Note to Parents

Note to parents

Dear Parents,

We are pleased to welcome you and your child to the NAEYC accredited Tech Tikes Preschool. We appreciate the opportunity to be involved in the care and education of your child and we invite you to visit our preschool, observe and offer suggestions and comments for improvement.

This handbook has been developed to acquaint you with the policies of our program. Please feel free to ask questions if any point needs clarification. In addition, we will provide you with a monthly calendar to keep you informed about our preschool activities. At the end of the school year, you will be given a child portfolio, which will include observations of your child, a developmental checklist, art and writing samples and photographs. You may ask to see the notebook at any time, and they are available to review at our monthly parent meetings, generally held the last Thursday of each month.

In the future, more and more qualified child care workers will be needed. This program was developed to train high school students to meet that demand. Your child will benefit from the enthusiasm and creativity of these students; my students will benefit from the experience of working with and learning from your child. Thank you for your involvement and support. Feel free to contact me at any time at (814) 464-8622 or by e-mail at derdman@ects.org.

Sincerely,

Donna Erdman

Tech Tikes Preschool Director

Note: Portions of this handbook have been adapted with permission from the Erie County YMCA of Greater Erie Early Care and Education Family Handbook

Philosophy

Your child is the most important focus of our program. Although this is a laboratory preschool program in a high school setting, we have a “Children First” approach. The needs of our preschoolers will always come before the needs of our high school students. This teaches the high school student the importance of early childhood education. Children and high school students are supervised at all times by the Early Childhood Education instructor. Mrs. Donna Erdman holds a degree in Home Economics Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Pennsylvania Instructional II (permanent) teaching certificate for Home Economics (minored in Child Development), and a Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Private School teaching certificate for Nursery School and Kindergarten. Mrs. Erdman has taught Family and Consumer Science courses in public schools for eight years. She has taught Early Childhood Education for three years, has been a preschool teacher, and has been involved with children for multiple years. She has also worked as an educator for the Penn State Cooperative Extension. Mrs. Erdman is recertified in infant/child CPR annually, and continues to take graduate and in-service courses throughout the year in order to stay current with industry standards.

Activities in the preschool are planned to promote social, physical, emotional, creative and intellectual growth for preschoolers. All activities are flexible, however, in order to promote creativity and spontaneous learning. In a society where children are pressured into learning more earlier, we believe that all learning should be fun, not forced. We may talk about shapes, colors, numbers or letters during group circle time, or during outdoor walks. We select a theme for each week and try to tie the theme into art activities, songs, finger plays, dramatic play and even snack. Special visitors are sometimes invited as a learning activity. For example, we’ve had visits from nurses, firefighters and pets in past sessions.

We believe that some of the best learning that can happen in preschool is the ability to play side-by-side with other children. The processes of learning to share, take turns, solve problems and focus attention will ease your child’s way into kindergarten. We will work with your child on a developmental checklist that includes many kindergarten readiness activities. Our one-to-one ratio allows plenty of time for working on skills. Art samples, writing samples, photos documenting work and play and typed observations will be placed in your child’s individual preschool portfolio throughout the year.

We encourage parents to observe when convenient and to offer suggestions and comments. A parent meeting is held monthly, generally the last Thursday of the month. During that meeting, you will have the opportunity to review your child’s preschool portfolio, offer suggestions and receive updates on our scheduled activities. Some of our BEST ideas have come from parents! We also encourage parents to share their careers or special talent with our preschoolers. Parents should always feel free to question the high school students about their child’s participation.

