Pre School Program

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Welcome

Santa Lucia Pre School Program

2009 - 2010
Pre School Phone 312.326.7509
Main Office 312.326.1839

Hello Parents! Welcome to the Santa Lucia PreSchool Program for the year 2009-2010. Please look through this handbook, it contains all the information you will need to know about our program. I have many new ideas for the upcoming year and am looking forward to another great year. We hope that Santa Lucia will be a pleasant and helpful experience for your child. Thank you for lending them to us for the year! If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
Mrs. Laura Shortino
Mrs. Susie Shephard

Program Description	Philosophy	Curriculum	Arrival/ Departure	Time	Tuition Payments	Calendars	School Closing/ Holidays
Confidentiality	Discipline Policy	Handling Difficulties/ Differences	Daily Activities	Nap Time	Dress	Field Trips	Folders
Prayer/Church/ Religion	Child Assessment	Family Involvement	Homework	Film Developing	Supplies	Health Guidelines	Illnesses/ Accidents
Communicable Disease	Required Medical Reports	Required Immunizations	Juice	Snack	Lunch	Birthdays	Sanitizing Procedure
Hand Washing		Washroom	Technology

Program Description:	Our program is designed to meet the needs of young children. We provide many activities to help the children express their creativity. There are many materials and toys available for creative expression and role playing. There are many manipulatives and cognitive games available to enhance children's development. There is an opportunity for large muscle inside and outdoors. Nutritious well-balanced snacks are offered daily. Stories, music, and conversations with teachers and classmates enrich the child's experience. top
Philosophy	Our program has a developmentally appropriate curriculum designed to enhance the social, emotional, physical, spiritual, and cognitive development for the individual child through a safe, healthy environment with the appropriate equipment and materials. Teachers are trained in early childhood education and parents as active partners in their child's education. top
Curriculum	Our classroom uses the Creative Curriculum for Preschool as our curriculum. this curriculum focues on what children are learning during play time, group time, and class work time. they will be observed three times a year and assessed twice a year. this will help us learn more about your child's development throughout the school year. the shcles in each area of our room are labeled with words and pictures to help the children identify where the toys go, and help learn to recognize words. the children will be writing, playing, and working in group and individually.
Arrival/Departure	Your child should be in school everyday by 8:00 a.m. When you drop off your child in the morning, we would like you to come in the room, sign your child "in" on the sign in/out sheet, and help your child take his/her coat off, and say proper goodbyes for the day. It is important to be here on time, so they can participate in all activities. We dismiss at 2:30 p.m., please be here on time, and if you are running late, please call us at 312-326-7509. When you pick your child up, we would like you to sign your child "out" and come in the room. Sometimes the children like to show you what they have made or need help getting ready to go. Please let us know if someone other than yourself will be picking up your child. Any child not picked up on time will be signed into the afterschool program. top
Time	School hours are from 8:00 a.m. until 2:25 p.m. Doors will not open early. There is a morning care program that begins at 6:45 in the 3rd grade classroom across the street in the main school. after school hours are from 2:30-6:00, any child not picked up by 6:00 will be charged a late fee. On half days, our dismissal time is at 11:30 a.m. top
Tuition Payments	All TUITION PAYMENTS can be paid in the school office or you can put it in your child's folder and the teacher will turn it into the office for you. Tuition is due on the 10th of every month! Juice money, field trip money, and other fees should be turned into the PreSchool unless other specified. All juice fees, field trip fees, and other fees collected during the year can only be paid in CASH. No checks can be accepted for these fees, tuition is the only check that can be accepted. top
Calendars	You will receive a PreSchool calendar that will let you know what we are working during the month. This calendar will also let you know about days off, field trips, and half days. Please remember early dismissal is at 11:30 a.m. You will also receive a Snack calendar that will let you know when your child's snack day is. Please remember to bring your child's snack on his/her assigned day. top
School Closing/ Holidays	All holidays and days off are listed on the calendar. Also, letters of reminders of days off will be sent home the day before. If there is bad weather, ex. Heavy snowfall, you can call the office at 312-326-1839 to find out if the school will be closed or you will receive a phone call through the School Reach Phone System. top
Confidentiality	All information about your child and family is confidential. The information we collect will only be shared with the principal, teaching staff, and you, as parents. This is only used to design classroom curriculum that helps your child develop to his/her fullest potential. We respect each family's privacy and will not give out any information to anyone unless you have given us written permission to do so. top
