Rochester Church Preschool Handbook

P R O G R A M O V E R V I E W . . . . . . . . . . .3 Philosophy, Mission, Licensing Notebook

F R I E N D LY FA C E S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Staff, Student/Teacher Ratios, Volunteers, Visiting Info

ENROLLMENT & TUITION......5 Policies, Rates, Payment Info

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G O A L S & O B J E C T I V E S . . . . . . . . . .6 Language & Literacy, Cognitive, Physical, Social & Emotional

T E S T I M O N I A L S . . . . . . . . . .8 What Parents Are Saying About Rochester Church Preschool

Y O U R C H I L D ’ S D AY. . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 -Preschool/Pre-K/Full-Day Schedules -Extended Year, Early Drop-Off, & Lunch Bunch Options -RCP Calendar -Snack, Outdoor Play, Gym Info

P O L I C I E S & P R O C E D U R E S . . . .1 3 -Arrival & Dismissal -Bringing Items From Home -Illness -Separation Issues -Accidents, Disasters, Emergencies & Incidents -Discipline Policy

P R E S C H O O L F U N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1 6 Holiday Parties, Special Events, Field Trips, Fundraisers

250 West Avon Road Rochester Hills, MI 48307 P

248.650.3690

F

248.651.3686

WWW.ROCHESTERCHURCHPRESCHOOL.COM Stephanie Corp, Director & Pre-K Teacher scorp@rochesterchurchpreschool.com

OUR PHILOSOPHY Our early childhood philosophy hinges on the belief that all children are created in the image of God. We believe that every child is unique and this uniqueness should be celebrated. We recognize each child’s individual needs by providing a variety of developmentally appropriate experiences in creative arts, language & literacy, problemsolving, penmanship, science, math and social interaction.

Our active learning approach balances organized and spontaneous activities and provides the opportunity for each child to make choices within a structured environment. This approach allows each child to develop at his/her own rate.

OUR MISSION Our mission is to aide each of our students in the development of self-worth, a love of learning, age-appropriate academic proficiency, appropriate behavior habits and social confidence within a safe and loving environment.

LICENSING NOTEBOOK All child care centers must maintain a licensing notebook which includes all licensing inspection reports, special investigation reports, and related c orrective action plans. The notebook must include all reports issued and CAPs developed on and after May 28, 2010 until the license is closed.

This notebook will be available to parents for review during regular business hours.

Reports from at least the past 2 years are also available on the Bureau of Children and Adult Licensing website at WWW.MICHIGAN.GOV/MICHILDCARE.

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P R E S C H O O L S TA F F The Director and Lead Teachers of the Rochester Church Preschool are licensed early childhood educators. All Assistant Teachers have extensive experience and/ or education in child care and development.

Each staff member is screened by the DHS and Michigan State Police to ensure there are no criminal or child-related crimes on his/her record.

Each staff member is first aid, CPR, and bloodborne pathogens trained and completes no less than 16 clock hours of continuing education annually.

S T U D E N T / T E A C H E R R AT I O S The State of Michigan has declared the following standards for student/ teacher ratios: Preschool 10:1 and PreK 12:1. The RCP’s student/teacher ratios fall significantly below state standards. Our ratios will not exceed the following: Preschool 6:1 and PreK 8:1.

VOLUNTEERS All volunteers must be screened by the Michigan State Police prior to serving in the classroom. If serving more than 4 hours per week, volunteers must adhere to the staff requirements. Volunteers will never be left with our students unsupervised.

We encourage anyone who is interested in enrolling his/her child to come to our school, meet our staff, and view our facility. For security purposes and to ensure you have our full attention, all visits are by appointment only and are approximately 20 minutes in length.

Call 248.650.3690 or email scorp@rochesterchurchpreschool.com to schedule your visit today!

TUITION Tuition is collected on a monthly basis and is due the first Friday of each month, regardless of absences or closures.

Payments are made one month in advance with the first payment due in August and the last due in April. Checks should be made payable to “Rochester Church of Christ”.

