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4725 Mattis Road, St. Louis, MO 63128 (314) 487-7970 ext. 1227 Director: Shelley Michael Administrative Assistant: Bridget Davis |
 Picture Gallery Policies New School Year Registration Forms After School Activity Program (ASAP)- For Assumption DaySchool Children Only- Grades K-8. |
Family Handbook 2009-2010 |
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Academics & Curriculum Each age level will follow a daily lesson plan that includes: interest centers, developmentally appropriate activities, religion, snacks and lunch (full-day only), nap or quiet time (full-day only), large motor (indoor & outdoor) and centers. Specific goals and objectives will be implemented in each classroom and will coordinate with the daily activities. Our curriculum includes religion, letter recognition and identification, number concepts and math readiness, personal data, fine motor, identification of body parts, speaking skills, listening skills, self-reliance, social emotional, music and large motor. Your classroom teacher will keep a student portfolio for each child’s progress and mastery of the goals and objectives for each age level. (See student assessment for more detailed portfolio information). All families are able to access the following information:
The center will be open daily from 7:00AM to 6:00PM. Parking spaces will be reserved for drop-off and pick-up in front of the center. All Preschool parents are to use Basler Road for entrance and exit from Preschool. Please be careful of traffic from the full-day school; they start school every day at 7:45AM and dismiss at 2:45PM. Please be sure to sign your child in and out every day. It is very important that you bring your child into the building and sign them in and out daily. Also be sure to check your child’s cubby, classroom folder and bulletin board for parent notes and reminders. Please do not leave children unattended in your car. If you need assistance, please contact the center office. Leaving your child unattended in a locked car is considered child abuse and we are obligated by law to contact the local police department. Our full-day school day will start at 9:00AM and be completed at 3:30PM. Before school (7:00AM-9AM) and after school (3:30PM-6PM) the children will all be together on the first floor of the center or outside on the playground. You can check the before and after school location board located by the sign-in table. If you come during school hours, you will need to go directly to your child’s classroom. Please be sure to sign your child in and out every day. Our half day school will start at 9AM and will be completed at 12noon. Please be sure to pick your child up promptly at 12noon. Please be sure to sign your child in and out every day. Summer: Summer programs are available to all children; half-day or full-day options. Information is sent to parents regarding the summer program options in April. In the event that a court ordered legal custody situation develops, whereby a parent is not allowed to pickup the child (ren) without consent, we require that original court documents be submitted to the office verifying legal custody. The director will review this information and a copy of the information will be placed in the child’s file. Once reviewed and approved, pertinent information will be relayed to appropriate personnel at school. All information will be kept confidential. Staff will not release a child to any person who appears to be under the influence of alcohol or other drugs or who appears incapable of transporting that child home safely. Another authorized person will be contacted to pick up your child. For your convenience and emergency purposes, we have additional car seats for the safety of your child. Please see the office staff or a classroom teacher for assistance. LATE PICK-UP POLICY: Please check your child for signs of illness before leaving home. If your child will be absent for the day, please call the center office. Attendance will be taken daily every morning at 9:00AM. If you are not present by 9:30AM, an office staff will contact you at your home phone. Out of respect for your classroom teacher and the daily schedule, it is important that your child is on time for the start of school. If your classroom teachers notice you are continually late, they will speak to you personally regarding this policy. Credits or refunds are not given for missed class days. Children in full-time care (M-F; full-day only) will be given a one week vacation allotment without being charged the weekly fee. Days can be used sporadically or in a lump sum. Notification of days off must be given to the director in writing two weeks before using a vacation day or dropping from the program. Records of these days will be kept on file in the office. The vacation allotment renews every school year. Children beginning in the program later than the start of the school year will receive pro-rated vacation.Due to licensing requirements, children are not allowed to utilize more than 10 hours of care per day. We love to celebrate birthdays at our center. Each child will receive a special treat (crown, book or pencil; NO food items) from school on their birthday. Due to the increase with food allergies, you are not allowed to bring a treat for your child to school. This policy is implemented for the health and safety of ALL the children enrolled at AELC. If you do bring food items to school, they will be held in the office for parent pick-up. If you are planning a party away from school, please keep in mind that invitations may not be given out at school unless everyone in the class is invited. You may utilize your buzz book for classroom roster information or contact your classroom teacher. Teacher contact information is listed on the last page of this handbook. Throughout the school year the classrooms will have parties. Room parents will plan and schedule all events. See additional volunteer requirements under the parent involvement section. If you would like to be part of that process, you may sign up outside the office to volunteer. A notice of party days will