Discipline Policy	We believe that limit setting is an ongoing process to help children develop self-control, competence, and appropriate behavior. Children need to assume responsibility for their actions and develop awareness of the rights of others. The following approaches: 1) redirect to another activity, 2) loss of privilege or activity where misbehavior occurs, 3) where age appropriate, helping children resolve their conflicts, 4) anticipate and intervene before disruptive behavior occurs, and 5) praising positive behavior. top
Handling Difficulties/ Differences	A parent who has a concern about something that is going on in the school or the classroom, the first person that should be contacted is the classroom teacher. Often these situations can be readily explained or remedied when the teacher and parent work together. If there is a continuing concern on the part of the parent and/or the teacher, the principal will be invited to join in the problem-solving process, in a continuing effort to bring home and school together on behalf of the student. If the concern still is not resolved, a meeting will be held with the pastor. top
Daily Activities	You will receive a paper every day of what your child did in class. For example, if your child took a nap, ate his/her lunch, kept his/her hands to their selves, etc. You will also receive a copy of our daily schedule of what we do everyday. top
Nap Time	State law requires that children have nap time at LEAST for one hour and NAYCE centers require at least one and half hour for nap time everyday during preschool. Our nap is from 12:15 p.m. until 1:45 p.m. Your child will need a SMALL CHILD SIZE BLANKET and SMALL PILLOW. We will be sending them home once a week to be washed so it is important that the blanket and pillow can fit in your child's schoolbag. top
Dress	Clothes should be comfortable and have fastenings that the children can mange themselves. Please keep in mind that the children paint, glue, and eat/drink, so we recommend that they wear clothes that you wouldn't mind getting dirty. If your child wears a dress/skirt, we ask that you put shorts on underneath so the other children cannot see up their skirt/dress when they are sitting on the rug. GYM SHOES with Velcro are highly recommended. We recommend that a coat have ZIPPERS on them and not snaps. When boots are worn, another pair of shoes should be sent to wear in the classroom. No one-piece snowsuits should be worn. On gym days, please dress you child in the school gym shirt, jogging pants and gym shoes. Gym is on Monday. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD YOUR CHILD WEAR PULL UPS. top
Field Trips	Field trips are a perfect way for you to get involved in the class. We take at least one field per month, parents are always invited to come. Sometimes there are limits to how many can come along, but we always give every parent a chance to go on one. All money and slips should be turned in ASAP; it should be in an envelope with your child's name on it labeled FIELD TRIP and should be turned into our classroom. There are NO REFUNDS for field trips; all trips are paid for in advance. Please remember that this needs to be paid for in CASH. No other children are allowed on field trips. Children should come to school at regular time and will be dismissed at regular time, too. Children should wear their gym shirts on all field trips. top
Folders	At the beginning of the year, your child will receive a folder. This is for any notes that they may receive on a daily basis form us or you. All money can be sent in their folders, please put all money in an envelope and label it, es. JUICE FEE $15. All class work, art projects, letters, etc., will be sent home in this folder, so it should come to school every day in a large school bag so they can carry their folder back and forth. Their folders should be checked every day! top
Prayer/Church/ Religion	We will be learning to make the sign of the cross, "Our Father, "Hail Mary" , "Glory Be", and a short prayer before lunch. We will begin attending mass in December. We will be attending every all school mass and one mass each month. When I know what day we will be attending, I will let you know. There will also be a PreSchool Family Mass on one Sunday during the year; again, when I know the exact date, I will let you know. All children need to attend mass during the year. We will be reading religious stories to the children and will be working on worksheets/ Seeds books every day. top
Child Assessment	Your child will be assessed at the beginning, middle, and at the end of the year. The teacher will sit down and ask your child to recognize letters, numbers, and shapes. All items that your child recognized will be circled so you will now what they knew. A portfolio will be kept of your child's work. You will receive a report card twice a year to show your child's progress during the year, this will be given once in January and in June. At any time you would like to talk about your child's progress, fell free to talk to the teacher about it. top
Family Involvement	All parents are welcomed to visit during the day. All parents are welcome on field trips and are also invited to attend several events this year. We have several parent/student lunches; open houses and a graduation show that the parents can help with. We would love to have you visit our class. If you would like to come and read a story for the class, please let us know. top
