It is hard to believe we are half way through our school year. It is nice to see the children developing friendships, feeling more confident and watching them as they engage in learning activities.
As it is halfway through the year, and we have new families, I would like to review classroom policies and remind everyone of the preschool expectations.
Be sure to clean up your station after free play.
Art
This includes washing the art items and putting them away. There is a large wash sink in the boiler room by the bathrooms. Sweeping or mopping the floor.
Sensory Table
Be sure to sweep the area after the children go to Circle Time. Return stray items that have been put in the table that belong to other areas. Clean up the play-dough table items and sweep under the table.
Dramatics
Return the wooden kitchen toys to the shelves, put the dishes/food items in the correct plastic tubs, put the babies in their cradles, straighten the toys on the shelves.
Table Toys
Find all the pieces of the puzzles or fine motor activity then return them to the shelves.
Library
Organize the books back on the display shelf and return the books that were taken off of the cupboard shelf. The books in the display shelf should be the ones that are our theme books for the month.
Blocks
Return the toys to the proper bins and then place those bins in the Climbing Room. Organize the wooden blocks in the cupboard if used that day and make sure all the pieces of the toys are in place.
Climbing Room
After the children leave it is the responsibility of the climbing room person to vacuum the entry and hallway toward the outside doorway.
Snack
This is a time consuming job. You need to arrive early enough to set up for snack, clean the tables before and after snack, vacuum the room and the hallway, take out the garbage, wash the dishes and set up the room for Circle Time. The float person is a helper for this job. Please note if you are the float.
Arrive on time.
It is necessary to be at school on time so that we have the correct insurance ratio. For the Pre-3 families this allows the non-work day parents the ability to leave the preschool within 10 minutes of class starting. Although, please, do not arrive too early. I am setting up the rooms and getting organized for the day so having the little ones there earlier than 5 minutes before class is difficult for me.
Outside play is not an option.
Except in very cold weather there may be an inside/outside option for children to choose inside or outside play if we have adult/child ratios that work. PLAN on outside play and dress for the weather. If we are outside, without an ‘option’ day, then all the children need to be outside. Dress the children appropriately (and yourself as well.) The class schedule is set up for safety and to be developmentally appropriate.
Children need to have time out of doors and we need to have the correct number of adults outside with them. For the Toddler classes and/or the Pre-3 parent who it is not their work day — I know it seems it should be okay to bring your child inside if they/you are cold/don’t want to be outside/would rather do something else but we need to follow the schedule set for the day. This rule is both for insurance safety and for safety during the classroom preparation. The rooms are not open and the adults inside are prepping for the school day. It is not safe to have the children inside.
For both Toddlers and Pre-3’s this is also preparation for next year when there will be fewer adults which will mean less flexibility to come inside with your child.
Come prepared for the weather.
Shoes are to be worn at all times at school.
No coffee or hot beverages.
Be attentive to the children in your assigned area.
Pre-3’s have assigned stations throughout the day. Please, check the schedule.
The expectation is for the children to engage in the circle time activity. If your child wants to stand, dance, move about they can do so in the back of the room. I have arranged the easel so there is room to move about “behind” the rug area.
The children are also welcome to be in the hallway, with an adult, if they need to be physically active during this time. It is a safety issue when the children are up and moving about – fingers get stepped on, views are blocked and someone gets pushed out of the way, two little ones decide to hug/dance/roll about and another little ones gets hurt by the feet/bodies of the first two. This may seem rigid but it is necessary to have the children learn to sit and control their bodies.
If I see a need for a child to change their behavior I will say “sit on your bottom” “sit on a lap” or give a clue as to what behavior is expected.
It is not a problem if a child is standing, dancing or moving about if the other children are still engaged in the circle time activity. The problem is when the child’s actions cause the focus to be on that child, their actions are interfering with other children engaging, or their actions could cause other children to be hurt.
During Circle Time children have a chance to practice self- regulation. Self-regulation is essential in their future success — in school and as adults.
Be sure to follow the H&S guidelines for illness. These guidelines are in place for both you and your child. Please, be watchful of symptoms especially if your family has had someone sick during the week/weekend. If your child, or you, has a fever or any symptoms of an illness you need to stay home.
These guidelines include the siblings who are staying home from their school – if they are not healthy enough to go to their school then they are not healthy enough to be at our preschool interacting with the children.
Contact the H&S officer if you or your child has symptoms of a communicable disease.
A helpful reminder about when it’s best to stay home if your child is sick.
THANK YOU for taking the time to review these items. This is a generic letter written to all 4 groups – Orcas, Owls, Otters and Bears. If you have a question or concern specific to you, your child or your group please contact me so we can discuss it.
I appreciate all the work you do to make this a great place for all the children to enjoy, explore, engage and learn.
I also appreciate all the support given to the cooperative preschool, myself and the parent educators at our site.