Policies and Procedures

2025-2026 Parent/Guardian-Preschool Policies and Procedures

1. Classes offered:
   • Cubs Program is held on Monday and Tuesday of each week for children 3-4 yrs. old. The class hours are 8:30 am-11 a.m. or 12 p.m.-2:30 p.m.
   • Bears Program is held on Wednesday, Thursday & Friday of each week for children 4-5 yrs. old. The class hours are 8:30 a.m.-11 a.m. or 12 p.m.-2:30 p.m.

2. A non-refundable activity fee of $90.00 is to be paid at registration.  This fee helps to cover the cost of supplies for the year and reserves a place for your child in class.  At the time of registration tuition is due for the month of May, $110.00 for Cubs and/or $130.00 for Bears.  

• May tuition is refundable ONLY if written notice is provided to T.L.C. stating that the student is being withdrawn early, if the student’s tuition balance is paid in full at the time notice is provided, and if at least fourteen days precede the early withdrawal of the student. 
• At any other time, if a guardian wishes to withdraw a child, they must provide written notice to the Director at least fourteen days prior to the withdrawal date.  No refund will be issued for any tuition money paid. 

3. Monthly tuition is $130.00 for the three-day session (Bears) and $110.00 for the two-day session (Cubs).  The monthly payment is due on the 1^st DAY OF THE MONTH and is to be placed in your child’s folder, the tuition box or mailed to:

If tuition is not received in full by the 1^st of the month, a $10 late fee will be charged.  (If received after the 1^st, and the postmark date is the 1^st of the current month the late fee will be reimbursed.)  If tuition is not received by the end of the month, your child will be unenrolled from the program.  If you seek to reenroll your child, you will need to pay an additional $90.00 nonrefundable activity fee.  There are no refunds for snow days or absent days.

4. For the 2024/2025 school year, children who are at least three or four years of age on or before September 1^st may be enrolled.  T.L.C. will admit those children who have their permission slips filled out and have had their physical examination BEFORE the first day of school.  Medical forms will be provided and must be completed to enroll your child, BEFORE the first day of school.

• OPTIONAL: If your child turns 3 after September 1st, you are welcome to call the school and see if there are still openings for enrollment in the Cub class. With this type of enrollment, the child will be a Cub for 2 years.  Children are not eligible to enroll as a Bear until they are at least four years of age.

5. Children enrolling at T.L.C. DO NOT need to live in the Orion School District.

6. DISCIPLINE.  The teachers and staff of T.L.C. Preschool DO NOT verbally or physically abuse when disciplining a child.
   • Unacceptable behaviors at T.L.C. Preschool will include the following:  hitting, kicking, biting, pushing, verbal teasing, throwing toys, deliberately destroying another child’s project or property and disrespectful behavior. 

       T.L.C. PRESCHOOL DISCIPLINE PROCEDURE

1. The child will be spoken to in a positive manner.
2. The child will be removed from the immediate situation.
3. The child will be encouraged to apologize.
4. If needed, the child will be placed upon the “Thinking Chair” for a short period of time.
5. If needed, the child may be sent home.
6. If needed, the child’s guardians will be notified and a meeting will be held.  This meeting may include the guardians, Head Teacher/Director and/or Board.
7. If needed, all guardians for a class will be provided notice of the unacceptable behavior, including a summary and explanation of how the incident was/is being handled.  This notice will not include the names of any students.
8. If needed, the child may be released from the T.L.C. Preschool Program.  This may occur immediately, for unacceptable behavior.  If released, readmission will be determined at the discretion of the Board and the Director.  This decision may be appealed to the Board, after such a written request for appeal is provided.  Such appeal requests must include all factors the guardians believe are relevant. 

7. Children may be removed from the T.L.C. Preschool Program for reasons other than unacceptable behavior, at the discretion of the Director and/or Board.  In such an event, T.L.C. will provide written notice to the guardians at least two weeks prior to the time of dismissal.  This decision may be appealed to the Board, after a written request for appeal is provided.  Such appeal requests must include all factors the guardians believe are relevant. .

8. Your promptness in dropping off and picking up your child will be appreciated.  You may bring your child no earlier than 5 minutes before class starts, and pick him/her up no later than 5 minutes after class is over.  A $5.00 fee per child will be charged for each 5-minute increment your child is left with the teacher before or after stated school hours.  For example, if your child is left with the teacher for 8 minutes, you will be charged $10.00.  Please call if you will be late for pickup.    

Guardians must enter and exit the building with their child(ren) and deliver/retrieve them to/from the appropriate classroom.  T.L.C. and DCFS require that guardians sign their child(ren) in and out each day.  Guardians must write the time of pickup/drop-off and initial the sign-out log each day.  If someone other than the guardian is dropping off/picking up the child, they must sign in/out using their full legal name and show a driver’s license.  Guardians must make sure all people who pick up their children are aware of this requirement. 

