Parent Handbook
Table of Contents |
Dear Parents,
The Staff at Good Shepherd Christian Nursery School would like to thank you for entrusting your child’s care and early childhood educational and social experience with us. We strive to ensure that your children will have a memorable experience which is fun, safe and will give them the learning skills needed to help them grow. All of our classes are designed to encourage growth in academics, social interaction, problem solving, independent thinking, emotional and spiritual growth. The children will enjoy days filled with arts and crafts, stories, music, dance, indoor and outdoor play. We will have trips to a Pumpkin Patch and The Land of Make Believe. The children will enjoy special holiday parties and visits from not only two legged, but an occasional four legged furry friend. All of our classes attend chapel once a month and Pastor Bruce will talk to the children about the adventures of Smidge and Smudge, our church mice. Song and sign language is also included in our chapel visit.
We have designed this handbook to give you a better understanding of the goals, policies and philosophy of Good Shepherd Christian Nursery School. We ask that you please read this handbook and if at any time you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me or any member of our staff.
We hope you and your children will enjoy a memorable school year and meet some new friends along the way!
Sincerely,
Darlene Creazzo, Director
Revised: 6/10
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Teaching Staff
Director: Darlene Creazzo
Playgroup
Lead Teacher: Jeanette Herster
Assistant Teachers: Jamie Parry
Charleen Burik
Tiffany Emrey
3’s
Lead Teacher: Lynn Christenson
Assistant Teacher: Lori Sassano
Pre-K
Lead Teacher: Darlene Creazzo
Assistant Teachers: Charleen Burik
Amy Coopersmith
Tiffany Pursell
Nursery School Board
Chairperson: Marge Drake
Treasurer: Stacey Shriver
Secretary: Jennifer Zingales
Members: Dottie MacLaughlin
Cathy Martin
Marlowe Wacik
Roy Miller
President of Church Council: Raylene Frankenfield
Mission Statement
Good Shepherd Christian Nursery School Board and teaching staff recognize the importance of quality early childhood education and we do our best to provide a safe environment that gives your child a strong beginning to their education. Our programs will support learning, emotional and spiritual growth, physical health, independence and problem solving through activities that include art, music, stories, fine and gross motor play both indoors and outside.
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Goals
There are specific goals for each age group as well as for all our students. We encourage the Playgroup students to separate easily from their parents, increase language skills and vocabulary and learn to play with their friends. Of course playing well with others is an important skill for all children. Part of playing with others is learning problem solving skills. For only children or children with much older or younger siblings, there are fewer times when they have to take turns, etc… because they are interacting mainly with adults. Here at school we encourage them mainly to use their words during conflicts and try to figure out how to solve problems and make decisions for themselves. The decisions are small but the skill is big. The 3 year old students are encouraged to continue with the skills they learned in Playgroup. We also want them to add increasing their attention span, mastering more difficult fine motor skills and refining more of their social interactions. Pre-K students spend a great deal of time on more fine motor and academic skills specially needed for Kindergarten. However, it is still important for them to continue improving their problem solving skills and becoming more independent during class. We also want all the children to have fun while learning all these new skills.
Admission/Class Times
Age per Group:
Playgroup students must be 2 by September 1st
3’s students must be 3 by September 1st and potty trained
Pre-K students must be 4 by September 1st
Early admission determined by the director.
Class Times:
AM Classes 9:00am - 11:30am
Parent’s arrival 8:50am - 11:20am
PM Classes 12:30PM - 3:00pm
Parent’s arrival 12:20pm - 2:50pm
We ask that you respect our parent arrival times. If the children have to wait too long in the hall they are bound to become anxious or bored or rowdy. When parents come to early for pick up and chat in the hallway, the children listen to you instead of their teachers and our youngest children expect their mom each time the bell rings. The staff’s goal is to provide your child with the full class time scheduled.