Goals

The program will provide each child with experiences that encourage the following:

· Self-esteem and positive self-image: providing experiences that enhance each child's sense of identify, and independence

· Social interaction: providing opportunities for each child to interact with both peers and adults, developing a sense of responsibility and respect for self and others

· Self-expression and communication skills: providing activities that enhance and develop language skills, learning to give as well as receive positive communication

· Creative expression: providing opportunities for each child to be original

· Large and small muscle development: providing opportunities for each child to participate in activities to enhance muscle development

· Intellectual growth: providing opportunities and resources for each child to develop cognitive skills for more effective communication and interaction

Admission Policy

Prior to the child's attendance, a tour and conference with the parent/guardian and the child is required to acquaint each new family with the environment, staff and schedule. During this visit, the parent/guardian will have an opportunity to review the Parent Handbook and other materials required prior to attendance.

Several forms will need to be completed and submitted to Mrs. Erdman prior to the child's first day of attendance. The information will be shared only with other caregivers as required to meet the needs of the child. The forms are:

· Child Health Assessment (physical)- This form needs to be signed by the child's physician or certified Nurse Practitioner. It must be returned within 30 days of the first day of attendance. Documentation of a recent physical is acceptable, as long as it is less than 1 year old. Physicals must be updated according to the American Academy of Pediatrics Schedule.

· Emergency Form- must be submitted to Mrs. Erdman on the first day of attendance

· Permission to Photograph Form

· Child Release Policy Form

Nondiscrimination Policy

The Tech Tikes Preschool is open to all people. There is no discrimination regardless of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin (including limited English proficiency), or disability in our admission policy or program service.

Inclusion Policy

The Tech Tikes Preschool program welcomes all children. We accept children with special needs as long as a safe, supportive environment can be provided for the child. Services will be accessible to eligible individuals with disabilities through the most practical and economically feasible methods included (but not limited to) equipment, redesign, and the provision of materials.

To help us better understand the child's needs, Mrs. Erdman will ask the parent/guardian of a child with special needs to complete a "Special Care Plan" in conjunction with the child's health care providers. The program will attempt to accommodate children with special needs consistent with the requirements of federal regulations.

For a child with chronic special needs, the following steps will occur:

The director will meet with the child and family.
The director will observe the child in the classroom setting.
The director will assess our staff's ability to handle the various manifestations of the child's special needs, and consider whether additional training, the cost of which is not unreasonable, would mitigate the difficulty.
The director will observe the child's adaptation to the group of children.
The director will discuss the child's needs with all staff.
If possible, the child will be enrolled for a trial period, not to exceed two weeks.
A discussion of possible, necessary accommodations will be undertaken and those accommodations that are reasonable and do not fundamentally alter the nature of the group child care service offered will be implemented.
If the child's attendance can not be accommodated because the needed accommodations are unreasonable or alter the nature of the service, the parents will be informed without delay.
If a proposed accommodation is prohibitively costly or would fundamentally alter the nature of the preschool service we provide, and we are not able to offer accommodation within the program, the Tech Tikes Preschool may propose a surcharge for the additional cost, or propose the presence of a trained aide at the parents' or others' expense to provide the services.

Preschool Program

Preschool Program: Children from Erie County who are three and older and toilet-trained may enroll in the preschool if space is available. Sessions operate Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for the entire school year. Parents may choose either the morning program (8:30-10:30 a.m.) or the afternoon session (12:30-2:30 p.m.). The preschool schedules run as follows:

AM Preschool Class PM Preschool Class

Free Play (1/2 hour) Free Play (1/2 hour)

Morning Snack Circle Time/Lesson

Circle Time/Lesson Active Play

Active Play Art

Art Snack

Free Play/Clean-Up Free Play/Clean-Up

Departure Departure

Please plan to leave an extra set of clothing in a labeled bag in your child’s cubby. There will be times when water or paint spills require changing of clothing. Accidents do happen.

Parking

For drop-off, please park in the front of the Technical School in a visitor’s spot or alongside the curb. A student will greet you at the door and will escort your child into the preschool if you wish. Parents are welcome to come into the preschool at any time. Our preschool is the first lab on the left wing of the building.

Pick-Up at the end of the sessions must be through the playground entrance door to avoid coming in contact with school buses. For your child’s safety, please remember to park in the preschool parking lot when picking up your child.

