Parent Handbook
2017-18
This handbook is intended to serve as a reference for parents about our program’s expectations and procedures. If you have any questions or concerns about the information in the handbook, or suggestions for information in future handbooks, please let me know.
Stacy Wilder
Director and Head Teacher
Mailing address: School address:
96 Ridge Rd 17B Ridge Rd
Lansing,NY 14882Lansing,NY 14882
Stacy @ home 533-9202
Stacy’s Cell: 227-5392 (number to call during school hours)
Our Sweet Peas Philosophy
We believe that children need to play, explore, manipulate their environment, get messy, move, observe, touch, sing, taste, pretend, and create. Our job as teachers is to set up an environment in which children can interact in these ways.
We also plan activities that are safe, age appropriate, interesting and meaningful to young children.
Our Sweet Peas Curriculum
We are often asked, “Do you teach alphabet/numbers[and other academic content]?”
Our response is that some skills are best learned 1:1 at a child’s own pace and other skills are learned best in a group working with others. For example, it’s impossible for a child to learn to share if they are never around other children vying for the same toy. But, learning to write letters is best done when an adult can sit with a child and model the process and then guide the child to success, adjusting to the child’s unique skill level. At Sweet Peas, we believe there are important skills that children learn in a setting such as ours that will help them transition to and be successful in kindergarten. We also know that our multi-age 3 hour program has limitations. We can and do expose children to many “academic concepts” (letters, numbers, letter sounds, math concepts and writing skills) but we cannot always help each child achieve mastery in our group setting. We see our job as preparing children to encounter academics in kindergarten. We also are complimenting what academic skills parents are working on at home and providing the social landscape for kids to practice all the social skills and “school skills” they need to enter kindergarten.
We believe that children learn best through play. Our curriculum exposes children to language, math, science, social studies, art, music, drama, and physical development in play based ways. Though we expose children to academic concepts through play (examples: an alphabet puzzle, number bingo, making playdough letters, counting and sorting small pieces) we are not an academically focused preschool. Our main priority is social development and kindergarten readiness skills. Your child will learn to work in a group, take direction from teachers, operate successfully in a classroom environment, learn that school is a fun place to explore, and learn to make friends.Most of all, we want your child to feel a great sense of pride and accomplishment so that they go off to kindergarten feeling that they are awesome (because they are!)
We do most of our work in play-based centers. We also have small group and large group instruction time. We organize our learning topics into themes like ocean, insects, farm animals, fairy tales, colors, shapes, seasonal changes, plants, etc. We are careful to plan experiences that meet each child's individual learning style.
Sweet Peas also has goals for our students that fall into two basic categories: mastery and exposure. Here are many of the skills that we cover in each of the areas:
.
Mastery
We expect children to have a good handle on these skills when they leave our program**.
/ Math Skills:Identify first,last ,more, less, equal
Understanding a calendar
Reading a bar or picture graph
Recognizing shapes and colors
Sorting by attribute
Basic understanding of +/-
Extending simple patterns
Literacy Skills:
Recognizing name in print
Nursery rhymes and finger plays
Singing songs from memory Building vocabulary and listening skills
Writing letters to represent a word & also
begin to write letters for sounds heard in
words
Drawing ideas/stories/experiences
Understanding of basic features of print
Answering questions about a story
“Reading” books to self or friends
Retelling familiar stories
Making personal connection to stories
Recognizing rhymes
Awareness that letters have sounds
Awareness that letters make words
Creative Skills: Exploring a variety of art processes Using a variety of art materials Participating in movement songs/ dances Using instruments to practice rhythms Participating in dramatic play
Social/Emotional Skills:Separating from parents at drop off
Following verbal directions
Turn taking and sharing
Using words to express emotions and ideas
Communicating with friends in socially
+/- situations
Using manners
Problem solving
Sharing a show-and-tell item
Raising a hand to speak in a group lesson
Focusing on a task until completion
Making and playing with friends
Showing respect and empathy
Following class rules
Classroom Skills:
Putting away belongings in cubby
Cleaning up work areas
Organizing supplies by type
Listening to a story without interrupting
Focusing on the teacher in a group lesson
Independently using the bathroom
Lining up/walking in a line
Using inside voices and walking feet
Following classroom routines
Transitioning between classroom activities
Motor Skills:
Independently getting outer wear off/ on
Using correct pencil grip and scissor grip
Using glue and glue sticks
Using science tools
(magnifying glasses, scales, tweezers)
Writing first name and other letters
Drawing a person with most body parts
Drawing simple objects (ex. house, car)
Drawing basic shapes
Exposure
We work on these concepts at school, but also expect that parents are working on these skills at home. Not all children will have mastered these skills by the time they leave preschool, but the better they are prepared before they start school, the easier it will be for them to handle the kindergarten curriculum,Math:
Recognizing numbers 1-20
Counting to 20 verbally and also counting 20 objectsUnderstand the relationship between numbers and quantities to 10
Writing numbers 1-10
LiteracyRecognizing upper and lower case letters
Writing upper and lower case letters
Letter sounds
Sight words
Skills to be learned at home:
Putting on a jacket
zipping
tying shoes
writing last name
bathroom self-care
** any of the skills in the “mastery” section that your child needs more time and attention to develop
Program Schedule
The program schedule is meant to give parents an idea of the goals for a typical day. The schedule is flexible to accommodate special projects and the children’s needs, as well as the weather.