A $25 late fee will be charged for all payments received after the 10th of the month. If payment is not received by the 10th and payment arrangements have not been made, the student may not attend school until the account is brought current. Because our budgeting and staffing

are dependent upon knowing our students’ schedules, each parent must provide us with a child’s schedule upon enrollment. We are unable to accommodate “swapping” scheduled days for days outside of your child’s schedule.

RCP is unable to give tuition discounts or refunds, or offer make-up days if a child misses school due to illness, family vacations, or schedule conflicts. Thirty days written notice is required for any schedule change. If you need to occasionally add a day to your child’s schedule, we may be able to accommodate this if space is available.

2 DAYS A WEEK

3 DAYS A WEEK

4 DAYS A WEEK

5 DAYS A WEEK

HALF DAY PROGRAM

$170/month

$245/month

$335/month

$410/month

FULL DAY PROGRAM

$355/month

$530/month

$715/month

$890/month

Note: If you would like a schedule that includes both half days & full days, we will gladly calculate the tuition rate for you.

ENROLLMENT Rochester Church Preschool will not deny enrollment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, height, weight, or disability. Classes are filled on a firstcome, first-served basis. We accept children between the ages of 2 ½ and 5. In accordance with Michigan Department of Human Services licensing standards, all children enrolled in our program must be fully pottytrained. No pull-ups are permitted.

The first month of a child attendance in our program will be a time of observation for both the child’s parents and the preschool staff. If it is determined for any reason that the school is unable to meet the needs of a child or the expectations of his/her parents, either party may terminate enrollment in writing 10 days prior to the end of the first month. After this observation period, a written notice of withdrawal must be received 30 days prior and must state the child’s last day of class. If this 30 day notification is not given, any paid tuition will be forfeited.

 Complete enrollm

ent form  Submit enrollm ent form with $50 non-refundable ap plication fee

 Have a physician complete a physical examinat ion and health form; submit to RC P

 Complete and su bmit an immunization reco rd or waiver  Submit first mon th’s tuition

PROGRAM GOALS & OBJECTIVES Rochester Church Preschool provides a wide variety of learning experiences in order to help our students develop and love of learning and achieve our curriculum goals and objectives. We use direct instruction, purposeful play, active time, and quiet time to achieve these goals. Some of our foundational objectives for our students are as follows:

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Recite, identify, and begin writing the alphabet Identify and write his/her first name Understand that letters make sounds &

compose words which have meaning • Understand that words are a way of communicating • Speak in fairly complex sentences • Listen to others • Communicate feelings, needs and desires

effectively • Enjoy “reading” and being read to • Observe that written language is read from left

to right & moves from top to bottom and front

to back • Observe that books have titles, authors & illustrators • Expand his/her vocabulary • Participate in group discussions

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• • • •

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Jump, run, hop, balance, climb, somersault Bounce, kick, throw, catch, roll and hit balls Recognize that physical activity is both fun and healthy Develop greater hand/eye coordination Hold writing and art implements correctly Use scissors properly Manipulate small objects such as beads, blocks and playdough To move to music

•

Show respect, kindness, patience, and love

toward others • Recognize that we are part of a large, diverse

world in which we each play an important role • Enjoy school & interacting with peers while

obeying school rules • Maintain a reasonable attention span • Begin to understand that our actions impact other • Take turns and share when appropriate • Understand and obey simple directions • Develop and exhibit self-esteem, self-worth

and self-control • Communicate feelings, needs and desires

appropriately • Follow a daily routine • Respect the feelings and property of others • Stand up for himself/herself appropriately

when necessary • Realize a sense of pride when seeing a project

to completion • Enjoy participating in dramatic play and role

playing

“My son and daughter LOVED their time at preschool. Every night at the dinner table, we heard about all the memories they were making with their new friends and amazing teachers. The staff provided a fun and safe atmosphere for them to flourish.” —CHRIS “The learning experiences my children have encountered while attending RCP have built a very strong foundation for

• Practice concepts of alike & different • Begin to observe and understand cause & effect • Practice matching, sequencing, identifying and predicting • Grasp concepts of up/down, big/small, more/

less, etc.

