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Many Grace preschoolers have younger siblings. Parents have many different ways they arrange care for the younger siblings while they co-op in the classroom with their preschooler. Some families have the younger siblings stay in the care of the other parent or family members. Still other families get together and exchange babysitting days to cover each other's co-op days. Grace Preschool also offers a nursery, which is a separate room located a few steps from the preschool. The nursery is a very pleasing and welcoming environment and is well supplied to meet the needs of infants and toddlers. The Grace parents run the nursery and are responsible for screening, hiring, and paying the babysitter, as well as keeping the room clean and well supplied. Still other parents use the "Tot Drop" located across the street. Tot Drop is a drop-in day care program, for more information call them at: (925) 284-3999.
At Grace Preschool we understand that toilet training is a process, not an event. The children at Grace are at different stages in this process. Your child is welcome to wear diapers or pull ups to school. We do ask that you provide the necessary supplies (diapers, wipes, change of clothes, etc...) that your child will need. The preschool has a child size toilet located between the two main classrooms and the teachers are always available to help children who need it.
As a parent, you are the best judge of whether or not your child is ready for kindergarten. Our director/teacher regularly visits the kindergarten classes in the area and is familiar with the teachers, curriculum and expectations of kindergarten. She is a wonderful resource and enjoys talking with parents about the questions they might have in deciding whether or not to place their child in kindergarten. Enrolling your child at Grace Preschool is a wonderful step in preparing him or her for kindergarten. For further information the following link may be helpful: http://preschoolerstoday.com/resources/articles/kindergarten.htm
Parent participation in the classroom, or co-oping, is part of what makes Grace Preschool great. The majority of parents choose to co-op in the classroom, but there are 1 or 2 non co-oping spaces available in each class. Parents also have the option of paying a substitute parent to cover a co-oping day ($35). For families who are welcoming a new baby, the school offers six weeks of parental leave, in which the family is not required to co-op in the classroom in order to care for their growing family.
A calendar listing the days all the parents are scheduled to co-op in the classroom is created monthly. The schedule usually is distributed to the families the week before the month begins. If you know ahead of time that there are days you are not available to work in the classroom you can let the scheduler know the month prior and avoid being scheduled those days. If the schedule is already printed and you realize that you can not work on the day you are scheduled, it is your responsibility to exchange co-oping days with another parent or arrange to pay a parent substitute to cover your day. If you have an emergency the morning that you are scheduled to co-op (such as a child who is ill or a car that breaks down) you can call the parent who is scheduled to be the emergency backup for the day. If you use the emergency parent to cover your co-oping day you will need to make arrangements with that parent to "repay them" by covering one of their scheduled days.
Yes, there are a few scholarships available. A portion of our fundraising monies goes towards scholarships. Grace Presbyterian Church also is very generous in contributing to our scholarship fund. The amount of the scholarships depends on the number of people who request them and the amount of money we have available. In the past we have given on-going scholarships to cover each month's tuition and one time scholarships to cover special situations. If you would like to be considered for a scholarship please contact the director, membership coordinator, president or treasurer.
The tuition is calculated on a yearly basis, but divided into monthly payments. The first and last month tuitions are due prior to the first day of school. From that point on, tuition is due the 1st of every month. Families have until the 10th of each month to pay their tuition after which time a late charge of $5 per week will be applied.
Our membership coordinator looks forward to answering any questions you may have about the school, and/or arranging for you and your child to visit the school and experience a typical day. To reach our membership coordinator, please call (925) 935-2100. You will reach the Grace Presbyterian Church office and will be given the phone number for the current membership coordinator.