Norfolk Cooperative Preschool
2012/2013 family handbook
Health Care Policy
parent helper guide
Table of Contents
Program Introduction ………………………………………………………………..
Program Purpose and Philosophy …………………………………………………...
Family Involvement …………………………………………………………………2
Registration Procedure ………………………………………………………………
Tour and Orientation to the Program ………………………………………………..2
Programs Available ………………………………………………………………….
TwoDay Program …………………………………………………………………….
ThreeDay Program …………………………………………………………………..
Three-Day Extended Program ………………………………………………………3
Four & Five Day Program …………………………………………………………..3
Stay & Play Program…………………………………………………………………3
Intake Paperwork…………………………………………………………………….4
Continuity of Care …………………………………………………………………..4
Transitions for Children ……………………………………………………………..4
Tuition Programs …………………………………………………………………….4
Participatory Program ………………………………………………………………………………..
NonParticipatory Program ………………………………………………………………………….
General Duties of a Classroom Helper ………………………………………………
Hours of Operation and Holidays ……………………………………………………5
School Cancellations/Delay …………………………………………………………
Open Door Policy ……………………………………………………………………
Transportation Plan ………………………………………………………………….6
Late Pick Up …………………………………………………………………………6
Withdrawal ………………………………………………………………………….
Parking and Carpooling ……………………………………………………………..
What to Bring/Clothing ……………………………………………………………...
Cold Weather Policy/Outdoor Play ………………………………………………….
Day to Day Communication …………………………………………………………
Curriculum Planning …………………………………………………………………8
Children's Assessment ……………………………………………………………….8
Newsletters …………………………………………………………………………..
Parent Information Area ……………………………………………………………..
Information for All Families ………………………………………………………...
Tuition Payment/Refunds ……………………………………………………………9
Board of Directors …………………………………………………………………….
Strategic Planning Process ……………………………………………………………9
Annual Program Evaluation …………………………………………………………..
General Staff Qualifications …………………………………………………………..
Staff/Child Ratios ……………………………………………………………………..
Sample Classroom Schedule ………………………………………………………….
Field Trips ……………………………………………………………………………
Enrichment Programs ………………………………………………………………...
Emergency Evacuation Drills.……………………………………………………….
Emergency Procedures ……………………………………………………………….
Grievance Procedure ………………………………………………………………….
Health Care Consultant ……………………………………………………………….
Toileting Procedure ……………………………………………………………………
Health Policy ………………………………………………………………………….
Sick Children ………………………………………………………………………….13
Hand Washing …………………………………………………………………………13
Proper Hand Washing …………………………………………………………………13
Element Protection ……………………………………………………………………14
Medication Policy ……………………………………………………………………..
Allergic Reaction Medication …………………………………………………………14
Tooth Brushing Policy …………………………………………………………………15
Rest Time ………………………………………………………………………………15
Environmental Hazards ………………………………………………………………..15
No Smoking Policy ……………………………………………………………………15
Behavior Management Policy …………………………………………………………15
Emotional Health of Children …………………………………………………………16
Termination/Suspension ……………………………………………………………….16
Referal Policy…………………………………………………………………………..16
Developmental Screening………………………………………………………………17
Abuse or Neglect Policy ……………………………………………………………….17
Seperation Anxiety …………………………………………………………………….17
Confidentiality …………………………………………………………………………18
Volunteer Policy…………………………………………………………………………18
BRC Policy ……………………………………………………………………………..18
Dealing with Separation Anxiety…..…………………………………………………..19
Parent Helper Guide ……………………………………………………………………
Snack Ideas ……………………………………………………………………………..21
Norfolk Cooperative Preschool
Program Introduction
The Norfolk Cooperative Preschool (NCP) was incorporated in 1972 as a parttime nonprofit, nonsectarian, “cooperative” nursery school. No part of the school’s earnings inure to the benefit of any individual and all funds earned by the school are reinvested in the school. The Norfolk Cooperative Preschool does not discriminate in providing services to children and their families on the basis of race, religion, national origin, cultural heritage, political belief, marital status, sexual orientation, toileting ability, or disabilities. It affords any student the rights, privileges and programs generally afforded or made available to other students in the school. Norfolk Cooperation Preschool is licensed by The Commonwealth of Massachusetts: Department of Early Education and Care.
