children will be educated in the proper procedures for a fire drill. They will be taught to listen

for the designated sound for a fire drill. There will be practice fire drills each month.

Each classroom will be equipped with an “emergency kit” including a flashlight, band-aids,

gloves, etc. so that minor problems can be handled.

Tornado

In the event of a tornado or tornado warning, teachers will move the children away from glass

window and doors. Children will line the hallways or bathrooms in a sitting position with their

arms covering their heads. No child will be near a glass or exterior door. Teachers will close

classroom doors and will monitor their children during this drill. If time and weather permits,

and it is safe enough, we will evacuate the building and bring the entire First Friends staff and

children to the main church building. Teachers will be sure to bring their Lifeline book and

flashlight.

The children will be educated in the procedures for the tornado drill. They will be taught to

listen out for this drill. There will be several opportunities to practice this drill during the school

year.

Lockdown

First Friends has a lockdown drill that we practice as an entire class multiple times a year. Due

to the sensitivity of this emergency procedure, we do not share the specifics of this drill

publicly.

Power Outage

In the event that there is a power outage on campus, we will contact parents. According to

state standards, we are unable to operate without electricity. We will email or text parents and

then post updates on our website.

Children’s Building Evacuation Map:

Portable Evacuation Map:

Parent Policy & Abuse Handout Sheet

__________ (Initial) I have reviewed a copy of the Parent Policies, as well as the Common Indicators of

Possible Abuse Form for the 2022/23 school year. These forms can be found on our website:

www.firsfriendspreschool.org.

__________ (Initial) I represent that I am the person who has the right to consent to medical and dental

treatment on behalf of my child. I authorize First Friends Preschool to consent to medical and dental

treatment if I or other parent/nonparent caregiver cannot immediately be contacted by telephone.

__________ (Initial) I understand that First Friends, as a ministry of First Baptist Church Prosper, carries

the required liability insurance mandated by Child Care Regulation.

___________ (Initial) I understand that children in the 3’s and 4’s class MUST be potty trained.

___________ (Initial) I understand that these policies might be updated throughout the school year, but

I will be notified via email if any policy changes.

Students Name (printed): _______________________________________________________________

Parents Name (printed): ________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________ Date__________________________

Parents Signature