Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary Preschool
Parent
Handbook
2015-2016
I32 – Miss JonesI33 – Miss DoolinI34 – Mrs. Blake
Table of Contents
Welcome2
Hawaii Preschool Content Standards3
School Supply List4
School Day5
Drop-Off, Pick-Up, and Early Release Procedures6
Breakfast and Lunch Procedures7
Snack Procedures8
Attendance9
Illness Guidelines10
Toileting and Dressing11
Child Abuse/Neglect Issues12
Birthdays & Special Celebrations13
Field Trips13
Toys and Personal Items14
CLOMP Rotation14
Parent Participation & Communication15
Parent Communication15
Preschool Guideline Overview16
Family Survey 20
Signature of Understanding20
Dear Parents,
Welcome to the Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE) Program! We have another exciting year planned for your child and we would like to start it off by providing you with this Pearl Harbor Kai (PHK) Preschool Parent Handbook. The purpose of this handbook is to inform you of some general information about our program.
Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary currently has three ECSE classrooms: I32, I33, and I34. Our curriculum is based on the Hawaii Preschool Content Standards and is aligned with the Kindergarten curriculum. In addition, our curriculum incorporates the General Learner Outcomes, Tribes, and the Habits of Mind Essential Characteristics for Success Program and is designed to address the individual needs stated on each child’s Individualized Education Program (IEP).
ECSE teachers are Highly Qualified Department of Education (DOE) teachers that have completed a State Approved Teacher Education Program and belong to the Hawaii State Teacher Association (HSTA) union. They are qualified to teach Special Education from Preschool to grade 12. The Para-Educators (formerly known as Educational Assistants or EAs) are required by the DOE to have at least two years of college education and extensive experience in working with children.
Your child is ready to begin his/her preschool journey once he/she turns three-years old and all enrollment requirements have been met according to Pearl Harbor Kai’s enrollment procedures. Your understanding, participation, cooperation and support are all vital to your child’s learning experience. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child, please feel free to discuss them with your child’s teacher.
Sincerely,
Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary Preschool Teachers
HAWAII PRESCHOOL CONTENT STANDARDS
DOMAIN I: PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, HEALTH AND SAFETY
Standard 1: Develop health awareness and skills
Standard 2: Learn and follow basic safety rules
Standard 3: Acquire basic self-help skills and routines
Standard 4: Develop strength and coordination of small muscles
Standard 5: Develop strength and coordination of large muscles
DOMAIN II: PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT
Standard 1: Understand and express feelings appropriately
Standard 2: Develop a positive and realistic self-concept
Standard 3: Develop social skills and positive peer and adult relationships
Standard 4: Develop a positive and open approach to learning
Standard 5: Acquire behaviors and skills expected in school
DOMAIN III: COMMUNICATION, LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT AND LITERACY
Communication: Speaking and Listening
Standard 1: Use language in a variety of ways
Standard 2: Listen with comprehension to a variety of spoken forms of language
Language Acquisition
Standard 3: Acquire increasingly rich vocabulary and sentence structure
Emergent Reading and Writing
Standard 4: Recognize and use symbols
Standard 5: Enjoy and understand books
Standard 6: Show interest in writing
Standard 7: Acquire concepts of print
Standard 8: Acquire emergent literacy skills while exploring print in books and the environment
DOMAIN IV: COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT
Symbolic Play
Standard 1: Represent fantasy and real-life experiences through pretend play
Standard 2: Engage in sustained symbolic play with other children
Mathematics
Standard 1: Learn about numbers, numerical representation, and simple numerical operations
Standard 2: Recognize and create patterns and become aware of relationships
Standard 3: Develop concepts of shape and space
Standard 4: Develop and use measurement concepts
Standard 5: Represent and interpret data
Science
Standard 1: Increase sensory awareness
Standard 2: Engage in scientific inquiry
Standard 3: Explore physical properties of the world
Standard 4: Explore characteristics of living things
Standard 5: Learn about the earth and sky
Standard 6: Have a variety of educational experiences that involve technology
Social Studies
Standard 1: Learn about themselves and other people (psychology)
Standard 2: Appreciate their own and other and cultures (cultural anthropology)
Standard 3: Become aware of how things, people, and places change over time (history)
Standard 4: Explore how people depend upon one another for things and help they need (economics)
Standard 5: Understand what people need to do to work and live together in groups (sociology and politics)
Standard 6: Develop geographical awareness (geography)
Standard 7: Develop awareness of the natural environment and how it can be protected (ecology)
DOMAIN V: CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Art
Standard 1: Create and express themselves through a variety of art experiences
Standard 2: Begin to learn about art elements and techniques