9:00-9:30Arrivals and Free Choice Play
9:30 Circle Time (calendar, story, games, music)
9:50 Center Time & Small Group Work (snack)
11:30Outdoor Play in nice weather or Indoor Gross Motor Activity
11:50-12:00 Dismissal
Tuition & Fees
Application Fee: a non refundable fee of $25 is due with each application. Payment of the application fee does not guarantee admission.If spaces are unavailable, your application fee will hold a spot for you on our waiting list.
Registration Fee: a non-refundable $50 registration fee is due each year at the time of registration.
Annual Tuition: Upon registration, families are committing to our program for the full school year and therefore, the annual tuition. The annual tuition can be broken into 10 payments or you may pre-pay as many payments as you like. The first payment is due with registration and confirms your child’s spot in our program. Below is the payment schedule:
Payment 1: Due with registration or August 15th*
Payment 2: Due September 15th
Payment 3-10 : Due October – May on the 15th of the month
Auto-pay/bank transfer is also an option, ask Stacy for information
*Families signing up late in the summer will have to pay two payments close together
2017-18 Annual tuition rates are:
T/TH option $1600 / $160 per payment
M/W/F option $2350 / $235 per payment
M-F option $3950 / $395 per payment
Late Fee: $10 per day that payment is not received past the day it is due (unless previous arrangements have been made)
Returned Check Fee: $35 and all further payments will be required in cash.
Late Pick-up Fee: School ends at 12:00 and 3:00 sharp. If you are late,
an additional $10 fee per 5 minutes will be charged. Payment will be due
immediately. Three violations of this policy will result in termination of the
contract immediately and paid up tuition will not be refunded.
Termination of Enrollment
September – December: If you decide to terminate enrollment of your child from our program, please give us as much notice as possible, but the minimum notice is one payment cycle. Tuition will be due the next payment dateafter you have provided us with written notification. This ensures we have 1 month to try and fill the spot. If we can fill the spot sooner, a pro-rated tuition refundwill be considered by the Director.
January – May: Families withdrawing from our program or changing to a schedule with fewer days after the December payment are still responsible for the rest of the year’s tuition agreed upon. Exception will be made if the spot can be filled with a new student. If there are extenuating circumstances, the director may make an exception at her discretion.
- Some local programs like Head Start make calls to their waiting list late in the year to add students to their class. Please be aware that if you are on the Head Start waiting list and want to leave Sweet Peas after the new year, you are still responsible for the remainder of tuition unless we can fill the spot.
The Director has the right to terminate your child's enrollment at any time during theacademic year. Reasons for termination of enrollment include:
A child's non-adjustment to school*
Failure to pay tuition
Failure of parents to follow policies
*We will work very hard to ensure that each child adjusts to school. It may take several weeks to transition, depending on the age of the child and/ or the child’s schedule. For example, if a child is coming 2 days a week, it may take that child longer to adjust than a 5 day child.
Please be aware, however, that some 3 year old children are not ready for a structured program. If your child is still having extreme separation anxiety after the first month of school, we reserve the right to postpone your child’s enrolment until they turn 4. Besides unresolved separation anxiety, some 3 year old children may not be developmentally ready to succeed in our structured school setting. If a child has 2 years before kindergarten and they are not having success in our setting after the first 4-6 weeks, we will recommend postponing enrollment until the following year and give you suggestions of other differently structured programs to try that will give yourchildopportunities to develop in the mean time.
