Sunday Hours of Operation: 8:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.-6:15 p.m.
Our mission is to plant the seeds of the Gospel with our youngest parishioners in ways that are both fun and true to the Gospel.
The church nursery provides a child’s earliest contact with the family of God outside the home, establishing perceptions of God’s house and God’s people that will last a lifetime. It is a place where parents and children feel God’s comfort and safety through the ministry of a loving staff.
Our staff is carefully chosen through a four-step interview process which includes a DHR background check. Each staff member must complete 4 hours of training through the Diocese of Alabama in addition to annual in-service training, conducted by experts in the field of early childhood development and education.
Link to nursery registration form
POLICIES & PROCEDURES
If you are attending the 9:00 service, please arrive no earlier than 8:45 and return promptly at 10:50 to pick up your child. Please try to avoid picking up your child before 10:50, as this can confuse the other children. If you are attending the 11:00 service, please pick up your child immediately following the service. Childcare provisions from 11:00-12:00 are only for children under the age of five.
Check with your nursery director for guidelines on leaving your child. We encourage parents to make a quick departure and remain away from the class until it is time to pick up your child. ALWAYS SIGN IN YOUR CHILD BEFORE LEAVING THE NURSERY, PLEASE.
A nursery paging system is available in the infant and toddler rooms. When a child is signed into one of these rooms, the parent will be given a numbered, vibrating pager to carry with them to church and class. Please, always return the beepers to us!
ALL BAGS, BOTTLES, SIPPY CUPS AND SPECIAL TOYS MUST BE CLEARLY LABELED. The Toddlers and Two-Year-Old Classes will be served a juice and cookie snack. IF your child has special dietary needs, please inform your director. Infants are not provided with snacks, so please bring any food or drink with your child in clearly marked containers.
Your infant must be at least six weeks old before attending the infant nursery.
SAFETY & HEALTH
In each of our classrooms, we meet or exceed the guidelines set by the National Association for Educating Young Children (NAEYC) for teacher/ child ratios for fulltime childcare centers, which are:
Birth to 15 months – 1:3
12 to 28 months – 1:3, 1:4
21 to 36 months – 1:4
Requiring that parents sign their children in and out of the nursery keeps our children safe while our beeper system lets parents have a peaceful worship experience, knowing they can easily be contacted should there be a need.
Our nursery staff works to prevent the spread of infection by wearing gloves and washing their hands after all diaper changes and by cleaning the toys and furniture each week with a Clorox solution. Parents also hold a large part of the responsibility for keeping our nursery free of infection.
Please DO NOT bring your child to the nursery with any of the following symptoms:
- Runny nose
- Any fever in the last 24 hours
- Any discharge from eyes or ears
- Rash associated with viral or bacterial infection
- Sneezing or coughing
- Cold or sore throat
- Contagious illness (chickenpox, etc.)
- Vomiting in the past 24 hours
- Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
If your child begins to exhibit any of these symptoms while in the nursery, you will be paged to pick up your child. If you cannot be reached by pager, someone will be sent to find you.
CLICK HERE FOR NURSERY CURRICULUM AND PROGRAMS PAGE.
WAYS YOU CAN HELP
We are so fortunate to be able to provide a fully staffed nursery most of the time. However, there are a few times during the year that we are short handed and need your help. Please look for flyers requesting help or a phone call from a volunteer coordinator during these times, and be willing to pitch in.
CONTACT INFORMATION
With questions or concerns regarding our nursery ministry, please contact Leslie Housman, Nursery Coordinator, at 443-8552 or leslie.housman@gmail.com.
