KINDERGARTEN WRAP-AROUND PROGRAM
Madison
359 Woodland Road
Madison, NJ 07940
973-593-3100 *3112
Fax 973-301-2170
Parent Handbook
August 2012
Welcome to the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program!
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program provides full school-day enrichment activities for children enrolled in kindergarten. The Program is a complement to the regular kindergarten session, providing time, materials, and support to extend the learning that children obtain in kindergarten.
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is offered by the Madison School District. It is a voluntary, fee-based program for families who contract with the Community School to have their child attend each morning before their regular kindergarten session. The Program is housed in each of the Madison Elementary Schools, so that children are able to stay right in their home school for the entire school day.
We look forward to working together with you and your child in this exciting new program. We anticipate a year of physical, social, emotional and academic growth for all of our children!
Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program
Basic Facts
- Program Administration
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is administered through:
Madison Board of Education Community School
359 Woodland Road
Madison, NJ 07940
973- 593-3100 *3112
FAX: 973-301-2170
- Locations
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is housed in one classroom in each of the Madison Elementary Schools: Central Avenue, Kings Road and Torey J. Sabatini.
- Hours
The Program begins at the beginning of the school day and will end when the regular PM Kindergarten Classes begin
Hours are as follows:
8:40am – 12:30pm
4. Program Calendar
Kindergarten Wrap-Around follows the calendar of the Madison Public Schools. The Program will be open when the Madison Schools are open, and will be closed when the schools are closed. The Program will also follow the District Policy for emergency closings due to weather or other unforeseen emergencies. There are no make up days in addition to the days already scheduled in the school district calendar.
5. Attendance
The Program is designed as a 5-day per week, full school-year program. Children are encouraged to attend every day. Children must be present at their regular kindergarten session to be allowed to attend the Wrap-Around Program each day. An exception may be made for special circumstances, with prior approval of the Madison School, the building Principal, or the Wrap-Around Teacher.
Financial Arrangements
1. Registration Fee/Deposit
There is a non-refundable annual family registration fee of $1,000.00, due at the time of registration. The registration fee consisting of the first and last month’s (September & June) monthly fees is due upon registration. Only children who have paid the registration fee in full will be allowed to attend the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program.
3. Monthly Payments
The monthly fee in the amount of $450.00 is due on the first day of each month, but will be applied to the following month’s service. The first monthly payment is due by September 1 in payment for the month of October; by October 1 for the month of November; etc.
4. Monthly Bills
Monthly bills WILL NOT be sent by the School. It is the responsibility of each family to assure that payments are received by the first day of each month.
5. Receipts
The parent’s cancelled check will serve as a monthly receipt of payment. Upon written request, the Board Office will furnish a receipt for payments which will include the Tax ID number.
6. Refunds
Once a child is enrolled in the Program, space is reserved for him/her for the entire school year. Parents are responsible for all fees for the reserved space(s) for the program period (one school year), not actual time spent at the Program. Therefore, refunds will not be issued in the event of school closings, early dismissals, child absences, suspensions or expulsion from the program.
7. Withdrawal from the Program
Two weeks written notice to the Board Office is required in advance of the date of withdrawal from the Program. Any fees owed plus a $50.00 administrative fee will be deducted from all refunds. Refunds take approximately 6 – 8 weeks from receipt of a signed refund form.
8. Return to the Program
Enrollment in the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is limited by space and is on a first-come, first-served basis. A child who is withdrawn from the Program is not guaranteed a space should they desire to return at a later date.
Arrival and Departure
- Transportation
Children will be transported to and from school on the school buses provided by the Madison Schools Transportation Departmentif they require bussing. They will ride the bus to the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program in the morning with the older neighborhood elementary children, and ride the same bus home again after kindergarten.
- From Wrap-Around Program to Kindergarten
Children enrolled in the Wrap-Around Program will be escorted to the kindergarten room at the dismissal time of the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program. The kindergarten teacherwill meet and greet children as they arrive.
Educational Program
1. Educational Philosophy
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program offers a developmentally appropriate program designed to enrich and expand the learning taking place in the regular kindergarten classes.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children, the authority in best practices for the education of young children, has defined “early childhood” as the ages ranging from birth to age 8. Kindergarteners, at the ages of 4, 5, 6 and sometimes turning 7, are at the center of this age range, and benefit greatly from the application of developmentally appropriate practices in their learning environment.
The “Developmentally Appropriate Practice” philosophy is based on knowledge of how young children learn. Research shows that young children learn through a mixture of their experiences in the world and their own thinking. They learn by actively interacting with the objects and people around them. The staff provides lots of opportunities and uninterrupted time for children to interact with materials and people. This is done by offering different learning opportunies containing many different materials from which the children may choose. The teaching staff interacts with the children in the centers as the children interact with the materials.
2. Curriculum
The Creative Curriculum by Diane Trister Dodge and Laura J. Colker is used as a framework for curriculum planning in the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program. The Creative Curriculum is a nationally recognized program which supports children’s learning in the four key areas of development: Social/emotional, Physical, Cognitive, and Language.
Children in the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program are fortunate to have the extra time and materials to experiment and grow in all of these areas.