The cooperative program concept centers on parents taking an active role in their child’s social and educational development. Families of enrolled children are encouraged to serve on the Board of Directors, committees, and in the classroom as helpers. Also, families are encouraged to give input and suggestions to the staff regarding curriculum and program development. Our program staff uses their knowledge of the community and the families we serve as in integral art of the curriculum and the children’s leaning experiences.
Program Purpose and Philosophy
The purpose of our program is to provide a part time two, three, four and five day per week, preschool experience that will benefit the child, the parents and the community. In general, our goal is to:
- Provide children with opportunities to interact with other children in a setting conducive to the development of positive social relationships.
- Provide children with opportunities for meaningful play that is based on individual needs, interests, and abilities that will build a foundation for future academic skills.
- Provide a stimulating environment that will appeal to children’s natural curiosity to learn.
- Develop in each child a sense of independence, selfworth and respect for others.
- Provide parents with opportunities to meet and work with other parents and teachers who share a common concern with the interests and needs of young children.
The staff at Norfolk Cooperative Preschool respects all families and their diversities. We will accommodate to the best of our ability any medical issues, allergies, religious needs, language translation and any other special needs. We are in constant contact with all families.
Family Involvement:
As we are a cooperative preschool, family involvement is welcomed as an integral part of our early childhood program.
- Parent intake forms must be filled out before the child begins in the program. These forms ask for information on the child and family so the program can use the information to adapt the program environment, curriculum and teaching methods.
- We invite families to share their culture, traditions and talents with the class and/or the whole school.
- Parents are asked to volunteer in their child’s classroom one day per month and to bring in the snack for the children. On parent helper days, any adult member of the family is welcome to be the helper provided there is a valid up to date BRC for that person on file with the Director.
- Parents are invited to the Parent Orientation night in September. This is a night to learn more about the general business of the school, the philosophy of the school and to meet with other parents from the school.
- Parents are invited to become Board Members and to come to the parent Board meetings. During the board meetings many items are discussed about the involvement in the school and the general curriculum.
- There are also many opportunities for families, including siblings, to come to the school for special events such as: Open House, Parent Orientation, Spring fling, Holiday Sing Along, Thanksgiving feast, Halloween “Spook”tacular, Week of the Young child brunch and the End of the Year Picnic. There are also monthly events for families and staff to get together sponsored by our social committee. Just to name a few.
We want your child’s preschool experience to be an extension of home; therefore, we welcome your family!
Registration Procedure
Registrations are accepted on a first come, first served basis. Registration applications are taken in December for the following school year. Families with children currently enrolled at Norfolk Cooperative Preschool and siblings of alumni are given first choice of openings. Midyear enrollments are welcomed for children 2.9 years and older.
Tour and Orientation to the Program
You are encouraged to take a tour of NCP with your child before the first day of school. Please arrange an appointment with the Director.
Each family is given a Parent Handbook upon registration. Please sign the parent handbook form, located in the forms pack, when you have read and understood the information located in the handbook. The information contained in the handbook is all of our program policies including guidance and discipline.
There is also a required parent orientation meeting on the first evening of school. The information in the parent handbook is shared and discussed along with the program philosophy, curriculum goals and objectives of the program.
The first day of class is an orientation day where the children stay in the classrooms for one hour. Your family is welcome to attend school with your child on this day. This gives the children time to get acclimated to the classroom with the security of having the caregiver/parent along with them.
