Silver Spring

LearningCenter

Parent Handbook

2017 - 2018

Silver SpringLearningCenter

Welcome! We are pleased that you have chosen the Silver SpringLearningCenter, and are certain that this year will be a successful and meaningful one for your child. Please know that our lines of communication are always open, and our staff welcomes your comments, questions, and suggestions throughout the year.

The Parent’s Handbook was compiled for your information and reference. Please read it carefully and keep it accessible throughout the year since important school policies and procedures are contained within.

SCHOOL PHILOSOPHY

  1. To promote a positive self-image in each child.
  2. To generate an atmosphere of warmth and affection, free of pressure and tension.
  3. To provide an academic learning environment as well as play experiences for each child.
  4. To provide for individual differences among children.
  5. To provide an atmosphere that will instill an emotional pride and background in Judaism.
  6. To provide for individual freedom within a workable classroom structure, clearly defining the children’s limitations as well as their choices.
  7. To provide a well-rounded program in which each child may grow socially, emotionally, physically, intellectually, and spiritually.

COMMUNICATION WITH SCHOOL

Any notes to the school should be placed in an envelope and attached to the outside of your child’s back pack. Information from school to you will be placed in your child’s bag. PLEASE CHECK YOUR CHILD’S BACKPACK DAILY!

The school will send home a weekly newsletter on the Shutterfly website, and your child’s teacher will post newsletters and pictures to keep you apprised of what is happening in the classroom.

Please feel free to contact your child’s teacher or the office whenever you have a questions or concern, or to schedule conferences. The main office number is (301) 649-1373, and email can be sentto the teachers through the Shutterfly website. Regular parent-teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year, usually in November and March. If you wish to speak to your child’s teacher by telephone, please call the office and leave a message or send them an email asking them to call you. It is difficult for the teachers to leave their classroom to speak on the phone during class time.Please refrain from meeting with your child’s teacher at the door during arrival and dismissal times.

DAILY CLASSROOM ROUTINE

  1. Opening: A happy feeling to be carried through the day is initiated at this time. Children are welcomed to the class, a favorite song is sung, and roll is called. The class and teacher formulate the plans for the day, and perhaps a learning concept is introduced.
  2. Free Time: Children are free to choose from many different activities in their rooms. These activities include the special art activity of the day, painting, clay, crayons, blocks, kitchen, language arts center, science projects, book corner, etc. Teachers are always present during work time to guide, teach, and help the children learn to make decisions.
  3. Clean Up: Children are encouraged to participate positively and actively in clean-up time. Responsibility and independence are stressed at this time.
  4. Snack Time: After toileting and washing hands, children are encouraged to participate in preparing for snack time (counting, passing out napkins, etc.) The appropriate Hebrew blessing is recited before eating. The children either eat at the tables in their classrooms, or go occasionally outside for a picnic.
  5. Group Time: The class is called together for a planned activity in language arts, science, art, or music. Lessons are introduced through a “fun” approach, playing a game, leaning a song, dramatizing a flannel board story, etc.
  6. Outdoor Time: Classes alternate playing in the fenced playground. We have about two acres of outdoor play area, age-appropriate climbing equipment, and swings, so the children have plenty of space to run and exercise.
  7. Indoor Play Time: Classes alternate playing in our indoor play area that offers climbing equipment and other toys to promote motor skill development.
  8. Specialty Teacher Time: All classes meet weekly with our specialty teachers for Israeli Dance and Music. These programs enhance our regular classroom curriculum.

SHABBAT

Every Friday each classroom holds a Shabbat Party. Candles are lit, special bread (challah) is served and grape juice replaces the usual milk. The children sing special songs to welcome Shabbat. You may dress girls in skirts or dresses and boys in a “nice” shirt or slacks. We have found that dressing up helps create a special atmosphere for Shabbat.

DAILY DRESS

Please send your child to school in comfortable play clothes and shoes. We request that he/she wear shoes with rubber soles or sneakers. No flip-flops and clogs areaccepted to wear for school activities. “Party shoes” should be worn only Friday, for Shabbat, as shoes do tend to get scuffed and dirty on the playground.

We take the children outdoors whenever possible. PLEASE SEND YOUR CHILD TO SCHOOL DRESSED APPROPRIATELY FOR THE WEATHER, i.e. mittens and hats, boots, light jacket or heavy coat as needed. We do not have enough staff available to remain indoors with a child who does not have appropriate gear for the weather when the rest of a class can go outdoors.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: All children must have a weather-appropriate change of clothes to be kept in their back pack or cubby at all times. This is to include shorts/pants/skirt; shirt; underpants and socks. Please label all items with your child’s name and place them inside a sealable plastic bag also labeled with your child’s name. Be sure to change the clothing as the seasons change to ensure that your child has weather-appropriate clothing available. Parents of children who are in the process of potty training may want to leave several pairs of extra underpants.