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Tuition Rates
Playgroup 1 & 2 $160.00 per month
Playgroup 3 & 4 $135.00 per month
AM/PM 3 x 3 $160.00 per month
AM/PM 3 x 2 $135.00 per month
PreK AM & PM $160.00 per month
Registration Fee $35.00 per child non refundable
$5.00 per month multiple child
Extended care $5.00 per hour
5% discount for full year payment in advance
Payments should be made by check or money order on the 1st of each month starting August 1st through April 1st. The first tuition payment must be made no later than August 15th to maintain your child’s position in class. If payment is not received by this date you will receive one notice. If after this payment is still not received your child will be withdrawn from the class. The payments may be made by mail or at the school. Simply place your payment and tuition coupon in the mailbox outside the Pre-K classroom. Return checks will be subject to a $35.00 fee.
Extended Care Practices and Policies
Our extended care programs are offered before and after our regular class times. Early Bird Care is available from 7:00am until 9:00am. Lunch time care is from 11:30am to 12:30pm. After school Care is available from 3:00pm until 4:00pm. Mrs. B is in charge of our Extended Care Programs, feel free to contact her with questions regarding payment amounts due or scheduling changes.
Early Bird Care: Because of the time of day and staffing needs, you must sign up your child by using the Sign-In Log Book located outside the Extended Care classroom one day in advance prior to using this service. You may send in a breakfast snack for your child, but we ask that you please keep it simple.
Lunch Time Care: You must sign up your child each day in the Sign-In Log Book located outside the Extended Care classroom before the start of school. There is a maximum capacity of 15 children. Please pack their lunch and a drink in a labeled lunch box or bag. We have a refrigerator to keep it cool and a microwave to warm it up if you would like. DO NOT send soda or candy.
After School Care: You must sign up your child each day in the Sign-In Log located outside the Extended Care classroom before the start of school. There is a maximum capacity of 10 children.
Payments: The cost for all our extended care programs is $5.00 per hour, $2.50 per half hour. Payment must be made by the last day of the week your child attends. NOTE: Early Bird Extended Care: Payment will be required for the time your child is signed up for whether they attend or not. You can cancel a scheduled date by calling the school or notifying your child’s teacher at least 24 Hours in advance. All Extended Care payments are to be made for the exact amount owed and can be made by check or money order (made payable to GSCNS) separate from your tuition payment. If you are not sure of the exact amount owed, please see Mrs. B.
LATE FEE : ANY CHILD WHO IS HERE AFTER 12:30 PM OR 4:00 PM WII BE ASSESSED A LATE FEE OF $10.00 PER 15 MINUTES.
During our Summer Programs, only Early Bird Care will be available. Late fees will be applied after 1:00pm.
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Discipline Policy
The staff will make every effort to supervise the children, design the program and set up the classrooms to encourage the least amount of conflict between students. Classroom rules are kept simple; inside voices, walking feet and gentle hands. The school’s discipline policy allows 3 warnings to be given before a Time Out occurs. If aggression of any kind occurs, no warnings are given and the Time Out is served. The length of the Time Out will be the same number of minutes as the child’s age. Following the Time Out the child and the teacher will discuss what happened, what is the correct behavior and when needed, apologies are made. You will be notified of the event with a “notes home”. Following is our incident Report Policy. This policy has been designed to inform you of a Time Out, injury or any other significant event that occurred during class.
Incident Report Policy
In order to keep parents informed and aware of any negative incidents that occur while your child is in school we have developed the following policies and practices.
1. An Incident Report will be sent home in the event your child received a Time Out during class. The report will be given to you the same day the event occurred.
The school’s discipline policy allows 3 warnings to be given before a Time Out occurs. If aggression of any kind occurs no warnings are given and a Time Out is served. Following the Time Out, the child and the teacher discuss what happened, what is the correct behavior and when needed, apologies are made.
If your child was the recipient of aggressive behavior we will also notify you. Parents need to know when their child did not have the ideal day at school. It is upsetting when a friend “hurts” you .
To report an incident you have witnessed or your child has reported to you, please tell any teacher as soon as possible. Please see a teacher or call the school so we may investigate the event and resolve it satisfactorily. An incident report will be completed at the time it is reported to us.
I. Incident report will include:
A. Child’s name
B. Date
C. Explanation of event
D. Teacher’s signature
E. Parent signature to be added upon receipt of report
ll. Follow up Procedure
There are several options for follow up after an incident report is received if you would like further information or explanations.
