Zion Lutheran Child Care Center is licensed to provide care to children ages 6 weeks through 12 years old.  Our hours are 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m.  We follow state licensing regulations for caregiver to child ratios in all age groups.  We offer free breakfast, two free snacks daily (school year and summer) and free or reduced  lunches during the school year.  Children are divided into separate classrooms by age.  We currently provide service to the Infant/Toddlers in the green house located right off of our parking lot.  Preschool and School Aged children are serviced in the white house next door to the Infant/Toddler house.  We also provide a  two day program for Three-Year-Old children and a three day program for Four-Year-Old children program.  Our Preschool classroom for 3PK and 4PK is located in the school building.  Our license capacity for the two Day Care buildings is 56.  Our license capacity for the Preschool classroom is 17.  

For more detailed information about our Center please click here for our Center's Handbook   

Rates are as follows:

$3.50/hour for infants through age 2 1/2

$2.50/hour for preschool and school age children

There is a discount for additional siblings and we accept DHS payments for those who qualify.

*USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer

Child Care Center Phone: 989-479-6400 or 479-3615
Click Here to use the Contact Form
Email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

MISSION STATEMENT

"Zion Lutheran School - Touching lives of people forever through a quality education in an atmosphere of Christian love."

 PICTURE OF STUDENT BODY                                                           PURPOSE

At Zion Lutheran School we believe and teach the doctrine of the Triune God.  God the Father is our Creator.  He has made each of us unique and continues to preserve us through our entire life.  Jesus, God's Son, is our Savior and Lord.  He lived under the law, suffered and died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, and rose again for our salvation.  The Holy Spirit, third person of the Trinity, calls us to faith through the means of Grace (Word and Sacrament) and keeps us in the faith.

We believe that it is our responsibility as a church to "train up a child in the way  that he should go" (Proverbs 22:6.)  We do this through our Christ-centered day school program which teaches children the basics of academic subjects and our Lutheran Christian faith.  We do this in response to God's command to go into all the world and preach the Gospel.  We approach a child's education from the point of view that each child has unique talents and skills to be developed.

We believe that with the home, school, and church working together, our students will grow in their Christian faith through active participation in worship services and witnessing their faith to others.  Zion students grow in academics through the individualized attention given by teachers and special programs such as peer tutoring.  Our students grow emotionally and socially through involvement of our parents and various church groups in the activities and advancement of our school.  Zion continues to provide support for our families through Bible studies and PTL programs.

Educational studies and research verify that the early years are the most important years in the social, emotional, physical, mental and spiritual development of a child. Education is a lifelong process that begins at birth and continues until death. Although parents are the child's first and long range teacher, preschool and pre-Kindergarten programs are strong contributing factors to a young child's learning.
 
The purpose of the Zion Lutheran Preschool & Young Fives program is to assist parents in the God-given responsibility of raising their children by providing an environment conducive to learning. A developmentally appropriate curriculum is established to meet the needs of the whole child in the areas of spiritual growth, social relationships, emotional growth, vocabulary development and physical activity.
 
The goals of the Zion Lutheran Preschool and Young Fives Program are:
1. To provide opportunities for Christian learning of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior through formal lessons and worship, and informal living and learning experiences.
2. To nurture the development of a healthy self-concept in each child and the appreciation of the talents God has given to him/her.
3. To provide a variety of experiences and activities which will stimulate growth in the child's spiritual, emotional, social, intellectual, and physical development.
4. To provide guidance as the child becomes more independent and starts taking part in small group and large group activities.
5. To provide interests and experiences which broaden the child's aptitude for future academic programs.


PROGRAM OFFERINGS
We are offering three sessions. Maximum class size will be twenty (20) students with one teacher and two aides.

The Preschool Program is intended to provide a variety of experiences to enlarge the children's view of the world in which they live. Through social interactions, children will see themselves as members of a larger family and a part of God's creation. Children enrolled in the 3-Year-Old class must be three years of age by November 1st and potty trained.  Children enrolled in the 4-Year-Old class must be four years of age by November 1st.
3-Year-Old Class = Tuesday & Thursday 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
4-Year-Old Class = Monday, Wednesday & Friday 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

The Young Fives program is more structured with continued emphasis on learning through experience and observation.  The class is offered for the child who will benefit from a growth year before entering Kindergarten. It is considered a pre-Kindergarten class. Children must be five years old by November 1st .
Young Fives = Monday - Thursday 11:30 a.m.- 2:30 p.m.
 
 
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Zion congregation views its early childhood program as an integral and important element of its ministry. Under the supervision of the Board of Christian Education, Zion congregation is committed to supporting this ministry by:

1. Providing and maintaining facilities for the programs including utilities and maintenance services.
2. Providing the ministry of its professional staff to the children and parents enrolled in its programs.
3. Encouraging its members to remember the early childhood program through memorials and special gifts to the program.


TUITION AND FEES
Zion Lutheran Preschool/Young Fives operates as a self-supporting, educational, non-profit agency of Zion Lutheran Church. It is financed by tuition receipts. Tuition rates for the 2013-2014 school year have been set as follows:
3-Year-Old Class = $50.00/month
4-Year-Old Class = $75.00/month
Young Fives Class = $100.00/month
Payments are due the first Tuesday of each month. A $5.00 late fee per week will be charged for tuition past due. Tuition that is more than 2 weeks late will automatically terminate your child from school. (see financial agreement.)  A $40.00 non-refundable REGISTRATION is required at the time of registration to hold a place for the child. ($65/family)


ENROLLMENT POLICY
Application for enrollment is not limited to children of Zion Lutheran Church, but is open to all families who want their children to have Christ-centered instruction. Admission will be on a first-come, first-served basis in the following order of priority:

1. Children of Zion Lutheran Church and School members.
2. Children of parents who are actively pursuing membership at Zion.
3. Children of other Lutheran parishes.
4. Children who are not prospective members but whose parents wish them to learn about their Savior.

