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 St. Martin's Drop-In Nursery, which has been voted two years in a row in the Palmetto Parent magazine as Columbia's "Best Drop-In," is an outreach ministry of St. Martin's parish. It is open year-round Monday, Wednesday and Friday, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (787-6406). Its purpose is to provide non-curricular child care on a drop-in basis and to offer parents an opportunity to spend time away from their children with the assurance that their children are well cared for in a healthy environment. We also aim to provide a safe, caring, loving place where children develop social skills through supervised activities.
History: St. Martin's Drop-In Nursery was established in October 1972 as an outreach project to serve the Columbia community. Starting with a staff of three, the Drop-In Nursery quietly established new principles of service for the area by requiring no reservations, charging only on a per-hour basis, and providing free care for children of parents volunteering in parish work or attending church services. The staff now typically includes the Director and 20 or more teachers.
The Drop-In is opened Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The current charge schedule is as follows:
# of children |
Hourly Rate |
1 |
$6.50 |
2 |
$9 |
3 |
$13 |
4 |
$16 |
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You pay only for the time your child is at the nursery and you may pay daily, weekly, or monthly. All fees must be paid at the end of each month. |
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Nursery Policies: |
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- We are open on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m..
- On May 1, a renewal registration fee of $50 is due for one child; $70 for two; and $80 for three children. If you have registered your child with St. Martin’s Drop-In since the preceding February, then this renewal will be waived.
- For summer care only, the same registration fees will apply. Our fee is very much in line (even less than) other summer programs. Please remember that it is very important for us to keep our records updated. If you have ANY changes in address or phone numbers, plan to correct them on your next visit, including current email addresses.
- When your child is attending, please be sure that ALL belongings are labeled: bags, hats, diapers, etc. All children must wear lace-up or Velcro shoes - tennis shoe type. This means NO flip-flops, clogs, crocs or sandals.
- Please be sure that you check out at the front desk AND with your child’s caregivers.
- During warm (HOT) days, please apply sunscreen to your child before leaving him or her in our care. We are sorry that we cannot be responsible for applying it on the children. You may also want to pack an extra juice cup or water bottle - just remember to LABEL it!
Please keep in mind that Winthrop Avenue, where the entrance to our building is located, is very busy and often traveled at high speeds. For the safety of the children, we ask that you drive slowly and give careful attention to little folks getting in and out of cars. Forest Acres Police patrol the area regularly.
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