Summit Preschool Parent Handbook 2020-2021 Welcome!
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Summit Preschool Parent Handbook 2020-2021 Welcome!
Table of Contents Preschool Eligibility Program Philosophy Hours of Operation Preschool Policies and Procedures Enrollment, Fees,And Tuition Curriculum And Discipline Health And Safety Child Care Policies Odds And Ends
Summit Preschool Eligibility
In Woodland Park School District RE-2 it is our job to serve children with all abilities. Our program
is designed to be a blended classroom of children ages 3-5 who fall into the following categories:
Special Needs, Colorado Preschool Program (CPP), and Tuition. Please take a moment to read
the following descriptions and prioritized categories for placing children into our program.
Special Needs: These children qualify for a preschool program as determined by our
district’s Child Find team. A child must fall below the 7th percentile on a standardized evaluation
tool in one area of their development (social/language and/or cognitive areas). Preschool for these
children is free of charge. This is a state-funded program.
Colorado Preschool Program (CPP): These are children who do not qualify for special
educational services; however, they are at risk for learning due to factors such as health, mild
developmental delay, family history of learning problems, and crisis in the home, etc. Preschool for
these children is free of charge.
Additional Funding Sources: CCCAP (from DSS). Ask your teacher for more information.
Tuition: These are children who do not qualify for either Special Needs or CPP. These
children are developing typically and pay tuition. Research has proven that there are benefits to
having blended classrooms where children with special needs and children developing typically are
integrated into the same setting.
Summit Preschool
The Summit Preschool Program is part of the Woodland Park School District’s Early Intervention
Program. There is a preschool program at all three district elementary schools. Summit Preschool
is a developmentally appropriate preschool for children 3 to 5 years of age, including children with
special needs, eligible for the Colorado Preschool Program (CPP), and tuition based.
Highly trained staff will work with young children with challenging learning styles. Developmental
screenings for children of age birth through five are held to identify those who need further
evaluation. Bimonthly team evaluations will be offered to identify children who need special
services provided by the school district.
Summit Preschool Program Philosophy
Vision:
We grow passionate and compassionate thinkers and doers.
● WE RECOGNIZE the importance of play as the basis of all learning experiences for young
children.
● WE RECOGNIZE the philosophy of “active learning”: Children learn by manipulating objects,
exploring with all of their senses, and interacting with people and materials.
● WE BELIEVE in providing a positive learning environment where children are encouraged to
actively engage in all aspects of play. They have the opportunity to learn and discover skills
necessary for social interaction as well as developing positive self-esteem. All childrenlearn at their level. Families are a critical component of the learning process. Preschool
prepares for life. Our focus is on the child.
● WE STRIVE to meet the needs of individual children with concern for their interests,
abilities, special talents, and developmental levels.
● WE ENCOURAGE each child’s creativity, curiosity, initiative, reasoning, and problem-solving
abilities.
● WE SUPPORT each child’s ability to use language effectively to meet their needs and
communicate with others. We also promote independence by concentrating on self-help
skills.
● WE ESTABLISH realistic goals and expectations for each child’s developmental abilities,
which will help them be successful. Our child-based curriculum will encourage a love for
learning that will last a lifetime!
● Each Child will: Develop learning behavior, self regulation, independence, acceptance,
perseverance, and intrinsic motivation.
Summit Preschool Hours of Operation
Summit Preschool is open for 3 sessions. Half Day sessions run Monday through Thursday, and a Full
Day session Monday through Friday. Hours for each as follows:
A.M. Session: 8:00-11:00 (M-Th)
P.M. Session: 12:00 – 3:00 (M-Th)
Full Day Session 8:00 – 3:00 (M-F)
Drop off and pick up times are the 10 minutes prior to the above start & end times.
Summit Preschool Policies and Procedures
For the protection of your child and due to state licensure standards, parents and caregivers must
sign their child in and out of each school session. (Children riding the bus will be signed in/out by
staff member). At this time, preschool staff will sign children in and out each you’re your child’s
teacher will email you their attendance record for the week, and Parents/guardians will be asked to
confirm their child’s attendance. Children will only be released to parents/guardians; release to
another adult is only allowed with prior written authorization from the parents/guardians. Due to
our licensing laws, older siblings will not be permitted to pick up preschoolers. Please make sure
that all family members and friends who are allowed to pick up your child are listed on your
registration forms. We cannot release your child to someone who is not designated on your
registration forms.