1. Immediate conversation with the teacher of record and/or director following class in person or by phone.
2. Phone conference with teacher and/or director
3. Conference with teacher and/or director scheduled at a later date.
lll. Incident Report/ Follow Up Log
The log will contain the following:
A. Copy of the incident report
B. Record of times and dates of staff/parent phone conferences
C. Record of times and dates of staff/parent conferences
lV. Nursery School Board Involvement
A parent may request that an incident be reported to the Nursery School Board. You may request that the board be notified with a written report of the incident. You may also ask to attend the monthly meeting to discuss the incident with the officers and members of the board. This request will be passed along to the Chairperson and you will be contacted, in writing, to notify you of the date and time of the next monthly meeting.
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Dismissal Policy
The Nursery School reserves the right to remove a child from his/her class if the child’s behavior is disruptive and/or could cause harm to the other children or teachers in that class.
Registration
Registration for the 2011-2012 school year will begin February 1, 2011 for the families of the currently enrolled families and for the members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. Registration is open to the public as of February 15, 2011. A non- refundable registration fee of $35.00 per child is due at the time of the registration. Registration for our summer program starts at this time as well.
Communication
If for any reason you need to talk with your child’s teacher or the director, please feel free to call. We can talk by phone or make arrangements to meet before or after class. Your comments and concerns are important to us and we welcome the opportunity to speak with you. Parent- Teacher Conferences will be available to you if you would like to set one up with your child’s teacher.
Newsletters will be sent home during the first week of each month. It contains information about your child’s classes, schedules, field trips and more. Please read it monthly.
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Website information
Our website address is: goodshepherdchristiannurseryschool.com. Please return the website photo release as soon as possible. Mrs. B makes sure lots of fun pictures and helpful information is on our website. Check it regularly. You can e-mail us at gscns@verizon.net .
School Cancellation
Because of weather conditions, it is sometimes necessary to cancel or delay the start of school. When these conditions exist please watch CH 69 or listen to the radio stations WEST 1400, WLEV 100.7 or CAT COUNTRY 96.1. We will be listed as Good Shepherd Chrisrtian Nursery School Easton. For faster information check our website. Mrs. B will post delays and cancellations immediately upon notification. The info flash will appear on our home page.
Our decisions for closings or late starts are based on the policies of Wilson Area School District. We will follow the same schedule as Wilson schools.
Modified Schedule : When there is a 2 hour delay our schedule will be:
AM classes will be held from 11:00 am- 12:30pm
PM classes will be held from 1:30pm - 3:00pm
If Wilson Area School District closes early, so will we. If Wilson Area School District is closed we will be closed as well.
Fundraising
Only Good Shepherd Christian Nursery School or Parent Association fund raisers are allowed in the school. The school will hold 3 fund raisers as follows:
SEP.: Cherrydale snacks, pizza and cookie dough
Nov.: Cherrydale Christmas gifts, snacks and cookie dough
JAN.: Gianni’s Pizza kits
All profits from our fund raisers will be used to support special events, supplies for the classrooms, field trips and keeping tuition as low as possible.
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Health Policies
When should your child stay home from school?
Cold Symptoms : If your child has cold symptoms; sore throat, green or yellow nasal discharge, coughs with mucus.
Fever : Anytime your child has a fever they should stay home. Fevers are an indication of serious or contagious illness. A child must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school.
Diarrhea/Vomiting : Children need to stay home if either has occurred during the previous night. Child must be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to school.
Pink Eye/Rashes : These conditions are highly contagious and need the attention of your child’s physician. A written excuse from the doctor is needed for your child to return to school.
Head Lice : Children must stay home until treatment with an appropriate lice shampoo has been completed and ALL nits are removed from the hair. Bedding and clothing must be washed in hot water and placed in the dryer.
If you are unsure about whether to keep your child home or have questions about treatment, call your child’s doctor. Staying at home at the appropriate time ensures a quicker recovery for your child and reduces the risk to the other children and staff.
