My
Favorite
Preschool
2017-18 School Year
Director/Teacher: Cheri Francis
907 373-2922
email:
Parent's Handbook
My Favorite Preschool
(907) 373-2922
Fax – 1 800 330-5604
Dear Parents,
Welcome to My Favorite Preschool, an educational preschool for children ages three to five (including those that turn six during the course of the school year). My name is Cheri Francis and I am the Director and Teacher of the school. I have a degree in Elementary Education but have devoted my career to teaching Preschool. They are just a little less scary than the big kids in Elementary School and I love being a part of their formative years.
My Favorite Preschool opened in Eagle River in 1989. That classroom is now being taught by my daughter. I relocated to the Wasilla classroom in Fall, 2008 and LOVE teaching and living in the Valley!
The Preschool is licensed by the state of Alaska, Early Education Department..
On the following pages you will find all of the policies and procedures of the Preschool. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Cheri Francis, Director/Teacher
My Favorite Preschool
What Are Preschoolers?
Author Unknown
A Preschool Class is a group of three to five year olds, none of which look, act, think, behave, talk or grow in the same manner. Its members are all victims of a magical age in which they pass from two year old babies to five year old children.
It comes with assorted needs ranging from kleenex to affection. It has stars in its eyes, questions on its minds and bandages on its knees.
A Preschool Class is able to put more things on a teacher's desk during the first minutes of school than any other class can accomplish in a full day; two bouquets of flowers (one with stems too short to fit in a vase), six wilted leaves, a piece of father's birthday cake, a pretty rock, a cd to play during the day, a dead turtle, a book to read to the class and a nest of unhatched bird's eggs.
A Preschool Class is fond of BIG ice cream cones, animal stories, songs with lots of actions and playing outside. It enjoys being read to and will bring Hans Christian Anderson up to date by sparking the anticipated climax with a song from Sesame Street.
It loves a teacher during play time, hates her when she takes away a toy and loves her again when she smiles naturally.
A Preschool Class is able to steal all of a teacher's time with just a little evenly-divided, unplanned effort. A skinned knee, a broken zipper, a chicken pox outbreak, an untied shoe, a conference request and needed affection for someone with a new baby brother at home will all fill the day nicely.
A Preschool Class is eager to inform the teacher of all of the latest developments at home and abroad. A Preschool Teacher must look upon every new dress, every new pair of boots and shoes, every new coat or jacket before class can start.
A Preschool Class spends much of its time on the teacher's feet but more in her thoughts. It can turn her stomach during snack and her heart during dinner. It spills paint on her smock, chalk-dust on her dress, and satisfaction in her soul. It leaves her with a headache at the end of the day, but a smile again at the beginning of the next. It brings noise during the day and peace at night. It takes everything out of her, but gives more back to her when during a quick hug, she hears a small voice say, "I love you more than anyone in the whole world"!
My Philosophy
I believe that each child is special and deserves to be treated as the individual that he or she is.
As individuals, children, like adults, need to grow and develop each at their own pace. I feel that they should each be given the opportunity to achieve up to their potential without the burden of constantly being compared to others. It is because of this belief that I work with my students on an individual basis, letting each child move along at his or her own pace.
I believe in constantly challenging the minds of my students. Letting them explore and draw their own conclusions enables them to not only learn the academic skills but also lets them discover how exciting the learning process can be.
For most children, this will be their first schooling experience and I believe that I can make it the positive, enriching experience necessary to prepare them for challenges they will need to meet in the future.
My Favorite Preschool
Goals and Objectives
1. To teach children to work independently.
2. To work with children on basic skills like cutting, color recognition, zipping, etc.
3. To encourage each child to think for him/herself.
4. To teach children to take responsibility for themselves.
5. To challenge each child to achieve up to his/her potential.
6. To provide a wide variety of learning experiences.
7. To help create a positive self-image in each child.
8. To work on the development of social skills such as sharing, taking turns, manners, etc.
9. To encourage creativity and imagination.
10. To provide some early general screening for potential behavioral or physical disabilities.
2016-17 School Year
Payment Schedule
The tuition is based on a daily rate of $32.00 per day for the MWF and T/TH classes and a daily rate of $26.50 for the T,W,TH Late Afternoon Class.
The first option is to pay a flat rate each month.
The flat rate is determined by adding up the total number of school days (100 days for the MWF class and 67 for the T/TH class), multiplying it by the daily rate and dividing that by the ten months that we have school. The rates are as follows:
Tuesday/Thursday Classes: $ 215 per month
Monday, Wednesday, Friday Classes: $ 320 per month
Late Afternoon 4 and 5 year old class $265 per month
**Please note that school begins in August. Because the tuition is an averaged amount, full tuition is due for all months including those in which we do not have a full month of classes.
The second option is to pay your tuition in full on or before August 4th. I do offer a 10% price break for paying in full at the start of the school year or 15% off for paying at the time of registration and those parents that do it really enjoy not having to budget for that monthly tuition fee.
There is also a one-time nonrefundable fee of $100 due at the time of enrollment for new students only. This fee is used for materials to start off the school year. Tuition is due by the first Friday of each month. There is a $25 late fee for payments made after the first Friday.
