Descriptor Code: FGDB – 2
PRESCHOOL HANDBOOK
UNITED PUBLIC SCHOOL #7
2016-2017
Diana Kouba
Instructor
Jean Klein
Elementary Principal
Dear Parents,
This handbook has been prepared for the purpose of supplying important information to our students and their parents. It has been
compiled as a ready reference to help answer questions concerning the school, its policies, and its rules and regulations.
The school provides a comprehensive program to meet the individual needs of the child in terms of his/her social, academic, emotional and physical growth.
It is our hope that your children will have an interesting and
challenging year in school and that we will be able to assist each of them in reaching the highest level of fundamental skill development of which he or she is capable.
It is important that there is cooperation between the home and
school. If, at anytime, there is a problem concerning your child, please feel free to come and discuss it with us.
Sincerely,
Jean Klein
Elementary School Principal
Burlington-Des Lacs Elementary
UNITED SCHOOL DISTRICT #7
DES LACS-BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
2016-2017 CALENDAR
August 3 & 4, 2016 PK-8 Registration: 7:30-5:30 p.m.
August 10 & 11, 2016 New Student High School registration
August 10, 2016 First Day of HS football practice
August 15, 2016 First Day of HS volleyball practice
August 17, 2016 Pk-8 Open House 5:30-6:30 p.m.
August 17, 2016 Teacher In-service
August 18, 2016 First Day of School
September 5, 2016 No School-Labor Day
September 19, 2016 Parent-Teacher Conferences Elementary: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
September 26, 2016 No School-Professional Development Day
September 27, 2016 Parent-Teacher Conferences Elementary: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
September 30, 2016 No School-Laker VB Tournament
October 17 & 18, 2016 Parent-Teacher Conferences High School: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
October 20 & 21, 2016 No School- NDU Convention
November 11, 2016 No School-Veteran’s Day
November 24 & 25, 2016 No School- Thanksgiving Vacation
December 22, 2016 Christmas Vacation Begins
January 3, 2017 School Resumes
January 30 & 31, 2017 Parent-Teacher Conferences Elementary: 4:00-6:00 p.m.
February 17, 2017 No School-State Wrestling
February 20, 2017 No School-Professional Development Day
March 20, 2017 Parent-Teacher Conferences High School: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
March 16 & 17, 2017 No School-Spring Break
April 14 & 17, 2017 No School- Easter Break
May 19, 2017 Last Day of School
May 21, 2017 Graduation Ceremony 4:00 p.m.
Quarter grading periods will end as follows:
1st Nine Weeks October 14 39 Days
2nd Nine Weeks December 21 43 Days
3rd Nine Weeks March 10 47 Days
4th Nine Weeks May 19 46 Days
175 Student School Days
Note: If needed, “Storm Make-up Days” may be any of these days:
Feb 17, March 16, March 17, April 17
EARLY OUT DAYS: Des Lacs out at 1:15 pm, Burlington out at 1:30 p.m.
Sept 14, 2016; Oct 12, 2016 Nov 10, 2016; Jan 18, 2017; Feb 16, 2017; Mar 15, 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Absences………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Arrival & Dismissal………………………………………………………………………. 4
Behavior Management……………………………………………………………………. 5
Birthdays/Parties………………………………………………………………………….. 8
Daily Program…………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Developmental Checklist…………………………………………………………………. 7
Developmental Goals…………………………………………………………………….. 2
Early Out/Late Start………………………………………………………………………. 4
Enrolling in Middle of Year……………………………………………………………… 4
Fire & Tornado Drills…………………………………………………………………….. 9
Holiday Parties……………………………………………………………………………. 8
Illness Policies……………………………………………………………………………. 7
Medication……………………………………………………………………………….. 7
Overall Goal Statement………………………………………………………………….. 1
Parent Contact…………………………………………………………………………… 8
Parental Involvement……………………………………………………………………. 7
Philosophy…………………………………………………………………………......... 1
Purpose………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
Releasing Children……………………………………………………………………… 6
School Supplies/ Clothing………………………………………………………………. 5
Tuition…………………………………………………………………………………… 8
Vacations & School Closing…………………………………………………………….. 6
Withdrawal……………………………………………………………………………… 9
PURPOSE:
Building Lifelong Success! The ultimate purpose of early childhood education is to set children on a course to lifelong success as learners and citizens. We provide children with foundations that will help ensure academic success and build personal and social skills required to function in the classroom, community, and establish positive relationships with peers and adults.
