Apollo
Developmental Preschool
8045 N. 47th Ave. Glendale, AZ 85300
GUHSD
Preschool number – 623.435.6376
Glendale Union High School
Early Childhood
Preschool Program
Developmental Preschool
&
Kindergarten Enrichment
2016-2017
Glendale Union High School District Early Childhood Program
Developmental Preschool Kindergarten Enrichment
An Arizona State Licensed Child Care Facility
The purpose of this program is to give the students on the job training to high school students who are interested in early childhood education. The students selected for this program have had a yearlong child development class. Students have also completed a 5 hour observation on the developmental stages of a preschool child.
Our preschool is a working early child development lab which focuses on the developmental stages of a preschool child.
Our Beliefs:
· We believe in a quality preschool program where each child is unique and are encouraged to develop their talents and abilities.
· All Children will be in a safe non-threatening environment.
· Playing is the child’s method of learning.
· Each child will be prepared for Kindergarten through the Arizona Kindergarten Readiness Standards.
· We encourage the child to respect the rights of others. We will respect the child and their individual development as well.
· We support an environment that helps children develop social skills while they become competent problem solvers.
Mission Statement: We provide a safe, affordable and developmentally appropriate environment for preschool children to learn. Our goal is to engage all children to become lifelong learners.
Our Staff:
Beverly Ducey- Early Childhood Instructor
Jeanine Busse- Preschool Director
Adriana Polanco- Preschool Assistant Director
TBD- Afternoon Teacher
Hours of Operation: 7:00am to 5:00pm
Our Early Childhood students will be working with the children from 8am to 2:35pm. Before school hours and after school hours, students will be hired to help care for the preschoolers. We will follow the district calendar for holidays. Please see the calendar at the end of the packet.
High school students will be teaching lessons the following hours:
Period 1-8:00- 8:55, Period 2-9:00-9:55, Period 3 10:00- 11:00 and Period 7- 1:35-2:35.
Enrollment: Any child who is three years old and is fully toilet trained can enroll in our preschool. We are not licensed by the state to change diapers. The boy/girl ratio is a consideration, as well as 4 and 5 day students. Registration begins in March for the following school year.
Waiting List: Our waiting list is filled by the following steps: 1. Returning preschoolers 2. AHS staff employees/ District employees 3. Community
Attendance: Please call our preschool office as soon as possible to report the absence of your preschooler. Attendance is very important when it comes to academics and lesson planning for our preschool staff and high school students.
Discipline: The Glendale Union High School District E.C.E Preschools support positive discipline, which encourages guidance and self-regulation. The purpose of guidance and self-regulation is to help children learn appropriate behavior and self-control. Our staff will define, model and encourage appropriate behavior at all times. Whenever possible, the staff will explain why a particular behavior is not allowed, then redirect the child in an alternative center or direction. The child will be assisted in acceptable activities as they play and interact with others. Parental involvement in discipline and redirection is crucial for the child in order to have consistency between home and school. Our preschool practice is not to make parent contact throughout the day unless it is an emergency. (See page 8)
Removal of the Program: A child who is threat to the health, safety and the learning environment of the other children can or will be removed from the program. Once a 30 day behavior management plan has been implemented by both the director and the parents and does not seem to work, the child will be removed from our program at that time. In addition, this program may not be suitable for the learning style of your child. They may be overwhelmed due to the many transitions through the day. With this type of situation the preschool staff will individually work with the parent and child to find the best solution and program for your child.
Arrival, Departure and Transportation: Transportation is not provided by Apollo High School. It is the parent’s responsibility to get their child to and from school throughout the day. You must park in the Student parking lot when dropping your child off for the day. Please do not use the bus circle at any time when dropping off your child. You may use the bus circle in the afternoon past 3:45. Children must be accompanied into the preschool by an authorized person and signed in daily. Children will be dismissed only to the parents or an authorized adult. A picture ID and a signature are required by the authorized adult before release.
We will ask all parents to have on file a list of name and phone numbers of people other than yourself who have permission to pick up your child. We will require a picture ID from the person who picks up your child and prior written notification from you. For the first few weeks parents may be asked to show identification until you are recognized. The safety of your child will always come first!
We also ask that you please make sure that your child arrives by 8:00 at the latest. It becomes a distraction to the preschoolers and staff as children begin to walk in late and kids begin to become off task. High school lessons also start at 8:10 so we would appreciate them being here on time for morning lessons.
Transportation: Transportation is not provided by Apollo High School. It is the parent’s responsibility to get their child to and from school throughout the day.
What to bring: Please bring an extra set of clothes (socks, shirts, underwear, shoes, shorts or pants) in a large zip-lock bag with your child’s name written on the bag. Please make sure you send your children in tennis shoes as well. MAKE SURE TO LABEL ALL JACKETS OR EXTRA CLOTHES WITH YOUR CHILDS NAME ON IT! They will also need a complete lunch box with a cold pack. The children will also need a water bottle that they can keep in the preschool throughout the year. These water bottles are washed and sanitized each day by our preschool staff for sanitary purposes. Lastly, the child will also need a crib fitted sheet for their nap time (We will use these to slip over our resting mats. This is an item required by the County Health Department).