• Ask and answer appropriate questions • Follow three-step directions • Understand and remember his/her accomplishments • Begin to understand basic math concepts &

number recognition • Be exposed to various music genres,

instruments and concepts • Begin to understand basic science concepts • Begin to understand global & local community concepts

their educational endeavors. My confidence in the staff has allowed me to leave them knowing they will be educated, cared for and have so much fun! —JANET “Our experience with RCP was wonderful! Totally exceeded our expectations. Our daughter learned so much and had a great time, all in such a caring and loving environment! We are very excited to return in the fall! —LINDSAY

“Our family has been so impressed with Rochester Church Preschool.

Our daughter has learned many important social and academic skills in a loving and positive environment. RCP goes the extra mile to include families for outside fun activities such as a mommy make-over and date night with dad. These are memories we all will take with us for years to come. We couldn’t be happier with the preschool.” —JEN “Rochester Church Preschool has been a blessing to our family on many levels. We have confidence in the staff who hold values similar to our own. We appreciate the learning that occurs through all activities. We love that our child is developing friendships in a Christian environment. Our experience with the Rochester Church Preschool has been nothing but positive!” —LORA “My husband and I chose RCP after meeting one of the teachers at the Preschool Fair held at Rochester Public Library. She made us feel comfortable that our son would be in good hands during his first educational experience and time away from home. We were thrilled with his progress the first year—his speech and social skills flourished.

We look forward to our younger son attending RCP in the fall and having the same wonderful experience.” —KATHRYN

“My children love coming to Rochester Church Preschool! I can drop them off with confidence, knowing they are in a caring and safe environment. Their social skills are blossoming, and I love the interactive teaching. And they make the cutest crafts!” —ANNE “I am continuously amazed at how great my girls are doing at this school. They are learning so much and having a great time doing it. I am very impressed with the teaching staff and very much believe they are doing their best to help my children. It is a great school.” —BRENDA “The thing I like most about the preschool is the ability to work in small groups. The teacher to student ratio is small enough to allow staff to pay attention to and interact with each child. Other preschools don’t have the interactive small group this school does. There are fresh, young Assistant Teachers who are just as eager to teach the children as the children are to learn, alongside seasoned Lead Teachers who are educated, creative and trustworthy. I also appreciate the open door policy that allows for a wonderful relationship between teachers and parents, as well as the fact that it is associated with a Christian church. I would recommend RCP to anyone!” —BETH

ARRIVAL FREE PLAY CLEAN-UP SPECIAL (CHAPEL, MUSIC, STRETCH-N-GROW) CIRCLE TIME (CALENDAR, WEATHER) MORNING WORK OUTDOOR PLAY/GYM

LEARNING CIRCLE (DISCUSS WEEKLY THEME) CENTERS MYSTERY READER/ STORYTIME DISMISSAL

ARRIVAL FREE PLAY CLEAN-UP CARPET TIME (CALENDAR, WEATHER, SONGS) SPECIAL (CHAPEL, MUSIC, STRETCH-N-GROW) RESTROOM BREAK SNACK

CARPET TIME (DISCUSS WEEKLY THEME) CENTERS OUTDOOR PLAY/GYM STORYTIME DISMISSAL

MORNING SESSION (DESIGNATED CLASS) A.M. DISMISSAL/RESTROOM/ PREP FOR LUNCH LUNCH & FREE PLAY CLEAN-UP CENTERS & ART ACTIVITIES

STORY TIME & RESTROOM BREAK REST/NAP/QUIET PLAYTIME SNACK GROUP GAMES/ACTIVITIES OUTDOOR PLAY/GYM DISMISSAL

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PRE-K SESSIONS Pre-K sessions are intended for children ages 4-5 who will be attending either kindergarten or a Young 5s program the following year. We offer daily Pre-K sessions from 8:45-11:45 a.m. Pre-K students must enroll for a minimum of 3 half-day or 2 full-day sessions per week.

If space is available, students may be enrolled for 2 days per week.

PRESCHOOL SESSIONS Preschool sessions are available to children ages 2 ½ -3 who are fully pottytrained. We offer daily sessions for our preschool students from 8:45-11:45 a.m.

Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 2 sessions week.

F U L L D AY S E S S I O N S Children enrolled in full-day sessions will spend the morning hours in their respective classes (Preschool or Pre-K) and then come together for a multiage afternoon session. As is required by licensing regulations, afternoon sessions will include lunch (parentprovided, labeled daily with child’s name & date) and a rest period. The preschool will provide a resting mat, sheet, blanket and pillow for each child.

The preschool will be responsible for laundering these items each week.

To keep up with current happenings, we encourage you to periodically check our online calendar at

ROCHESTERCHURCHPRESCHOOL.COM

EXTENDED YEAR SESSIONS The preschool will remain open until the end of the Rochester Community Schools’ year for those families who need care for their children. These weeks are not covered by the regular tuition payments. Current rates are $25/day per half day session and $50/day per full day session. Tuition payments for the Extended Year program are due

by May 10.

E A R LY D R O P - O F F & L AT E P I C K - U P We understand that it is not always possible to align your family’s schedule with that of our school. Because of this, we offer early drop-off and late pick-up options. For a small fee, you can arrange for extended hours. Currently, we offer early drop-off beginning at 8 a.m. and late pick-up until 5 p.m. If enough families request the service, we may choose to offer late pick-up until 6 p.m.

LUNCH BUNCH If you are in need of a bit of extra time, you may sign your child up for the Lunch Bunch. For an additional fee, we will watch your child after the morning session ends. Parents will need to provide a lunch for their child to eat during this time. The cost is $3 for 12:30 pick-up and $6 for 1 p.m. pick-up. A bill will be provided at the end of each month for Lunch Bunch fees. Lunches must be labeled daily with the student’s name and date.

SCHOOL CALENDAR Rochester Church Preschool’s regular school year runs from Labor Day through Memorial Day. A calendar will be given to each family in September which lists each day that we are closed, as well as any special events or activities.

Please note: If the Rochester Community Schools are listed among the closures on the TV news or radio, the preschool will also be closed. No refunds will be given for closures due to inclement weather.

SNACK Each preschool family is asked to provide a light, healthy snack for the class several times per year. If your child attends school 2 days per week, he/she should bring snack 2 times per year. If he/she attends 3 days per week, a snack should be provided 3 times per year and so on. A link to an online snack calendar will be provided to make the sign up process easier.

The preschool will provide napkins and cups for daily snacks and will provide the snack anytime a snack sign up remains unfilled.

Children with special dietary needs will be accommodated to the best of our ability. It is the responsibility of a child’s parent to provide us with information regarding any food allergy or intolerance. We ask that these parents send in a few snacks to be kept on hand in case the snack provided by another family is not suitable for their child.

O U T D O O R P L AY & G Y M T I M E All children are expected to participate in outdoor play and gym time. Please be sure to send your child to school in clothing and outerwear that will accommodate the mess that sometimes results from outdoor play. We want each child to enjoy the experience without worrying about dirtying his/her “good” clothes and shoes.

During the winter months, it is our policy to remain indoors if the temperature or wind chill fall below 10-degrees. We ask that you send your child with the following outerwear: hat, mittens, snow pants, and boots. Please label all items. Children who do not have appropriate winter apparel will remain indoors and participate in activities with an Assistant Teacher. When weather does not permit outdoor play, we will use the church lobby as a gym area.

SPECIALS Each year, we offer three special classes as a part of our curriculum.

The cost of these programs is included in tuition.

• Chapel lead by the ministry staff of Rochester Church of Christ • Music class lead by a qualified music teacher • Stretch-n-Grow lead by certified youth fitness coaches, in lieu of regular gym time. For more info, visit www.stretch-n-grow.com

ILLNESS Out of consideration for our students & families, we ask you to refrain from sending your child to school if he/she displays one or more of the symptoms listed below within 24 hours of the school day.

If a child begins to display any of these signs of illness, we will use the student’s child information record to notify the proper adult via phone.