Homework	Homework will begin in September; it will be given out once a week on Monday's. It should be returned by Friday and they will get to pick out a prize on that day if their homework is in school. The child should do all homework. top
Film Developing	During the school year, we take several pictures of the children doing various activities in the room. There will be a $5.00 fee due every month to cover the cost of development. At the end of the year, you will be given a photo album with all your child's pictures in them to keep. They will also be displayed in the classroom, the school's newspaper, and/or on the school website. top
Supplies	Click here to see list of supplies top
Health Guidelines	Parents are asked to keep the child home if he/she has a fever, persistent cough, skin rash, eye infection, or if he/she has vomited during the night or in the morning before leaving for school. ~~~ Allow the child who has been sick to stay home for at least 24 hours or he/she is completely well. Your child should be fever free for at least 24 hours before returning to school. An extra day at home can keep your child from getting worse or inflecting other children. ~~~ Please notify the school immediately if the child has a communicable disease so that we can notify the other families of possible symptoms. ~~~ In case of emergencies, the school must be able to contact parents during school hours. It is important that parents give the school accurate, up to date information. If your child is allergic to anything, please let us know. top
Illnesses and Accidents	At least one staff member has been trained in CPR and First Aid. In case of an accident or incident, we will assure that appropriate first aid is administered. We will notify you by telephone and provide a written report of what happened. If your child gets sick at school, we will make sure he or she can lie down until we reach you. You must arrange pickup for your sick child when possible. top
Communicable Disease	If your child has a communicable disease, such as strep throat, pick eye, flu, head lice, etc., please let us know so we can inform the other parents abouts symptoms to look for. top
Required Medical Reports	A complete physical examination by a physician is required for all children entering PreSchool. It should be reported on forms prescribed by the Illinois Department of Public Health, and dated no earlier than six months prior to enrollment. The report must include all required up to date immunizations. A TB test must be included in the initial exam. top
Required Immunizations	4 DPT - Pipthetis, Pertussin, Tetanus 3 PV Polio Vaccine 1 MMR Measles, Mumps, Rubella 1 HIB Haemophilus Influenza Type B 3 Hepatitis B Varicella (Chicken Pox) Lead Screening top
Juice	A monthly juice fee of $15 is assigned per child for juice and to cover the cost of an afternoon snack. Your child will receive 2 juices, one in the morning and 1 in the afternoon. We will provide an afternoon snack for the kids. This fee is due by the end of the first week of every month. Please remember, cash only, please! No Checks! top
Snack	You will receive a snack calendar at the beginning of every month. Your child will have an assigned day to bring a snack for the entire class. We have snack every day at 8:30 a.m. Please send proper utensils such as forks and spoons, if it is needed for the snack. If you forget your child's snack, we will remind you that day and ask you to send an emergency snack, something that will not spoil. Do not sent any snack that has to be cooked in school. Please do not send any candy for a snack! Some suggestions are: Cheese Crackers, Animal Crackers, Raisins, Bananas/Apples, Carrot/Celery sticks, Fruit cups, Pudding, Jell-O, Granola bars, Yogurt, Cereal Bars, String Cheese, Muffins, Fruit snacks, Rice Crispy bars, Vanilla wafers, or cookies. top
Lunch	We have lunch at 11:30 a.m. All children need to bring a lunch to school, unless they are receiving a hot lunch. We recommend you put an ice pack in your child's lunch box to keep it cold until lunch time. If you are sending your child with a lunch, please send a sandwich, juice, chips, and dessert. top
Birthdays	When it is your child's birthday, many parents do different things to celebrate. You are welcome to do what you want, send cupcakes or ice cream, or treat bags. In the past, some parents have brought lunch for the class (ex. Pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc.). If you would like to do something like that, please let us know. All parents are welcome to stay for lunch on their child's birthday. All summer birthdays will be celebrated in May. top
Sanitizing Procedure	The tables are washed before/after we eat with soapy water and bleach water. All toys are sprayed with Lysol disinfecting spray at the end of the day and are washed with soapy water twice a month. The children will be taught to cover their coughs and sneezes with their hands or tissue. top
Hand Washing	We will be washing our hands before/after we eat, art/cooking projects and after using the bathroom. They will be using liquid soap and warm water. top
Washroom	We will be using the bathroom as a class before snack, before/after lunch, and after nap time is over. If your child has to use the bathroom at any other time, they need to ask the teacher. The teacher will accompany them to the bathroom. top
Technology	In our classroom, the children will have access to two computers, where they are allowed to play educational games and visit safe websites. They will aslo have access to the computer lab at least once a week, a listening center, story books with tapes, scales, story readers, and an active pad.