Policies
Sickness Policy
Children should not attend school if they are sick. We will call you to come and pick up your child if they develop an illness while at school. Sometimes colds last for several days, so it is ok for them to come back after the worst of a cold is over (usually after the first 2-3 days; provided they feel up to it and have no fever, diarrhea or vomiting.)Please use your most conservative judgment.
Children are not allowed at school if they:
have had diarrhea, fever or vomiting in the past 24 hours
( i.e., if they have diarrhea/fever/vomiting at 9:30 am Tuesday, they can’t come to school Wednesday)
have head lice (must be treated and have no signs of live lice or nits before returning to school)
have pink eye, chicken pox, strep, hand/foot/mouth or other contagious infection
are so congested that they have not been able to sleep at least 8 hours the night before
Medication Policy
We do not under any circumstances administer ANY medications; this includes sunscreen or topical lotions.
Discipline Policy
Our philosophy centers around the idea of positive discipline. The goal is to help children build self-control and learn to express their feelings appropriately. Each child differs in which discipline technique will work for them. Based on the child’s age, stage of development and personality, we will use a combination of the following techniques when a child needs help changing their behavior:
- The environment will be planned to meet children’s developmental needs
- Praise will be used to help children know what is expected behavior
- Clear and consistent rules and limits will be set
- Natural and logical consequences will be used when a child misbehaves Example: A child has been asked to stop throwing blocks and continues. He will be directed to a different activity.
- Children will be told what they can do instead of what they can’t do Example: “please put your feet on the floor”
- Time away from the group to think and take a break, followed up by discussion with a teacher
Chronic Behavior Problems
If a behavior becomes a chronic problem with a child, parents will be asked to come in for a conference after school hours. We will work cooperatively to come up with a plan of action to be implemented at school. The child’s progress will be documented. If the problem is not resolved in a reasonable amount of time and/or the parent’s are not willing to assist in helping their child change his/her behavior, the child may be asked to leave the program permanently.
Day to Day Issues
How to contact the school
Stacy Wilder, the director/head teacher can be reached anytime between 8 am and 8 pm at 227-5392. This is her cell and will be used as the school phone during school hours. If we do not pick up during school hours, please leave a message.
Texts are preferred to voicemail messages.
School Calendar
A calendar of our days will be provided each year in September. We loosely follow the Lansing School calendar, but do not attend as many days, so please consult our Sweet Peas calendar rather than the Lansing district calendar.
Snow Days and Closings
We will follow the Lansing School closings and delays in inclement weather. If there is a delay, we will be closed.
Check
Tuition is not refunded because of school being closed for circumstances such as weather, unsafe facilities, loss of utilities, natural disasters, or other issues that are out of our control.
If your child will be absent…
***Please call or text 227-5392 or email Stacy
If your child does not attend the program due to illness or family vacation, you are still responsible for tuition.
Parking
Please enter at the driveway to the west of the building (karate studio side) and pull around to our side to park. You may also park on the karate studio side, but be sure not to park in the handicapped or the designated dog groomer’s parking. Exit the driveway closest to where you are parked.
Drop Off
The doors to the school will be unlocked promptly at 9 am. We do not allow drop off before 9 am.
Dismissal
Please begin arriving at 11:50. We will be on hand to say a brief positive comment about your child’s day. Drop off and dismissal times will not be a good time to talk in private, so if you have specific concerns, please just mention that you will be calling and we can talk after school.
Children’s Dress
Children should be dressed in “old” clothes since paint or glue are used nearly everyday. Dress your child adequately for outdoor play. We play outside for approximately20 minutes every day that it is not too wet, snowy, icy or cold. (We remain inside if thetemperature or wind chill factor is below 20degrees). If there are children who are unprepared, we will not be able to go out.
Personal Property
Toys from home are apt to cause many negative issues during the day. Please do not bring any toys to school unless it is a special sharing day and items are requested by teachers.
Parent Helpers
We are not a co-op preschool, meaning we do not require parent volunteer hours. However, there will be plenty of times and events that we will need extra help and will be glad for members of our Sweet Pea community who are available to do so. Watch for notes/emails requesting help and do so as little or as much as you are able.
Snack
We provide a snack and drink each day. We will serve water and food like fruits, vegetables, cheeses, crackers, yogurt and an occasional treat (on birthdays or special events)
If your child requires a special diet (i.e., vegan, organic, gluten free, soy free) you will need to send them a separate snack each day. Snacks should require no prep on the teacher’s part and be nutritious – please no candy, chips, cookies. In the case of special treat days, like a birthday of another child, you may want to send in a special treat for your child in place of the treat the other’s will have.