The child will wait in the director’s office with the director until he/she is picked up. If we become aware that a child has contracted a communicable disease, parents will be notified immediately. The above policy is also enforced with RCP staff and volunteers.

S E PA R AT I O N I S S U E S The staff of RCP understands that each child experiences different levels of separation anxiety.

Our desire is to help each child understand that our school is a safe, loving environment in which there is nothing to fear. When separation is an issue, we ask that you allow us to assist in making the transition easier. We have a great deal of experience with separation issues, and are confident we can aide in this process. Oftentimes, when parents stay a bit too long to make sure their child is adjusting, it is detrimental to the transition. We need your help in showing that our school is a safe and loving place. By staying too long, you may inadvertently be sending the message that there is something unsafe or worrisome about the preschool. If we find that a child cannot be calmed down enough to participate in the class, we will contact the parent.

ACCIDENTS, DISASTERS, EMERGENCIES & INCIDENTS In the event of an accident, disaster, medical emergency or incident, we will attempt to contact the proper adult via phone using the contact information listed on the Child Information Card. If a parent cannot be reached, we will then call the other adults listed on the card.

Please be sure to keep us informed of any updates or changes that need to be made to this information card.

If you have an emergency and cannot reach us on our direct line at 248.650.3690, please contact the church office at 248.651.1933.

In the case of evacuation, children will be relocated by preschool staff to a safe location. Each child’s caregiver will be notified by phone using the information on the Child Information Card. During this call, we will give the adult the pick-up location and additional vital information.

DISCIPLINE POLICY Rochester Church Preschool believes that discipline in the school setting is a vital part of the educational experience. It is important that each child acquires the skills needed to get along with others and gain selfdiscipline. Staff members will use positive techniques of guidance and consistency, along with providing the words necessary to express both emotion and safe boundaries. The positive guidance techniques used include redirection, positive reinforcement, communication and encouragement.

Competition, criticism and comparison are never to be used as methods of guidance. Staff will always display age-appropriate expectations.

Non-severe restraint (holding a child’s hands, placing hands on child’s shoulders, etc.) will only to be used in situations where it is necessary to prevent a child from harming him/ herself or others. Corporal punishment, denial of food and confinement will never be administered to any child.

SPECIAL EVENTS & FIELDTRIPS Each year, Rochester Church Preschool will provide a variety of experiences for both our students and their families. These activities may include the following: • Trip to the apple orchard • Pajama Day • Graham Crackers with Grandparents • Donuts with Dad (Preschool) • Muffins with Mom (Preschool) • Makeover My Mommy Day (PreK) • Dinner with Dad (PreK) • Spring Music Concert • End of the Year Party • All School Bowling Party • Family Swim Party at Goldfish Swim School • International Tastefest (PreK) • Special guests (firefighters, dentists, etc.)

Fieldtrips are an excellent way to extend our preschool curriculum from the classroom into the real world. Our students will have the opportunity to participate in at least one fieldtrip each year.

A parent or responsible adult must accompany each student for all offsite events. A small fee is required for most fieldtrips, and a permission slip will be required for participation. Parents are responsible for providing or arranging transportation to and from all fieldtrips.

H O L I D AY PA RT I E S

FUNDRAISERS

There will be several opportunities each year for a child’s family to join the class for a holiday party. On Halloween, our classes go to Rochester

We may choose to hold fundraisers during the year to help fund our special events, charitable giving or to cover unexpected expenses.

College for trick-or-treating. Each child must have an adult accompany them to the trick-ortreating. This is followed by a family party in the church fellowship hall. All family members are also encouraged to attend our annual Easter and End of the Year parties. Parents will be asked to help bring food items for our family parties. A link to an online sign-up sheet of needed items will be made available at least one week prior to the party. All other class parties are incorporated into the school day. All food for these classroom parties will be provided by the preschool.

Although families are not required to participate, we do encourage everyone to do so.

250 West Avon Road Rochester Hills, MI 48307 P

248.650.3690

F

248.651.3686

WWW.ROCHESTERCHURCHPRESCHOOL.COM Stephanie Corp, Director & Pre-K Teacher scorp@rochesterchurchpreschool.com