Programs Available
TwoDay Program & Two Day Extended
The twoday AM program meets on Tuesday and Thursday from 9am – 12 pm. The recommended age for children in this program is 2.9 to 3.9 years of age. The two-day extended program meets from 9am –1pm with the children bringing their own lunches. This program is recommended for children 3 and up. It is also recommended for children for whom this will be the first year in an early childhood program. The twoday programs place an emphasis on development social relationships and skills. It is an introduction to school routine and selfhelp skills. Play is an integral part of this program. Children are encouraged to participate in fun activities that promote fine and gross motor skills, listening skills, social and emotional development, an appreciation for art, music and reading, selfhelp skills, and cognitive development.
ThreeDay Program
The threeday programs meets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9am – 12 pm. The recommended age for children in this program is 3.9 years and up. It is also recommended as a progressive step up from the twoday program. The threeday program places emphasis on both social and cognitive development, and some focus on kindergarten preparation. (Those children eligible for kindergarten the following year will have an opportunity to take a field trip to a kindergarten class at the H. Olive Day School in Norfolk.) Children are exposed to colors, shapes, letters, numbers, science and math activities, name recognition, simple writing activities, scissors skills and much more.
Three-Day Extended Program
The three-day extended program meets on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m.– 1:00 p.m. The recommended age for children in this program is 4.0 as of August 31st. It is also recommended as a progressive step up from the twoday program. The threeday program places emphasis on both social and cognitive development, and kindergarten preparation. (Children will have an opportunity to take a field trip to a kindergarten class at the H. Olive Day School in Norfolk). Children are exposed to colors, shapes, letters, numbers, science and math activities, name recognition, simple writing activities, scissors skills and much more. The extra hour in this program is designed for a lunchtime, which each family is responsible for providing, and free playtime.
FourDay & Five-Day Program
The fourday program meets Tuesday through Friday from 9am- 12 pm and the five-day program meets M-F 9am to 12pm. The required age for children in this program is four years of age as of August 31st. The four and five day programs are recommended as a progressive step up from either the two or threeday programs. These programs focus on kindergarten preparation for the following year. Children have the opportunity to participate in writing activities, whole language activities, cooperative art projects, math and science centers and much more. This program also takes a field trip to a kindergarten class at the H. Olive Day School in Norfolk.
Stay & Play Program
The Stay and Play Program will be available to children who are already enrolled at NCP. The program will begin in September/October and meet on Monday through Friday from 12pm to 1pm. for all children and M,W,F from 12-2:30pm. Parents can sign up for one, two, three or four days depending on the child’s current class schedule. The program consists of open-ended activities, lunch and outside/gross motor time. Children need to bring lunch. Parents need to make a commitment of a month at a time. Drop in time is available as well.
Intake Paperwork
All parents are required to fill out intake paperwork for their child including enrollment form, developmental history, authorization and consent, transportation, medical and immunization forms, handbook consent and confidentiality agreement. These forms need to be in the child’s file before the first day of class. All of the children’s files are kept in the strictest confidence in a locked file cabinet in the directors office and are updated quarterly. The child’s parent or legal guardian may only access the content of the file along with administrators and teaching staff with signed permission from parent or legal guardian. The children’s files may be available to regulatory authority upon request with signed consent from parent or legal guardian.
Continuity of Care
Each child will be assigned to a classroom before the start of school. Each classroom is staffed with a team of two staff members consisting of a teacher, a co-teacher or an assistant. Each classroom at Norfolk Cooperative Preschool can have a maximum of 15 children with two staff members at all times. Children will have the same classroom and teaching team throughout the school year. The staff/ child ratio will be maintained throughout the day, as the child is their designated classroom for the entirety of the program. The staff/ child ratio will also be maintained as the children access the playground, indoor play space and during field trips (including bus transportation to field trip).
Transitions for Children
When entering Norfolk Cooperative Preschool for the first time children are invited to come on a tour of the facility with their parents. There will be an orientation day in September where the children will attend class for one hour with their parent. This is a wonderful opportunity for the children to meet other children in their class along with their new teachers. Children enrolled in a program at Norfolk Cooperative Preschool they will stay in a particular program for the school year. At the end of the school year the children will be off for the summer and then enter into their new program in September with another one-hour orientation in their new classroom. The children going onto Kindergarten will get an opportunity to visit a public school kindergarten program in May. Teachers may share information with the child’s next team of teachers with the parent’s permission.