Music
Standard 1: Create and express themselves through a variety of music experiences
Standard 2: Begin to learn about music elements and techniques
Creative Movement and Drama
Standard 1: Create and express themselves through a variety of creative movement and drama experiences
Standard 2: Begin to learn about movement elements and techniques
Aesthetic Appreciation
Standard 1: Develop appreciation for natural and cultural beauty and the visual and performing arts
Pearl Harbor Kai Preschool
Supply List 2013-2014
ITEM / AMOUNT / “X” if doneAntibacterial Wipes / 3
Apron or Large T-shirts / 1
Backpack (large enough to fit binder) / 1
Binder, 1” 3 ringed, w/front plastic view sleeve / 1
Blanket or Towel (need to fit into cubby area) / 1
Change of Clothes (place in labeled Ziploc package) / 2-3 sets
Composition Book Unruled (do not label) / 1
Composition Book Ruled (do not label) / 1
Crayola Crayons, 24 count / 1 box
Crayola Crayons, Jumbo 10 colors (include pink & gray) / 1 box
Crayola Marker, Jumbo 10 primary colors
(include pink & gray) / 1 box
Cup, Plastic (for drinking during snack) Only for i-32, i-33 / 1
Diapers or Pull-ups (if applicable) / As needed
Diaper Wipes (if applicable) / As needed
Gloves, latex free, size M / 2 boxes
Glue, Elmer’s 4 oz. / 4
Hand Sanitizer 8 oz. or one (1) large 32 oz. bottle / 4
Mat, School sleeping 1” or 2” thick / 1
Paper Towel (PLEASE NO VIVA BRAND)
(to be replenished as needed throughout the year) / 4 rolls
Rubber Slippers
(kept in class for fire drills, bathroom, emergencies, etc.) / 1 pair
Soap, Liquid foaming / 3
Sponges, regular (non-scrubbing) / 2
Tissue, Facial
(to be replenished as needed throughout the year) / 4
White T-shirts (For special field trips) / 3
Ziploc, Gallon-size (40 count or more) / 1 box
Ziploc, Sandwich size (100 count or more) / 1 box
Please label all items with child’s name (except where noted).
Please bring all supplies within the first week of school.
Please have your child come to school with a backpack large enough to fit a 3-ring binder.
- Additional supplies may be requested throughout the year, as needed. Mahalo
SCHOOL DAY
Your preschooler is a Pearl Harbor Kai student and therefore follows the same bell schedule as all Pearl Harbor Kai students.
Start of Day:7:55 a.m. (tardy bell rings at 8:00 a.m.)
End of Day:2:10 p.m. (M, T, Th, F)
1:15 p.m. (Wednesdays)
There are special times throughout the year in which the dismissal time may vary (i.e., Parent-Teacher conference week). Information will be disseminated regarding schedule changes through school-wide memos that will be sent home.
School is closed on all State Holidays, and Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer breaks (please refer to the current Pearl Harbor Kai school calendar).
The children also have a lunch period and a nap/rest period in the afternoon.
DROP-OFF and PICK-UP PROCEDURES
Drop-Off: The children who ride the bus will be picked up by the teacher or the Para-Educator at the curbside of the main parking lot. If you are dropping your child off at school daily, please escort your child to the classroom. Doors open at 7:55 a.m. We are not allowed to open the doors earlier due to liability reasons. Please do not leave your child alone in front of the classroom. Arriving to school after 8:00 a.m. is tardy. You must get a tardy slip at the office if your child arrives after 8:15 a.m.
Please be sure that your child has been fed and toileted before arriving to class. This is part of our daily preschool arrival routine.
Pick-Up: Please be sure to pick up your child at his/her classroom. Please be on time. The teachers and para-educators often have meetings, and/or scheduled duties after school. If you know you are going to be late due to unforeseen circumstances, please be courteous and call your teacher so she can inform you of an alternate pick-up site should she have to leave the classroom to attend a meeting. If your child is consistently being picked up late, the administration will have to document these occurrences and may have to file a case of neglect with Child Welfare Services.
Please inform older siblings and anyone else who picks up your child of our school’s drop-off and pick-up procedures. Parents need to write a note to the teacher if they are authorizing anyone other than the names listed on the emergency card to pick up your child. A valid ID will need to be presented to the teacher before the child can be released.
Early Release: Only parents are allowed to request an early release for the child. Early releases are done through the school office. Please call the office at 421-4245 to make the request. If someone else is picking your child up, the request still needs to be made by the parent. A valid ID will need to be presented to the office staff. Please pick up your child at his/her classroom after notifying the office staff.
If your child is being released before 11:00 a.m., your child will be considered “absent” for the day.
BREAKFAST and LUNCH PROCEDURES
Breakfast: Breakfast is served in the cafeteria daily between 7:15 – 7:45 a.m. You may elect to eatand spend time with your child.
If you are dropping your child off at school daily and want him/her to have a school breakfast, please be on time. The cafeteria does not make any exceptions for those who try to pick up breakfast after 7:45 a.m. You must have someone responsible supervise your child in the cafeteria or choose to spend some morning time with your child. Do not leave your child unattended.
