We offer Sunday Morning Connect Groups at 8, 9:30, and 11 am for all ages. Childcare is available for babies through preschool age children for all Connect Group and Service times. Elementary age children will attend one Connect Group hour (8, 9:30, or 11 am), and then spend another hour attending worship with their families.

All babies through fours are in the Preschool Building and elementary children are in the Lighthouse Building.

Check in on Sunday mornings is completed on touch screens in the Kids Atrium. First time visitors will need to check in in with staff located at the Kids Atrium Welcome Desk to receive a room assignment. At check in, you will receive name tags for your child: one to place on your child’s shirt, another to give to the teacher, and one last one to present at pickup. All children must be dropped off and picked up by someone 18 or older. For safety of all children, parents must have a pickup sticker to pickup children.

Welcome to our Preschool Ministry! We hope to be a blessing to you by providing the finest Bible-based care possible. Children from the earliest ages can learn basic truths about God’s love. Even simple concepts like “Jesus loves me” and “God made the world” provide a strong foundation for every child. Our teachers and caregivers love Preschoolers and strive to provide the best care, while demonstrating Christ’s love each week through our many ministries.

Our policies ensure that your children are safe, loved and able to learn about the love of Jesus while in our care. We depend on you to help us maintain this standard of excellence. If we can be of assistance, please call us anytime at 903-525-3236.

HOW OUR MINISTRY WORKS

Sunday Morning Promotion

• Babies through Toddlers are promoted within the preschool year as they mature and develop in their abilities.

• When Preschoolers are ready to promote, an email informing parents of their new placement will be sent out.

• Two-year-olds (by September 1) promote annually.

Check-In / Security

• A computerized check-in system is provided for all children Birth – 5th grade.

• Upon check-in, parents of Preschoolers will receive 4 labels: one for the Preschooler, one for the teacher, one for the parent to use to pick up the child, and one for the child’s bag.

• Labels are crosschecked before the child is released.

Special Needs

• For Special Needs, please contact the Kids Ministry Office so we can ensure proper provisions for your child’s needs.

HEALTH POLICIES

For the safety and health of all children, pediatricians recommend that children remain at home if in the last 24 hours children have shown any of the following symptoms: fever, diarrhea, vomiting, persistent cough or runny nose.

Allergy Policy / Snacks

Many children suffer with childhood allergies. We are a nut-free environment.

All snacks are provided by GABC. Snacks from outside environments are not permitted. One exception: Children with allergies may provide their own snack.

A list of potential snack options includes Puffs, Cheerios, and Goldfish. Special snacks will be posted at classroom doors.

Please inform the Children’s Ministry office of your child’s allergies. Allergy notes may be included on your child’s name tag each week.

HELPFUL HINTS

Diaper Bag

• Please be sure to send all necessary supplies in your bag: diapers, wipes, bottles, sippy cups and an extra change of clothes.​

Labeling

• Labeling ensures that your child’s items are returned and kept for their use only.

Feeding

• Due to the number of children in our care, we are only able to bottle feed.

• Please only pack plastic bottles with pre-measured formula and water.

• All other Preschoolers will be fed a snack served with water. See our Health Policies section above for more information on this.​

Nursing Room

• A nursing room is available in the Preschool Building for nursing moms and their infants.

Green Acres Kids is excited about our ministry to families with special needs children. We offer a connect group at 8, 9:30 and 11:00 to minister to these amazing kids. Our small group is staffed with adults experienced in working with children with special needs, and includes a weekly Bible lesson, music and suitable manipulatives.

For more information or to register your child for this class, please contact our Special Needs Director, Randi Chacon, at randic@gabc.org or come by our Welcome Desk located in the Atrium. LEARN MORE

We are using an app called brightwheel as an easy way for parents to communicate with teachers and to get daily updates while little ones are in class! If you do not have a brightwheel account, you will need to create an account after you click the appropriate registration link in order to sign up for MDO.​​

Once you submit the registration, we will approve it and then invoice you.

The Green Acres Baptist Church Early Education Center does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, nationality or ethnic origin. However, we reserve the right to prioritize applicants according to the following:

• Siblings enrolled in the EEC
• GABC members
• Date waiting list is received
• No waiting list will be taken over the telephone
• Birthdate
• Space availability​

All enrollment is created from the waiting list. Names are placed on the waiting list in this order: siblings of currently enrolled children, Green Acres Baptist Church members, and the general public.

There is a $20 application fee to be placed on the waiting list.

​Pre-registration for the summer session is in March; pre-registration for fall is in April. After registering current attendees, names are called from the waiting list to finish enrollment. A registration fee of $75 is required at this time to hold your spot.

​Our classes are open to any child regardless of race or religious beliefs. The curriculum is appropriately designed to the age groups and stage of development of each child. Since children learn best through hands-on activities, lessons are built around play and experiential learning. We believe a child absorbs his concept of God from people, things and experiences that are a part of his or her environment. Curriculum is designed to help the child develop in all facets of his or her life: physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and spiritually.