Clothing

Please dress your child in comfortable play clothing. The children often play in sand and water, with paints and markers, and it is almost impossible to keep them clean here at all times. Children will be running outside, climbing and riding toys, so sneakers or shoes without slippery bottoms are best. Always dress your child for the weather. We like to play outside, even in the snow. We will not go outside if the windchill is below 20 degrees.

Show ‘n Share

Show ‘n Share time will be held one day every week during Circle Time. Check your monthly calendar for the specific day, and to see if there is a pre-planned type of Show ‘n Share item. Children are encouraged to bring in something special to share with the group. Toy guns, war toys and other weapons are prohibited.

Registration Fee

A non-refundable registration fee of $25.00 will be charged to enroll your child in Tech Tikes Preschool. Checks are preferred, and they should be made payable to ECTS. This registration fee should be paid within two weeks of enrolling the child.

Preschool Fee

The fee that you are charged for each session ($3.00 per session) goes directly for snacks and art supplies, and occasionally to replace broken toys. Please plan to pay your fee at the end of each month. Simply count the days your child attended and multiply by $3. You will not be charged for days your child is absent or sick. Checks are preferred, and they should be made payable to: ECTS. You may also pay by credit card in the ECTS Business Office, after conferring with Mrs. Erdman. You will be given receipts for all fee payments. We will provide parents with an invoice at the beginning of each month for the previous month. Many parents find it convenient to pay their bill at our monthly parent meetings, usually the last Thursday of the month. Refunds for pre-payment are given only if arranged with Mrs. Erdman. Overpayments may be applied to the upcoming month’s fee.

Child Portfolio Fee

Each preschooler will be “assigned” to one special high school student who will prepare a Child Portfolio for that child. In your child’s portfolio, you can expect to find: a three ring binder with plastic sheet covers; typed observations; digital camera photographs of your child working in the preschool; monthly activity calendars; writing samples; art samples and a Developmental Checklist. Parents are asked to submit a check in the amount of $10 payable to ECTS to help offset the expenses of preparing the portfolios. Preschool portfolios are available for review throughout the year and at the monthly parent meetings.

Returned Checks

You will be charged a $25.00 handling fee for any NSF check. After 2 NSF checks per year, checks will not be accepted.

Arrival/Departure Routines

We will provide student greeters to escort your child into the preschool every day that preschool is in session. Greeters will be at the front entrance of the building from 8:20 a.m. until 8:45 a .m and from 12:20 p.m until 12:45 p.m.. (Parents are always welcome to come into the preschool; greeters are for your convenience). We’ve scheduled a free play period first so that arrival time can be a flexible, relaxed time for children and parents. Don’t be concerned if you’re running late. Please remember that we need time to get things set up and take attendance, so avoid arriving before 8:30 a.m. or 12:30 p.m. Children’s attendance will be marked on our attendance sheet by the greeters.

Plan to show identification for the first couple of weeks of preschool until the students and instructor recognize parents. All students are instructed to ask for identification from anyone they do not recognize, especially someone who is picking up a child. Please see Mrs. Erdman if you will be having someone else pick up your child at the end of the session. That person must be listed on your emergency form. We will not release your child to anyone else unless you have notified Mrs. Erdman in advance, for your child’s safety. Inform the person who is picking up your child that they will be asked to show identification.

Please call (814) 864-0641, extension 338 if you will be later than the scheduled departure time in picking up your child (10:30 a.m. for the morning session and 2:30 p.m. for the afternoon session). We’ve scheduled just enough time at the end of each session to allow students to clean up and catch their buses. We realize that delays may occur, but parents need to be aware that Mrs. Erdman’s preparation time/faculty meetings follow several minutes after the 10:30 dismissal time and she frequently has meetings at the end of the school day.

Child Absenteeism

Please try to call us if your child will be missing preschool. We have student greeters waiting at the front door, and it’s helpful to know when certain children will not be attending. Again, we do not charge for days your child is absent from preschool.