be on the monthly newsletters or notes from your classroom teacher. Siblings of preschool children are always welcome to attend the classroom parties. You will receive a copy of the school year calendar at the beginning of the school year. The calendar will indicate when the program is closed and center family events. Your teacher will also provide you with a classroom specific calendar. In the event of an emergency, we need to be able to contact you at any time. Any changes in personal data on your child’s registration form (i.e. address, phone numbers, marital status, authorized /emergency persons, medications, etc.) must be provided in writing to the office. In order for everyone to have accurate records, we will make changes to the child’s permanent file and pass to the classroom teachers. Assumption Early Learning Center is committed to the prevention of child abuse and assists those who are affected by incidents of child abuse. Assumption Early Learning Center is also committed to complying with legal requirements for reporting child abuse. Every teacher is a child abuse advocate and must follow all mandated laws by the State of Missouri. AELC performs a criminal record check and child abuse neglect screening on all AELC faculty and volunteers upon hire and every year in September. Our teachers have appropriate training, certifications and degrees. Each teacher is selected for his or her commitment to early childhood education. Each teacher is responsible for writing and implementing meaningful lesson plans while following the Project Construct curriculum and the benchmarks for their age group. All teachers observe and evaluate the children’s progress and work as a team to provide a quality program for our families. AELC is committed to professional development for all staff members. On-going training is provided to staff through classes, workshops, and seminars in all phases of child development and education. All teachers are registered with the Family Care Safety Registry. The center is cleaned each evening after school hours by an independent cleaning company. The classroom teacher utilizes a three step procedure for sanitizing the classroom equipment and materials. These procedures are completed daily or weekly depending on the usage and age of the children. The maintenance for the center is completed by the parish maintenance staff. All non-teaching employees complete the same criminal record checks and Protecting God’s Children classes as mandated by the Archdiocese of St. Louis. There is no formal dress code for the Early Learning Center. However, we encourage you to dress your child appropriately for daily indoor and outdoor activities. Remember that children are encouraged to participate in all activities (including daily art projects), so please do not dress them in anything that you do not want to get dirty. In order to be safe, all children MUST wear tennis shoes to school. Children without tennis shoes will borrow school tennis shoes for the day. Please remember to dress your child for cold days with coats, hats and gloves. We will go outside if the weather is between 32-95 degrees. During summer, please bring sunscreen and a hat for your child if they are susceptible to the sun. Personal Items Needed: Because accidents do happen, we ask that you provide a complete change of clothing, which will be kept in your child's classroom. These items need to be marked with his/her first and last name. Be sure to check these items seasonally for fit and comfort. For those children who are not yet potty trained; there will be a diaper stipend assessed to your tuition. You will no longer need to provide diapers, pull-ups and wet wipes. Classroom Supplies: Each year in August you will be asked to bring the following classroom supplies to school. Each child needs to bring 2 rolls of paper towels, 2 boxes Crayola Washable Markers (Crayola brand so we can interchange the marker caps) and 4 packages of wet wipes. All due by the Open House 8/27 or the first day of school 8/31. We discourage children from bringing toys or items from home. Please try to keep these items in the car. It is difficult to keep track of these items and we do not want them to get lost or broken. If a toy does show up at school we will try to send it home with the parent. We appreciate your cooperation. Any family interested in the facility will first be invited to tour the center. Families will be shown the entire center and introduced to the center staff. To proceed further we will encourage interested families to go to our website at: www.assumptionstl.org/aelc and download the documentation needed for registration. Every January the center hosts an open house to the public following registration in February. All current enrollees will participate in pre-registration and have first choice at classes. Once registration is completed, each family will receive a teacher welcome packet in July. This packet will provide parents with all the information that you will need for your child’s classroom. Every August we will host a parent meeting and an open house for the new school year. Each child will have a classroom file that will hold all projects, notes, newsletters, etc. You are to check this file every week and remove all information. Every month a family newsletter will be sent home from the director and Parent Advisory Committee about related center, school and church activities. A monthly newsletter and calendar will be sent home from each classroom about specific classroom activities. Please pay special attention to calendar items; they will remind you of days off and special classroom events. Ongoing communication is encouraged at all times. Please do not hesitate to contact your classroom teacher or the director whenever you have a question or concern, or need information. Classroom teacher phone numbers and e-mail addresses are located in the back of the handbook and on the school year buzz book.We are excited to announce our new AELC webpage. Feel free to visit www.assumptionstl.org/aelc for information and documentation needed. Photographs and videos will be taken during the school