Preschoolers may ride the bus to school in the morning or home at after school (there is no midday
bus service). You must notify the bus barn (687-4411) and fill out the required forms and pay any
required fees if you want your child to be a bus rider. A preschool staff member will meet each bus
in the morning and personally deliver each child to the bus in the afternoon.
Summit Preschool drop off begins at exactly 7:50 a.m. for Half Day AM and Full Day classes, and
11:50 a.m. for the Half Day PM class. We cannot supervise children arriving prior to these times.If your child is not picked up by 11:00 a.m. (AM Class) or 3:00 p.m. (PM & Full Day Classes), the child
will be taken to the school office to wait for his/her ride. If no one arrives within 10 minutes, the
main office staff will call the parents, and then the designated emergency contacts.
It is very important that your child arrive ON TIME each day. Children arriving late cause
disruption to a class in session. It is equally important that you pick up your child ON TIME each
day. The period between class sessions (11:00 a.m. to 11:50 a.m. for ½ day classes) is time the staff
needs to return phone calls, conference, eat lunch, and prepare for the afternoon session.
Afternoon time is also used for meetings and planning. Also, it can be a frightening experience for
a young child when he/she is not picked up on time.
Please pull up along the curb in the main parking lot for both drop off and pick up. A staff member
will meet you at your car to pick up your child, and bring them to you at pick up time. You may get
out of your car to manage your child’s seatbelt and give hugs. You are not allowed to walk your child
into the building at this time.
Enrollment, Fees, and Tuition
TODDLER’S CREED
If I want it, it’s mine.
If I give it to you and change my mind later, it’s mine.
If I can take it away from you, it’s mine.
If I had it a little while ago, it’s mine.
If it’s mine, it will never belong to anybody else, no matter what.
If we are building something together, all the pieces are mine.
If it looks just like mine, it is mine.
Ann Landers
Tuition
The cost to attend Preschool for half day sessions is the following:
$200.00 per month for four half days.
$450.00 per month for five full days.These monthly charges take into account the number of holidays, snow days, and absences.
Tuition is due by the 1st of the month and is the same charge for each month. Late notices
will be sent after the 6th day of the month.
Attendance Policy
The opening of each school day is very important. During the first part of our day, we welcome one
another and do getting started activities. Please help to ensure your child is receiving an
opportunity to participate in this important part of the day by bringing him/her to school on time.
If your child will be late or absent, please call and let us know half day (686-2418) or
Full day (686-2414).
Withdrawal of Your Child from Summit Preschool
If you choose to withdraw your child, we ask that you give two weeks notice. Due to consideration
of those children on our waiting list, we ask that you let us know as soon as possible if your child will
be exiting the program. If you do not give two weeks notice, you will be responsible for paying two
weeks worth of tuition.
Curriculum and Discipline
Some Facts About Learning
We Learn:
10% of what we read
20% of what we hear
30% of what we see
50% of what we both see and hear
70% of what is discussed with others
80% of what we experience personally (an activity in real life)
95% of what we teach someone else
William Glassr
Summit Preschool Curriculum
Summit Preschool uses a curriculum called Teaching Strategies GOLD and incorporates the Colorado
Standards. Specific curriculums include Frog Street Press, Project Read, Daily 5, and Conscious
Discipline. This approach to early childhood education encourages children to actively initiate their
own learning experiences. The teacher’s role is to create the conditions for the children’s activelearning. Teacher’s support, guide, and challenge children who are engaged in productive, problem-
solving focused learning activities. The active learning approach includes five principal ingredients:
● Materials: A variety of interesting material is readily accessible to children.
● Manipulation: Children are free to handle, explore, and work with materials.
● Choice: Children have opportunities to set their own goals and select materials and
activities.
● Language from the children: Children communicate, verbally and nonverbally, what they are
doing and what they have done during “planning” and “review” times.
● Support from adults: Adults encourage the children’s efforts and help them extend or build
upon their work by talking with them about what they are doing, by joining in their play, and
by helping them to learn to solve problems that arise.
The learning concepts targeted throughout the year include: Language/literacy, music/movement,
classification, seriation, numbers, space, and time.