HELPFUL REMINDER: PLEASE (!) label ALL removable clothing and personal possessions that your child brings to school, including kippot, umbrellas, raincoats, hats, mittens, scarves, coats, sweaters, etc. It is impossible for teachers to know every child’s belongings, and many times young children can not recognize their own belongings.

TOYS FROM HOME

We ask that your child leave all toys at home, except toys or items that are needed in the opening days of school to help ease your child’s transition from home to school. Please help us keep harmony in the class by adhering to the policy. Children have a hard time sharing at this age, plus classmates will be confused to have some toys they can touch and share and others that are “untouchable.” Most classes have a special “sharing day” or “show and tell” where your child can bring in a special item to show. If an item is brought from home, we cannot be held responsible for loss, damage or breakage. It is better for all involved to encourage your child to leave his/her toys at home.

The following items are not allowed under any condition: GUNS, WAR TOYS, SWORDS, SPEARS, OR OTHER TOYS THAT REPRESENT WEAPONS OF DESTRUCTION. For the safety of all children, the teacher will take any toy under these headings and will give it back to your child at the end of the day.

If you have a book, CD, DVD, or tape from home that your child would like to share with the class, please discuss it with your child’s teacher. We appreciate items that will enhance and enrich our curriculum.

We ask that you do not allow your child to bring make-up to school. Communicable diseases such as pink eye, colds, cold sores, etc. could easily be transmitted from shared lipsticks, eye shadow and the like.

For several reasons, not the least of which is the choking hazard presented, we do not allow chewing gum/bubble gum at any time. Please help us enforce this policy by not sending your child to school with gum (or candy) in his/her backpack, lunch box or pockets. Please know that we will ask them to spit it out if they chew gum during school hours.

FIELD TRIPS

A field trip is defined as any departure from school grounds, including neighborhood walks. Teachers will arrange field trips appropriate to the program and level of development for their classes. School-wide field trips may also be planned. Parents will be advised in advance and asked to participate if the situation warrants.

ASSEMBLIES

Assemblies or special programs will be held throughout the school year. Some programs and celebrations are planned only for the children; however, periodically we have programs where parents and siblings are invited. We ask that parents join us whenever possible.

PARTY INFORMATION

  1. Birthdays – If you choose to celebrate your child’s birthday in school:
  2. Make arrangements with your child’s teacher a week or so in advance;
  3. Send unopened, KOSHER goods ONLY. Food must be labeled with one of the approved kosher symbols, as follows:
  1. Only baked goods from an approved kosher facility are acceptable. No homemade baked goods are allowed. Following is a list of some stores and bakeries that carry kosher products: Shalom’s Kosher Market; The Kosher Pastry Oven; Moti’s Market; Ben Yehuda’s; Sunflower Bakery; Siena’s; Carvel. Entenmanns’s Bakery Products are kosher and are marked with the universal kosher symbol,. They may be purchased at most grocery stores. Some of the pre-packaged items at many grocery stores are allowable as well. Check for the appropriate kosher symbol on the package.
  2. Since an increasing number of children have food allergies, we ask that you be “nut aware” and choose items that are not made with peanuts or other nuts.
  1. Other Home Celebrations – To respect all families’ religious observance practices, any invitation sent through the school must adhere to the following guidelines:
  2. All parties should be held on days other than Saturday, Shabbat, or Jewish holidays.
  3. If the food at the facility is not kosher, please notify all parents and be sure that kosher foods are also provided so that each child in our school may fully participate.
  4. No birthday invitations may be distributed at school unless ALL children in the class are invited.
  1. Halloween and Valentine’s Day – Rabbi Kranz has requested that Halloween and Valentine’s Day not be studied as units nor celebrated in our school. Please do not send Halloween or Valentine treats (including paper valentines) for your child to distribute to his/her classmates.

HOURS OF OPERATION

Our facility is open from 7:30 a.m. until 6:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except during the winter months. Beginning in late fall and continuing through early spring, we dismiss early on Friday afternoons. Children must be picked up by 4:00 PM on early dismissal Fridays. Please refer to the school calendar for exact dates.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS OR DELAYED OPENINGS

It is our intention to hold class whenever possible, but our first concern must always be for the safety of our teachers and students. WE DO NOT FOLLOW MCPS REGARDING DECISION ABOUT DELAYED OPENINGS OR CLOSINGS. SSLC will make independent decisions based on weather, local road conditions and parking lot conditions.

**We will send an email alert to advise families of school closings or delayed openings. Please make sure you can access the email at work.** See the “Getting Information” section below for other ways of gathering information.

