Berean's Preschool Ministry: A Parent's Guide

Children's Pastor:
Nate Meiers
(756-3300, ext. 230)
PN8@bereanmansfield.com.

Preschool Coordinators:
Jill Bachelder
Rita Wallace

Welcome to the Preschool Department!

Our volunteer staff loves preschoolers and we are excited to have the privilege of ministering to your children in the name of the Lord!

We know that preschoolers are active and love to have fun, so we have developed a ministry that allows children with different learning styles to experience God's love in ways they can understand.

We pray your preschoolers will love Jesus and others more because of their time with us!

We desire to support parents in their role as the primary spiritual leaders of the home.

Where do my children go?

Our goal is to keep class sizes as equal as possible. So we assign children to classes based on their birthday, not their age.

For example, if we have a lot of three-year-olds, we may spread them out into two rooms based on what month they were born.

On Wednesday nights we combine several ages together for Adventure Club.

Please check the signs posted by each preschool room to find the right place for your child!

Our kindergarten classes are split up by year of birth, so make sure you check the door signs or with a teacher to place your child in the right one!

When do they graduate to the next class?

One of our core values is RELATIONSHIPS. We want your child to form healthy connections with peers and teachers. Therefore, your child will stay in the same room through the school year.

In March, we will open a classroom and form a new class for the older children moving down from the nursery.

What happens during class time?

This is not babysitting! The goal of the first service is to lead your child in a worship experience involving songs, puppets, playtime, Bible stories, snacks and crafts.

The second service is a Sunday school time where your preschooler will engage in activities that build relationships with their peers as they all learn God's Word together.

At the third service we combine all the preschool ages for another worship experience that rotates your child through Bible story time, playtime, and snack and craft time.

During our Wednesday night Adventure Club we use lots of activities that get little hands involved in the learning process!

Please note that these interactive activities prevent volunteers from having the time to change diapers. If needed, you will be contacted to change your child.

Kindergarten is an exception to the above schedule. They join the 1st graders during 1st and 3rd service for Sunday school and have their own worship time during 2nd service.
What steps do you take to keep my child safe?
We desire to provide a professional, safe and godly environment for every child.

All of our volunteers (identified by their photo ID card) have been attending our fellowship for at least six months. They have filled out applications and reference checks have been made. Statewide background checks based on fingerprints are done for every volunteer who has lived in Ohio for five years or more. Volunteers living in Ohio for less than five years have a national FBI background check run.

Our guidelines direct us to have two adults in every classroom, list rules about helping children in the bathroom and instruct how to report suspected abuse. These guidelines are available if you would like to read them.

What is this number card for?

As you check in your child each week, a number will be pinned to them and you will receive a card with your child's number.

If you need to be contacted, your child's number will be placed on the "parent notification board" behind the organ on the right side of the sanctuary; or we will go to your Sunday school class, if you are there.

NO CHILD WILL BE RELEASED TO ANYONE WITHOUT A MATCHING NUMBER CARD. Please remember to bring your card when you pick up your child! Otherwise you will be asked to go retrieve the card before picking up your child. Our volunteers are trained to be sticklers on this, so please be nice to them!

This is great! How do I register?

August is pre-registration, but you can register at anytime by filling out a registration sheet available in every classroom and at either children's ministry table.