PHILOSOPHY:
We believe in children actively learning through real materials and our program reflects this belief. Parents and teachers can work together to ensure a rich environment that stimulates children’s literacy, numeracy, social-emotional development, language development, phonological awareness, and letter knowledge both at home and at school.
OVERALL GOAL STATEMENT:
Research and experience tell us that educators need to be “developmentally appropriate.” What that means is simply that educators need to think first about what young children are like and then create an environment and experiences that are in tune with children’s characteristics. Preschool children learn far better through direct interactive experiences than through just listening to someone talk. They learn extraordinary amounts through play and exploration. The younger the children are, the more of what they learn needs to be relevant and interesting on the day they learn it, not just in the context of some future learning. Based on such knowledge about what children of this age are like, we design our program to them. It works better than trying to redesign the children.
1
DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS:
1. Literacy — In the final decades of the twentieth century, researchers began to describe the early roots of literacy in children. These roots begin developing long before children enter kindergarten and are nourished by children’s experiences with print, books, and conversations.
2. Numeracy — During the past 25 years, researchers have also found that young children possess considerable informal mathematical knowledge. Areas of children’s informal mathematical knowledge include enumeration and arithmetic problem solving, spatial reasoning, and geometric knowledge.
3. Social-Emotional Development — The preschool years are a critical time for children to learn to regulate their emotions and acquire social skills needed to form relationships with children and adults and to function as part of a group. During these years children are learning to manage their emotions and form relationships.
4. Language Development — Extensive research has demonstrated that different language abilities are related to later reading success. Preschool language skills support the emergence of phonemic awareness and, by middle elementary years, play a major role in supporting reading comprehension.
5. Phonological Awareness — Intense research activity carried out since the l970s has established that the ability to focus on and manipulate phonemes is critical to reading success. Skill in attending to the sound structure of language during the later preschool years is an important predictor of later reading success.
6. Letter Knowledge — Children’s ability to name letters is one of the best predictors of later reading. The ability to name a letter means that a child has had enough experience with letters to be able to distinguish one letter from the next. When children have “tuned into” their letters, they begin to notice them in their environment and begin using them to write.
7. Motor Skills — Between the ages three and five, children acquire several key motor skills that form the foundation of their ability to navigate the world around them.
2
DAILY PROGRAM:
Listed below is a general outline of the preschool daily activities. Some activities will vary from day to day.
AM
Activity
PM
8:45-8:55
Free Play
12:45-12:55
9:00-9:15
Meeting Time/Calendar
1:00-1:15
9:15-9:30
Letter Work
1:15-1:30
9:30-9:45
Literacy Centers
1:30-1:45
9:45-10:00
Math/Science Centers
1:45-2:00
10:00-10:15
Recess
2:00-2:15
10:15-10:30
Snack
2:15-2:30
10:30-10:50
Story Time
2:30-2:50
10:50-11:10
Music
2:50-3:10
11:10-11:25
Free Play
3:10-3:25
11:25-11:30
Clean Up & Good Byes
3:25-3:35
Meeting Time:
The whole group is introduced to the theme and the daily content focus through the Big Idea. This will also include Calendar time where the children are introduced to various concepts such as days of the week, months of the year, weather, and daily routines.
Letter Work:
The whole group is introduced to a new letter every week. Student’s work on naming and identifying the sound of each letter, as well as forming uppercase and lowercase letters.
Literacy and Math or Science Centers:
Small-group lessons provide opportunities to observe children demonstrating their understanding of math, science, and literacy skills, and to apply adaptations, as necessary. These hands-on activities provide practice, as well as extensions of the concepts.
3
Music:
ABC Music & Me Kindermusik curriculum is incorporated during the music time of the day. It is a literacy-rich music curriculum that celebrates the importance of music, introduces music’s basic “language” in developmentally appropriate ways, and nurtures those rhythmic, pattern-loving, musical seeds that are so naturally planted in a child’s brain.
Story Time:
During the daily Story Time, the teacher reads and discusses one or two books. As the teacher is reading, she is giving children the overall sense of the book while supplying information about the meanings of words and interpretations of key events in “asides”. After reading the story there may be an activity done with the book, examples: art projects, graphing, or replaying the story.
