CMS PRE-KINDERGARTEN PARENT HANDBOOK
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PageWelcome / 2
Philosophy and Goals / 3
Operational Procedures, Tardies and Early Dismissal, Attendance and Excuses / 4
Transferring, Withdrawing, Bad Weather Procedures / 5
Pre-Kindergarten Daily Schedule / 6
Behavior Plan / 7
Breakfast/Lunch, Food Allergies / 8
Student Health: Emergency Procedures and First Aid, Medication, Illness or Sickness / 9
Transportation by Bus, Bus Discipline Guidelines, Transportation by Car / 10
Transportation Policies for Parents / 11
Parent Involvement / 12
After School Care, Other Program Information, Questions or Concerns / 13
CMS Pre-Kindergarten Learning Compact / 14
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Calendar / 15
August 2011
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Welcome to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Pre-K Family! Soon your child will begin one of the most exciting times in his or her life. This year will be a very important one, and the staff of our Pre-Kindergarten Program is looking forward to working with your child.
We know that you are trusting us with your precious child. We want to assure you that we will provide your young child with a nurturing environment that encourages learning.
This handbook gives you an overview of the Pre-Kindergarten Programs, Bright Beginnings and North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten, but we encourage you to really find out what the program is all about by visiting the school and talking with your child’s teacher. Your involvement is important to your child’s success in school and we welcome you at any time!
On behalf of the entire Pre-Kindergarten team, I want to extend an invitation to contact us whenever we can help. Your child’s teachers will be the best resource for you. However, if the teacher can not help, they will refer you to the school office or administrator. Our office is also available to you at any time.
We hope this first school year will be the beginning of a lifetime of learning. Thank you for sharing your child with us.
Success Begins Here!
Julie Babb
Director, Pre-Kindergarten Services
PHILOSOPHY
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Pre-Kindergarten Programs are designed to provide high quality educational experiences and ensure all children in Mecklenburg County enter kindergarten ready to learn. The program attempts to provide those key experiences in the areas of language and early literacy development, which form the foundation for early school success.
Guiding Principles for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Pre-Kindergarten Program:
· Cognitive, social, emotional and physical development are interrelated in young children, and all developmental areas must be addressed.
· Each child is unique with an individual pattern of timing, growth and development.
· Young children gain knowledge and understanding through their experiences, environment and interactions with adults and other children.
· Children have a need to make sense of their experiences and are motivated to learn by their interests and natural curiosity.
GOALS
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Pre-Kindergarten Programs provide a complete curriculum focused on developing each child’s social, emotional, physical and academic skills in a safe, caring and friendly environment. The pre-kindergarten curriculum goals are to:
· Provide a child-centered and literacy-focused program consistent with current research related to how young children learn.
· Provide continuity in the curriculum, pre-kindergarten through grade 2.
· Connect the curriculum and assessment tools.
· Involve and inform parents.
OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES
The Pre-Kindergarten Program begins on August 25-30, 2011, with home visits. During this visit the teachers will come to your home to meet your child. Pre-K children begin school on a staggered schedule from August 31- September 2, 2011. The teacher from your child's school will notify you of the one day your child will attend. ALL pre-kindergarten children will begin daily school attendance on September 6, 2011. School ends June 8, 2012. The school calendar, on page 15, shows school holidays.
Pre-Kindergarten Hours:
Pre-kindergarten hours are determined by each individual school. Your child will attend school from the hours of ____:____am
and ____:____pm.
TARDIES AND EARLY DISMISSAL
Regular attendance is necessary for your child to get the greatest benefit from this learning opportunity. In order for your child to meet the goals of our program and to be ready for kindergarten, s/he needs to attend a full day of school each day. Parents who bring their child to school should arrive in their child’s classroom at least 5 minutes before the instructional day is to begin. This will give your child an opportunity to unpack and get ready for the day.
Tardy procedures are established at all Pre-K sites for handling late arrivals. Those tardy procedures may include signing your child in, getting a visitors pass, and walking him/her to the classroom.
