Parent Handbook. Located at Wren Pierson Community Center. Cheney Parks & Recreation

Transcription

1 Parent Handbook Located at Wren Pierson Community Center Cheney Parks & Recreation

2 Table of contents Philosophy, Program, Facilities, About Your Child s needs and Progress Enrollment & Admissions, Monthly Rates, Drop-Ins Refunds, Payment Options, Field-trips, Transitions Holidays No Preschool Labor Day Veteran s Day Thanksgiving Christmas/Winter Break Last week of Dec., and First Week of Jan. Martin Luther King Jr. Day President s Day Spring Break Memorial Day Independence Day July 4th Summer Break Bathroom Policy, Snacks & Guidelines on food brought from home 6 Access to all Facilities, Signing in & out, Child Abuse Reporting, Behavior Management, Discipline & Consequences 7 When a Child is Denied Access, Communicating with parents, Nondiscrimination Statement, Religious & Cultural Activities Policies 8 Transportation, Practice Concerning a sick Child, Medication Management, Medical Emergencies

3 Hours of Operation Cheney ABC Preschool program is from 9:00am 11:30 am, each day as listed on registration form. Daily Activity Schedule Cheney ABC Preschool daily schedule is as follows: 9:00 am Welcome /Arrival Activity Circle/Large Group Learning Centers Snack Time Outside Play/gym/special events Small Group activities 11:30 am Pickup and Goodbye Schedule may change to accommodate specific activities and field trips. Contact Information Recreation Office hours: Monday through Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Recreation Office location: 615 4th St, Cheney, WA Recreation Office phone: Kim Best, Recreation Supervisor: Preschool Philosophy The Cheney ABC Preschool Program gives kids a safe, learning environment where they have the opportunity to learn through play and the use of all their senses in a developmentally appropriate setting. The Cheney Recreation Department and Preschool staff understands the benefits of organized play, learning lifelong skills and the growing need for safe places for kids. We also believe that having a good relationship with our participant s parents is a key to the success of our program and every child in it. Program ABC Preschool is a fun filled preschool program and a place where kids can be kids and still learn important skills. The Preschool curriculum includes music, dancing, gross and fine motor activities, math, science, creative arts, sensory exploration, and social-emotional experiences with other children. The Cheney ABC Preschool Program staff strives to create a safe, nurturing, and fun environment by engaging our participants in age appropriate and exciting activities and field trips. We let their creativity flow through drawing, coloring or building activities, encouraging healthy eating habits at snack time, developing cognitive and social and emotional skills, encouraging physical fitness through games and activities, and introducing our participants to new activities like cooking and outdoor living skills. Facilities The Cheney ABC Preschool Program is based out of the Wren Pierson Building th street Cheney, WA. We will hold class in the youth center at the Wren Pierson building. To accommodate different activities and to give our participants a change of scenery, we also utilize the Veterans Memorial Park across the street from the Wren Pierson Building. About Your Child s needs and Progress At the Cheney ABC Preschool we realize each child is unique and has different needs. We will work with you on any concerns you or the preschool staff has about your child, in regard to social interaction, academic success, or behavior management. After identifying these needs, we will keep you up to date on your child s progress and growth. 10 3

4 Parent Participation The City of Cheney Recreation Department and the Preschool staff want our program to be a safe and happy place for you and your child. Feel free to come and participate in preschool activities with your child anytime. Admissions Requirements Cheney ABC Preschool participants must be ages 3 years to 5 years and FULLY POTTY TRAINED, and have not attended kindergarten yet. Enrollment Requirements Step One: Fill out a Preschool Registration form. Step Two: Turn in all registration forms 1 week before your child s first day of attendance with payment to Parks & Recreation Office. **Payment is due before they attend preschool. Payments will only be accepted at the Recreation Office. Registration / Payment Requirements 1.Fall registration due 3rd Friday of August. 2.Payments made monthly by 4th Friday to avoid late fee. 3.$10 Late Fee 4.No deposits. 5.Payment plans can be accepted upon teacher approval. 6.We will guarantee your child a spot in the program as long as they are registered one week in advance of new month/start date. 7.One payee for each registration. (Payments will not be taken by multiple payees at different times). Monthly Rates for September - May Monday, Wednesday, Friday (3 days per week): $155 Tuesday, Thursday: (2 day a week): $105 Multi-Child Monthly Rate: $15 Discount Monthly One Day per week rate: $55 Monthly Rates for June August, will be the same as above for the two days per week rate of $105 per month. Drop-Ins Daily drop-ins will not be accepted for preschool, due to limited space. 4 Transportation If you or another parent/guardian changes the drop off and pick up arrangements, a written note will be required. If someone other than a listed or arranged person comes to pick up a child, identification may be required prior to the release of the child. We will not allow a child to walk home. We respectfully request that you pick up your child promptly at the end of the program. If an emergency occurs and you are unable to pick up your child, please call the Recreation Department at A late charge may be assessed and must be paid to the Recreation Department office at Wren Pierson Community Center before the next program date, if habitual late pick-up for a child persist. Field Trip Arrangements Field trips will be posted each month. If a trip fee is necessary it will be posted one week in advance. Transportation will be in our Parks and Recreation Shuttle Bus or city van which will be driven by a trained Recreation Department staff. Parents may be required to drop off and pick up their child at field trip location. Practices Concerning a Sick Child If your child becomes ill at Cheney ABC Preschool, we will contact you by phone and arrange for the child to be picked up. If we cannot contact you, we will call other emergency contacts listed on your child s registration form. Your child will sit or lay quietly, away from other children under the supervision of a preschool staff member, until you arrive to pick them up. Medication Management Cheney ABC Preschool staff does not administer ANY form of medication. All over the counter or prescription medications must be given before or after the child attends preschool. If the child has been diagnosed with a condition that requires daily medication, the child must remain on that medication in order to participate in the preschool program. Medical Emergencies 9