Snack Time:
The school will provide nutritious snacks and milk/juice.
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL:
Morning preschool arrival is 8:30 am and dismissal is 11:30 am. If your child arrives at this time, he/she will participate in the morning outdoor recess. Afternoon preschool arrival is 12:30 pm and dismissal is 3:35 pm. Children are dismissed on time and need to be picked up immediately. The principal will contact the parents of students not picked up on time. Failure to follow this procedure may result in termination from the program.
EARLY OUT/LATE START:
-If there is a late start no AM preschool
-When an early out is scheduled no PM preschool
ENROLLING IN MIDDLE OF YEAR:
Students moving into our district during the school term will be put on a waiting list and will be notified when an opening occurs.
4
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT:
Preschool will be guided by the following principles in a manner appropriate to the child’s age, development, maturity, and situation.
1. Each child is a precious, important personal and needs to feel good about
themselves.
2. All children need opportunities to learn responsibilities and consequences of their actions.
3. Children need limits and rules, which are consistently enforced.
4. It is most effective to positively redirect a child’s inappropriate behavior.
5. Children need opportunities to make appropriate choices.
6. Shaming a child is not conducive to good mental health.
Based on these principles the following procedures will be used:
1. Positive behavior will be reinforced in order to discourage inappropriate behavior.
2. Physical punishment will not be used under any circumstances.
3. Punishment will not be used in connection with rest, food, or toileting.
“Time Out” - removal from a situation and loss of privilege are the methods we will use for disciplinary purposes as the situation deems appropriate.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES/CLOTHING:
Clothing:
Play clothes are the best for preschool. Comfortable, sturdy, washable clothing permits children the necessary freedom to participate in all activities without undue concern for spills, spots, and rips.
Keeping buckles and complicated openings to a minimum will allow success in self-help and self-care. Closed toed shoes are required. Please mark all clothing and school bags with your child’s name to avoid any confusion.
Please send proper outdoor attire when outside play and/or field trips are planned. We will be going outside for recess all year, weather permitting. If students are riding the bus in the morning, they are required to go outside on the supervised playground until school begins, weather permitting.
Also, please provide extra clothing in your child’s backpack if you feel they may have accidents.
5
Supplies:
Parents are responsible for the following supplies:
**All school supplies are collected and shared in the classroom so please DO NOT write your child’s name on the supplies except put name on pencil boxes and folder.
ï School bag with child’s name on it
ï 1 Folder with child’s name on it
ï 1” binder with view pocket
ï 1 small pencil box (Approx. 5”x8”)
ï 6 glue sticks
ï 1 box 24 CRAYOLA crayons (Classic Colors)
ï 1 box 10 washable CRAYOLA markers (Classic Colors)
ï 4 fine point dry erase markers
ï 1 large box of Kleenex (Last name A-L)
ï 1 package baby wipes (Last name M-Z)
Some supplies that would be greatly appreciated for donations are cotton balls, sequins, glitter, googly eyes, beads, feathers, hand sanitizer, paper plates (doesn’t matter size), card stock, play doh, any size zip lock baggies, pipe cleaners, egg cartons, collage materials (fabric scraps, lace, ribbon, etc.), stickers (seasonal and otherwise), or anything else you would like to donate.
ABSENCES:
Please call the elementary office before 8:45 if your child will be absent. If the office receives no call, parents will be called at home or work.
RELEASING CHILDREN:
The preschool staff will not release your child to anyone but authorized persons without notification from the parent. Please let us know who will be picking up your child if it is someone other than yourself.
VACATIONS AND SCHOOL CLOSING:
Vacations: The preschool year runs from August to May correlating vacation dates with the United Public #7 School System. For exact vacation and conference dates, please consult the school’s yearly schedule located in the front of your policy booklet.
Alert System: Cancellation of school will be broadcast on your local radio stations and alerts will be sent via text to cell phones. School administration will make the decision concerning cancellation of school. If school is cancelled it may be necessary to make up the day missed if we have already used the storm make-up days.
Remember – There is always the possibility that a storm could develop during school hours, so please keep your radio turned on during inclement weather. Please keep us informed of changes in phone numbers where you can be contacted if necessary.
