St. Thomas More Early Learning Center is a childcare center built on the Christian values of the Catholic Church. We provide a safe, nurturing environment and believe that learning can begin at any age. Our staff recognizes that each child is unique and will reach developmental milestones at his/her own pace. Our goal is to provide quality care for the youngest members of our parish family and community.
At St. Thomas More, it’s our goal to educate your child or children from the earliest stages of development in the ELC program through the 8th Grade as they prepare for high school. We are a non-profit, Type I center that is regulated by the Louisiana Department of Education, Division of Licensing.
The STM ELC is located directly across the street from the preschool-8th Grade campus, so families can enjoy having their children in one place where Catholic community, values and environment are as strong and proud as ever. Parents, teachers and students can establish closer relationships and ultimately strengthen the bonds of friendship and faith from an early start.
As if there weren’t enough reasons to be excited about the STM ELC, the excitement grows literally from the ground up in our standout new facility. Our newly renovated building provides a state-of-the-art setting for your children to develop in education and faith formation at the earliest age.
While at our center, children will be working on social interaction with other children, fine and gross motor skills, and language skills. Children will explore shapes, colors, numbers and letters. Daily activities for every age group will be structured to meet those needs and will be based on the age of the children in each class.
Between eating and sleeping schedules, play space inside of the classroom will be available for free play and learning activities. When weather permits, teachers will bring children outside in strollers.
As children in the program get older, they will transition into a class schedule to be followed each day. This will be posted in the classroom for parents to see. It will include circle time/learning time, art and project times, free play inside the classroom and, weather permitting, outside play time.
STM ELC is available to children starting at 12 weeks of age. Once a child is offered admission, parents should respond to either a phone call or email, or the spot will be offered to the next child on the waiting list. Children not currently enrolled in the ELC may apply at any time but may be placed on a waiting list.
Children will be selected in the following sequence:
Children currently enrolled and re-enrolling for participation in the ELC will register in January for the next school year.
If you have been offered a spot in the center, you may choose to remain on the waiting list or pay the registration fee to guarantee your spot in the center.
Parents of children that have not yet been born will be placed on the waiting list until they are born and a spot becomes available, or the start of the new school year.
STM ELC has a non-discrimination policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, handicap, ancestry or whether a child is being breastfed.
We are a peanut and tree nut free facility. Any food brought into the center should be chosen with care. This includes all non-dairy milks. Please read all labels and avoid any products with the following warnings:
If your child has a food allergy or preference restriction, please plan to provide all snacks and lunch while the child is at the center. ELC will provide a morning and afternoon snack for children who eat table food. Parents should not send in any food or “breakfast” in the mornings. Parents of infants still on breast milk, cereal, or pureed foods will need to provide those items each day. Bottles should be prepared each day. Parents using formula should send bottles with portioned water already in them and proportioned formula. Parents using breast milk should send bottles with breast milk already measured. Please do not send frozen breast milk. Any food brought to the center cannot be heated in a microwave and should not come to the center frozen. If you choose to prepare your own baby food, the ingredients and date that it was made should be clearly indicated on the container. Milk and water is provided. Do not send thermoses or canned drinks.
If you have listed allergies or a medical condition (e.g., asthma) on your child’s registration or your child develops an allergy, you must provide a doctor’s note, a current Healthcare Action Plan, any required emergency medicine, and the required medication forms. If your child is no longer allergic to an allergen or the medical condition is no longer a concern, written documentation from the child’s doctor is required.
In the interest of your child’s health and the health of the other children enrolled in the ELC, we are required to keep copies of your child’s current medical and immunization records on file. These records must be kept updated in compliance with state law. Children will not be allowed to start the program without immunization records. Immunization records cannot be expired and should include the official state seal. (My Chart printouts are not acceptable.) Please be sure to provide a current record each time your child receives an immunization.
Email is our primary form of communication. Daily reports, injury reports, bite notices, etc. will be placed in the child’s cubby each day. Cubbies should be checked at the end of every school day. A monthly newsletter will include important announcements, events, and other center updates for the month. Questions or concerns can be addressed via email or in person at the reception desk in the office.
*Children may not be dropped off before 7 a.m.
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St. Thomas More Catholic School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at its schools. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loanprograms, athletic, and other school administered programs.