5 We never deny or compromise: snack, sleep, physical health/safety, and emotional safety. We also never hit, slap, spank, or physically harm a child or allow other children to do so. We also never impose push ups, eating something unfavorable, taking clothing off, daring someone to do something, unsafe activities, hazing, embarrassing activities, pranks, or confining a child. When a Child is Denied Access When the safety or well-being of others is comprised to a great degree, a child may be denied access to Preschool for a period of time. Parents will be involved in helping us and their children well before we expel a child. Communicating with Parents Cheney ABC Preschool believes in building and maintaining a partnership with parents throughout the year. As soon as Preschool staff realizes we are not making as much headway as we should in a difficult situation, the staff member most involved in the situation will talk to the parents to inform them of the issue and seek their support and guidance. Nondiscrimination Statement Cheney ABC Preschool Program will not discriminate against persons (in services) based on race, color, national origin, creed, religion, sex, age, or disability; or (in employment) race, color, national origin, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age (40+), marital status, disabled veteran status, Vietnam era veteran status, or disability. Religious and Cultural Activities Policies Cheney ABC Preschool activities and art projects are frequently based on the seasons and holidays. While the Cheney ABC Preschool and City of Cheney Recreation Department do not subscribe to any religious beliefs, the preschool program will engage in activities that are appropriate and respectful of all of their participants. If your family does not participate in holidays that are typically celebrated in the schools, please let Preschool Staff members know. We will do our best to provide activities that honor your family s beliefs without alienating your child. Refunds/Transfers No refunds will be given unless your child has an unforeseen illness or circumstance that must be communicated within 48 hours to the Preschool Staff and Cheney Parks & Recreation Staff. Please call or us. Payment Options All payments are to be made in advance of your child s attendance. Payments are due by the last Friday of each month for the following month. A late fee of $10 will be applied to payments made after the first of each month. Payments MUST be made at our recreation office only, located at th Street or by phone with a debit or credit card. Our phone number is Field Trips Preschool children will take a field trip each month, to various places in our community and in Spokane. They will ride on the City bus or van unless taken by parents to field trip location. A field trip fee of $5 may be due the week before the trip. Each field trip needs at least two parent volunteers. All children should come dressed in appropriate clothing with towels, if necessary. If using sunscreen please apply before the child arrives for the field trip. Field Trip Days will be posted a week in advance. Permission must be given on registration form! Transitions Moving from Indoors to Outdoors & from Room to Room Transitions between activities and between areas progress smoothly due to proper staff training and supervision. (WAC ). When transitioning between locations within our facility, children will always be accompanied by at least one staff member, more when deemed necessary by our 1:10 staff to child ratio. When walking between these locations, the children will be in a single file line (may be required to hold onto a walking rope) with a staff person at the front, and when necessary a staff person at the back. Throughout the transition and once they have reached their final destination, the staff in charge will count the number of children present before and after transitioning to the new space. 8 5

6 Transitions Between Activities During transitions between which do not require changing locations, the children are asked to sit at the table or form a circle on the floor to play a quick game or read a book while the next activity is being prepared. To the Bathroom A staff person will accompany children to the bathroom. Staff will step into the vicinity (to maintain visual on child going to the bathroom as well as the other children) and assist them if the child requests help. Staff will remain with children until all are finished. Staff will walk children back to the classroom, playground, or park to regroup with the other participants in the preschool program. Children must be able to help themselves in the bathroom and vocalize to the teaching staff when they need to go to the bathroom. Snacks & Guidelines on Food Brought from the Child s Home Snacks Cheney ABC Preschool provides a healthy, kid-friendly snack in the morning each day. If your child has food allergies or intolerances, please let Preschool staff know by addressing it on the registration form. There are NO PEANUTS ALLOWED. Food from Home If your child has a large appetite or is a picky eater, feel free to send them with additional snacks. Please refrain from sending chips, candy or soda; we do not want any of the other children feeling left out because their parents didn t send them with treats. There are NO PEANUTS ALLOWED from home. If you would like to provide a snack for all of the preschool participants, please contact the Preschool Staff or Recreation Supervisor to confirm the day, how many children to prepare snack for, and whether or not there are any food allergies to be aware of. Food must have a list of ingredients/recipe with them so we know who can or cannot eat the snack. Access to all Facilities All legal parents and guardians have the right to enter areas of the Wren Pierson Community Center that are designated as Preschool participant areas when escorted by a staff member. To ensure the safety of all children, we prefer that parents and family members of participants stay in staffed areas when visiting the preschool program. Signing In and Signing Out Requirements At the beginning of each day Parents will sign their child in. When parents arrive to pick up their child, they must sign their child out, using a full legal signature. Due to Washington State Law, initials are not a valid signature. The parent or guardian must also note the time that their child was picked up. Please make signatures legible. Child Abuse Reporting Law Requirements As a child care provider we are mandated reporters, which require us to report all cases of suspected neglect or child abuse to Child Protective Services. If you have questions about mandated reporters please feel free to ask any staff member. Behavior Management Each child is different and has different needs; ABC Preschool staff strives to develop a unique relationship with each child. We strongly believe that participants should be involved in making decisions that affect them: rules, planning, what to do about problems, consequences for inappropriate behavior, etc. Discipline and Consequences The Cheney ABC Preschool and the Cheney Recreation Department s philosophy is that children generally do not benefit from having every consequence for every action spelled-out. We have certain positive expectations; when expectations are not upheld, the ABC Preschool staff in charge can evaluate the situation and determine how best to counsel the child, when to use think times, when and how to involve the parents, and when a child should be denied access to Preschool. 6 7