Summerland Public School (Ewing Campus) Pre-K Readiness Program Parent Handbook 2020-2021 416 North Spruce Ewing, NE 68735 (402) 626-7235 Coni ...

Summerland Public School

     (Ewing Campus)

  Pre-K Readiness Program

Parent Handbook 2020-2021

     416 North Spruce

     Ewing, NE 68735

      (402) 626-7235

   Coni Kersch- Teacher
     (402) 589-1079

Welcome
We want to welcome you and your child to Ewing Preschool. We look forward to spending
time with you and your child and hope that together we can form a team that will help
your child’s gifts shine.

Philosophy
Every child is an individual and should have the opportunity to learn in a nurturing
environment. The Ewing Campus Preschool Program is designed to provide opportunities
for children 4 years of age to learn and grow in a supportive, language-rich environment
through the use of developmentally appropriate materials and activities. Children learn
though play, experimentation, and active participation in many activities

Goals
1. Assess individual needs of each child.

2. Provide activities that will stimulate growth of the child in all areas of the curriculum.

3. Provide learning experiences and models which build positive self-esteem.

4. Provide a safe and comfortable environment.

5. Promote play, independence, self-awareness, cooperation and decision-making skills.

6. Provide support/referrals for students and families.

7. Encourage parent involvement in the education of each child.

Contact Information
If ever you have any questions or concerns dealing with any aspect of preschool, please
feel free to contact me either at the school (402) 626-7235, via my cell (402) 890-5558, at
my home (402-589-1079) or email me at ckersch@esu8.org.

Health and Safety
In order to have a complete and up to date health history we will need a list of any known
allergies or health problems, immunization and physical records, and up to date contact
information.

We ask that parents keep their child home if they have had a fever or vomited in the past
24 hours. We ask that you call the school and let us know if your child is going to be
absent for the day.

In the case of an injury occurring at school an injury report will be filled out and we will call
home if the injury warrants it.

Hours and Days of Operation
Our first day of preschool for the 2020 school year will be August 24th. The delayed start
will allow us time to set up the first home visit. There will be no preschool on Tuesdays.
For the remainder of the year our preschool will follow the Summerland School District
calendar. In the event of school closings or delays the school’s automated calling system
will contact you and let you know or you may listen to KBRX 102.9 FM for further
information.

Late Starts
In the event of a late start, preschool will be cancelled for the day.

Daily Schedule
8:00-8:25 Breakfast/ Arrival and Welcome
8:25-8:40 Music
8:40- 9:00 Opening/large group
9:00-10:00 Learning centers/Free Choice
10:05-10:25 Hand washing, Snack time
10:30-11:00 Recess
11:05-11:20 Handwashing, Circle/Story time
11:25-11:30 Get ready for departure
11:30 Dismissal

Transportation Service
Transportation is available to school for students who meet district requirements. Please
contact the school office for specifics.

Things from Home
We ask that all toys from home remain at home or in the student’s backpack until the ride
home to avoid any broken treasures or feelings.

Safety
The students will participate in fire drills where they will practice how to safely exit the
building in case of a fire.

The school may also have a tornado drill during our preschool day. The teacher will spend
time going over what these drills are and what the students can expect before any drill
occurs. If you have any questions about these safety procedures or any safety concerns,
please contact our school where we will be happy to visit with you.

Parents
We welcome and encourage parent involvement. We would like to invite you to come and
visit our classroom at any time. There is nobody who knows your child as well as you do
and we would love to hear all you can share.

There will be a few family activities scheduled throughout the year. Please feel free to
bring Grandma, Grandpa and siblings when you join us for one of our fun events.

Home Visits and Communications

The State of Nebraska requires Preschool teachers to perform two home visits a year. One
visit will be scheduled before Preschool begins and the second visit will be in the Spring. A
visit only takes about 20-30 minutes and it’s nice for the preschooler to be present but not
necessary for both parents to be there.

A newsletter/calendar will be sent home each month to keep you informed about our
activities at preschool. Notes via ‘REMIND’ will be sent home before special events or to
inform you of pertinent information.

Advisory Committee
Ewing preschool has created a advisory committee in order to help stay connected with our
community. This committee will meet quarterly and discuss needs found throughout our
community and school and what might be done to help. The 2020-2021 committee
members are:        Dale Martin (School Superintendent)
                   Greg Appleby (Principal)
                   Ruth Miller (ESU #8)
                   Coni Kersch(Preschool Teacher)
                   Melisa Dahl (Kindergarten teacher)

Parents of Preschoolers are invited and encouraged to become involved in the Advisory
Committee.

Breakfast/Snacks
The preschool uses the services of the school’s breakfast program. Costs for your child are
the same as elementary school age children. Free and reduced breakfast applications will
be sent home at the beginning of the year. A snack along with milk will be provided every
day.

Dress Code
We ask that you remember that our facility is hands-on and we encourage the children to
be active and get involved. Coats, mittens, hats, and appropriate footwear are needed for
outdoor play. We will spend some time outside every day, so please dress your children
appropriately.

Backpacks/Supplies
Please send your child to school with a full size backpack every day. Please place a 2nd set
of clothes in a large Ziploc in his/her backpack. (Accidents happen and messes occur.) We
will be working on projects and activities that your child will want to bring home to share
with you so please check his/her backpack after each school day.

Guidance and Discipline
We believe each child is an individual who should be treated with honesty and respect in a
caring manner. Children deserve the opportunity to learn from their experiences. Our role
is to nurture their learning using a variety of techniques, methods, or strategies. Children
learn through socialization with their peers and through interaction with adults. Children
learn from hands-on, active involvement with their environment. Most importantly, a child
learns through play. Guidance and discipline will be achieved through varying forms, such
as:

                    Modeling appropriate behaviors
                    Helping the child to problem solve
                    Reinforcing positive behaviors
                    Using direct instruction
                    Redirection
                    Motivational techniques
                    Natural consequences

We expect a lot out of our students and in turn try to teach them the skills they will need in
order to handle upsetting situations with kindness and respect.

There are times where disciplinary problems may arise and if such a situation occurs the
parents will be notified and a conference will be scheduled. In the event of a physical
altercation resulting in an injury the child will be removed from the program until such time
that an agreement can be reached between the parents and the school.