Preschool Handbook
Preschool Program
Treasures To Grow On shall provide a program of daily activities and relationships that offers opportunities for the developmental growth of each child in the following areas:
Physical development – including large and small muscle development and self-help skills.
Social development – including communication skills such as cooperation, sharing, problem solving, and manners.
Emotional development – including positive self-concept.
Spiritual development – including Bible lessons, prayer, character, and morals.
Intellectual development – including the learning of colors, shapes, numbers, letters, sounds, and other readiness skills and concepts.
Parents are welcome to visit the school periodically for the purpose of observing their child during daily activities.
Discipline
Treasures To Grow On shall use encouragement and positive methods of discipline, which promote self-control, self-direction, self- esteem, problem solving and cooperation. Gentle, verbal warnings, re-direction, and loss of privilege related to the misbehavior, will be the primary means of discipline. Children will be given choices whenever possible. Brief periods of “time away from the group” will be used occasionally for children age 3 and older. Discipline will never include the following: any form of corporal punishment (spanking, shaking, slapping, etc.), humiliating, shaming, threatening, or depriving the child of snacks, rest, or other necessities.
Supplies
A good sized backpack and a box of tissues to share with the class is all that is necessary to purchase for your child to bring to preschool. The backpack should be large enough to accommodate daily art projects, show and tell items, and snow clothes in the winter.
Snacks
A snack and beverage will be offered each preschool session. Every attempt will be made to stay away from snacks excessively high in sugar, and snacks with heavy concentrations of food dye. (Birthdays and party days may be an exception to this rule.) It is the parent’s responsibility to inform the staff of any special dietary needs their child may have.
Birthdays
Parents may provide a snack to share with the class in honor of their child’s birthday. Summer birthdays may be celebrated anytime during the first and last month of preschool. It is the parent’s responsibility to inform the teacher of the day that their snack will be brought in, especially if the birthday does not fall on the day that the child attends school. Candles are prohibited.
Parties
Four party days will be held each year to celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter. (Halloween will not be observed.) The staff will prepare a menu and parents will be asked to provide something for one or two of the parties.
Show and Tell
Show and tell will take place one day each week, which will be assigned at the beginning of the school year. Show and tell items must remain in the child’s backpack except during the brief period set aside for show and tell. (They may not play with their own possessions at school.) Toys, books, items from nature, and photographs are some show and tell suggestions. Play guns and weapons, or other things of a violent nature are prohibited.
Dress code
Children should dress casual, yet clean, neat, and modest in appearance. Do not dress your child in their “best” because clothes inevitably get soiled at school. Footwear is required and should be appropriate for outdoor play and/or activities in the gym. Children should be dressed appropriately for the weather.
Health and Medicine
Sick children should be kept at home for their sake and the sake of others. Excessive sneezing or coughing, nasal discharges that are not clear, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and highly contagious illnesses (e.g. chickenpox, pink eye) are indications that a child should not attend school. If in doubt, please lean towards the side of caution and keep your child at home. If the staff observes any of these symptoms, the child may be placed in a separate area where he or she may be comfortably cared for and supervised until parents are contacted and he or she can be taken home.
Staff will be responsible for reporting to the parent observed changes in the child’s health, or accidents that may have happened to their child while at school.
Medication is usually not administered at preschool. Since most medicine is given at 4-hour intervals, parents are asked to work around preschool hours. Exceptions will be made for medications needed for emergencies such as rescue inhalers and Epi-pens, in which case the parent will complete and sign the Permission to Administer Medicine form.
Inclement Weather
Preschool will be canceled any time that the St. Johns Public Schools is canceled for inclement weather. A delay in the starting time of St. Johns Public Schools does not effect the starting time of preschool classes. When there is a fog delay, our preschool will be in session. Parents are responsible for keeping informed of school closings via the Internet, radio, or television.
Drop Off and Pick Up
It is the responsibility of the person providing transportation to escort the preschool child between the parking lot and the classroom. Doors will open not more than five minutes prior to the scheduled starting time. Please be prompt when dropping off and picking up your child.
Child Protection Screening
Treasures To Grow On Preschool will screen each employee or volunteer having unsupervised access to the children enrolled in the program. Prevention begins with adequate background research on every employee. The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulation Affairs (LARA) will conduct a comprehensive background check and fingerprinting to determine eligibility of employees, prior to being hired.
Paid Staff – The director of the program when seeking to hire a paid staff person will conduct an interview. Perspective employees will be asked questions in writing related to any convictions and/or history of substantiated abuse or neglect. Personal and professional references will be obtained on candidates who are being seriously considered for employment. The preschool director will require candidates to complete and sign a consent and disclosure form permitting the comprehensive background check through the State of Michigan.
Volunteers and parent participants – Treasures To Grow On welcomes volunteer and parental involvement in the program. However, volunteers whether parents or others, will not be permitted any unsupervised access to children, other than their own. Volunteers will be supervised.