Your tuition is due by the first Friday of every month with the August tuition payment due on August 4th.
Tuition will be pro-rated for vacations but not for sick days or days that you just don't make it in.
If the Mat-Su School District closes the public schools for snow or bad weather days, we will be closed. You are not credited back for those days.
In the event that you wish to withdraw your child from the Preschool, I ask that you let me know as far in advance as possible. If you withdraw after the first week of the month, you forfeit your tuition for that month. However, if you know that you will be leaving in the middle of the month and can let me know before or when you pay your tuition, I will prorate your tuition for that month.
If you have two children enrolled in the Preschool at the same time, you will receive a 10% discount on the least expensive child. This discount does not apply to the registration fee.
My Favorite Preschool
2017 – 2018 School Calendar
August September October
S M T W TH F S S M T W TH F S S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
27 28 29 30 31 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 29 30 31
November December January
S M T W TH F S S M T W TH F S S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 4 1 2 1 2 3 4 5 6
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
12 13 14 15 16 17 18 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
19 20 21 22 23 24 25 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
26 27 28 29 30 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 28 29 30 31
31
February March April
S M T W TH F S S M T W TH F S S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4 5 6 7 8 9 10 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28
25 26 27 28 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 19 30
May
S M T W TH F S
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18 19
20 21 22 23 24 25 26
27 28 29 30 31
Daily Schedule
Below you will find our daily schedule for both the morning and afternoon classes.
8:25 – 8:30 Children Arrive/Take off Coats/Have Free Play Time
11:55-12:00
8:30 – 8:45 Circle Time (Calendar, Singing, Stories, Show and Tell)
12:00 - 12:15
8:45 –10:00 Work/Play Time. Children will have free play and rotate
12:15 – 1:30 through work/art activities.
10:00 – 10:15 Clean Up and Silent Reading
1:30-1:45
10:15-10:30 Snack
1:45 – 2:00
10:30-10:45 Group Activity
2:00-2:15
10:45-11:15 Story Time
2:15-2:45
11:15 – 11:30 Get ready to go home
2:45-3:00
Teaching Techniques
Methods of Instruction
Learning /Play Centers
Children will explore different learning play/centers throughout the day. At these centers they will work independently on learning games/activities. These centers will include:
1. The Book Loft Reading Center
2. Large Manipulatives Center (Blocks, Waffleblocks, Trains, etc.)
3. Small Manipulatives Center (Beads, Legos, Tinkertoys, Puzzles, etc.
4. Learning Games Center
5. Dramatic Play Center (Dollhouse, Puppets, Dress-Up)
Individual Work Time
Children will spend 5-10 minutes a day working one-on-one with the teacher on different learning activities. These types of activities will include Cut and Paste Activities, Writing Activities, Coloring Activities, Number/Letter Recognition Activities and Learning Games.
All methods of instruction are designed to enable all children to work at their own pace and at their own skill level
Art Time
Children will do a structured art project each day. These projects will cover a variety of different mediums and are designed to assist in the development of hand/eye coordination, concepts of colors and shapes, fine motor skills, creativity and more. Activities will include painting, cutting, gluing, coloring, drawing and more.
Circle Time
Children will start each day with a Circle Time. This time will include singing, stories, group learning games, show and tell and calendar time.
Policies and Procedures
Type of Service Offered
My Favorite Preschool offers an educational preschool program to children ages three, four, five and six year olds that turn six during the course of the school year. The Preschool Program is composed of many fun learning activities such as music, free play, outdoor play, art activities, field trips and an individualized learning time with the teacher and parent volunteers.
Ages of Children Served
My Favorite Preschool offers four different Preschool Programs for children ages three to six years old:
1) On Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and afternoons we offer 4/5 year old Preschool Classes. These classes meet from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 and the afternoon class meets from 12-3. There are 17 children in each class with one teacher and a parent volunteer.
2) On Tuesday and Thursday mornings and late afternoons, we offer the 3 year old classes. The class meets from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. and the late afternoon class meets from 3-5:30. There are 17 children in each class with one teacher and a parent volunteer.
3) On Tuesday and Thursday afternoons we offer a 3,4 and 5 year old combination class. This class meets from Noon until 3:00 p.m. There are 16 kids in the class with one teacher and a parent volunteer.
4) On Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the late afternoon we have a 4 and 5 year old class that meets from 3:15 – 5:45 p.m. There are 16 kids in the class with one teacher and a parent volunteer.
Time of Operation
The morning classes are held from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., the afternoon classes are held from 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. The late afternoon class will be from 3:15 – 5:45 p.m. The holidays and vacations will be observed as noted on the attached School Calendar. The Preschool is open five minutes before and after each class. In cases of emergency closures, parents will be notified as soon as possible.
Supervision
Students are supervised at all times while they are present at My Favorite Preschool. This includes both indoor and outdoor activities. There are seventeen students in the class with two adults present at all times maintaining a 1:10 ratio.
When we take Field Trips, we ensure that we have enough parent participation to allow us to have a 1:3 ratio.
Children With Special Needs