9. Please label all of your child’s outer clothing with first and last names.  Your child’s boots should be easily taken on/off by the child, without teacher assistance.  Take special care when picking up your child to take ONLY your child’s items.  

10. In compliance with state requirements, do not send your child to school if he/she has a runny nose, is listless, or has any visible signs of illness.  In addition, your child must be excluded from class for the following:

• Fever of 100.4 degrees or more (within the past 24 hours)
• Difficulty breathing
• Vomiting in the past 24 hours (unless vomiting has been determined to be due to a non-communicable condition by a doctor with a note)
• Strep throat (until more than 24 hours after medication has been administered and the child has been without fever of 100.4 degrees or more for 24 hours)
• Head lice (until 24 hours after the first treatment and NO lice or nits remain)   
• Chicken Pox (until at least 6 days after the onset of the rash)
• COVID/Influenza (until 24 hours symptom free) 

11. Please call the preschool at (309)526-8993 if your child will not be at school due to illness or

vacation.  You may also send a note to the Director/Teacher in advance of knowing your child will be absent.  Please do not send a message through Class Tag or email, as substitutes do not have access to this information. 

12. T.L.C. will generally follow the Orion School District for holidays or weather-related closings.  Any T.L.C. closings will be posted on the TLC Preschool Facebook page and sent out through the Class Tag App.  In the event of an early school closing, we will call the appropriate number on your “Emergency-Permission” card to inform you of how T.L.C. hours will be affected.  It is imperative that you keep phone numbers, addresses and child pickup lists updated.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING WEATHER RELATED CLOSINGS, PHONE AHEAD.  DON’T RISK GOING OUT IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH CONDITIONS.  

T.L.C. will not delay start times due to other conditions such as ice, etc.… If Orion Schools have a late start, T.L.C will continue at normal times. Use your best judgement on whether or not it is safe for you to bring your child, and please phone ahead if you choose not to bring your child due to bad weather.

TLC reserves the right to change the calendar as needed. 

13. Snacks.  You will occasionally be asked to furnish a nutritious snack for your child’s class.  These snacks must meet the nutritional requirements of the licensing standards of DCFS.

We CAN NOT accept homemade items for the child’s daily treats.  Treats must be commercially prepared and brought into the school, in the original packaging, unopened.

The preschool will provide a 100% fruit juice drink or water each day.  A list of acceptable snacks will be provided before school starts.  You will only need to send one small snack per child.    

14. Your child will bring home a newsletter each month.  It keeps you informed of his/her upcoming activities and informs you of his/her treat date. 

You can also find TLC Preschool on Facebook (make sure to like the page), you can also check out the school website and Class DOJO.  These all are ways to get information about the school and activities. 

Website: tlcpreschoolorion.com

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ORIONTLCPRESCHOOL 

Class DOJO – invitation sent through email. 

15. T.L.C. Preschool does not discriminate in the selection of students or the hiring of employees on the basis of race, creed, color or national origin.

16. The safety and well-being of each child is a daily concern of the T.L.C. Preschool personnel.  Accidents, however, can happen.  Depending on the severity of the incident, T.L.C. will notify guardians and/or create an incident report.  The guardians are responsible for any medical bills related to the accident. 

17. Please call the Director if you have any questions, comments or concerns.  Guardians are welcomed and encouraged to visit and help in the classroom.  Please allow us one month to develop our schedule and routine before asking to visit the classroom.

18. Students or siblings of students enrolled in T.L.C. Preschool will have the privilege of pre-registering for classes beginning the following fall.  For example, you may pre-register children currently involved in Cubs classes as Bears or enroll a sibling that will be eligible to attend classes.  Full year returning students pre-registering will be guaranteed a position in their respective classes (a.m. or p.m.).  If a returning student wishes to switch from a.m. to p.m. or vice versa, the requests will be granted if the positions are available.  

 If the number of requests for changes exceeds the number of available positions, the positions will be filled via a lottery.  If a situation occurs that the number pre-registered for a class (i.e. siblings pre-registering for the Cubs class) exceeds the number of positions available in the class, these spots will also be awarded on a lottery basis.  

19. Any child enrolled in T.L.C. Preschool must be able to verbally express and physically handle bathroom functions without help.  T.L.C. Preschool policy does not allow children to wear “Pull-Ups” training pants.  Additionally, a child should also be able to use and dispose of a tissue on their own.

20. T.L.C. reserves the right to close a class with less than 8 students enrolled.

21. We encourage guardians of T.L.C. students to consider joining the Board. The Board is run by current T.L.C. guardians and/or community members.  Please see the attached signup form, which includes all of the requirements. If you are unable to join the board but are willing to help in other ways, make sure to check all of the appropriate boxes so the board members know to contact you when needed. 

22. This agreement may be changed by T.L.C. Preschool to comply with governmental regulations, DCFS or for any other reason. T.L.C. is affiliated with the Orion United Methodist Church and follows their mission statement.