6
ILLNESS POLICIES:
If your child has a contagious disease such as pink eye, impetigo, head lice, etc., please notify the school as soon as possible. If it is necessary to send a child home because of illness, you will be notified to come and pick up your child.
Please be on guard if your child shows any of the following symptoms and use them as a guideline for determining when to keep your child home:
1. Watery, inflamed, or crusty eyelids.
2. Deep and severe cough/heavy nasal discharge.
3. Fevers above 100.0.
4. Vomiting or diarrhea.
5. Rash or unusual skin conditions
6. If doctor diagnoses an infection and places the child on a prescription medicine, the child should not return for at least 24 hours (ear infections included).
MEDICATION:
Absolutely no medication will be administered to any child unless written permission and instructions from the parent are obtained. Parents should approach the child’s teacher to fill out a medication form.
DEVELOPMENTAL CHECKLIST:
Each child enrolled in the preschool program will be evaluated using rubrics and checklists looking at motor skills, social skills, and early literacy. Many of the children have already been screened in the spring during the routine preschool screening. If your child did not attend the screening, rubrics and checklists will be used in the fall and again in the spring in order to chart the strengths and weaknesses of the child. All of this looks at the areas of motor development, communication, social/emotional skills, and cognition. This will be kept in the child’s school folder and will be shared with the parents at conference time
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT:
Communication: To ensure frequent and ongoing communication between teacher and parent, the following has been planned:
1. Parents are asked to participate in a parent orientation before school starts.
2. The teacher will send home quarterly reports and notes discussing school happenings and future events.
3. Parent teacher conferences will be scheduled twice during the year, or as needed.
7
Visitors: Visitors are always welcome. Parents are urged to take the opportunity to share in your child’s beginning school experiences. Please contact the office on the day of the visit.
Volunteers: Let the preschool staff know if you are willing to be a preschool helper and be available to help out for specific parties and/or field trips. If you have a specific talent or interest you are willing to share with the class, please let us know!
BIRTHDAYS/PARTIES:
Birthdays will be celebrated during circle time and also at snack time. Please let us know if you will be bringing treats for your child’s birthday or if you prefer that the birthday not be celebrated at school. Burlington-Des Lacs Elementary School is striving to help our students make healthier lifestyle choices. There are an increasing number of children in our schools who have food allergies. Some food allergies can be life threatening. We want to team with parents to limit the possibilities for children being made ill from food brought into classrooms. In addition, approximately 30% of children in North Dakota are overweight or obese. Sometimes simple steps now can help children continue making healthier choices as adults. Burlington-Des Lacs Elementary School has instituted a healthier birthday or room party initiative. Instead of sweet treats on every student’s birthday or room party we are requiring students to choose a healthier food choice, suggestions are fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese, crackers etc. NO peanut butter or nuts. Non-edible treat suggestions are stickers, pencils, markers, erasers, bookmarks etc. For summer birthdays, I would like to celebrate them on their half birthday. Example, if your child’s birthday is on July 3, then we will celebrate it in January.
HOLIDAY PARTIES:
Notices or newsletters will be sent home to explain details and dates of the following preschool celebrations:
1. Fall Festival
2. Christmas
3. Valentine’s Day
PARENT CONTACT:
Teacher’s notes, newsletters, and parent conferences will be provided to inform parents on what is happening with your child.
TUITION:
Tuition is due the first of every month. Please make checks payable to United Public School District #7. If payment is not made by the tenth of the month, your child will be dismissed from the program. Refunds will not be made for absences. There are two sessions to choose from: two days a week for $65.00/month or three days a week for $75.00/month.
8
WITHDRAWAL:
A one-month notice of intention for your child’s withdrawal from preschool is required and/or payment for that month. Please contact the elementary principal in writing regarding your intent to withdraw your child from the program. Please include the intended withdrawal date.
FIRE AND TORNADO DRILLS:
Teachers will inform students regarding the manner and place of exit in case of a fire or tornado drill. An announcement will be made over the intercom in the event of a tornado. The signal for a fire will be the ringing of the continuous fire alarm. When the alarm is given, all persons will walk quietly in single file to the area specified. Students should not stop for books or coats or talk to anybody until all are at the specified area.