Picking up children before dismissal time results in them missing learning opportunities. Doctor’s appointments should be made before or after school hours or on a teacher workday, unless it is an emergency.
ATTENDANCE AND EXCUSES
Parents have the responsibility for the child’s regular school attendance. The Parent-School Learning Compact, page 14, requires regular attendance.
Students with excessive unexcused absences (10 or more) may be removed from the program. Prior to removal, the school will make contact with the family to determine the causes of the absences and will work with the family to attempt to alleviate the problems underlying non-attendance.
Excused Absences: illness, religious holidays, death in immediate family, quarantine, family emergencies, education opportunities with prior approval, court or administrative proceedings
Unexcused Absences: missing the bus, oversleeping, lack of heat/water/electricity, bad weather, car trouble
Following a child’s absence, the parent or guardian is expected to send a written note stating the reason for the absence. Regular attendance is necessary for your child to get the greatest benefit from the program.
MAINTAINING CURRENT INFORMATION
As the school year progresses, Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools will send information regarding the next school year. For this reason, and in the event of an emergency, it is important that your address on record remain accurate. Please notify the school of any address, telephone or emergency contact changes as soon as possible. In order for the school to change your address, you must show three valid proofs of address (see “New Student Registration” at www.cms.k12.nc.us for a list of acceptable documents).
TRANSFERRING
If you would like to request a transfer during the school year to another North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten site, please submit a Transfer Request Form to the North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten office at 700 Marsh Road, Charlotte, NC 28209 or fax to 980-343-5087.
WITHDRAWING
If you move out of the CMS district or otherwise choose to withdraw your child, please contact the Pre-K staff as soon as possible and let them know your plans. We appreciate knowing ahead of time if you will be withdrawing your child for any reason.
BAD WEATHER PROCEDURES
The safety of your child is our concern. In case of bad weather, here are some important things to remember:
· The decision to close schools or to delay opening them will be made no later than 5:00 a.m. If possible, the decision will be made the evening before.
· Tune into area radio and television stations for the CMS announcement or contact a neighbor who can listen for you.
Generally, all Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools/ North Carolina Pre-Kindergarten sites will be affected by the decision, not just schools in areas of the county where weather conditions are most severe. If no announcement is made, you may assume that schools will operate on a normal schedule.
Pre-K Daily Schedule
(Sample)
Start the Day Centers / 30 minutesMorning Meeting / 15 minutes
Center Time / 60 minutes
Toileting and Snack (provided by program) / 15 minutes
Story Time / 20 minutes
Outdoor Play / 35 minutes
Songs/Word Play/Letters / 20 minutes
Hand Washing/Toileting / 10 minutes
Lunch/Quiet Time**/Centers / 80 minutes
Small Groups / 35 minutes
Let’s Find Out About It/Let’s Talk About It / 20 minutes
End the Day Centers / 20 minutes
**During Quiet Time the students are taught/practice relaxation techniques and given quiet activities. You may send a towel but please do not send blankets.
PRE-KINDERGARTEN PROGRAM BEHAVIOR PLAN
The Pre-Kindergarten Program is based on the belief that children learn self-discipline and behaviors that will result in cooperation, sharing, following directions, listening and showing respect for themselves and others. It is the adult’s responsibility to help children learn these behaviors. In Pre-K classrooms, this is accomplished by providing activities that encourage the development of these skills, and by modeling these skills for the children. Keeping children actively engaged in learning, combined with consistent rules and consequences for behavior helps to prevent discipline problems.
Parents will be responsible for promoting appropriate school behavior by:
1. Teaching and discussing the purpose of classroom and school rules. Children respond well to clear and consistent expectations from adults.
2. Providing the school with the names and phone numbers of persons who may care for the child if it is necessary that he/she leave during the school day due to illness or behavior the staff cannot safely manage.