When a child becomes ill at school :
Whenever a child becomes ill during the school day the staff will separate the child from the rest of the class and contact you immediately. We appreciate someone coming for the child as soon as possible. Please call the school when your child will be absent. Our answering machine is always on, just leave your child’s name, class and reason for absence.
It is extremely important that the Emergency Contact numbers you give, including your own, are reachable at all times. There have been too many occasions when no one can be reached to be notified of a sick or injured child. Please give any phone number changes to your child’s teacher. Remember to keep your cell phone turned on at all times.
Emergency: In case of an emergency during school, first aid will be administered by the staff. The parents or guardians will be notified as soon as possible. If further medical attention is required, the staff will call the local ambulance which will transport your child to Easton Hospital.
Bathroom Policies
It is the school as well as the church’s policy that 1 adult may not be in the bathroom with 1 child. For this reason we ask that your 3 year old or Pre-K child is fully competent in going to the bathroom. You can help by dressing them in easy up and down clothing. The staff monitors who is in the bathroom but does not go in with them. When the entire 3 year old class goes to the bathroom there will be a teacher in each bathroom, one for the boys and one for the girls. If only one child is in the bathroom the teacher will wait by the door. This policy was based on the public school practices.
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Child Information Forms
The nursery school must have on file all completed Registration, Emergency Contact, Health Assessment, Permission Slip, Tuition Contract and all other required forms. Without this information we can not keep your child safe or notify you in case of an emergency. Children will be released only to the people listed on the registration form. We will need a Driver’s License for identification purposes for a person who has never picked up your child previously. Health Assessments and Tuition Contracts must be completely annually. Please give your child’s teacher any changes in your phone number or address to be put in their file. Please make sure your cell phone is always turned on!
Parking
Safety both inside and outside the building is important. Our parking lot is small and it gets very busy at arrival and dismissal times. Please park only in the marked spots so another family’s car is not blocked in. Parking is not allowed in the space at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the playground entrance. Safe access to the stairs is necessary.
Do not allow children to travel the parking lot unescorted or to enter or exit the building alone. They are too small to be seen and need your supervision at all times. No child may be left unattended in a vehicle while you enter the building.
Clothing
Safety is also a concern when suggesting school clothing for your child. Children should wear rubber soled shoes with secure closures. Sneakers are best for outside play. Crocs, sandals, flip-flops, etc…are very dangerous. Students wearing unsafe shoes will not be allowed to play on the playground or in the Gross Motor Room. During bad weather when the children wear boots please send shoes to school. The boots get very warm and are hard to negotiate inside the classrooms.
There will definitely be messy activities here at school. We do our best to protect clothes with smocks, but there are no guarantees. Please dress your children in clothes that a little paint or red juice won’t ruin. Especially for our Playgroup and 3 year old children, please dress them in “potty friendly” clothing. We want to give them as much independence as possible. With this in mind please avoid belts, suspenders, difficult buttons, snaps, etc…There are a lot of jackets and sweaters that are alike, please help to make it easier for the staff by labeling all outerwear.
Snack Suggestions
Snack time is important for several reasons. It is a great time for socializing, talking to and sharing with friends. It is a time to try new foods and learn about healthy eating habits. Our staff asks you to bring nutritious and healthy food and drinks when it is your turn to supply snacks for the class.
Following are healthy snack suggestions:
Dairy: milk, yogurt, pudding, cheese
Crackers: Ritz, wheat, cheese graham
Bread: white, wheat, muffins, banana or zucchini bread
Toppings: peanut butter, jelly, jam, cream cheese, fruit and veggie dip
Fruit: bananas, apples, applesauce, berries in season, melon, raisins, grapes, pears, oranges
Vegetables: carrots, celery, cauliflower, peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, broccoli
Misc: cereal, jello, granola/ cereal bars, pretzels, pizza
Drinks: milk, low sugar juice, small bottled water, NO JUICE BOXES
Birthdays: cookies, Munchkins, brownies, ice cream, jello jigglers, rice krisppie treats
PLEASE! NO CUPCAKE, CAKE OR CANDY
Everyone will be asked to take a turn supplying snack for your child’s class. We will send home a notice to let you know when it is your family’s turn to bring snack. If you have a problem, please don’t hesitate to discuss changes with your child’s teacher.