9
PRESCHOOL HANDBOOK
UNITED PUBLIC SCHOOL #7
2016-2017
Diana Kouba
Instructor
Jean Klein
Elementary Principal
Dear Parents,
This handbook has been prepared for the purpose of supplying important information to our students and their parents. It has been
compiled as a ready reference to help answer questions concerning the school, its policies, and its rules and regulations.
The school provides a comprehensive program to meet the individual needs of the child in terms of his/her social, academic, emotional and physical growth.
It is our hope that your children will have an interesting and
challenging year in school and that we will be able to assist each of them in reaching the highest level of fundamental skill development of which he or she is capable.
It is important that there is cooperation between the home and
school. If, at anytime, there is a problem concerning your child, please feel free to come and discuss it with us.
Sincerely,
Jean Klein
Elementary School Principal
Burlington-Des Lacs Elementary
UNITED SCHOOL DISTRICT #7
DES LACS-BURLINGTON HIGH SCHOOL
2016-2017 CALENDAR
August 3 & 4, 2016 PK-8 Registration: 7:30-5:30 p.m.
August 10 & 11, 2016 New Student High School registration
August 10, 2016 First Day of HS football practice
August 15, 2016 First Day of HS volleyball practice
August 17, 2016 Pk-8 Open House 5:30-6:30 p.m.
August 17, 2016 Teacher In-service
August 18, 2016 First Day of School
September 5, 2016 No School-Labor Day
September 19, 2016 Parent-Teacher Conferences Elementary: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
September 26, 2016 No School-Professional Development Day
September 27, 2016 Parent-Teacher Conferences Elementary: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
September 30, 2016 No School-Laker VB Tournament
October 17 & 18, 2016 Parent-Teacher Conferences High School: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
October 20 & 21, 2016 No School- NDU Convention
November 11, 2016 No School-Veteran’s Day
November 24 & 25, 2016 No School- Thanksgiving Vacation
December 22, 2016 Christmas Vacation Begins
January 3, 2017 School Resumes
January 30 & 31, 2017 Parent-Teacher Conferences Elementary: 4:00-6:00 p.m.
February 17, 2017 No School-State Wrestling
February 20, 2017 No School-Professional Development Day
March 20, 2017 Parent-Teacher Conferences High School: 4:00-7:00 p.m.
March 16 & 17, 2017 No School-Spring Break
April 14 & 17, 2017 No School- Easter Break
May 19, 2017 Last Day of School
May 21, 2017 Graduation Ceremony 4:00 p.m.
Quarter grading periods will end as follows:
1st Nine Weeks October 14 39 Days
2nd Nine Weeks December 21 43 Days
3rd Nine Weeks March 10 47 Days
4th Nine Weeks May 19 46 Days
175 Student School Days
Note: If needed, “Storm Make-up Days” may be any of these days:
Feb 17, March 16, March 17, April 17
EARLY OUT DAYS: Des Lacs out at 1:15 pm, Burlington out at 1:30 p.m.
Sept 14, 2016; Oct 12, 2016 Nov 10, 2016; Jan 18, 2017; Feb 16, 2017; Mar 15, 2017
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Absences………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
Arrival & Dismissal………………………………………………………………………. 4
Behavior Management……………………………………………………………………. 5
Birthdays/Parties………………………………………………………………………….. 8
Daily Program…………………………………………………………………………….. 3
Developmental Checklist…………………………………………………………………. 7
Developmental Goals…………………………………………………………………….. 2
Early Out/Late Start………………………………………………………………………. 4
Enrolling in Middle of Year……………………………………………………………… 4
Fire & Tornado Drills…………………………………………………………………….. 9
Holiday Parties……………………………………………………………………………. 8
Illness Policies……………………………………………………………………………. 7
Medication……………………………………………………………………………….. 7
Overall Goal Statement………………………………………………………………….. 1
Parent Contact…………………………………………………………………………… 8
Parental Involvement……………………………………………………………………. 7
Philosophy…………………………………………………………………………......... 1
Purpose………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
Releasing Children……………………………………………………………………… 6
School Supplies/ Clothing………………………………………………………………. 5
Tuition…………………………………………………………………………………… 8
Vacations & School Closing…………………………………………………………….. 6
Withdrawal……………………………………………………………………………… 9
PURPOSE:
Building Lifelong Success! The ultimate purpose of early childhood education is to set children on a course to lifelong success as learners and citizens. We provide children with foundations that will help ensure academic success and build personal and social skills required to function in the classroom, community, and establish positive relationships with peers and adults.