year. This assists us with individual and class experience stories, class books, photo albums, and documentation of your child’s work. Photographs and videos may also be taken during the year for release to the media, for the school website and parish website. Parents will be asked to sign a photo release indicating their consent to have their child participate in photographs and videos. If you do not wish photos and videos to be taken of your child, please note that on the permission form. We believe that children learn through play. By providing a variety of activities for children to expand their imagination & creativity, social skills, language & listening skills and cognitive skills, we believe that they will be successful in their learning. Each child's day will include a variety of topics. Each classroom will include: time in interest centers, small and large group activities, developmentally appropriate activities, snack, outdoor play, lunch (full-day only), nap or rest time (full-day only) and religion. Children are encouraged to participate in all activities throughout the day. Full-Day children: Naptime State Licensing requires our children in the full day program to have a rest period during the course of the day. Our toddlers and preschoolers take their nap from approximately 12:30PM-2:30PM depending on the classroom and the age of the children. If after thirty minutes, a child cannot fall asleep, they may choose to do quiet activities alone on their cot. All children are up by 2:45PM so that they can fall asleep at home at an appropriate time. During naptime, teachers have the lights turned off and soft music plays. The rooms still receive a good bit of natural light. All children will be required to keep their socks on during naptime in case of an emergency and the need to evacuate the center. You will need to purchase a cot sheet for $10 in the office. Parents are responsible for a blanket, pillow or any other items to assist their child to be comfortable during naptime. We will send home all bedding on the last day in attendance for that week for you to launder. Please be sure to bring all items back the following week. We do not have extra bedding for each child. Assumption Early Learning Center has made preparations to deal effectively with emergency situations that should occur in or around school while the center is open. We will practice our emergency exit procedures and safety plans each month to ensure that the staff and the children are ready if an emergency should arise. Records of these drills are kept on file in the AELC office. Please be sure to complete your child's emergency information and inform the office of any changes.Throughout the year, we will have planned events for our families. These events are paid for with your registration. At these events, all siblings are invited and encouraged to participate. We will give you advance notice of each event, noting them on your yearly school calendar. Events will be planned for different days and different times of days in order to make them accessible for our families. We will be inviting visitors/special events to school each quarter. Parent volunteers are needed to plan and schedule these events. Please sign up outside the office if you would like to volunteer. Your registration fee covers the cost for all special events/visitors and all siblings are welcome to attend. Short walks may be added to our weekly activities around the Assumption campus. All teachers will take cell phones and emergency backpacks to ensure the safety of all children when away from school. Families interested in the center will pay a non-refundable registration fee per child every year. This will hold your space in the program. Weekly tuition will be due every Monday of that week for full-time children and due the first day of care for part-time children. Half-day children’s tuition will be due on the 1st of every month. Payments not made on time will be assessed a $5 per day late fee. Assumption offers a CREDIT CARD PAYMENT as well as an option for Direct Withdrawal from a checking or savings account. The Credit Card Payment will be available for MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express, and will function in much the same way as the Parish Electronic Giving option through Stewardship Technology. More information on this type of payment can be found on our website. In order for us to maintain our budget projections each month, we must have all accounts paid in full by the first of each month. No balance should be carried over to the next. If you are having financial difficulties, a payment arrangement must be agreed upon, in writing. If delinquencies continue, children will loose their place in the program without any refunds. Financial Assistance: Financial assistance is available to families who qualify through Division of Family Services Child Care Assistance. For more information, please contact our office. AELC is a self-sustaining program and does not provide financial assistance from the parish and/or school. Child Care Income Tax Credit: Many parents may be able to claim a credit against their federal income tax for a portion of the fees paid to “AELC”. The income tax credit is generally available to taxpayers if the childcare expense is incurred to enable parents to work, or look for work. There are various limitations and restrictions on the amount of the credit which can be claimed on your federal income tax return. Upon request, “AELC” will provide parents with an annual statement indicating the amount paid for childcare. These statements are sent every January. If you have any questions concerning whether or not you might qualify for this tax credit, please consult your tax advisor or the internal revenue service. Some parents may be entitled to exclude from their income, payments made by their employers for childcare, under a dependent care assistance plan. You should contact your employer to determine if your employer offers a dependent care assistance plan. All children will be required to have their current immunizations on file. Children will not be allowed to stay in the program