Preschool Policies and Procedures - (in alphabetical order)
ATTENDANCE POLICY
All students are expected to be punctual and in attendance each school day unless personal illness occurs or a family emergency arises. Attending school regularly and punctually helps to develop appropriate life long habits essential to successful educational experiences and with ethic. If a student is absent from school, one of the parents is required to call the school office. A written note is advisable as a safeguard for the student in case any questions arise concerning the absence.
You are encouraged to schedule family vacations during school holidays and all appointments outside school hours. If it is necessary for your child to be away, the student must be signed out when leaving the school building.
CHRISTIAN CURRICULUM FOR PRESCHOOL
Our “Mission Statement and Goals is the basis for our Christian preschool curriculum. Staff members hired to work at SPCS are Christians who model Christian values for our children. All lead teachers have degrees in education. SPCS is fortunate to have specialist teachers in Music and Library who assist in the preschool program.
All classes participate in daily prayers and a prayer before eating snacks for a meal. Christian stories and events are taught throughout age levels. Every concept is based on the Bible and on Jesus Christ’s teachings. Our music, art, and library programs reinforce these Christian concepts.
An annual Christmas Pageant is performed by the four year old classes through Kindergarten, acting out the birth of Jesus. In the spring the two and three year old classes perform a Noah Ark’s themed spring program.
Our teacher’s responsibilities are to create a caring community of learners, teach to enhance development and learning, construct appropriate curriculum, assess a child’s learning and development, and establish reciprocal relationships with families. In addition, the SPCS teachers integrate Christian beliefs throughout their daily interaction with the children. They keep abreast of new learning strategies and techniques. They remain involved in professional development by attending in-house staff meetings, reading educational journals, and participating in conferences. We combine four major components in our preschool educational equation to help support active learners: children, teachers, parents, and administration.
All of our teaching comes from a Christian perspective. Prayers (class and individual student/ teacher), stories, values and attitudes are taught from a Biblical base. Our educational goal is to provide an atmosphere, which will ensure success and provide a challenge for each student. In order to do this, we gear our plans to the skill level of individual children and assist each child in developing to his/her fullest potential.
Appropriate developmental learning tasks are the basis of our curriculum throughout the preschool grades. Each child is encouraged to progress at his/her own pace. At the same time, we teach individual responsibilities so children can determine that “learning is fun.” A language based reading readiness curriculum begins in our Two’s program. In the 4’s and Pre-K classes we emphasize a thorough knowledge of letter sounds and phonetic sequence as well as one-to-one relationships in math readiness.
We strive to develop a positive self-concept, a sense of security, a feeling of independence, acceptable social skills, and an ability to meet problem-solving situations in an atmosphere of caring without pressure. We provide appropriate space and equipment, challenging hands-on materials, guidance, freedom, and CHRISTIAN LOVE as we enhance development in five areas: emotional, intellectual, physical, social, and SPIRITUAL.
CLASSROOM EQUIPMENT
We believe children “learn by doing.” Our goal is to provide “hands-on” experiences which encourage exploration. The preschool classroom’s equipment/ materials are changed on a weekly/monthly basis. The classrooms are set-up in “learning centers, designed with activities that fully develop the preschooler’s skills in language, math, science, art and music. These materials are chosen to be age appropriate but challenging. Housekeeping equipment, play houses, puzzles, library books, scissors, crayons, markers, glue, paint, water, and other sensory materials are used in the daily curriculum.
DRESS CODE
Preschool children use glue/paint in classrooms and play inside in the gym or outside on the playground. We urge families to send children in “play clothing” suitable for messy art projects.
Preschool Boys:
Pants/ Shorts: Pants/ shorts must be proper fitting. Denim blue jeans or sweat suit type pants may be worn. No belts.
Shirts/ Sweatshirts: A long sleeve or short sleeve polo, tee shirt, or sweatshirt with an appropriate logo is permitted.
Shoes: Tennis shoes with a closed toe and heel are to be worn.
Preschool Girls:
Pants/ Capri’s/ Shorts: Pants/ Capri’s/ shorts must be proper fitting. Denim blue jeans or sweat suit type pants may be worn. No belts.
Dresses/ Skirts: Shorts or tights must be worn underneath dresses and skirts. Body suits are unacceptable.