3. Attending conferences concerning the child and picking him/her up when requested.
4. Being an active member of the child’s support team by providing structure at home and reviewing daily school correspondence in the child’s book bag. This includes working to sustain home routines such as bedtime and reading books daily.
5. Responding appropriately to school reports by praising and encouraging positive behavior and discussing areas that need improvement.
The Pre-K staff and Administrators will promote appropriate school behavior by:
1. Forming positive relationships with students and parents, teaching students appropriate school behaviors, implementing a positive reinforcement system, and supporting children’s communication as they are expressing their wants and needs.
2. Using non-verbal cues (look, signal) or prompt (gentle touch, proximity) to encourage children to correct their own behavior.
3. Using verbal cues to redirect the child to make a desirable choice.
4. Recognizing natural consequences (fall and get hurt) and enforcing logical consequences (spill something/clean it up) respectfully.
5. Providing age-appropriate time-out (usually four to five minutes) within the classroom, with a review of the rules and appropriate choices after each time out. On some occasions, a child may have a time-out in another teacher’s classroom. This may or may not involve notifying office, support staff, or parents. The child may return when s/he is able to gain self control and comply with class rules.
6. Working with parents, administrators, support staff and teachers to develop and implement a behavior intervention plan which may include having the child come to school for only half the day.
Other options include:
7. Removing the child to the office. This consequence is reserved for a child who is non-compliant, a danger to him/herself or to others or destroying school property. Parents will be contacted and a conference may be required.
8. Making referrals to other specialized program personnel for student and family support when needed or making a referral to the school intervention team. A parent conference may be required for a child who displays difficult, consistent problem behaviors.
9. Contacting the parent or guardian to pick up the student if the administrator has determined the student cannot be safely managed in class.
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BREAKFAST/LUNCH
· The kitchen staff prepares breakfast and lunch. Posted menus align with USDA nutrition guidelines for children.
· Families must complete USDA eligibility forms to be eligible for free meals.
· If parents choose to pack their child’s lunch, please contact the director.
FOOD ALLERGIES
· If your child has a food allergy, you must provide this information
to the school principal or site director in writing from a licensed
health care provider. Please make sure it describes your child’s
specific allergic condition.
· Once documentation is received, the school will work closely with you to develop a healthcare plan that will minimize risk to the child, as well as an emergency healthcare
plan in the event of an allergic reaction.
For complete details concerning allergies, visit the CMS website and see Board Policy JLCG and JLCG-R (Students with Food Allergies).
STUDENT HEALTH
EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AND FIRST AID
In case of a suspected contagious disease or emergency, these procedures are followed:
· The parent is contacted.
· The parent is asked to take the child home or to a doctor.
For more serious incidents or accidents:
· The school calls 911.
· The parent is notified.
If necessary, the student is sent with an accompanying adult to the hospital of the parent’s choice as indicated on the emergency contact card.
MEDICATION
ALL MEDICATION SHOULD BE GIVEN AT HOME. However, some students need medication on a regular schedule in order to receive maximum effect in treatment. In these cases, a Medical Authorization Form must be submitted. In addition, to maintain the safety of all children:
· The Medical Authorization Form should contain the name of the drug, dosage and the time interval that the medication is taken. Additional forms may be picked up at the school office.
· All prescription and non-prescription drugs must be in the original container with the prescription label.
· Non-prescription medication such as aspirin can only be given with the written permission of the parent and physician. No medications will be accepted without the Medical Authorization Form.
· Children are not to handle any medication. Medication should be handed from parent to teacher. Bus drivers can not be responsible for medication.
ILLNESS OR SICKNESS
In the case of a fever or upset stomach, the child should remain at home. When a child appears to have a contagious or communicable diseases, parents are contacted. Parents may be asked to take their child to a doctor. The director will determine if a child is too ill to remain at the school. Any child experiencing the following symptoms will be sent home:
ü A fever of 100 degrees or higher (child may return to school after the fever is completely gone for 24 hours)
ü Contagious skin or eye infection
ü Diarrhea
ü Vomiting
ü Profuse bodily discharge of any kind