unless the file is complete. If your child becomes ill or contracts a contagious illness while at school, the center director will notify you immediately. We will provide a quiet area for your child to rest until you can arrive. We will also inform you of any possible exposure to any communicable diseases. Once a parent or guardian has been called, your child must be picked-up within 90 minutes. If your child is ill, they must be Tylenol-free & fever-free (fever being 100 degrees or more when taken under the arm) for at least 24 hours and 48 hours for pink eye before they return to school. If your child has more than one episode of diarrhea, he or she will be sent home and may not return until the condition has been stabilized. We reserve the right to send any child home if we feel they are showing signs of illness or a contagious disease and may ask for medical permission to return to school. There will not be any reduction of tuition due to absences or illnesses. The following symptoms could indicate a contagious disease:
In the event that a child is injured, an accident report will be filled out and will need to be signed by the child's parent and kept on file. Small scrapes or bumps will be cleaned and dressing will be applied if necessary. If an injury requires further treatment and the child needs to go to the hospital, the parent will be notified immediately. If the parent cannot be reached, we will attempt to contact someone on the emergency list. We will take your child to the hospital you requested on your enrollment form or will follow the directive of the Emergency Medical Service Professional. The center Director and/or classroom teacher will accompany your child to the hospital. Medication that is to be kept at school for emergencies only (ex. asthma, bee sting, peanut allergies, etc.), must include special instructions. They must be submitted in writing from parent. If it becomes necessary to cancel school before it starts or to start later due to inclement weather, announcements will be aired on TV stations FOX, KMOV and KSDK. Watch for “Assumption Parish School-South County” or “Assumption Mattis” to be closed. You can also check the news channels for on-line lists of school closings. If the announcement says snow schedule, school will open at 9:30AM for full day children and half-day children. A regular closing will still be at 6:00PM. Once school is in session there will be no early dismissal for inclement weather. **Credit or refunds will not be given for inclement weather. Mehlville School District- 314-467-5302 Lindbergh School District- 314-729-2400 A lost and found box will be in the lobby and we will keep items for one month. Unclaimed articles are then sent to St. Louis Crisis Nursery for donation. It is highly recommended that all articles be marked with the child’s name to eliminate lost articles. We are all here to make this a pleasant experience for you and your child, but on occasion, difficulties may erupt. If you have any questions about your child, or the program, please talk with your teacher first. If you are unable to come to an agreement over a situation, please talk with Shelley Michael (director of Childcare Services and the before and after care programs.) If a situation cannot be resolved we will meet with our Pastor. Mrs. Michael can be reached at (314) 487-7970, extension 1227. A notice of parental responsibility needs to be signed by every parent before his or her child enters the program. The Notice of Parental Responsibility is a required form by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services stating that we are operated by a religious organization. The notice states that we: Are a facility that is mandated from the state of Missouri and is a License-Exempt facility.
You are encouraged to come to school at any time and we welcome your presence in the classroom. You also may call at any time to speak with your child’s teacher; numbers are listed on the last page of the handbook. If a longer conversation is necessary, the teachers may ask to call you back at a more convenient time or to set up a parent/teacher conference. A. Pastor The pastor is the spiritual leader of Assumption Parish. By virtue of his position, he is responsible for those matters within the center, which affect worship, the ministry of the Lord, and the spiritual welfare of the students. The Pastor is the chief administrator. B. Director of Childcare Services The Director of Childcare Services is responsible to the pastor and to the community for all center matters. The Director of Childcare Services oversees the AELC and ASAP programs and implements all the program policies. C. Before School and After School Director The Before School and After School Director are responsible to the Director of Child Care Services. The Before School and After School Director works daily at the center and oversees the AELC program and implements all program day to day activities. D. Teachers All teachers are responsible to the Before and After School Directors and the Director of Childcare Services. A Parent Advisory Committee is composed of volunteer parents and school representatives. This committee acts in an advisory capacity for our program providing recommendations for improving services and operations. Parents interested in serving on this committee should inform the Director. We know that our parents are great resources! We hope that you can volunteer in our classrooms in some capacity. It is appropriate for young children to experience a variety of activities at their center rather than taking them on buses for field trips. Throughout the year, teachers will schedule guests and/or parents to come talk with our children about specific topics of interest. In the past we have had a fireman, a policeman; a dentist and more come in and talk with the children. We encourage you as a parent to volunteer your time and expand on the classroom experience. We encourage you to share your talents with us with such activities as becoming a room parent, reading with a small group of children, doing an art activity with your child, attending walking field trips, sharing