Preschool policies and procedures

Pickup/Drop-off 
  • Preschool programs are currently 9:00- 12:00 am. The hallway doors will not open until 8:55 am for morning classes.
  • Parents or caregivers must walk child to and from the building. Please stay with your child until a CNS staff member greets you. Please do not leave other children/siblings unattended in your car. 
  • For the safety of the children, please park only on the school side of the building, so that children do not need to cross the street.
  • Punctuality in pickup is absolutely necessary. Students need to be picked up at 12:00 p.m.  
  • If someone other than a parent or regular caregiver is to pick up a child, the staff must have a written note, giving permission to that person.
  • Please inform the staff of any changes in childcare arrangements. Make sure you include telephone numbers, addresses and any other pertinent information.

Health and Safety
  • Circle Nursery School requires a health record for each child enrolled in its program. This record must include an up to date immunization record acquired before the start of school, as well as any specific medical and/or educational needs the child may have. Failure to provide such a record will result in the child’s removal from school and forfeiture of the registration fee. This regulation is in compliance with the N.Y.S. Department of Health guidelines.
  • If your child has been ill within the past 24 hours, do not bring him/her to school. This policy is to benefit the sick child as well as to protect the other children and staff. Your signature on the Medical Release Form indicates your understanding and compliance with this policy. Please notify the school by 9:00 am if your child will be absent.
  • Our teachers are not authorized to dispense medications or perform medical procedures. If medications or medical procedures are necessary, it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to make arrangements. If the teachers deem your child is not well enough to complete the day, you will be notified using the information provided by you on the Family and Child Information sheet to arrange for early pickup.
  • Your child should be toilet-trained during the day in order to attend CNS. This means that the student comes to school in regular underwear, are able to tell the teacher they need to go, and goes to the bathroom by themselves. *NO PULL UPS OR DIAPERS WILL BE ALLOWED* If your child does have an accident at school, the teacher will call you to come and do the wash-up and change. We will not let your child remain in dirty clothes. Children not meeting these benchmarks by November 30th, risk being suspended until he/she can consistently use the bathroom.  Our policy of “being trained” frees our teachers to spend quality time with each of the children in the classroom. 
Tuition
Tuition is a set fee and is based solely on budgetary considerations. You are responsible for the full annual tuition, regardless of attendance.  
  • Make checks payable to Zion Episcopal Church and write your child’s name and “Circle Nursery School” on the memo line.
  • Automatic late fees will be applied through Brightwheel if payments are late.
  • Tuition payments that are more than one month overdue may lead to dismissal of the child. 
  • All checks returned to CNS because of insufficient funds, the account was closed, or for any other reason will be subject to a $35 bank fee.
  • Please contact the treasurer in the event of an unforeseen financial hardship.
  • Circle Nursery School offers a 10% tuition discount to members in good standing of Zion Episcopal Church, or for families with multiple siblings enrolled at CNS concurrently, applicable to the lesser rate (one discounted tuition per family).
  • A portion of your CNS Tuition may be tax deductible. The CNS Employer Identification Number (EIN) is  22-2511719.
​Snacks
Parents are assigned to supply healthy snacks on a rotating basis. Circle Nursery School is a peanut-free classroom to ensure the safety of all students. Please make sure that your snack is peanut-free and check the labels for the product's disclaimers. Often the food may not contain peanuts, but can be packaged in a factory that makes other products made with peanuts. Sign ups will be provided for snacks at the beginning and middle of the school year. 
​
Birthdays
​Your child’s birthday is a special day and will be celebrated in school. He or she should bring a special snack for that day. If your child’s birthday falls during the summer months, we will designate a “Nursery School Birthday” so that everyone gets a chance to celebrate in school.