PHILOSOPHY:
We believe in children actively learning through real materials and our program reflects this belief. Parents and teachers can work together to ensure a rich environment that stimulates children’s literacy, numeracy, social-emotional development, language development, phonological awareness, and letter knowledge both at home and at school.
OVERALL GOAL STATEMENT:
Research and experience tell us that educators need to be “developmentally appropriate.” What that means is simply that educators need to think first about what young children are like and then create an environment and experiences that are in tune with children’s characteristics. Preschool children learn far better through direct interactive experiences than through just listening to someone talk. They learn extraordinary amounts through play and exploration. The younger the children are, the more of what they learn needs to be relevant and interesting on the day they learn it, not just in the context of some future learning. Based on such knowledge about what children of this age are like, we design our program to them. It works better than trying to redesign the children.
1
DEVELOPMENTAL GOALS:
1. Literacy — In the final decades of the twentieth century, researchers began to describe the early roots of literacy in children. These roots begin developing long before children enter kindergarten and are nourished by children’s experiences with print, books, and conversations.
2. Numeracy — During the past 25 years, researchers have also found that young children possess considerable informal mathematical knowledge. Areas of children’s informal mathematical knowledge include enumeration and arithmetic problem solving, spatial reasoning, and geometric knowledge.
3. Social-Emotional Development — The preschool years are a critical time for children to learn to regulate their emotions and acquire social skills needed to form relationships with children and adults and to function as part of a group. During these years children are learning to manage their emotions and form relationships.
4. Language Development — Extensive research has demonstrated that different language abilities are related to later reading success. Preschool language skills support the emergence of phonemic awareness and, by middle elementary years, play a major role in supporting reading comprehension.
5. Phonological Awareness — Intense research activity carried out since the l970s has established that the ability to focus on and manipulate phonemes is critical to reading success. Skill in attending to the sound structure of language during the later preschool years is an important predictor of later reading success.
6. Letter Knowledge — Children’s ability to name letters is one of the best predictors of later reading. The ability to name a letter means that a child has had enough experience with letters to be able to distinguish one letter from the next. When children have “tuned into” their letters, they begin to notice them in their environment and begin using them to write.
7. Motor Skills — Between the ages three and five, children acquire several key motor skills that form the foundation of their ability to navigate the world around them.
2
DAILY PROGRAM:
Listed below is a general outline of the preschool daily activities. Some activities will vary from day to day.
AM
Activity
PM
8:45-8:55
Free Play
12:45-12:55
9:00-9:15
Meeting Time/Calendar
1:00-1:15
9:15-9:30
Letter Work
1:15-1:30
9:30-9:45
Literacy Centers
1:30-1:45
9:45-10:00
Math/Science Centers
1:45-2:00
10:00-10:15
Recess
2:00-2:15
10:15-10:30
Snack
2:15-2:30
10:30-10:50
Story Time
2:30-2:50
10:50-11:10
Music
2:50-3:10
11:10-11:25
Free Play
3:10-3:25
11:25-11:30
Clean Up & Good Byes
3:25-3:35
Meeting Time:
The whole group is introduced to the theme and the daily content focus through the Big Idea. This will also include Calendar time where the children are introduced to various concepts such as days of the week, months of the year, weather, and daily routines.
Letter Work:
The whole group is introduced to a new letter every week. Student’s work on naming and identifying the sound of each letter, as well as forming uppercase and lowercase letters.
Literacy and Math or Science Centers:
Small-group lessons provide opportunities to observe children demonstrating their understanding of math, science, and literacy skills, and to apply adaptations, as necessary. These hands-on activities provide practice, as well as extensions of the concepts.
3
Music:
ABC Music & Me Kindermusik curriculum is incorporated during the music time of the day. It is a literacy-rich music curriculum that celebrates the importance of music, introduces music’s basic “language” in developmentally appropriate ways, and nurtures those rhythmic, pattern-loving, musical seeds that are so naturally planted in a child’s brain.