a special hobby or skill or anything else you might think of! Please talk with your child’s teacher about how you can be an asset to your child’s classroom. An update on classroom parties: In the past, we have been allowed to invite all parents and friends to our parties. As our program has grown and the volunteer requirements have been improved, some changes had to be put into place. Although we would love having everyone is a part of these special events, it is just not possible. In order for us to provide a safe environment for your children, your room parents have taken time to complete necessary trainings and criminal abuse record checks. With this said, we are only allowed to invite those room parents who have completed the training in the school during party days. I am sure that you are thankful that we take these precautions for the safety of your children. If you are interested in attending the parties as a room parent, please contact the office and we would be happy to get your volunteer file started.Formal parent-teacher conferences will be held twice per school year; December and April. Each parent is assigned a 15-minute conference with his or her child’s classroom teacher. Visits by parents at other times are always welcome. Teachers are always available for phone conversations during various times throughout the day. Going to school for the first time can be difficult for some children, where others may adjust with ease. When your child is enrolled we encourage parents to make at least three visits prior to their first day. During these visits, you will stay with your child or follow the lead of the classroom teacher. After a few visits, please allow enough time to help your child make the adjustment from home and to his/her new environment. Never "sneak out" and always say "goodbye" reassuring your child when you will be back to pick him/her up. An appropriate length of time to stay in the morning is about five to ten minutes. This will give your child time to become involved in an activity. Staying longer will send mixed messages and will make their adjustment more difficult. You can expect to see tears the first few days, or weeks which is completely normal. Our staff is always available to assist you, and they are aware of techniques, which will alleviate anxieties. Parents need to relax also, as children will read into these emotions and will react accordingly. Keep in mind that we have an open door policy and you are always welcome. When a child enters our program, it is imperative for us to get to know the parents, as well as the child. We would like to familiarize ourselves with the personal manner in which you interact with your child. Please be sure to read the handbook carefully and ask a staff member if you have any questions. All required documentation needs to be completed within thirty days of the child’s first day of school. We believe that when children are given the necessary components for learning that they will be successful. By providing a Christian environment full of dedication and love we feel that we have a head start in learning. Our program is packed full of age-appropriate lesson plans with goals & objectives and teaching the message of Jesus. As always in early childhood education, we will focus on discovery through play. Children will be challenged daily in their creativity and individuality through many opportunities. Choosing from self-guided interest centers, daily academics, large and small group activities, the day is packed full! Our goal, along with the parents, is to unite children as people of God and to encourage them to be life-long learners. We the teachers at Assumption Early Learning Center look forward to providing a preschool where your child’s mind will grow daily in a developmentally appropriate learning and spiritual environment! AELC is committed to providing on-going opportunities for our staff. We will be closed for two days in March for the classroom teachers to attend Conference of the Young Years at Lake of the Ozarks. This professional development weekend is paid for by the fundraising efforts of the families of AELC and Parent Advisory Committee. We further our professional development by being affiliated with many different professional organizations. These organizations include: Child Daycare Association, (CDCA), Missouri Accreditation (MOA), and National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), Nurses for Newborns and St. Louis Crisis Nursery. Our teachers have appropriate degrees and certifications and are trained in the Project Construct curriculum. All teachers are also First Aid and CPR certified and participate in professional development opportunities throughout the year. A dedicated on-site team of administrators, administrative support, classroom teachers and support staff provides daily operations. Members of our teaching staff are qualified with appropriate degrees and training and meet all licensing and accreditation requirements. Project Construct is a developmentally appropriate framework that is also the curriculum of our district. By keeping the same curriculum, we help make the transition to kindergarten smoother. Project Construct is based on four guiding principles:
All new families will receive two entry cards per family. There is a $5 lost key replacement fee. Key cards are not interchangeable and are for parent or guardian use only; passing key cards to relatives or other family friends is STRONGLY PROHIBITED. All guests must ring the doorbell and be buzzed in by an AELC staff. The center will honor all legal documents regarding child custody and parental visitation. If one parent is to have limited access to the child, we must have a copy of the custody ruling on file in the office. The center will not intercede on behalf of one parent if the custody decision has not been specifically defined. We cannot refuse a parent the right to take a child from the center unless that parent has legally been denied permission to do so. In case of emergency, both parents will be notified. The custodial parent will receive the first call. Responsibility for tuition must be determined between the parents. The center will not become involved with requesting payment from an ex-spouse. All full-day children will receive two snacks and lunch every day. All half-day children will receive one snack in the morning. All snacks and meals are nutritious and will follow the Missouri Department of Health Nutrition Standards and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Calories, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, protein, fat, fiber, vitamin A and vitamin C levels are all dictated based upon the age of the child. School menus are analyzed to assure the daily allowance of the guidelines is strictly followed. A list of Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA) is available in our office for your review. We will serve a variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains and meat each day. Children will eat lunch between 12:00PM and 1:00PM depending on their age and classroom schedule. Meals are served family-style with classroom staff eating with the children encouraging a relaxed environment. We encourage and discuss manners, good hygiene, self-help skills, and nutrition information before, during, and after meals. Please be sure your child’s teacher is aware of any concerns you have with certain foods relating to your child’s likes and dislikes. In addition, be sure to list any food allergies on your registration form. For the health and safety of all children, we are a peanut-free school. No snacks or meals provided will contain peanuts or are prepared in a peanut processing plant. A pictorial snack and lunch menu are posted by the sign-in table located by the front door of the Center. All children exhibiting signs of a possible developmental delay or disabling condition in the areas of speech, language, hearing or vision, cognition, behavior, fine and gross motor will be handled with the utmost sensitivity. Documentation (observation, interviews, screenings) of all behaviors will be kept by the classroom teacher to use as a tool in communication with parents and other special education providers. All documentation and information about any child must have written consent from the parents before sharing with any service provider. All children will be referred to their corresponding school district to obtain information about qualification for classroom or community based services. Children in the center who have special needs will be serviced through an individualized education plan (IEP) or an individualized family service plan (IFSP). The IEP/IFSP will be developed by a special education provider, director, classroom teacher and the child’s parents in order to make appropriate decisions regarding the services needed. The IEP/IFSP will be used as a plan of action to meet the needs of the child for the placement in the program. Open communication between the special education provider, Assumption center staff and the parents is encouraged. Special services designed in the IEP/IFSP will be delivered within the child’s daily routine and administered by the child’s classroom teacher. A center–based IEP/IFSP may also be used with a child who has not been diagnosed with a disability and may need some modifications to their school environment. Due to our private school status, we do not have early childhood special education professional staff to assist with implementation of any special educational plans. Parents needing special education professional support need to contact their public school district. Early Childhood Special Education Programs Referrals ADA Information Line - 1.800.514.0301 National Information Center for Children with Disabilities - 1.800.695.2001 School District Contact Numbers: Affton School District ECE/PAT - 314.989.8376 CDCA (Child Daycare Association) Inclusion Services - 314.531.1412 Fox School District ECE/PAT- 636.282.1476 Lindbergh School District ECE/PAT - 314.729.2400 Mehlville School District ECE/PAT- 314.467.5302 PS Kids, LLC Positive Support for Kids - 314.845.7751 St. Louis Public Schools PAT - 314.361.5500 A one to eight teacher/child ratio will be maintained or exceeded for the toddler classrooms and one to ten teacher/child ratio will be maintained or exceeded in the preschool classrooms at all times. Volunteers, practicum students, and parents may also be working in the classrooms, but do not figure into the ratio. Children at Assumption Early Learning Center are expected to behave in a Christian and courteous manner treating each other and the staff with respect to keep discipline to a minimum. We encourage children to use their words to express their feelings and respect the feelings of others; this in turn will assist in helping children succeed in developing problem-solving skills. If a discipline problem occurs, children will first be re-directed from the adverse behavior. If the behavior persists, the child will be removed from the area, asked by the classroom teacher to take a break to cool-down and they will discuss the problem afterwards. Other disciplinary actions may include but are not limited to: teacher-child-director conference, teacher-child-parent-director conference or including the pastor in the conference. If necessary and appropriate, children may be dismissed from the program. The director will determine the seriousness of the offense and the corresponding disciplinary action will be taken. Developmental Screening: Each child will be tested two times per year with the Brigance screening by the director and/or other AELC faculty. The test takes about 10 minutes and provides information for the classroom teacher and parent about progress of their child. Parents refusing their child to be tested are required to contact the center at the beginning of the school year. Observations: Portfolios: Policy In order to make toilet training a positive experience for you and your child, we have incorporated a plan to assist in achieving this goal. We have devised an agreement for the parent and the classroom teacher to follow. Parents interested in starting the toilet training process need to speak to their classroom teacher to sign and begin the agreement. |