Tuition Programs
NCP offers the following tuition programs: participatory and nonparticipatory.
Participatory Program
The participatory tuition program is for families who wish to volunteer in the classroom as helpers. This requires one day of volunteering per month. The 4/5-day parents may be asked to bring in snack for another day during a month. Volunteers are asked to complete a scheduling survey at the start of the year, and are scheduled on their most convenient days. Any volunteer in the classroom must have a valid up to date BRC on file with the Director. The participatory tuition is lower than the nonparticipatory. We ask that if you cannot make your scheduled volunteer date for a particular month that you pay the non-participatory rate for that month. See volunteer policy later in document.
NonParticipatory Program
The nonparticipatory tuition program is for families who are unable to volunteer in the classroom. The nonparticipatory tuition is higher than the participatory. However, families are welcome to volunteer only in the months they are available and pay the participatory rates for those months.
General Duties of a Classroom Helper
Parent and family volunteers are provided a Parent Helper Guide, which is included in this handbook. The classroom helper does not provide the discipline, plan curriculum, assist in the bathroom, or teach the class. The classroom helper assists the staff in preparing the classroom for the day, assists with arts and crafts or learning centers, monitors the classroom for safety and gives the staff a hand whenever needed. As a cooperative, we depend on your help in many capacities. Your assistance is very valuable in the classroom. We ask you to arrive on time and stay for the entire morning. Teachers will provide a specific guide for their particular classroom. Most importantly, the classroom helper should enjoy being in the class and spending quality time with their child.
Hours of Operation and Holidays
NCP office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Classes are in session 9-12, 9-1 or 9-2:30pm depending on the program. NCP generally follows the same holiday schedule as the Norfolk Public Schools system and are guided by their “no school” announcements (See School Cancellations/Delay) with few exceptions.
The school is closed on the following holidays: Columbus Day, Veterans Day, the day before and after Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Day, generally two weeks off during Christmas including Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the week after Christmas, Martin Luther King Day, Winter Break (according to the Norfolk Public School), Good Friday, Spring Break (according to the Norfolk Public School), Memorial Day, Norfolk Public teacher workshop days and ParentTeacher Conference Days (generally held in March).
As the days listed above may change, from year to year, dependent upon the day a holiday might fall on, NCP asks families to refer to the NCP Calendar for specific dates provided at the beginning of each calendar school year.
School Cancellations/Delay
School sessions may be canceled due to inclement weather. In such event, NCP will follow the closing of the Norfolk Public School system. A “onehour delay” of school means a “onehour delay” for NCP (we shall open at 10:00 a.m. for the day). In the event that there is a “one and a half hour or more delay”, NCP will be closed for the day. Snow days will not be made up.
“No school” and “school delay” announcements for the Norfolk Public Schools are announced to the community through various local media outlets (radio and television stations). A message will be on the answering machine by 6:30am.
AM StationsFM StationsTV Stations
WBZ (103)WBUR (90.9)Channel 4 (WBZ)
WRKO (680)Channel 5 (WCVB)
WHDH (850)Channel 7 (WHDH)
WJCC (1170)
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE POLICE, FIRE, AND OR HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS.
In the event that the weather becomes hazardous during the school day, NCP will act upon its Unscheduled Dismissal Policy. A designated contact parent for your child’s class will contact parents within your child’s class. If you cannot be contacted, the person(s) listed on your Release Authorization Form will be contacted.
There will be no make-up days if for some reason (ex: no heat, no water, large funeral at church, or snow) we have an unscheduled day off.
Snow/weather policy holds at all times and if there is no school then there is no Stay & Play
Open Door Policy
Norfolk Cooperative Preschool has an open door policy for all parents with children at NCP. All visitors MUST report to the Director and sign in immediately upon arrival. Please feel free to visit our school and/or speak with the Director during general operating hours.