If your child receives transportation services, please make sure he/she eats breakfast at home. We normally have a morning snack around 9:30.
Lunch: Your child will be using his/her school ID to pick up a school lunch. If your child will be eating a home lunch, please be sure to label all lunch bags and food storage containers with your child’s name. We do NOT refrigerate home lunches, so please use ice packs and don’t forget utensils and napkins.
Meal Tracker Account: If your child is not approved to receive free lunch, please make sure that you keep your child’s lunch account balance current. Envelopes are located in the office by the door. Only cash payments will be accepted. Teachers will not accept any money/envelopes. You or an older sibling must deposit it into the office lunch Drop Box. Deposits made after 9:00 a.m. will be credited the next school day.
New Students: You must make sure your child has money in his/her lunch account even if you fill out the Free/Reduced Meal Application. The approval for that is made by the Department of Education and usually takes about two weeks. Until approved, your child will have to pay full prices for meals.
Returning Students: Your child may still have some money in his/her account that was carried over from last school year. You will receive notice when the balance gets low or reflects a negative balance.
SNACK POLICY
The children have a daily snack. Please supply a box/package of snacks which is to be shared with the whole class. Some snack items we have had in the past include: Goldfish, Graham Crackers, Pretzels, Teddy Grahams, Wheat Thins, Cheeze Nips, Fruit Snack Packets, Animal Crackers, Carnival Cookies, Veggie Straws, Cheerios, Kix, Raisins, Soda Crackers and Salon Crackers. We will go through everyone’s supply before requesting more. If a child brings in a snack for just himself/herself, the snack will be left in their backpack and may eat it after school.
Your child may bring his/her own drink in a water bottle container with a covered lid. If your child does not have a drink, then water will be served in their plastic cup.
Although Pearl Harbor Kai is not a peanut-free school, we are asking that you do not bring any snacks that contain peanuts due to the increasing amount of peanut allergy cases. If your child has any allergies or sensitivity to certain foods, please be sure to indicate it on his/her emergency card and inform the classroom teacher so that your child can receive an alternate snack.
ATTENDANCE
Although preschool and kindergarten are not mandatory, attendance is highly encouraged, especially since your child requires services listed on his/her Individualized Education Program (IEP). Too many absences may result in lack of progress towards meeting annual goals and objectives. If your child is in school for less than 20 days in a quarter, your child will not receive a grade on his progress report.
We do realize that there will be days when your child will need to miss school. Please call your child’s teacher/office before 7:30 a.m. if your child will be absent/sick and leave a message if we are unable to answer the phone. Please state the reason so that we can record it onto your child’s attendance sheet.
Upon child’s return, please provide a doctor’s note to the teacher stating why your child was absent. Absences are considered excused only when a doctor’s note is provided.
Also, please call your child’s teacher/office if there will be any change in pick-up time, picking up child at an earlier time, not going on the bus, or forgot lunch/blanket and will be dropping it off at the office.
If your child rides the bus to/from school, please inform the Roberts Bus Company @ 832-4886 to report your child’s absence from riding that day.
I-32Mrs. Talamoa421-4245 ext. 263
I-33Miss Doolin421-4245 ext. 264
I-34Mrs. Blake421-4245 ext. 265
PRESCHOOL ILLNESS GUIDELINES
We understand that having your child attend school everyday is important, however, if he/she is not feeling well, please keep him/her at home to rest and recover. This is to prevent the spread of any illnesses or infections. We do have some very sensitive students in our program who tend to react to mild colds in a serious way.
Please keep your child at home if he/she has any of the following symptoms:
- FEVER - A fever of 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher. Your child needs to be fever-free (without the use of medication) for 24 hours before coming back to school.
- VOMITING OR DIARRHEA – Vomiting and diarrhea are typically associated with viruses. If your child is vomiting or has diarrhea, do not bring him/her to school. Keep your child at home until he/she is symptom-free for 24 hours.
- SEVERE COUGHS and COLDS – A child with mild cough and cold symptoms should come to school, but if the cough or cold is severe (containing heavy mucus or yellowish/greenish discharge from nose, mouth, or eyes, or if the cold accompanies a fever), keep him/her at home. For coughs, you can send your child back to school as soon as the cough improves; you don’t need to wait until it is completely gone.
- SORE OR IRRITATED THROATS – Mild sore throats may accompany colds and may not typically require treatment. If your child experiences extreme soreness or has difficulty swallowing, keep him/her home from school and call the doctor. A sore throat can be a sign of strep throat and generally (but not always) is accompanied by a fever.
- RASHES – If your child develops a rash, please keep him/her home from school and call the doctor. Your child will not be able to return to school until he/she is cleared by the doctor.
If any of the symptoms above are noted in school, the child will be sent home immediately. You may choose to take your child to see a doctor. Please bring a doctor’s note clearing your child of the symptom(s) noted above. We appreciate your understanding and support.