Shirts/ Sweatshirts: A long sleeve or short sleeve polo, or a sweatshirt with an appropriate logo is permitted.
Shoes: Tennis shoes with a closed toe and heel are to be worn.
SPCS sweatshirts and t-shirts are to be worn on field trips or anytime.
Below you will find the consequences for failure to follow the above guidelines:
1st offense: A parent will receive a written reminder.
2nd offense: A parent will receive a written reminder.
3rd offense: A parent will be called to bring appropriate attire
FOOD/ SNACKS
In the preschool program, nutritious snacks are provided by the parents for the students in your child’s classroom on a rotational basis. The Indiana Board of Health requires all snacks to be purchased from a commercial source only. The snacks must be received in the original unopened packaging. Parents are allowed to send in the ingredients for cooking in the classroom when requested by the teacher for a cooking or baking classroom project. If a food allergy/ medical condition is noted on a child’s emergency form, the parents are asked to supply snacks for their child. First names of students with food allergies are posted on the outside of the cabinet in clear view of staff.
FORMS FOR PRESCHOOL STUDENTS
- SPCS Student Questionnaire- information on this form enables the teacher to be more fully informed about each child. Please update the form each year.
- SPCS Emergency Information and Agreement- This form must be filled out before a child is left for class. It is duplicated and kept on file in the classroom and school office. The information is for emergency purposes. A copy is taken on field trips to give school/hospital personnel permission to give immediate aid to children in a dire emergency.
- SPCS Immunization Record- Every child must have this form on file as a requirement of the Division of Public Health. Immunization records must be turned in on the first day of school. The Marion County Health Dept. provides a letter listing the required immunizations. You may call then with questions or you can obtain a copy of the letter from the school office.
- SPCS Preschool Volunteer Substitute List
- SPCS Classroom Parties and Special Events Volunteer List
- SPCS Parent Committees- We request every SPCS family sign-up for at least one committee (per child) during the school year. Parents sharing time and talents help in assisting in numerous school activities and events.
- Field Trip Permission Form- Must have parent signature any time a student leaves the building for a school event.
- Carpool Form- Parents fill out this form so school can assign carpool numbers.
HOLIDAYS
- Halloween- our school does not participate in this holiday.
- Thanksgiving- each classroom celebrates with some form of a “feast”. Parents send in food.
- Christmas- Presents are prepared for parents. Teachers give small gift to each child. Over-all focus is toward Jesus’ birthday. “Mitten Tree” is available for contributions which are sent to Wheeler Mission children. Parents assist with Christmas classroom parties.
- Valentine’s Day- Parents help with classroom parties and cards.
- Easter - Parents help with classroom parties and egg hunts. Easter Aid Preschool Project provides Basket items for Good Shepherd Ministries.
PETS
Appropriate family pets, when calm and friendly, may come to the classroom on a scheduled visit, PROVIDED that there are no children with pet or dander allergies. It is important to keep these visits brief. The owner of the pet will probably enjoy this experience, but other children may have fears or allergies. All scheduled visits must be approved by the teacher and preschool director.
Classroom pets are allowed. Children seem to relate positively to the experience of sharing animals’ activities and habits in a group setting. Parents are often willing to help purchase cages or pet containers.
PRESCHOOL PARENT CONFERENCES
Children’s progress is evaluated throughout the year with progress reports, assessments, anecdotal notes, art and periodic paper work which is collected in each child’s portfolio/ file to be shared with preschool parents. No formal parent conferences are given for Twos; teachers may meet with parents on as as-needed basis. Parent-teacher preschool conferences are held in late January for the 2D3’s through Pre-K students.
Conferences last 10-15 minutes in length and are scheduled during the school session. Please be punctual and refrain from bringing your child or siblings.
PRESCHOOL STUDENT PLACEMENT
SPCS preschool students are placed in the classes according to birthdate. This allows the child to interact with peers around his/her own age. Likewise, it gives teachers an opportunity to work with students within a smaller range of ages and interest levels. The SPCS curriculum has been created and developed to meet specific needs within each age level.
SPEECH/ HEARING EXAMINATIONS
In the fall, the Speech-Language Department of the Library Park Rehabilitation Center offers hearing/ speech testing to the preschool students for a nominal fee.