Rest Time: Quiet time is mandatory for all children for 1 hour throughout the day. We usually start this hour after lunch time from 12:15pm-1:30pm. The children are not required to sleep, just rest. Rest mats will be provided for all children. Each child will be responsible for bringing a crib sheet to slip over their mats. A small blanket is recommended to allow the child to cover up if they get cold. Please do not send pillows.
Food: There will be a morning and afternoon snack served daily. These snacks consist of two to three food groups. Breakfast will also be available for anyone arriving to school before 7:30 am. The parent must provide lunch for their child 4 days a week. (Wednesday is Pizza day! We provide pizza for the children every Wednesday or an alternative solution through the cafeteria). To support the Empower Program, we follow the Family Style Dining Method for ALL meals. This is where children choose the quantity and selection of food during meal time. Please visit http://azdhs.gov/empower-program for more information regarding our Family style dining.
Please send your child’s lunch to school in a lunch box or bag with a cold pack insert. We do not have room to refrigerate all the lunches. Please have your child’s name on the lunch box as well as on the cold pack. Remember that fresh fruits and vegetables, yogurt and cheese are all good sides to their lunches. Please provide healthy options in your children’s lunch.
Birthdays: Birthdays are very special for children. Your child may want to bring in a treat to share with the class on his or her special day. Please inform the teacher in advance if you are planning on bringing a treat. Any food brought in must be purchased from the store. State law prohibits serving food that has not been prepared in a licensed kitchen.
Visitors: You are welcome to observe activities that your child is engaging in during hours of operation. Visitors will be supervised by staff in the preschool. You must sign in at the front office before stopping by the preschool. The regular class schedule will be followed during your visit.
Parent Participation: It is mandatory for parents to become actively involved in our developmental preschool. We would like if one or both sets of parents can come and spend a half day during the morning. We encourage you to volunteer before the winter break. You are welcome any time to stop by and see your preschooler at play. We encourage you to join us on field trips and during special events during the school year. We will always notify you in advance of these times. If you would like to volunteer throughout the school year, you must fill out volunteer paperwork through the front office and follow the District Volunteer policies.
Field Trips: We will be taking two field trips per year. We will extend the invite to parents for one of those field trips and the other is chaperoned by the High School Students and Staff. Every child must have a signed permission slip in order to participate. We will take the district bus during these trips. All participants will wear their preschool t-shirts for reasons of identification. Your child will be assigned a E.C.E high school student or an affiliated adult at all times.
Confidentiality: The preschool staff is always available to discuss a concern or assist in helping your child adjust to school. The information you provide on the application form will be held in strict confidence. State law does require that we report any signs of abuse or neglect.
Dismissal: Please be considerate and pick up your child on time. Our preschool closes at 5:00pm. There will be a $15.00 late charge when picking your child up after 5pm and there is a $1 fee added for every minute as well. There will be a form you fill out before you leave the preschool that evening and the fee will be due upon arrival the next day.
Tuition: By the 1st of each month tuition is due. E.C.E is a non-profit organization and we depend solely on the tuition money to pay salaries, snacks, supplies and equipment. If your child’s tuition is not paid by the 5th of the month they must remain home until tuition is current. In addition, a $10 per day late fee will be applied.
If we receive an insufficient check you will be charged a retuned check fee of $15.00. If this occurs a second time, you will be asked to make all payments in cash or money orders. We do not accept credit or debit cards.
The application fee and tuition is non-refundable. Make sure you call the director and communicate what days your child will be attending.
Tuition is based on the number of days throughout the month based on 4 and 5 day enrollment. Parents are not refunded if the child misses a day(s) throughout the month. Parents may not swap days due to an absence in the week. This interferes with the structure as well as routine throughout the day. Children strive on consistency, therefore we cannot accommodate changes to your child’s weekly schedule.
Parent Teacher Conferences: We will hold a parent orientation meeting the week before school begins to meet the teachers and explain expectations throughout the school year. We will also hold parent teacher conferences during the months of October and March to update you on your child’s growth throughout the year.
Health and Wellness:
· We cannot administer any medication (Prescription or over the counter)
· It is the parent’s responsibility to carry medical insurance for their child.
· If you child shows signs of illness such as diarrhea, vomiting, or a fever, please keep the child at home.
· If the child becomes ill during the day, we will notify a parent by phone. We expect parents to make arrangements to pick up the child immediately.
· There will be an Emergency Medical Card which is supplied by the state in your packet. It must be filled out by the first day your child attends school.
· We have a registered nurse on campus who is available most days from 8am to 3pm.
· We also have a Nurse from First things First that will be attending once a quarter to help address any health concerns in the preschool.
Illness Guidelines:
Here are some guidelines that might be helpful in keeping your child as healthy as possible. As you know, preschoolers do not have the same kinds of self-care skills for a cold or infection as school-age children. Also, young children can be in very close contact with each other while they play. Emergencies for contacting parent are listed below as well as information that will assist you in making decisions about when to send your child to school if they are not feeling well:
♦ A Fresh Cold - Continuous nasal discharge, cough, watery eyes which has developed within the past 24-48 hours is considered contagious
♦ Fever - Must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school
♦ Vomiting/Diarrhea - Keep at home for 24 hours after symptoms have resolved and the child can keep food and fluids down
♦ Strep Throat - Must wait 24 hours after antibiotics have begun
♦ Conjunctivitis - If conjunctivitis is diagnosed, your child will be prescribed eye ointment and should not return to school for 24 hours