(865) 482-2221 UCNurserySchool@gmail.com 85 Kentucky Avenue, Oak Ridge, TN
United Church Nursery School News
Welcome Back!
The Nursery School starts back on August 4th.
The first week of school is on a staggered schedule. Early drop off and afternoon classes start the week of August 11th.
United Church Nursery School : NEWSLETTER
UCNS August Newsletter 2025
THANKS FOR A GREAT BEGINNING
A BIG THANK YOU goes out to all the parents for your patience and understanding as we have begun this school year.
Thank you for helping your children learn the boundaries and safety rules. Please remember that licensing rules require children to always be accompanied by an adult when they are at school. If your child goes to the restroom to wash hands in the morning, please accompany him/her. When picking up your child from the playground, please make sure you come inside the gate to greet your child and sign him/her out. When returning to your car, please open the gate for your child and make sure you are holding your child’s hand while you are returning to your vehicle. Please do not allow your children to run through the parking lot. Please keep siblings with you at all times, rather than leaving them on the playground or in a vehicle while you drop off or pick up your child.
Due to a large number of children registered for the afternoon classes, this year we are asking parents to vacate the playground/bicycle area at 12:10 pm. This will allow for easier supervising of the children that are staying. Also, please remind your child and any siblings that they must follow the safety rules on our playground while other children are present, if they do not, they may not stay, and you will be asked to leave. We are preparing signs that will be posted near the equipment that says what the rules are.
If your child is going home with someone other than their usual pick-up person, please fill out a transportation permission slip (these are located by the tuition box) and give to you child’s teacher in the morning or send a message in Brightwheel. This helps us to know there will be a change in your child’s regular routine. Please also make sure this person is listed as someone who has permission to pick up your child in Brightwheel and has their code to check in/out, Thanks.
Please make sure your child has a complete change of clothes in their locker including underwear or diapers and socks. PLEASE LABEL YOUR CHILD’S JACKETS AND OTHER CLOTHING WITH THEIR NAME. Teachers have sharpies on hand to facilitate labeling.
Please check your child’s locker for papers and notes in the morning when you bring him/her to class.
Please send your child to school in sturdy, closed-toed shoes. Children are climbing, jumping, running, swinging, playing in the little woods and riding big wheels at school. They will be able to more safely participate in these activities if they have well-fitting, closed toe shoes. NO FLIP FLOPS PLEASE! Thanks for your help!!
ALEXANDER GUESTHOUSE AND PARKING LOT SAFETY
As you turn into the church parking lot off Kentucky Ave, remember we share the drive with Alexander Guesthouse. Their residents like to walk outside during the day. These are elderly individuals who may not always be aware of traffic. Please drive slowly up and down the hill to the nursery school. Please continue to drive slowly in the parking lot as our children are not aware of traffic and might dart around cars. Thanks for your help in keeping everyone safe.
In addition, we ask that you NOT park at the very end of the building in the spaces marked “Church Staff” as you come up the hill to the parking lot, these spaces are reserved for church staff only. Thanks!
PARENT INFORMATION BOARD
Our parent information board is located next to the office door and our parent information center is located right inside the front door. If there is any information you would like to see up there, please let me know. Please make sure you are reading the newsletters and messages in Brightwheel. This is how you can keep up with what is happening at school.
**NEW: We now have a prayer box located under the parent board. There are cards located nearby if you would like to write any prayer requests down and put them in the box. You are not required to do so and you do not have to include your name. Some members of the staff will be praying over the box every day.
EARLY DROP OFF
We have an early drop off program starting at 8:00 am. This program is like the Friday lunch in program as it is an extra service provided based on teacher availability. Because it is an extra service, we ask that the money be paid on a weekly basis and be paid in cash since the money goes directly to the teachers. If you must write a check, please make it out to Shona Ellis so that she can cash it and give the money to the teachers. A reservation is needed and the cost is $5 per child, per day regardless of attendance. If you are interested in participating, please see Shona or Patricia.
AFTERNOON CLASSES BEGIN
Afternoon classes for children aged 3 years old and up began August 11th. If your child is signed up for the afternoons, please send them to school with a healthy sack lunch and drink for them to enjoy on the days they will be staying for the afternoon. Insulated lunch kits with an ice pack are preferred as we cannot store lunches in our refrigerator. Due to allergies present in the school, we cannot allow nuts or nut butters (this includes anything that contains nuts) in the lunches. Also, grapes, olives, hot dogs, cheese strings, baby carrots etc, need to be cut lengthwise due to them being a choking hazard. Please note, we are unable to heat up lunches. If you would like to sign your child up for the afternoons with a standing reservation or would like them to drop in for an afternoon, please talk with Shona as our afternoons are full. Thanks
KIDS’ LUNCH IN
Kids’ Lunch In is an optional service provided by the nursery school teachers on Fridays and is not part of the regular tuition of the Nursery School program. It is separate from the afternoon classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Lunch In will be held on Fridays from 12:00 pm until 1:30 or 2:55, except for the days the Christmas and Spring Sings are held. The fee is $10.00 (1:30 pick up) or $20.00 (2:55 pick up) and is payable regardless of attendance with a standing reservation. Please pay in cash and place the money in a small envelope (some are provided), write your name on it to ensure credit for the payment, and put it in the white basket (labeled with the appropriate pick-up time) on the shelf beside the tuition box. This money is not part of the tuition, as it goes directly to the teachers. Children bring a sack lunch and a drink. Remember to sign out with the teacher when you pick up your child from Lunch In. Please check with Shona or Patricia if you would like your child to attend.
TUITION PAYMENTS
As a reminder, tuition is due on the 1st of each month. If that falls on a weekend or a holiday, just pay when nursery school resumes. Please try to pay tuition by the 10th of the month. If your circumstance necessitates payment later in the month, please let Shona know. If the tuition is not paid by the 20th of the month without communication with the director, a $25 late fee will be added to the total due. If the outstanding tuition is not paid by the last day of the month without communication with the director, the child may NOT return until tuition is paid and up to date which could include next month’s tuition. Tuition rates are posted next to the tuition box outside Ms. Shona’s office and on our website at ucnschool.org.
KROGER/FOOD CITY REWARDS PROGRAM
If you shop at Kroger or Food City and would like to help out the nursery school, please link your Kroger or Food City rewards card to the school through the Community Rewards Program. Go to Kroger.com, create an account if you don’t already have one, and then go to the Community Rewards Program and link your card to United Church Nursery School. For Food City, go to Foodcity.com, create an account if you do not have one and then go to My School Bucks and link your card to United Church Nursery School. Thanks!