Good Beginnings Policies and Handbook

Mission of Good Beginnings

Good Beginnings Preschool shall endeavor to meet the spiritual, social, emotional, and physical needs of children. We believe that effective education and nurturing is a lifelong celebration.

Good Beginnings Philosophy

Good Beginnings is a Christ-centered preschool within the Lutheran tradition. At the foundation of our program philosophy is inclusion and acceptance. We believe we are partners with parents/guardians of each child at Good Beginnings in providing their child)ren_ with a Christ-centered education and providing resources to aid them in developing their parenting skills.

Petersburg Lutheran Church is privileged to provide support for the Good Beginnings program. We warmly welcome all families within our community to participate in the worship, education, fellowship, and service in the life of our congregation. Whether or not at Petersburg Lutheran, each Good Beginnings family is encouraged to be active in the life of the church of their choosing.

Entrance Requirements

To enroll in Good Beginnings Preschool children must be three years old and toilet trained. By law, all students’ files must have a completed enrollment form, up to date immunization record (or notarized exemption form), field trip permission slip, handbook agreement, and child emergency information on file before or on the first day of the program.

Children identified by their parents/guardians as having special needs or significant medical needs should meet with the director to develop and implement a plan of care for the child, addressing all accommodations. We accept all children we can reasonably accommodate. Good Beginnings does not discriminate based on religion, gender, race, or national/ethnic origin.

Tuition and Fees

Good Beginnings is excited to offer new options for our students! For the ‘24-’25 school year, parents can choose between 2 options for the 3-4 year old class and can now enjoy longer days for their Pre-K children! We are also thrilled to provide a lower tuition rate.

3-4 Years Old (T & Th Only): $125/month

3-4 Years Old (M-Th): $250/month

Pre-K Class: $350/month, 4 days a week

Example Schedule

8:00-8:30: Greet kids and free play
8:35-9:00: Circle Time
9:00-9:15: Snack
9:15-9:30: Show & Tell
9:30-10:00: Playground/outside time
10:00-10:30: Group time (see below for examples)
10:30-11:00: Centers
11:00: 3-4 year old’s dismissed

11:00-11:30: Lunch
11:30-12:00: Centers, art projects, Handwriting Without Tears books
12:00-12:30: Closing circle time
12:30-1:00: Playground/movement time
1:00pm: Pre-Ks dismissed

Students will have music and yoga every week, plus visits from Pastor Tim and Pastor Deb! We also have local artists who come and help with art projects on occasion.
*Please note that this schedule is only an example and we allow ourselves to be flexible and “in the moment” to become inspired and take advantage of any good weather we may have!

Staff & Hiring Requirements

Good Beginnings Preschool is licensed by the State of Alaska for Children ages 3-5. All employees in direct contact with children must go through a hiring and fingerprint background check process. References are checked on all new employees and experienced staff will mentor newer staff until he/she/they are comfortable working independently with children. Substitute teachers may be used when regular staff are not available; substitutes are required to complete the same background check and hiring process as regularly scheduled staff. Volunteers may be used in the program but will never be left alone with children. Full time teachers must complete a minimum of 24 hours of training annually, and part time teachers must complete a minimum of 12 hours; this requirement applies to substitute teachers as well. All teachers have a personnel file documenting all training hours and containing documents requiring for licensing. All childcare givers are expected to act in accordance with Alaska State licensing code 7AAC 57.310.

Withdrawal Policy

Your child’s spot is for the school year, September-May. If your child leaves the program prior to the school year ending, you must give thirty days notice to the director or you will be charged the next month’s tuition. This allows us to plan and advertise the open spot in the program. Please speak with the director if you have any questions about this policy.

Financial Aid

We encourage families in need of financial assistance to apply for the State of Alaska Child Care Grant Program. We have applications available and can assist you. As we are state licensed you may be eligible depending on income. If you are already receiving this assistance at your childcare facility, please be aware that you are able to use it at multiple facilities. Good Beginnings also has a financial aid account for families in need of support. Please contact the program director for more information.