Illness

Please keep your child home when she/he has a fever, flu, unexplained rash, sore throat, persistent cough, diarrhea or any other contagious conditions. Please wait 24 hours after your child recovers from a fever or vomiting before bringing him/her to preschool. (A child who has vomited or had a fever last night should NOT attend preschool today, even if feeling better.) Parents should notify the preschool director immediately in the event a child contracts a serious communicable disease (for example, Chicken Pox, Fifth Disease or Head Lice). Some of these diseases require special notifications for other parents. Your child’s or family’s name will not be used in these notifications. A physician's note is required stating that the child is no longer contagious in order for the child to return to preschool. If a child contracts Pink eye, he/she must be on antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to preschool. Should a child contract head lice, he/she must be nit free to return to school, and must bring a physician's note. (We try to conduct head lice checks when we are notified of a possible problem)

Your child will be carefully monitored and basic first aid will be given for minor injuries. Be assured that you will be notified immediately should your child be injured or become ill at our center. If you are notified, please make arrangements to have your child picked up as soon as possible. Our policy is to not administer medication here. This shouldn’t be necessary during a two-hour program. If medication for the child should be necessary, the following procedures will be followed:

Prescription Medications: Parents or legal guardians will provide staff with the medication in the original, child-resistant container that is labeled by a pharmacist with the child's name; the name and strength of medication; the date the prescription was filled; the name of the health care provider who wrote the prescription; the medication's expiration date; and administration, storage and disposal instructions.

Over-the-counter Medications: Parents/guardians will provide the medications in a child-resistant container. The medication will be labeled with the child's first and last names; specific, and legible instructions for administration and storage supplied by the manufacturer. Instructions for the dose, time and method to be used, and duration of administration will be provided to Mrs. Erdman in writing on the medication log. This requirement applies to both prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Tech Tikes Preschool director and staff reserve the right to refuse to administer medication to children during preschool. Again, with the 2 hour program, it should not be necessary to administer medication.

Parents should apply sunscreen to children's skin before sending them to preschool on sunny days.

Nutritional Information

The preschool will provide a nutritious snack in the morning session and a snack in the afternoon session. Should your child have a food allergy, you must notify Mrs. Erdman to arrange for substitute foods. We reserve the right to change our planned snacks when necessary. Parents may bring a special snack on their child's birthday, but are encouraged to avoid sugary foods. Suggestions are: muffins, fruit, pretzels, yogurt, etc.

Preschool Rules and Discipline Policy

We try to keep rules to a minimum so that children will be able to remember them. Please review these rules with your child.

We walk in the preschool.
We share the toys and take turns.
We listen to the teacher and student teachers.
We play safely.
We wash our hands before snack and after using the bathroom.

Our discipline policy is to use positive guidance techniques with children. We try to state requests and reminders in a kind, positive manner. If we find that a child is having a hard time following our basic rules, we may ask that child to sit quietly with a teacher and we’ll remind them of the reasons for our rules. Corporal punishment and negative language will not be used at the Tech Tikes Preschool.

Termination of Enrollment Policy

In the event of serious challenges, the Tech Tikes Preschool reserves the right to suspend or terminate enrollment for the following reasons:

· Child causes physical harm to self, other children or the staff

· Child is in possession of weapons or illegal substances

· Child exhibits continuous verbal abuse of other children or staff

· Parent fails to submit a Child Health Form within 30 days of admission

· Parent fails to maintain a current payment schedule

· Child's needs are not being met in the preschool program

In the event of a serious inappropriate behavior by a child, the following action steps will occur:

· To immediately notify the parents in writing at the end of the session so that the incident may be discussed. A personal phone call to the parent may also be warranted.

· Conference with the parent/guardian before the child may return

· Removal or suspension from the program

It is our intent to work together with parents/guardians for the best care of the child. Working together as a team is a necessary step to correct repeated, inappropriate behavior. Your patience, support and follow-through are not only appreciated, but also necessary.