3. Developmental Goals
- Social/emotional: children will develop independence, self-confidence, and self-control, follow rules and routines, make friends, and learn what it means to be part of a group.
- Physical: children will increase large muscle skills- balancing, running, jumping, throwing & catching – and use the small muscles in their hands to do tasks like cutting, drawing, and writing.
- Cognitive: children will acquire thinking skills such as the ability to solve problems, to ask questions, and to think logically – sorting classifying, comparing, counting, and making patterns - and to use materials and their imagination to show what they have learned.
- Language: children will use words to communicate with others, listen to and participate in conversations with others, understand the purpose of print, recognize letters, sounds, and words, and begin writing for a purpose.
Daily Program
1. Daily Schedule
The schedule is flexible and depends upon the weather, the seasons, and the plan or theme of the day.
The group will meet together to discuss and plan for the morning. Free exploration and learning time will follow, and children will have an extended period in which to interact with the materials, other children, and with the teachers. Small group instruction, including Guided Reading and Differentiated Instruction, may occur at this time.
Outdoor play/activity time will be provided every morning that the weather permits.
2. School Assemblies
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program children will be able to attend many of the school assemblies, as space, time, and interest allows.
3. Outdoor Play
The time children spend outdoors is just as important to their learning as the time they spend in the classroom. Unless the weather is severe, we take children outdoors every day.
Large muscle activities are essential for children’s health and well-being. Too many children today are overweight. One reason is they don’t get the large muscle activity essential for healthy development. Children need time each day to run, leap, hop, jump, slide, climb, and throw and catch a ball. These activities build strong muscles and a sense of pride. Brain research shows that physical activity actually wakes up the brain for learning!
4. Dressing for the Weather
Children must have outdoor clothing at school that is appropriate to the weather every day. A warm coat, hat and mittens are necessary in the cold weather. Sleeveless tops, shorts, and sun hats are needed for the hot months. And a sweatshirt or light jacket should be kept at school at all times in case of a quick change in the weather.
5. Snacks
Morning snack takes place in the regular kindergarten class each day. Please be sure to send a healthy snack with drink to school with your child for this morning snack. Please contact your child’s teacher for more information on snack procedures in his/her individual class.
Snack time will be offered in the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program for children who wish to participate. Parents are also responsible for providing snack for their child. Please be sure to discuss with your child what items are to be eaten for snack and which are to be for lunch.
All foods sent to school may be subject to individual school restrictions to provide for the health and safety of children with allergies.
6. Lunch
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around classes have time designated for lunch at school. They may purchase lunch from the school cafeteria or bring their lunch from home. Wrap-Around Program staff will help children navigate the lunch line, purchase milk or snacks, and complete their lunch in the classroom or cafeteria, dependent on the individual school. Please visit the District website at MadisonPublicSchools.org or contact the Food ServiceDepartment at 973-593-3117 *3190 for more information on school lunches.
Health & Safety
1. School Nurse
A school nurse is on duty in each elementary school during the time that the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is in session. Children will be sent to the nurse if they show symptoms of any illness or if an accident occurs during Program hours.
2. Medical Emergency Procedures
Any time you have a group of children together, accidents may happen. The Wrap-Around Program staff takes every precaution to prevent accidents, but they will occur despite our best efforts.
If a serious injury should occur, the Program staff will first attempt to contact the parent/guardian. If the parent/guardian cannot be reached, the staff will contact the emergency persons named on the child’s information form. If hospital attention is necessary, the child will be taken with a staff member to one of the local hospitals by emergency vehicle for treatment.
3. Illnesses
Please be careful about keeping your child home if he/she exhibits signs of illness or does not feel well. Kindergarten children are quite susceptible to illness as they are building their internal immunities, and minor illnesses can spread quickly. A sick child is an uncomfortable child!
Emergency Closings
1. Full Closings
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program will close when the District schools close for bad weather. Parents are strongly encouraged to sign up for Honeywell Alerts, as Wrap-Around staff will not make notification calls to parents.
2. Delayed Openings
The Wrap-Around Program will operate at the regular time on days when the district’s AM Kindergarten classes are closed due to delayed openings. However, transportation will not be provided. Parents are responsible to transport their child to the Wrap-Around Program on delayed opening days. Children will be transported home after the session.
3. Early Dismissals
In the event of any type of early dismissal, for weather-related emergencies or regularly scheduled early dismissal days, the Wrap-Around Program will follow the schedule of the District. The Wrap-Around Program will close when the school closes, and children will be transported to their homes via school bus as usual.
Parents must make emergency arrangements for their child and ensure that the child knows what to do in case of unscheduled emergency school dismissal.
Terminating a Child’s Enrollment
We will work closely with parents to assure a positive experience at the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program for both parent and child. There are, however, some reasons that will cause the Program to terminate a child from our enrollment:
- Failure to meet tuition requirements as per the signed fee agreement and/or enrollment contract.
- Display by a parent of verbal or physical abuse or threats toward staff, their own child, other children, or another adult while on or off of the premises.
- The child’s inability to adapt to the Program’s routine.
- The child’s aggressive behavior causing danger to self and/or others, including running away behavior.
Two weeks written notice is required to remove a child from the Program before the end of the school year. Failure to do so will result in loss of the tuition deposit.