Story Time:
During the daily Story Time, the teacher reads and discusses one or two books. As the teacher is reading, she is giving children the overall sense of the book while supplying information about the meanings of words and interpretations of key events in “asides”. After reading the story there may be an activity done with the book, examples: art projects, graphing, or replaying the story.
Snack Time:
The school will provide nutritious snacks and milk/juice.
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL:
Morning preschool arrival is 8:30 am and dismissal is 11:30 am. If your child arrives at this time, he/she will participate in the morning outdoor recess. Afternoon preschool arrival is 12:30 pm and dismissal is 3:35 pm. Children are dismissed on time and need to be picked up immediately. The principal will contact the parents of students not picked up on time. Failure to follow this procedure may result in termination from the program.
EARLY OUT/LATE START:
-If there is a late start no AM preschool
-When an early out is scheduled no PM preschool
ENROLLING IN MIDDLE OF YEAR:
Students moving into our district during the school term will be put on a waiting list and will be notified when an opening occurs.
4
BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT:
Preschool will be guided by the following principles in a manner appropriate to the child’s age, development, maturity, and situation.
1. Each child is a precious, important personal and needs to feel good about
themselves.
2. All children need opportunities to learn responsibilities and consequences of their actions.
3. Children need limits and rules, which are consistently enforced.
4. It is most effective to positively redirect a child’s inappropriate behavior.
5. Children need opportunities to make appropriate choices.
6. Shaming a child is not conducive to good mental health.
Based on these principles the following procedures will be used:
1. Positive behavior will be reinforced in order to discourage inappropriate behavior.
2. Physical punishment will not be used under any circumstances.
3. Punishment will not be used in connection with rest, food, or toileting.
“Time Out” - removal from a situation and loss of privilege are the methods we will use for disciplinary purposes as the situation deems appropriate.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES/CLOTHING:
Clothing:
Play clothes are the best for preschool. Comfortable, sturdy, washable clothing permits children the necessary freedom to participate in all activities without undue concern for spills, spots, and rips.
Keeping buckles and complicated openings to a minimum will allow success in self-help and self-care. Closed toed shoes are required. Please mark all clothing and school bags with your child’s name to avoid any confusion.
Please send proper outdoor attire when outside play and/or field trips are planned. We will be going outside for recess all year, weather permitting. If students are riding the bus in the morning, they are required to go outside on the supervised playground until school begins, weather permitting.
Also, please provide extra clothing in your child’s backpack if you feel they may have accidents.
5
Supplies:
Parents are responsible for the following supplies:
**All school supplies are collected and shared in the classroom so please DO NOT write your child’s name on the supplies except put name on pencil boxes and folder.
ï School bag with child’s name on it
ï 1 Folder with child’s name on it
ï 1” binder with view pocket
ï 1 small pencil box (Approx. 5”x8”)
ï 6 glue sticks
ï 1 box 24 CRAYOLA crayons (Classic Colors)
ï 1 box 10 washable CRAYOLA markers (Classic Colors)
ï 4 fine point dry erase markers
ï 1 large box of Kleenex (Last name A-L)
ï 1 package baby wipes (Last name M-Z)
Some supplies that would be greatly appreciated for donations are cotton balls, sequins, glitter, googly eyes, beads, feathers, hand sanitizer, paper plates (doesn’t matter size), card stock, play doh, any size zip lock baggies, pipe cleaners, egg cartons, collage materials (fabric scraps, lace, ribbon, etc.), stickers (seasonal and otherwise), or anything else you would like to donate.
ABSENCES:
Please call the elementary office before 8:45 if your child will be absent. If the office receives no call, parents will be called at home or work.
RELEASING CHILDREN:
The preschool staff will not release your child to anyone but authorized persons without notification from the parent. Please let us know who will be picking up your child if it is someone other than yourself.
VACATIONS AND SCHOOL CLOSING:
Vacations: The preschool year runs from August to May correlating vacation dates with the United Public #7 School System. For exact vacation and conference dates, please consult the school’s yearly schedule located in the front of your policy booklet.
Alert System: Cancellation of school will be broadcast on your local radio stations and alerts will be sent via text to cell phones. School administration will make the decision concerning cancellation of school. If school is cancelled it may be necessary to make up the day missed if we have already used the storm make-up days.
Remember – There is always the possibility that a storm could develop during school hours, so please keep your radio turned on during inclement weather. Please keep us informed of changes in phone numbers where you can be contacted if necessary.