​The purpose of the Center is to extend the ministry of and help accomplish the purposes of Green Acres Baptist Church by providing care, education, and development for each child enrolled. Our goal is to have a program that allows children to grow and develop as Jesus did–”in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” (Luke 2:52)

Curriculum is planned to enable each child to:

• Grow in trust, independence, and initiative
• Feel good about himself
• Experience God’s love for him through loving relationships with other children and adults
• Enjoy happy times at church and school
• Explore the world around him
• Develop small muscles through art, puzzles, blocks, and home living activities
• Exercise large muscles through movement activities indoors and outdoors
• Enjoy creative expression through music, art, and other play activities
• Think and make choices for individual and small group activities

INFANTS

In our infant area we focus on giving each child special attention daily. Teachers take care of the children’s physical needs in a loving, caring way. In addition, a range of activities are provided which are designed to meet the needs of infants at their level of development along the growth continuum. Knowing that the learning process begins very early through sensory experiences, special times are planned involving all of our senses. Each month we have different activities centered around such topics as animals, families, the natural world, and foods. The WEE Learn Curriculum Guide for Infants and Toddlers is the basis for our planning. We use Bible thoughts, songs, and stories about Jesus and the Bible in daily interactions with each child.

​TODDLERS

In our toddler area our teachers plan experiences to involve the children in active play and learning. While caring for the toddlers’ physical needs, the teachers are interacting with the children and guiding them in their play. Our basis for planning is the WEE Learn Curriculum Guide for Infants and Toddlers. The guide is developed around themes which provide opportunities for the children to learn about the world around them. Some of our themes involve family friends, animals, self, and good foods. We also share many Bible thoughts and stories about Jesus and the Bible. Through songs, stories, art, and other play-oriented centers, our toddlers have many stimulating and fun experiences.

​TWO-YEAR-OLDS

Our two-year-old program is designed to encourage the children to interact with the teacher, other children, and the materials provided. A large part of the focus in the room is providing activities for play centers, such as art, blocks, books, dramatic play, and manipulatives. Young children learn through their play, so our teachers plan with this fact in mind. We offer activities weekly about topics that are relevant to the children’s lives (as animals, family, friends, the natural world, foods, and holidays). Books, songs, fingerplays, and other resources are used to extend learning for the children. We also use Bible thoughts and Bible stories daily. Our planning is based on the WEE Learn Curriculum Guide for Two-Year-Olds.​

THREE-YEAR-OLDS

Our three-year-olds are quickly developing in all areas—mentally, socially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually. We address all areas to help each child grow as a whole child. Learning centers are an important part of the daily experience. Our teachers plan special, hands-on activities for art, blocks, dramatic play, books, music, nature, and manipulatives. During group times the children are exposed to books, songs, fingerplays, games, and others resources which are centered around the theme topic for the week. Some field trips are planned throughout the year to enrich the learning process. Our core guide is the WEE Learn Curriculum Guide for Three-Year-Olds. We also integrate Bible thoughts, Bible stories and songs, and conversations about Jesus and God into our daily activities.

PRE-K

In our pre-K program we plan a curriculum designed to guide the children in discovering that learning can be fun. Activities are offered to increase the children’s abilities in solving problems, improving language skills, and developing math and science concepts which are important steps in future learning. Learning centers (as art, blocks, dramatic play, manipulatives, nature, sand and water play, writing, and listening) are set up with activities to enhance learning while playing. Our teachers plan using a weekly or two-week theme topic, and centers and group time offer resources to help the children learn more about their world and how to live in it.

Included in our curriculum are several field trips during the year to enhance learning. We use the WEE Learn Curriculum Guide for Pre-K and Mathematics Their Way as the two primary resources for planning. The math book is a hands-on, manipulative approach to teaching basic math concepts to young children. Our teachers use daily Bible thoughts, Bible stories and songs, and conversations to develop spiritual understanding with the children. Once a week our children participate in a chapel time led by our staff.

SCHOOL AGE

During the school year, we provide pick-up and transportation to our center from Andy Woods, Rice in Tyler and Stanton Smith, Cain and Brown in Whitehouse Elementary Schools for kindergarten through fifth grade children. When they arrive, the children have snack, planned activities with a daily Bible story, and finish the day on the playground.

A summer full-time, school-age program is offered to children who have completed kindergarten through fourth grade. Our curriculum is designed to keep the children happy and active. Several weekly field trips are planned including swimming, bowling, skating, and other special events.

Each child is a priority with his/her parents; therefore, childcare tuition should be a priority in each family’s budget. All tuition is due in advance. Green Acres Baptist Church Early Education Center is dedicated to careful fiscal responsibility and good stewardship in our operation. Your child’s tuition will be charged at the rate for his/her age group on September 1st, and will remain at that rate for one year.

You pay for your spot, not your days of attendance. There is a registration/supply fee charged three times per year (Fall, Spring and Summer.)

All school-age children enrolled at the EEC will have the opportunity to sign-up for full-day care when on school holiday. This is billed at the rate of $15.50/day in addition to their weekly tuition.

FULL TIME PROGRAM
Prices effective 05/29/2023
Tuition billed weekly
Lunch may be purchased for $30 per month

• Infants $202.50/week
• Toddlers $190/week
• Twos $185/week
• Threes $180/week
• PreK $180/week
• School Age $80/week

(Lunch for school age children may be purchased for $40 per month during the summer.)

Marla Carlile | Director
Jessica Thompson | Assistant Director
Wendy Persinger | Curriculum Coordinator
Brenda Moser | Resource Coordinator
Sharon Terhune | Bookkeeper/Media

Contact Us at 903-525-1104