| Policies and Procedures |
| Licensing Waiting to Grow Preschool is licensed by the state of Maine. The State inspects the school periodically to guarantee the best care possible for your child. Health and Hygiene Each child is required to have a health form completed prior to admission to the program. The form must be updated annually (if applicable). Immunizations are required to be kept up to date as well. A copy of immunizations must be received prior to the start of school. Illness If your child is running a fever (101° or higher), having diarrhea, has an unexplained rash, is coughing excessively, has greenish discharge from the nose, is vomiting, has discharge from or crusting of the eye(s), or generally is not able to participate in school activities (including outside play), please keep your child home that day. Please call if your child will not be in school. If a child becomes sick during the day and is considered too sick to stay we will contact you to pick them up as soon as possible. If your child becomes mildly ill, we will call you and let you know. You may make the decision to pick up your child or not. An ill child must be free of fever, diarrhea and/or nausea for 24 hours before returning to school. A child that is contagious and has been prescribed antibiotics must be on the medication for 24 hours before returning to school. If the 24 hour period is over during the following day’s school hours, your child must wait until the next day to return. This policy is for the protection of all the children and families. State law requires that we notify parents of children who become exposed to certain contagious diseases. If your child should become infected with a contagious disease, please notify the school immediately so that the teacher can notify families of other children who may have been exposed. Clothing Children who are dressed comfortably are able to experience all that is available to them. Please dress them in play clothes. Please make sure your child’s clothes are washable. All art supplies used are non-toxic and washable but we would not want to see any clothing ruined. We have art smocks on hand to cover clothing during art projects. During cold weather please make sure your child has a hat, mittens (2 pairs usually are best) boots, extra socks, snow pants and a winter jacket that they can wear for outdoor play. If the temperature is considered too cold we will not play outside. Also please bring a pair of slippers for your child to change into during the snowy months. In the sunny months please apply sunscreen each morning. Also having a hat for your child to wear is suggested. As the weather gets warmer we plan more outside activities. Inclement Weather, Vacation or Absence The school is open daily Monday through Friday with the exception of Holidays and school vacations. We follow the South Portland school vacation schedule. We are closed the following Holidays: Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Memorial Day. There is not a reduction in tuition for holidays, school vacations, if your child is sick, or if you take vacation. We will close for inclement weather if South Portland Schools are closed. If South Portland schools are delayed, school will be closed that day. If the teacher is sick there will be a substitute teacher for the day. Nutrition Nutritious snacks are provided daily. A list of snacks and drinks that we serve is provided. Medications If your child requires medication during the day you must complete and sign a Medication slip for that day giving us written authorization to administer medication to your child. The medication must be in its original container or prescription bottle. Pick- up and Drop-off Drop-off is at 9:00, please do not drop off your child prior to that time as time is needed to prepare materials for each days activities. Pick-up is at 12:00. If you are late to pick up your child there is a $5 late fee for every five minutes you are late to pick up your child. This does not include days of inclement weather. Your child must be dropped off and picked up each day by a parent or someone you have authorized to pick-up and drop-off your child. It is required that if someone other than a parent will be picking- up and/ or dropping off your child on a certain day you let us know beforehand so we are prepared to expect someone other than you. This person also must be listed on your child's application as someone you have authorized to pick up your child. No child will be released to anyone without parental written consent. If there is a custody issue a notarized court order outlining custody arrangements will be required to be kept on file. It is always best to bring your child into the room and get them settled. We are always available to assist you with any separation anxieties if needed. Notice If you remove your child from the program a two-week notice is required. This will allow time to notify a family with a child on the waiting list to fill your child's spot. Payment is due for the two-week notice period whether or not your child is in attendance. Any outstanding fees must be paid on or before the child's last day. If after a reasonable amount of time your child does not adjust to the program the option of removing your child from the program may be discussed with you. If it is decided your child will be removed we provide two weeks to find alternate arrangements. Discipline There will be occasional disagreements between children. The goal is to nurture each child and ensure a child is never embarrassed. The children are taught how to practice problem solving when there is a disagreement. Discipline will be administered in a loving and consistent manner. A positive approach will be used with each child. If there is a chronic behavioral issue that needs attention, you will be notified so that we are handling the behavior in the same way and your child has continuity between school and home. These types of behaviors might include such things as use of bad words or chronic hitting, etc. Together, we will work to find a solution. You may be called to remove your child if his/her behavior prevents the teacher from being able to properly care for/ work with the other children. If the problem continues other arrangements for the child will have to be made for the safety and well being of all. Field Trips We have a few field trips planned for the year. Field trips occur in September, October, April, May and June. In November, December, January February and March the weather is too unpredictable so we normally do not plan field trip for those months. During these months we do have some visitors planned. For example when we do a lesson on careers, we will have professionals from the community come in to visit. The list of field trips is included. Field trips may be cancelled due to weather, unforeseen circumstances or not enough chaperones (one adult per 2 children). Holidays Some of our activities are based on the following holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, Mothers Day, Fathers Day and Easter Parent Involvement If you have the opportunity to visit during the day we encourage you to stop in, stay a while in the morning or come early if your schedule allows you to assist with art activities or chaperone a field trip please let us know at anytime, We would enjoy having you help out. There is a parent bulletin board with any news or information you need to know. There is also daily news that is sent home so you know what your child did each day. We have a monthly newsletter that is sent home as well. The newsletter will feature field trips, events, reminders and anything else the children would like to include. Each child has a journal that we write in as much as possible - it may be a funny story, it may be something about their development or something that we want to share with you. Please feel free to look at your child’s journal at any time. Please do not take them home. At the end of the year they are yours to keep as a keepsake of your child’s year(s) at preschool. There are also parent conferences during the year. Parent Night will occur twice during the year. Parent Night is a night that the parents can come see art projects, an activity planned by the children or end of the year celebration. It's a time to meet the other parents and children as well as see first hand what we are learning. Graduation Graduation for the 4-year-old program occurs at the end of our year; specifics for the event are planned by March. |
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