Welcome to the New Parents Page and welcome again to Racine Christian School.  We are so glad you’re here.  We know as the parents of new students you will have many questions that you will need answered.  Please remember you have a Mentor who considers it a privilege to be there for you and to answer any questions you may have.  Feel free to give them a call.  They are looking forward to helping you.  Don’t forget to check out your Parent Handbook, which is full of information as well.  For those of you looking for answers on your own here is a list of our most frequently asked questions that we needed answers for ourselves when our children started their first year here.

1. What is Open House and what do we do that night?
   1. Open House is a special night to help get you acquainted with our school, your child’s teacher(s) and their classroom, it’s a place to meet other parents, to sign up and prepay for hot lunches and milk, to learn about the different fundraisers that will be coming up during the school year, and to begin to sign up for different Star Hour opportunities.  Plan to come with your checkbook and bring your calendar along in case you decide to sign up to help in support of our school.
2. What are Star Hours and how do I earn them?
   1. The Star (Shared Time and Resources) Program is designed to encourage family participation in an effort to equalize the volunteer work load which helps to reduce our operating expenses and contributes to a better overall educational environment for our children.  Every family is required to volunteer a minimum of 20 hours of their time over the course of each school year, or you may choose to pay an additional $200 fee.  If that feels a little overwhelming, it’s not.  Actually earning Star Hours can be a lot of fun, and it’s easy too.  You may choose to:  help in your children’s classroom during special events; drive on field trips; serve on a committee; help in facility maintenance work; help with Market Day; help organize and/or work on an annual fundraiser; help with our Friday hot lunch program; and there are many, many more activities that you may choose from.  Each hour worked will earn you one Star Hour.  Our Open House is a great place to start getting acquainted with your options.
      
      Our Apple Pie Sale is one fundraiser your family will be asked to participate in (and a great opportunity to rack up Star Hours!).  It is usually the second or third weekend in October, Friday night and all day Saturday, so please keep that open.  This is a fundraiser with huge potential for our school, but it takes all of us to make it a success.  Plan to join us for a really fun time!  Men, no pie making skills are required so we need you too!  (Younger children are not permitted in the school that weekend).  Watch for details early in the school year.
3. What is the difference between volunteering for Lunch Room Supervision and working Hot Lunch?
   1. When you volunteer to help in Hot Lunch you will be assisting in the serving and clean up of hot lunch, or you may choose to contribute food items for the program.  This is usually only on Fridays and you will be needed from about 11 a.m. until about 1:30 p.m.  You will be signing up to work for a specific month.  This is a lot of fun!
   2. When you volunteer for Lunch Room Supervision (Monday through Friday) you will be asked to make sure the lunch tables are clean, and then to monitor the lunch room during the 2 lunch periods (for example you may be helping the younger children open their milk containers or a thermos or two, and you will be asked to help keep the noise levels to a minimum!).  From about 11:45 a.m. – 1 p.m. and you may sign up by the day, the week, the month, or the entire school year!
4. What is TRIP?  What are the advantages of participating in this program?  How do we get started?
   1. The T.R.I.P. Program (Tuition Reduction Incentive Program) is actually a program that gives a financial gift to your family!  You, along with your relatives, and friends can purchase gift cards that can be used as cash at a large variety of area stores/restaurants/gas stations/theaters/dry cleaners/and many other businesses.  A percentage of the value of each card is returned to you as a tuition credit.  (For example every time you purchase a $100 Speedway card you’ll receive $4 directly off your tuition!) The more you use the program, the more you save!!  You can sign up for this program by picking up a form in the office.
5. What is Market Day?
   1. Market Day is a monthly food-purchasing program that contributes 10% of the total receipts directly to our school.  If you choose to use this program simply fill out the order form (attached to the Paw Prints) and turn it in to the office, or you may choose to order on-line (you will find the directions to do so on the order form itself). The 4th Tuesday of each month is pick-up day.  You may pick up your order at the end of that school day in the gym. Bring an extra quarter along for some delicious freshly baked chocolate chip cookies!
6. What is the Paw Prints?
   1. The Paw Prints (named for the school's Bobcat mascot) is your primary source of information regarding school news, lunches, and activities. This bulletin is published each Monday and sent home with your youngest child. It is very important that you read this letter in detail. It will keep you in touch!
7. Can my child buy lunches at school? How about Milk?
   1. Kindergarten students do not eat lunch at school as they are dismissed at noon, unless they are also enrolled in the afternoon enrichment program. Students should bring their own lunches from home. Our hot lunch program is currently offered on most Fridays only (check your Paw Prints weekly for the menu) at a cost of $1.50, with extra main entrees available for an additional $.75. You may choose to prepay for the entire school year, which you can do at the school's Open House. The meals come complete (including dessert) but without a drink.
      
      Racine Christian participates in the federal government's milk program, which pays approximately ½ of the cost of the milk. Milk may be purchased for the year, currently at a cost of $25.00, at the Open House as well. White or chocolate-flavored are offered at the same price, or you may choose to send a drink along with your child instead of buying milk.
      
      Students may go home for lunch if they live close enough.  Please don’t make a habit of bringing in Fast Food for your child, it can be hard on the other kids who are stuck with yet another PB&J!!!! Instead, if you wish to treat your child please sign them out of school and take them out to eat, but don’t forget to sign them back in again!
8. What is the Guild and when are Guild Meetings?
   1. The school Guild is made up of RCS parents who are interested in being a part of the decision making process concerning our school. The Guild normally meets at 7 p.m. in the library, on the second Tuesday of each month during the school year. The meetings usually last only about an hour and you'll even earn Star Hours when you attend! Please plan to join us.
9. Where do I drop off and pick up my child?
   1. You may park in the school parking lot and walk your child in to school or you may drop them off in designated areas only. Watch the street signs closely.  You cannot stop or park directly in front of the school, or directly across the street, or you may be ticketed. Many of us learned that one the hard way! If your children need to cross the street they should do so at the corner only. Kindergarteners may be dropped off in the morning if you're both comfortable with that, but when you pick them up at the end of their day you will need to go into the school to pick them up directly at their classroom. All other students will be dismissed at the end of the day to meet you outside or to board their bus. 
10. How do I know if the school is closed because of bad weather?
    1. In the event of severe weather do not call the school. Instead, listen to WRJN 1400 AM or turn your television to any Milwaukee television station and watch for school closings on the bottom of the screen. If Racine Unified is closed, Racine Christian is closed. If Racine Unified has a late start, Racine Christian will be closed for the entire day.

We hope these questions and answers have helped you. We know you'll have other questions along the way, so please remember to call your Mentor. They'd love to hear from you!