All children must be completely toilet trained.
Zion Lutheran School makes no discrimination in admission or determination of enrollment on the basis of race, sex, color, or national origin.


ADMISSION AND WITHDRAWAL POLICY
Registration for the fall program will be accepted in the spring. Students will be accepted during the course of a year as vacancies occur. The director should be notified two weeks in advance if a child is going to be withdrawn from the program.

Zion reserves the right to allow the removal of a child from the program, upon the recommendation of the teacher and the Board of Education should the child be considered a detriment to other children or the preschool program.

HEALTH AND SAFETY
The State of Michigan requires that we have a Health Appraisal (green form) and emergency card on file for each child. Immunization records must be up to date and recorded on the green health form. These are to be filled out and returned to the school before classes begin. Please report any new immunizations your child receives while enrolled with us.


TRANSPORTATION; ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE
Responsibility for transportation of students rests with individual parents. No Student should arrive more than 10 minutes before class time as the teachers are busy preparing for the day and early children cannot be supervised.  


DISCIPLINE
Staff shall use positive methods of Christian discipline, which encourage the development of self-control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation. Rules of the classroom will be clear and concise and the children will be expected to follow them. Verbal reminders and encouragement will be made when necessary to help the child see the need for the rule. If behavior persists, a "time out" period will be observed followed by a discussion with the teacher. Conferences with parents may be requested by the teacher if behavior of a child in the classroom is interfering with the total learning process.


FIELD TRIPS
Throughout the year, special experiences outside the classroom will be planned for your child. These trips provide opportunities for firsthand learning. Notes will be sent home prior to each trip detailing all the necessary information so you know what to expect. Written permission from the parent is required of all students making such trips.

Parents who are asked to drive for a field trip are required to have a valid drivers license and provide a seat belt for each child. A first aid kit will be provided for each car.


SNACK POLICY
Nutritious snacks will be provided for each child. This child care center is a participant in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) program. The CACFP provides cash reimbursement to child care centers for nutritious meals and helps children develop healthy eating habits. The CACFP is administered by the Michigan Department of Education.

Through the Child and Adult Care Food Program you can be assured that your child is getting balanced, nutritious meals and developing healthy lifelong eating habits. Proper nutritious during the early years ensures fewer physical and educational problems later in life.

As a participant in the CACFP, your child care center receives reimbursement for serving nutritious meals and snacks. Meals and snacks must meet the USDA meal pattern requirements.

In accordance with Federal law and USDA policy, this institution is prohibited from discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.


BIRTHDAYS
If you plan to send in a special nutritional treat, and we encourage you to do this, we appreciate simple individual treats. Your child enjoys this ego building privilege of sharing.


WHAT YOUR CHILD WILL NEED
1. Tennis shoes or rubber soled shoes are recommended for activities that will occur in the classroom and the gym.
2. Please dress your child in comfortable play clothes.
3. Please have your child bring a tote bag or book bag to school each day for taking home art projects and parent notes.
4. Please label your child's clothing and boots with name tags.


SCHOOL CLOSING
In the event that inclement weather forces a school cancellation, the closing will be announced over WLEW and the automated phone system called Rapid Notify. Our school will be closed if the Harbor Beach Public Schools are closed.
 

FIRST DAY
Often it is more difficult for a parent to say goodbye on the first day than it is for the child. Make it brief, but reassure him/her that you will be waiting in the hall when the class is over. Please do not stay with your child the first day. The adjustment is much easier if you do not. There may be tears, but those pass quickly when he/she finds all of the new things to play with and all of his/her new friends.
 

PROGRESS REPORTS AND CONFERENCES
A report of your child's progress and readiness for Kindergarten will be given through a parent/teacher conference in March. In the spring the Gessel Developmental Assessment will be administered by the teacher to students in the preschool program. Parents wishing to consult with the teacher may do so after any class session or request arrangements for a special conference time.


HOME VISITS
The teacher will visit all homes before the first day of school. She will call and make an appointment.

From The Principal’s Desk

It's Great to be Together!

Message for Lutheran Schools Week

The words "It's great to be together" are heard from those who have gathered together.  The family context may be a Christmas, Easter, anniversary, birthday, or other special celebration.  Friends in Christ celebrate being together.  Gathered for the Divine church service, we rejoice, saying, "It's great to be together in Jesus' name."

In the perfection of Eden, Adam and Eve certainly celebrated their relationship with God and each other, saying, "It's great to be together."  Those perfectly together in the Garden of Eden were suddenly separated by sin.  God and man would never be together again.  Husband and wife would never experience life together in harmony with God and one another.  Brokenness is seen in sibling rivalry and, ultimately, in murder of brother with Cain and Abel.

Lutheran school students, staff, and families live in the reality of broken relationships.  Lutheran schools share the message of the Law that sin separates.  God intervenes in the broken creation with the promise that there will be life together again.  Noah and his faithful family are huddled together on the ark, awaiting new life after the flood.  The family of Israel anticipates life together again in the Promised Land.  A remnant of Judah waits for life together after exile in Babylon.  God's people knew that only He could bring about life together and that His promise would be fulfilled in the Messiah.  Jesus comes as the Life and, by His suffering and death, fulfills all God's promises and brings life now and eternally for all who believe in Him.  

Lutheran school students, staff, and families share the Good News that Jesus is the Life and because of Him we are blessed with life together.  

It's great to celebrate life together in Zion Lutheran School!!