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~~GrowZone~~

WBC's ministry for infants, toddlers and preschoolers.

Our GrowZone Mission:

We are committed to creating and maintaining a safe place for children to grow in Jesus Christ and to understand and experience His love.

Children will learn how much God loves them through the teaching of Bible stories and development of safe, nurturing relationships by our regular, committed volunteers.

Preschool & Kindergarten

Fun-filled classrooms await your child in the GrowZone!  

• A typical hour in the GrowZone will include a Bible story, activity or craft related to the lesson, free play and a snack.  Preschoolers will delight in learning God's word and sharing what they've learned with their families.
• About the Bible story...Our curriculum has been prayerfully chosen from a publisher called Children Desiring God.  They explain the intent of their curriculum as follows:  Our aim is to impart to children a vision of God, who He is, and who we are in relation to Him, and to establish them with a foundation of doctrine and truth.  We want them biblically grounded, seeing God as the hero of every story, with a God-centered world view and a faith that will hold them when the days of testing come.  We want them to love the Lord their God with all their heart, and to delight in Him forever.

Safety is a priority at WBC!

·         Parents are required to check in their child at a computer station located at the Family Life entrance or the base of the stairs on the Family Life floor. After checking in, children can then be dropped off at their classrooms.  At the conclusion of the service, stop at a computer station and check your child out and get your Parent Receipt sticker marked.  After checking out, parents can then go pick up their children at the classroom.   This system ensures that every child is released to the adult which dropped him/her off.

Feel free to contact our Preschool & Kindergarten Coordinator:   This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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Frequently Asked Questions

• How sick is too sick? For the protection of all children, we cannot accept a child with the following symptoms:  green runny nose, fever, rash, persistent cough, diarrhea, vomiting or other signs of illness.  We thank you in advance for not bringing your sick child into our nursery or preschool classrooms.

• What do I do if my child has allergies?  We ask that you notify your child's childcare worker upon each visit.  Volunteers will make note of your child's allergy and put a special "Allergy" tag on your child if it is a food allergy.  In this case, please talk with the volunteer about the snacks provided and determine if you need to bring a special snack for your child.  The children's ministry department at Wasilla Bible Church is a "No Nut Zone" where peanuts and peanut butter will never be offered to any child.

• My child often cries when I drop him/her off.  What should I do?  Children cry to communicate with us.  Most often at church, they are telling us that this routine is unfamiliar to them and they feel uncomfortable.  To help your child feel more comfortable, the best practice is to develop a regular, consistent, predictable routine.  Attend church and leave your child in the nursery or preschool class on a regular basis.  Each time, assure your child that you love them and will come back to get them soon, as you hand them to a volunteer.  Then, leave the room!  If you feel you need to come back and check on your child at a later time, please try to stay out of their line of sight.  Rest assured, that if your child does not settle down after you leave, we will contact you.  Each child and parent in the GrowZone is issued a security tag each time they are signed into the nursery.  A numeric paging system is in place in the sanctuary allowing parents to be contacted during services if necessary.

• Can my child move up to the 2 year old class if s/he isn't potty trained yet?  Yes!  We welcome all children in our preschool classrooms....potty trained or not!  We do, however, encourage you to bring your "child in training" to the bathroom before dropping him/her off at class.  A volunteer will take your child to the bathroom if s/he indicates they need to use the facilities.  Due to time constraints, we do not have scheduled bathroom breaks.

• Should I move my preschool child to the next classroom up when he/she has a birthday?  No. Your child will be assigned to the classroom appropriate to the age they are by September 15^th of the current school year or ministry year.  We also would like to encourage you to KEEP your child in the class he/she began in for the entire ministry year, even if they celebrate their birthday sometime during the winter or spring.  For example, if your child turns 4 in February, he/she would still REMAIN in the same class until the following September when the new ministry year begins.

• Why can't I move my child as they grow older?  It is our commitment that the volunteers in the GrowZone get the opportunity to know your child and develop a unique relationship with him/her.  This is difficult to achieve if the children in their care are constantly changing throughout the year.   In addition, our preschoolers as they mature through our program are working through a carefully planned Bible curriculum that they will not derive the full benefit from if they are pulled up to the next class in the middle of the year.  Preschoolers do best in familiar surroundings and feel safe when they see familiar faces each week at Sunday School.  At Wasilla Bible Church we strive for this in two ways.  First, we ask GrowZone teachers to commit to teaching for a full ministry year (September - May).  Second, we ask you to leave your child in the same class for the entire ministry year.

• Are there "exceptions" to this practice?  Yes.  The procedure is different in the Dandy Dolphins & Bouncy Bees rooms.  Babies leave the Dandy Dolphins room when they are able to walk and toddlers leave the Bouncy Bees room when they are able to walk more confidently.  We realize that every preschooler is unique as well.  Sometimes the developmental differences between children can be quite significant.  If you have questions or concerns about the best placement for your child, contact our preschool coordinator ~ Kristy Hales.