Parent Questions
1.What are the teacher/child ratios here?
Questions New Parents Have Asked.
2:12 with 2's 2:16 with 3's 2:18 with 4's,5's 1:15 with K
2.What type of training do SUMC's teachers have?
Our teachers have either a 4 year el. ed. teaching degree, a 4 year early childhood ed. degree, a 2 year early childhood degree, a Child Development Certificate (CDA) or are Board Certified by the Dept. of Human Services.
We use a Lead One Teacher and a Lead Two Teacher or two Team Teachers per class, except in K. When the Lead One teacher is out, the lead Two Teacher temporarily leads and a sub. is hired. All teachers spend 85 % of their day in teaching/leading roles with children.
3.Is my waiting list or registration fee refundable?
No.Waiting list fees are deducted from the current year's registration fee when a placement is found, during the current year. Waiting list and registration fees expire at the end of the school year.
4.What is the average turnover of SUMC staff?
Annually, we employ 3-5 new staff members due to moves or the teacher leaving to return to the public schools. Average length of service is around 7 years; several of our staff members have been here for over a decade. We employ nearly 30 staff members.
5. What is SUMC's greatest strength?
It is OUR STAFF! They work well together, love children, have excellent training and like working here.
Also, we have been in business for a quarter of a century so our costs can remain low. We have most of our permanent equipment purchased and need only occasional replacements/upgrades. In 2005 and 2006, we participated in the pilot of Step Up to Quality a measure above license. See additional information. In 2006, we earned a second star at the state level of Step Up to Quality.
6. How hard is it to get into SUMC Nursery School/Kindergarten?
One third of our enrollment is new families each year. We are never certain where our openings will be until after the first two weeks of registration have occurred and again in late August. We urge you to consider putting your child on as many age appropriate waiting lists as possible if your child is not able to enroll. Those on the waiting lists are often enrolled.
7. How soon will I know if my child got into the class I requested?
You will receive notification within about two weeks of our closure for registration. This information will include your child’s class placement and a list of any waiting lists on which your child has been placed.
8. How strict are the age limitations?
We try to be as flexible as we can to place children where they will profit best developmentally.
We do make age exceptions, but only after we have enrolled your child in a class appropriate for the year's current age. Exceptions ARE ONLY MADE BY THE DIRECTOR WITH TEACHER RECOMMENDATION, after observation in a current placement. For two year olds, we will accept children onto the waiting list if they are 27 months old by Sept. 30 of the enrolling year.
Often morning class age limits are more firm than those for afternoon classes.
Children entering K and Pre-K 5's MUST BE 5 by SEPT.30 of enrolling year.
9. What forms will I need to enroll my child?
At registration, you need only your child's application, completed and signed in both required places. You will also need your checkbook to pay our registration fee. We prefer checks to cash so that we do not need to make change. RETURNED CHECKS CANCEL REGISTRATION, SO PLEASE WATCH YOUR CHECKBOOK BALANCE.
IF YOUR CHILD IS ENROLLED, you will receive a medical examination form in mid August, or before you complete enrollment. You may complete the immunization part of this form, but your child's doctor must complete the balance of the form, date and sign it. The examination must be under a year old on entry and must be in our hands on the first day your child attends.
Other forms such as Emergency Medical ,Allergy Medical Condition form will be given you in late August or early September, or before enrollment is complete. This EMERGENCY MEDICAL FORM must be completed before your child can attend. You will also need an original copy of your child’s birth certificate within the first month of school.
10.How is tuition payable?
SUMC's tuitions are based on an annual tuition figure. Most families pay monthly using the reusable tuition envelope attached to the monthly school newsletter.You may wish to pay for the entire year or by semester. There is no discount for doing this.
11.Do SUMC children take field trips?
Yes, all but our 2's go on field trips. Most trips for the younger children are on the premises. Each age level chooses its own trips and there are more trips as children become older. All off site trips meet only off site and no regular session is scheduled for the children.
We ask for parent volunteer drivers/chaperones for these trips. Parents must take children to the driver's home to be transported. For insurance reasons and state license laws, no siblings may attend.
12.Is parent involvement required?
Various times during the school year, we ask for volunteers, but no one is required to volunteer unless s/he wishes to do so.
13. Do we send snacks for our children?
Although you may wish to send a snack for your child's half birthday or birthday,SUMC provides all other snacks except party snacks, from tuition funds. Since the 2001-02 school year, we have become peanut free.
IF YOUR CHILD HAS FOOD ALLERGIES, YOU MAY WISH TO SEND IN A "SAFE" SNACK.
14. May we visit in a classroom?
After the first month of school, tours are scheduled at least twice weekly. You may call in for an appointment.
PLEASE, call if you wish to visit and see the entire school.
FOR THE SAFETY OF CURRENTLY ENROLLED CHILDREN, ALL VISITS ARE BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. VISITORS MUST CHECK IN WITH THE OFFICE.
After your child is enrolled, or is on the waiting list, you may plan a brief visit to the specific room your child will be in. Usually these visits last about 10 minutes and are not over 15 minutes. Your child must be well on a visit day.
You and your child will come for a brief visit in August/September if you are beginning the school year at its start. Otherwise, we usually ask that you and your child come a little early on "the first day" to become acquainted with teachers and routine.
15. What is the Christian content of the program?
Each age level has a spiritual goal. The school-wide spiritual goal is to be a first presentation to each child of God as creator of our world with emphasis on each child's self-esteem as receptor of this great gift. Each age level presents the Christmas story of Jesus birth and a very simple Easter presentation based on developmentally appropriate comprehension levels for the age.
16. How is security handled at SUMC NS?
All entries are video to tape monitored, as well as live video to monitor. Circle entry doors are locked except when children are entering. A lock down drill is conducted annually with oversight by the Sharonville Police. No child is dismissed to someone for whom parents have not given permission in writing or by phone verification to known phone numbers.
FURTHER QUESTIONS? Please call between 9-3 daily or leave a message on our answering machine. WE WILL RETURN ALL CALLS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE!
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Questions New Parents Have Asked 6/22/2008
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