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Party Times
Playgroup: AM: 10:45 - 11:30 PM: 2:15 - 3:00
3’s AM: 10:45 - 11:30 PM: 2:15 - 3:00
Pre-K AM: 10:30 - 11:30 PM: 2:00 - 3:00
Location: Playgroup and 3’s in their classrooms. Pre-K in fellowship hall.
Routines: Please be prompt; allow enough time to find a parking spot. Come to the classroom to join the other families. Pre-K families pick up your child from their classroom and head to Fellowship Hall. Fellowship Hall safety rules: NO running, climbing on stairs or the stage.
Program: T he children will perform several holiday songs. Holiday guests will be welcomed. Everyone is invited to enjoy all the yummy goodies. Have fun!
Special Notes: Halloween: Children should wear their costumes to school, so label all parts and make sure they’re not too scary.
Christmas: Children will design a plain white shirt to be worn to their Christmas Parties. Your child’s teacher will let you know when the shirts are needed.
Other: There will be a sign up sheet for party goodies on the bulletin board. If you would like to bring something please sign up for just 1 item, this gives everyone a chance to contribute. (No cake, cupcakes, juice boxes.) The staff wants to make all are holiday celebrations fun and safe. We welcome family members to attend all parties with cameras in hand. You’ll be notified of party dates on the calendar page of this Handbook, monthly newsletters, bulletin boards and teacher announcements.
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Daily Schedules
Playgroup
Arrival/Busy Hands
Free Play
Clean Up
Circle Time/Music and More
Snack
Crafts
Gross Motor Room/Outdoor Play
Story
Goodbye Song
Dismissal
3’s
Arrival
Opening Circle: Attendance, Calendar, Show’ n Tell Helper
Activity Centers
Clean Up
Art
Snack
Gross Motor Room/Outdoor Play
Small Group
Story Time/Music
Dismissal
Pre-K
Arrival
Fine Motor Activity/Writing
Attendance/School’ n Tell
Calendar/Helper/Story
Free Play
Clean Up
Art
Snack
Music/Game
Gross Motor Room/Outdoor Play
All Schedules are subject to changes.
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2010-2011 School Calendar
Sept. 8/9 Classes Begin
Sept. 13-27 Cherrydale Fund raiser (snacks, pizza, cookie dough)
Sept. 29 Open House
Oct. 6 Pumpkin Patch:AM Classes 9:00AM, PM Classes 2:00PM
Oct. 7 Rain date Pumpkin Patch No classes
Oct. 11 Columbus Day School Closed
Oct. 27/28 Halloween Parties
Nov. 1/2 Christmas City Class Pictures
Nov. 1-15 Second Cherrydale Fund raiser Christmas Gifts, snacks & cookie dough
Nov. 25-29 Thanksgiving Vacation School Closed
Nov. 30 Classes Resume
Dec. 1/2 Photos With Santa
Dec. 21/22 Christmas Parties
Dec. 23 -Jan. 4 Christmas Vacation School Closed
Jan. 3 Teacher In Service
Jan. 4/5 Classes Resume
Jan. 6-21 Gianni’s Super Bowl Fund Raiser
Jan. 17 Martin Luther King Jr. Day School Closed
Jan. 19 Pre-K Grandparent’s Celebration
Feb. 1-14 Registration For Fall 2011-2012 and Summer Pograms
Feb. 15 Registration open to Community
Feb. 21 President’s Day School Closed
March 4 Pre-K Visiting Readers Begin
April 1& 5 Photos with The Easter Bunny
April 18-25 Easter Vacation School Closed
April 26 Classes Resume
May 11 Pre-K Parent Celebration
May Land of Make Believe: Date to Be Announced
May 20 Teacher Appreciation Luncheon - No PM Classes
May 25/26 Last Day Classes and Extended Care
May 27 Pre-K Graduation Rehearsal: AM/PM Classes 9:00AM - 11:30AM
Pre-K Graduation Ceremony: AM/PM Classes 6:30 PM
June 6/7 Summer Program Begins
Aug. 11/12 Summer Program Ends
DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
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