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ILLNESS POLICIES:
If your child has a contagious disease such as pink eye, impetigo, head lice, etc., please notify the school as soon as possible. If it is necessary to send a child home because of illness, you will be notified to come and pick up your child.
Please be on guard if your child shows any of the following symptoms and use them as a guideline for determining when to keep your child home:
1. Watery, inflamed, or crusty eyelids.
2. Deep and severe cough/heavy nasal discharge.
3. Fevers above 100.0.
4. Vomiting or diarrhea.
5. Rash or unusual skin conditions
6. If doctor diagnoses an infection and places the child on a prescription medicine, the child should not return for at least 24 hours (ear infections included).
MEDICATION:
Absolutely no medication will be administered to any child unless written permission and instructions from the parent are obtained. Parents should approach the child’s teacher to fill out a medication form.
DEVELOPMENTAL CHECKLIST:
Each child enrolled in the preschool program will be evaluated using rubrics and checklists looking at motor skills, social skills, and early literacy. Many of the children have already been screened in the spring during the routine preschool screening. If your child did not attend the screening, rubrics and checklists will be used in the fall and again in the spring in order to chart the strengths and weaknesses of the child. All of this looks at the areas of motor development, communication, social/emotional skills, and cognition. This will be kept in the child’s school folder and will be shared with the parents at conference time
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT:
Communication: To ensure frequent and ongoing communication between teacher and parent, the following has been planned:
1. Parents are asked to participate in a parent orientation before school starts.
2. The teacher will send home quarterly reports and notes discussing school happenings and future events.
3. Parent teacher conferences will be scheduled twice during the year, or as needed.
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Visitors: Visitors are always welcome. Parents are urged to take the opportunity to share in your child’s beginning school experiences. Please contact the office on the day of the visit.
Volunteers: Let the preschool staff know if you are willing to be a preschool helper and be available to help out for specific parties and/or field trips. If you have a specific talent or interest you are willing to share with the class, please let us know!
BIRTHDAYS/PARTIES:
Birthdays will be celebrated during circle time and also at snack time. Please let us know if you will be bringing treats for your child’s birthday or if you prefer that the birthday not be celebrated at school. Burlington-Des Lacs Elementary School is striving to help our students make healthier lifestyle choices. There are an increasing number of children in our schools who have food allergies. Some food allergies can be life threatening. We want to team with parents to limit the possibilities for children being made ill from food brought into classrooms. In addition, approximately 30% of children in North Dakota are overweight or obese. Sometimes simple steps now can help children continue making healthier choices as adults. Burlington-Des Lacs Elementary School has instituted a healthier birthday or room party initiative. Instead of sweet treats on every student’s birthday or room party we are requiring students to choose a healthier food choice, suggestions are fruits, vegetables, meats, cheese, crackers etc. NO peanut butter or nuts. Non-edible treat suggestions are stickers, pencils, markers, erasers, bookmarks etc. For summer birthdays, I would like to celebrate them on their half birthday. Example, if your child’s birthday is on July 3, then we will celebrate it in January.
HOLIDAY PARTIES:
Notices or newsletters will be sent home to explain details and dates of the following preschool celebrations:
1. Fall Festival
2. Christmas
3. Valentine’s Day
PARENT CONTACT:
Teacher’s notes, newsletters, and parent conferences will be provided to inform parents on what is happening with your child.
TUITION:
Tuition is due the first of every month. Please make checks payable to United Public School District #7. If payment is not made by the tenth of the month, your child will be dismissed from the program. Refunds will not be made for absences. There are two sessions to choose from: two days a week for $65.00/month or three days a week for $75.00/month.
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WITHDRAWAL:
A one-month notice of intention for your child’s withdrawal from preschool is required and/or payment for that month. Please contact the elementary principal in writing regarding your intent to withdraw your child from the program. Please include the intended withdrawal date.
FIRE AND TORNADO DRILLS:
Teachers will inform students regarding the manner and place of exit in case of a fire or tornado drill. An announcement will be made over the intercom in the event of a tornado. The signal for a fire will be the ringing of the continuous fire alarm. When the alarm is given, all persons will walk quietly in single file to the area specified. Students should not stop for books or coats or talk to anybody until all are at the specified area.
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