Child Abuse Policy

The safety and physical welfare of our preschoolers is our first concern. As mandated reporters, child caregivers are required by law to report circumstances that appear to involve abuse or neglect. We are required to report whether it involves a parent or a staff member. Our policy is to act in good faith and report only those conditions that cause us to have genuine concerns for a child’s health or welfare. The Tech Tikes procedure for reporting would start with the director (Mrs. Erdman) discussing concerns with the High School Principal and Guidance Counselor. If there were genuine concerns, a Child Abuse Report form would be completed, and the local Children and Youth Services office would be contacted, as well as the National Child Abuse Hotline. Feel free to direct any questions you might have to Mrs. Erdman.

Grievance Policy

Even in the highest quality program, you may have questions or concerns about your child and the program. We believe in keeping the lines of communication open. If you have an issue or concern, please take the following steps in order:

Talk with your child's preschool teacher/program director.
Talk with the ECTS Principal, if needed.
Talk with the ECTS Director, if needed.

A parent may request a meeting at any time and as we strive to maintain open communication with you, we may also request a meeting. Meetings may have any of the following in attendance: Tech Tikes Director; early childhood education student(s); ECTS instructional aide; ECTS Principal and/or ECTS Director.

Closings

The Tech Tikes Preschool generally follows the same calendar as the Technical School for holidays and vacations. See your monthly preschool calendars for holidays. Calendars are posted on the Tech Tikes Connection website at www.ects.org. Mrs. Erdman cannot personally call all parents to notify them of school closings due to bad weather; therefore, it is important to listen to radio announcements during inclement weather. Listen for the Erie County Technical School, not the Tech Tikes Preschool. Use your best judgment. We are often open during terrible weather, but would not encourage you to drive on icy roads to come to preschool.

If you need to contact Mrs. Erdman, call the preschool at (814) 864-0641, extension 338. THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING THE TECH TIKES PRESCHOOL!

Permission to Photograph and Videotape

Throughout the school year, we would like to take digital camera photos or short videos of your child to include in your child’s portfolio and also to document our student’s work with children. Some of our senior students must prepare a short video of their work with the children to complete their home school’s senior graduation project. In those cases, a small committee will view the video. By signing this waiver, you are giving us permission to photograph/videotape your child in the preschool setting for these uses. Side or back views of children may be used on our Tech Tikes Preschool website (www.ects.org, Tech Tikes Connection). Photos or videotapes of your child will never be published in any way without your express, separate permission.

I will permit the teacher and students of the Tech Tikes Preschool to photograph/videotape my child for the above-mentioned purposes only.

_________________________________Parent/Guardian’s Signature

___________________Date of Permission

Tech Tikes Preschool Child Release Policy

It is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to provide transportation for the enrolled child to and from the preschool. Persons designated or authorized to pick up an enrolled child must be listed by name, address and telephone number on the child's Emergency Form. Each parent or guardian must provide at least one designated person authorized to pick up an enrolled child.

It is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to assure that whoever picks up the child is mentally and physically competent to do so and is not under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In the event that a pickup person arrives appearing to be mentally or physically incompetent and/or under the influence of alcohol or drugs, the Tech Tikes staff shall have the right to take any one or more of the following actions:

to contact others on the child's emergency form regarding pickup
to arrange alternative transportation at the parent's expense
to notify the police

The Tech Tikes Preschool assumes no liability for negligence or otherwise for the release of a child to a parent or caretaker authorized to pick up the enrolled child.

We, the undersigned parents/guardians hereby release and agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Erie County Technical School/Tech Tikes Preschool from any and all liability which might result from the release of a child to the parent or legal guardian or anyone designated or authorized to pick up an enrolled child.

I have read and understand the above and I consent and agree to the conditions outlined above.

__________________________________ Parent/Guardian

________________________________Tech Tikes Director Witness

_____________________Date