Dear Grow to Know Families,
I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving. It was good to see all of our 2s through Pre-K families at the Thanksgiving Feast. It is fun to see all of our families enjoying time with their children and each other.
Inclement Weather and Emergency Closings
Who would have guessed that we would have already had our first snow? I am including our Inclement weather policy from the GTK handbook. Our goal is to open our doors and care for your children as often as possible, while ensuring their safety and the safety of our staff.
- If Springfield Public Schools are closed due to inclement weather, GTK will also be closed.
- However, if Springfield Public Schools continue to close for multiple days, we will assess the road and driving conditions. If we can ensure that enough staff can safely make it into work and the parking lot and sidewalks are safe enough for families and staff, we will open.
- After the initial closing, due to inclement weather, the GTK Director will post updated plans for opening the preschool on ClassDojo by 8:00 pm. The goal is to have the decision made as soon as possible.
- Our goal is to always open for the entire day. Situations may arise when we need to close early due to impending dangerous weather conditions.
- Closings will be announced on local news stations and posted in the ClassDojo app
Christmas Program
December is a busy month with many events. Today, the 2s through Pre-K started practicing in the sanctuary to prepare for the Christmas Program next week on Tuesday, December 9th at 6:00 pm. Students will practice in the sanctuary every morning until the program. The day of the program, all children will need to be picked up by 5:30 pm, as usual. We will reopen the preschool doors at 5:45 pm for parents to drop off students in the classrooms before the program. That evening of the program, the doors to the Sanctuary will open at 5:15. Parents and families may go in and save their seats then one parent can come and drop students off in their classrooms at 5:45. The program will start promptly at 6:00 pm. There will be cookies after the program outside the GTK entrance.
Price Increase
To maintain the quality of care your children are currently receiving, there will be a $10.00 increase to the current weekly charges. This change will start the week of January 5th. The increase is intended to help alleviate the cost-of-living and minimum wage increases in January. (New changes are listed below.)
In January, the minimum wage will increase from $13.75 to $15.00 an hour. This is a big step for over half of our staff. We have been fortunate to maintain competitive wages for our staff in the preschool workforce and want to continue this practice. We have spent time conducting market research in Springfield to ensure that we remain competitive while charging below other facilities that compare to GTK. We hope that this rate increase at the beginning of the New Year will help us maintain the quality of care we have provided over the last 26 years, and that we will not have any other increases this year.
There are many ways that we work to help alleviate the cost of tuition. During this current year the kitchen manager changed our food service provider and maintains extremely accurate records to obtain reimbursement from the food program. We are blessed that the church views GTK as an outreach service to the community; therefore, GTK pays maintenance fees, but we do not pay rent.
I am coming to you with a request for the 2026 school year. By the end of 2025, GTK will pay over $40,000 in credit card fees. We would like to reduce this fee. We are asking that, if you are using a credit or debit card to pay your child’s tuition, you switch to an ACH withdrawal from your checking account. If this is something that you would be willing to do, please stop by the office, and we will get you the papers. Every little bit helps. Please let me know if you have any questions.
2026 Tuition Fees
Infants and Toddlers: $300.00 per week
2’s through Pre-K: $250.00 per week
Part-Time:
- MWF $190.00
- T/TH $150.00
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and the hope, love, and salvation He brings. As we enter this holiday season, we pray for peace to rule in our hearts. Help us to focus on the miracle of Your son’s birth and the light He brings to every dark place, not the busyness or material things. Grant us grace to share this love with others and to have meaningful connections with family and friends. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Blessings,
Sherri Potts
Director of Grow to Know
their classrooms at 5:45. The program will start promptly at 6:00 pm. There will be cookies after
the program outside the GTK entrance.
Price Increase
To maintain the quality of care your children are currently receiving, there will be a $10.00
increase to the current weekly charges. This change will start the week of January 5th. The
increase is intended to help alleviate the cost-of-living and minimum wage increases in January.
(New changes are listed below.)
In January, the minimum wage will increase from $13.75 to $15.00 an hour. This is a big step for
over half of our staff. We have been fortunate to maintain competitive wages for our staff in the
preschool workforce and want to continue this practice. We have spent time conducting market
research in Springfield to ensure that we remain competitive while charging below other facilities
that compare to GTK. We hope that this rate increase at the beginning of the New Year will help
us maintain the quality of care we have provided over the last 26 years, and that we will not
have any other increases this year.
There are many ways that we work to help alleviate the cost of tuition. During this current year
the kitchen manager changed our food service provider and maintains extremely accurate
records to obtain reimbursement from the food program. We are blessed that the church views
GTK as an outreach service to the community; therefore, GTK pays maintenance fees, but we
do not pay rent.
I am coming to you with a request for the 2026 school year. By the end of 2025, GTK will pay
over $40,000 in credit card fees. We would like to reduce this fee. We are asking that, if you are
using a credit or debit card to pay your child’s tuition, you switch to an ACH withdrawal from
your checking account. If this is something that you would be willing to do, please stop by the
office, and we will get you the papers. Every little bit helps.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
2026 Tuition Fees
Infants and Toddlers: $300.00 per week
2’s through Pre-K $250.00 per week
Part-TIme MWF $190.00
T/TH $150.00
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ, and the hope, love, and
salvation He brings. As we enter this holiday season, we pray for peace to rule in our hearts.
Help us to focus on the miracle of Your son’s birth and the light He brings to every dark place,
not the busyness or material things. Grant us grace to share this love with others and to have
meaningful connections with family and friends. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Blessings,
Sherri Potts
Director of Grow to Know