DO NOT RELY ON INFORMATION REGARDING MCPS DELAYS OR CLOSINGS, AS WE MAY NOT MAKE THE SAME DECISION.

Delayed Opening:If we announce a delayed opening, SSLC will open one hour late. Early Bird will be begin at 8:30 a.m. and is open only to children who are previously enrolled. [WE CAN NOT ACCEPT “DROP INS” – Any student who comes to school prior to 10:00 a.m. on a “delayed opening day” must be enrolled in the Early Bird program.] The regular morning program will begin at 10:00 a.m.

If SSLC announces an early dismissal due to inclement weather, the building will most likely close either at 1:00 p.m. (after lunch) or 3:30 p.m. (after the PM Session).There will be NO AFTER CARE on days that we close early for inclement weather. The closing time will be determined by what time in the day we make the decision to close the building early.

For subsequent day(s) of inclement weather: SSLC will make a decision based on weather, road and parking lot conditions.

Getting Information: To get information regarding weather-related closings for SSLC, you can listen to radio stations WTOP/WMAL (1500/650 AM) or check their website at (SSLC is sometimes listed under “Other” if you do not see our name under “Maryland”) or watch television station WJRC - ABC (Channel 7). You may also call the school main number and press “19” when the message starts to be connected to the bulletin board that will give updated information regarding weather-related closings. We will send an email notifying you of closings. Please make sure we have the correct email address on file – it is the same system from which we send out weekly newsletters.

PLEASE NOTE: Since our building is air conditioned, SSLC will not close if MCPS closes due to excessive heat.

BUILDING ENTRY INFORMATION

The nursery school doors will remain locked at all times. To come into the building, enter at the main door (covered by an awning) that faces the parking lot; the glass door in the courtyard; or the Monticello Ave. Door. Until you have registered your fingerprints into the LED fingerprint entry system, you will need to ring the buzzer to the right of the door. You will be asked to identify yourself, and the door will be opened electronically. PLEASE DO NOT FORCE THE DOOR OR TRY TO OPEN IT BEFORE YOU ARE BUZZED IN—IT WILL BREAK THE DOOR!

Family members and designated individuals (nanny, grandparent, etc.) who handle regular *daily* drop off and pick-up should enroll in the fingerprint system. These individuals will be able to enter the building without needing to be buzzed in by placing a finger into the LED reader located at the entrance doors.

The limit is 3 individuals per child (or family.) People who do occasional pick-up for your family, delivery personnel, or visitors to our facility still will need to ring the doorbell and be “buzzed in” to the building.

SSLC family members who are enrolled in the system will be authorized to enter the building through the courtyard entrance (with the glass doors); the Monticello Ave. entrance; and the main SSLC entrance (blue door with awning) during school hours [7:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.] Monday-Friday. There is no guest access through the door in the circle driveway facing Arcola Ave. After Care families (only) will have access from the outside Playground door (playroom) between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. so that you can reenter the building after picking up your child from the playground.

The main door (with awning) is used for 12:00 and 3:30 pm dismissal. To avoid confusion, please try not to come into the building during dismissal time.Please also be aware that the glass door in the courtyard is the primary entrance for the day school and may become crowded, especially at arrival.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

Our arrival and dismissal procedures have been designed to guarantee the security and safety of our children. EVERYONE MUST COOPERATE AT ALL TIMES. Please avoid entering the building during arrival and dismissal periods.

One-Way Parking Lot:The parking lot has been designated one-way at all times. Do not enter the parking lot from Arcola Avenue or exit onto Monticello Avenue. These are unlawful and unsafe actions REGARDLESS OF THE TIME OF DAY. Note that since the parking lot is one-way, the exit to Arcola Avenue has room for both right and left turns. Please do not wait in the center of the drive for a chance to turn as you may be blocking others behind you.

Early Bird (7:30am – 9:00am): Please accompany your child into the building. Help your child store his/her coat, backpack, lunch box, and other personal items in their morning session classroom. From there, take your child to the Early Bird room and alert the staff of your child’s arrival. From 7:30-8:00am, all children should be dropped off in the Keshet classroom (next to the SSLC office.) From 8:00-9:00am, children go to the age-appropriate Early Bird classroom. No child is to be left unaccompanied in our building.

Morning Arrival: The drop-off lane is open and teachers are at the door from 8:50-9:10am. Do not bring your child to school before 8:50 unless you are enrolled in Early Bird, or you will be charged a drop-in fee. The teachers are the door will walk your child to class, so there is no reason to get out of your car. Once your child is inside, cautiously pull out of the lane and exit the lot. Do not make a second waiting lane, as you will be blocking in other parents.