Yes, we do offer VPK. Your child must be 4 years old on or before September 1st in order to participate.

You will need to visit the Early Learning Coalition office at 2886 Tamiami Trail, Port Charlotte to get a certificate. You can call to schedule an appointment at 941-255-1650. This will allow your child to attend Lutheran Child Development Center during the VPK hours free of charge.

If your child needs to stay for additional hours, then you would need to pay the “wrap around” fee for additional hours. Please call the office for current fees.

Children enrolling in Lutheran Child Development Center must be 3 years old. Children may remain until they go to kindergarten.

To enroll in the VPK program, they must be 4 years old by September 1 of the enrolling year.

Please call LCDC office at 941-627-5821 for current rates.

Tuition is always paid in advance. Payments for the upcoming week are due on Friday. If tuition is not paid on Friday, then a late fee of $30 will be added to your account. Tuition can be paid by check, cash or money order.

Lutheran Child Development Center opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 5:30 p.m.

No, we accept children from all religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds.

There is a $1 per minute late fee for every minute past 5:30 PM. This must be paid on the date that your next tuition payment is due (Friday). Please make checks payable to Lutheran Church of the Cross or LCC. If you know you are running late, please call the LCDC office at 941-627-5821, to let us know. It is always best to make arrangements with a friend or relative to pick up your child if you know you are running late.

We understand that children frequently have colds, and will come to school with runny noses. Children who have a fever of 100 or higher are not allowed to attend and should be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to Lutheran Child Development Center.

Children who have any communicable disease or illness such as strep throat, chicken pox, measles, head lice, or who have been vomiting or experiencing diarrhea should not attend. We appreciate your keeping your sick child home so that the other children and the staff members do not become ill. Children should be symptom-free for 24 hours before returning to school.

If your child becomes ill or seriously injured while at school, we will call you immediately. Please have someone who is available to pick up your child within 1 hour of a call. Your child will be put in an area away from other children until he/she is picked up to prevent the spread of illness or allow them to rest.

During the summer months (May-September) they will need to have a swim suit and some water shoes and a small towel. Sheets and blankets for the cots are provided, but they will be sent home on Friday to be laundered. Please bring your child’s cot sheet and blanket back on Monday.

All doors are locked to entrance from the outside with the exception of the gated entrance. Only parents and school/church employees have fobs, which allow them to enter the gated entrance. All others must call to be allowed entrance. Additionally, we have close-circuit monitoring of the classrooms, playground, and entrance.

If an emergency should occur, Lutheran Child Development Center has an emergency plan in place and will follow that procedure. You may have a copy of this emergency plan, upon request.

First, make an appointment to tour our facility. You may call us at 941-627-5821 or email director@lccross.org. We encourage you to bring your child with you for the tour. At the time of your tour, you will receive a registration packet which contains all the necessary paper work (These materials are also available on the website and may be downloaded and filled out in advance of your visit.) Also, you will need to provide your child’s birth certificate, a copy of parent ID’s or driver’s licenses, and a recent physical and immunization records for your child. All completed forms need to be submitted prior to enrollment. You will also need to pay your first week’s tuition in advance.

If your child is enrolling in VPK or you are participating in the School Readiness program, you will need to obtain the certificate from the Early Learning Coalition prior to enrollment. (See previous FAQ)

Miss Karla, our director, has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood education and has many years of experience in teaching preschool and directing an early childhood center. Our other staff members meet the criteria set up by the state of Florida to qualify them to teach or assist in a childcare classroom.

We are not currently accredited. Accreditation is a 3-5 year process. Because this is the first year of our facility, we have not been open long enough to undergo that process. However, we are licensed by the Department of Children and Families of the State of Florida and we are also approved by the Association of Christian Schools International.

Yes, children may come for full days or part days. Schedules can be worked out depending on the individual family’s needs. However the academic portion of the day takes place during the morning hours. The Department of Children and Families requires that all children in our care have a 2-hour rest period in the afternoon.

If your child is present during meal times, we will furnish lunch and an afternoon snack. Menus are planned according to the Federal Food Guidelines to assure proper nutrition for the children. In the case of severe allergies, you may need to supply food for your child.

We do not take the children off-campus for field trips. However, we will have periodic guests for on-site programs.

If a child uses materials inappropriately, is not following classroom rules, or is having a conflict with another child, the following steps are taken: First, the child would be talked to quietly to explain the problem. If it is a conflict between children, they will be encouraged to talk to each other and explain their wants and needs, hopefully resolving their conflict. If needed the teacher may intervene. If a child is misusing materials and is unwilling to use them correctly, the child may be directed to play in a different area until he/she can use the materials appropriately. If classroom rules are being broken, thereby endangering the child or other children, the rules would be explained to the child again, and we would work to help the child understand why following rules is important.

If a child continues to act inappropriately towards other children, to misuse classroom equipment, or to disobey classroom rules, the parent will be notified. Should this become a persistent problem without improvement, the child may be discharged from Lutheran Child Development Center.