Policies

HOURS, ARRIVALS & DEPARTURES

The K/3, K/4 & Transitional Kindergarten classes begin at 8:30 am.  Students can begin arriving as early as 7:15 am, and must be settled into the classroom by 8:30 am.  Students who stay for half-day must be picked up at 12:30 pm and full-time students must be picked up by 5:45 pm.   The Parent/Caregiver must walk the child into the classroom upon arrival, and come in to get the child at dismissal.  If you encounter an emergency that may cause you or someone else to pick your child up late, please call and let us know.  If we don’t receive a call about you or someone else being late for pick-up, a $5 late fee for every five minutes will be added to the following week’s tuition.

Holidays

We observe the following holidays:

  • Labor Day

  • Thanksgiving Day & the day after

  • Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, & the day after Christmas, New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day

  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

  • Good Friday

  • Memorial Day

Inclement Weather Procedures

Please tune in to the television news if school is closed or will operate on a delay due to inclement weather.  Our school name will appear on the screen with the necessary information.  We also use a tool called “Remind” to communicate important information.

Tuition Payment & Referral Program

Payments are made weekly or monthly.  Weekly payments are due on Friday for the following week.  A $20 late fee will be added to that week’s tuition if payment is not received by 1:00 pm on Monday.  Full tuition is due even if your child misses a few days or an entire week.  Each family will receive one free week once your child has attended GP for 6 months.  Returned checks will result in a $35.00 processing fee.

We would love for you to refer families to GPA.  If you refer a family and they enroll their child, you will receive $50 off of 1 week’s tuition whenever you want to use it once the child has been enrolled for 3 months. 

Arrival/Dismissal

Please accompany your child in and out of the building.  We will release each child only to those who are indicated on your child’s pick-up list.  If you need to send someone who is not on the list to pick your child up, please call and let us know.   The person will be asked to show a driver’s license as a form of ID, as well as state the password indicated on the child’s student information sheet.

Lunches and Snack

Each student must bring a lunch with a drink daily.  Lunch boxes/bags should be clearly marked with the student’s name and must include any utensils needed.  We are a NUT FREE ZONE.  This means that no foods that contain peanuts can be brought into the building.  Any lunches that need to be heated must be in a microwavable container.  We will provide an afternoon snack.

Please be sure to send an extra pair of clothes in a gallon Ziploc bag for your child that will be kept in the building in case of an accident.  

 NO BOOKBAGS ALLOWED

 Dress Code

The children will wear our school uniform Monday-Thursday. On Fridays, they can wear whatever you choose for them to wear. The school uniform is a maroon polo shirt with khaki or navy bottoms. Bottoms should allow the child to be able to take care of his toilet needs. Shoes must be easy and safe to run outside in. No flip flops allowed. (maroon shirts are purchased at GP. Shirts bought elsewhere ART NOT permitted)

We will have “Show and Tell” every Friday. Your child is allowed to bring in one item to share with the class on Fridays only. No toys or other objects from home are allowed at school any other time unless a teacher has asked you to send in something for an activity.

Illnesses & Health Exclusion Guidelines

 The health and safety of all of our students at Gilmore Prep is important to us.  If your child is absent due to anything contagious, please let us know.  All students must have a “Certificate of Immunization DHEC Form 1148” or a “South Carolina Medical Exemption” signed by a doctor on file.

We follow the health exclusion guidelines as required by South Carolina Licensing.  The following are some of the most common exclusions.  In all cases, please contact your family physician.

  • Fever - children are sent home with fever of 100.4 degrees or higher & may return after 24 hours of being free from fever

  • Diarrhea - child may return after 24 hours of being free from diarrhea

  • Vomiting - child may return after 24 hours of no more vomiting

  • Pink eye - child may return 24 hours after treatment has started

  • Chickenpox - child may return after all blisters have dried into scabs usually 6 days after onset of rash

  • Ringworm - child may return 24 hours after treatment has started

  • Lice - child may return after treatment & when no live lice or eggs are evident

  • Impetigo - child may return after treatment with antibiotics for at least 24 hours

  • Strep Throat or Scarlett Fever - child may return 24 hours after treatment begins if fever free for 24 hours

  • Rosella - child may return after 24 hours of being fever free

If a child exhibits any of these symptoms while at school, a parent or emergency contact will be called to come and pick the child up.  Gilmore Prep cannot provide care of mildly ill children.

The staff at Gilmore Prep cannot give a child any medications (with the exception of inhalers and EpiPens). If your child has an inhaler or an epipen, a written, signed, and dated parental consent is required prior to the administration of it along with directions as to how to administer it.  If you’re giving your child allergy or cold medicine, please give it to them before school.  If more needs to be given during the day, you are welcome to come in and give it to them.

Discipline

 The staff at Gilmore Prep WILL NOT use corporal punishment when disciplining students.  If a child is exhibiting inappropriate behavior such as foul language and/or hitting, pushing, biting, etc. toward another child or a staff member, we will take the following action:

  1. Warn the student about the inappropriate behavior and remind him/her about the expectations.

  2. If the behavior does not change, the student will be removed from the current activity (still in view of a teacher) and won’t be invited back for at least 5 minutes.

  3. Repeat #2.

  4. If the behavior does not change, one of the student’s parents will be contacted. 

If a student exhibits behavior that is dangerous to other students and the staff, a parent will be called immediately and the student will have to leave the facility.

Field Trip/Transportation

The students at Gilmore Prep will be taken on at least 3 field trips each year.  Before a child can ride the bus to go on a field trip, parents must sign a consent form giving permission for the child(ren) to be transported on the bus.  The emergency contact information for each child will be on the bus in case of an emergency while we are out of the building.

Confidentiality of Student/Staff Records

Records for each student and staff member are always kept in a locked file cabinet.

Emergency Medical Plan

If a child or staff member needs emergency care and treatment, we will follow the plan below:

  1. Transport the child or staff member to Greer Memorial Hospital (1.4 miles from the school) if possible while 1 staff member goes with him/her.  If transporting is not possible, we will call an ambulance.

  2. We will contact parents or a family member if it is a staff member and inform them of the situation.

  3. If possible, we will provide CPR until the ambulance arrives.

  4. A staff member’s car will be used if transportation is needed.

  5. A staff member will go with the ill child or adult while all other staff remain at the building.

  6. A staff member will remain with the child at the hospital or emergency location until the parent arrives.

Evacuation Plan

In case of a fire, all students and staff will exit the building and go to the far left of the parking lot. In case of a natural disaster such as a hurricane of tornado, all students and staff will sit under tables until all is clear. Once it is safe, all parents will be contacted. 

Whenever the students are entering or exiting the premises, enters and exists a vehicle or moves to a new location in or around the center, they will be counted to ensure that we have the correct number of students.

All children and staff members will receive training concerning emergency evacuation procedures.  Fire drills will be held on a monthly basis, and drills for other disasters will be held every 6 months.   

Withdrawals

 If you decide to withdraw your child from Gilmore Prep, we require a two-week written notice.