Daily Routine
Preschool children thrive when a consistent routine is provided. This helps them to gain an
understanding of time and routine. Below is our daily routine that we follow each day:
Arrival: The children say good-bye to parent and put their belongings away.
Opening: After reading books/playing with puzzles and waiting for all to arrive, children
participate in: “Look Who’s Here Today”, counting the children present, talking about the day and a
book is then read to the class..
Outdoor play: Children go outside (usually to our preschool playground) so that they can enjoy the
fresh air and challenge their large muscle skills. After outdoor play we go to the main school for
bathroom break and hand washing.
Circle Time: Music, theme activities, and pre-academic skills.
Planning: After seeing the different activities that are new in the centers (work stations), each
child will plan their work time.
Snack: We use snack time as an opportunity to encourage social interaction as well as our learning
focus (e.g., if doing seriation, we might cut their carrots into small, medium, and large pieces). Self-
help skills are encouraged as they serve and pour themselves.
Work Time: Children will explore the centers with adult support.
Clean-Up: Children clean up the centers with adult support.
Review: Children talk to staff about what they did during work time and about how clean-up went.
Dismissal: Children sing the “Good-bye Song”, retrieve things from their cubbies, and get
coats/backpacks off of their hooks (another time for encouraging self-help skills). If you need to
pick up your child early, please let us know ahead of time if possible, or at the time you arrive to
pick up your child.Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year – once in the fall and once in the spring. At
these times, parents will have a time period set aside for them to discuss their child’s growth and
development with the teacher.
In addition to these conferences, the teacher will make parents aware of daily events that cause
any concern. If needed, a meeting will be scheduled at the convenience of both the parents and the
teacher to discuss such concerns.
Discipline and Behavior Management Strategies
Behavior management in Summit Preschool is positive and re directive. We use a nationally
recognized program called “Conscious Discipline.” Children are treated with dignity and respect.
There is a strong emphasis on positive reinforcement of appropriate behavior (“catch the children
being good”) and encouraging the children to use their problem-solving abilities to resolve conflicts.
Some guidelines for behavior management in our program are:
IGNORE inappropriate behavior that seems to occur solely to get attention or may be resolved
between the children themselves.
REDIRECT a child to a similar, appropriate activity; tell him/her what he/she may do. If necessary,
gently lead them away from the problem situation.
REINFORCE appropriate behavior when it occurs. Make comments about specific behavior, such as
“Good! You are using the blocks to make a road” (instead of throwing them).
REMOVAL or restraint strategies may be necessary when a child is a danger to him or herself or
others, and then only by a staff member. The child will be provided with a safe place to regain
control of him or herself, and talk through the situation with the teacher and other child if
appropriate.
Our goal is to provide an environment where children feel safe and secure so that learning can be a
continuous process!
Classroom Rules
These are our classroom rules that are reinforced throughout the school year. We have posters in
the room and we use them often to remind the children of these rules, especially when a child is
following a rule nicely or if a rule is violated.
We keep ourselves safe
We keep each other safe
We keep our things safeHealth and Safety
Play
I tried to teach my child from books,
He only gave me puzzled looks.
I tried to teach my child from word,
They passed him by oft unheard.
Despairingly, I turned aside,
“How can I teach this child?” I cried.
Into my hand he placed the key,
“Come”, he said. “Play with me.”
Author Unknown
Health Policies
The Summit Preschool program is licensed through the State of Colorado and requires
that children must have current immunization forms on file before entering school. We do
accept non-immunized children due to religious or personal beliefs but, an exemption form
from the school nurse must be signed. A physical exam signed by a doctor must also be
completed each year. We also need a copy of your child’s birth certificate for our
records.
PARENTS are asked to assume the responsibility of keeping a child at home if there is any
doubt about the child’s ability to fully participate in the activities at school due to an
illness. Signs of illness include green nasal discharge, sneezing and coughing, sore
throat, fever (100 degrees or higher), vomiting, unidentified skin rash, loose bowel
movements, or unusual fatigue or irritability. A child should be free of all symptoms for
24 hours before returning to school.
Note: Whenever your child has been exposed to a communicable disease (e.g., chicken pox,
strep throat, head lice, etc.), please report this to a staff member!
If it becomes necessary for a child to take any form of MEDICATION at school, these steps must
be followed:
● Written permission by parents giving direct authorization to assist with medication.● A written order from the physician, stating name of medication, dosage, and times to be
given.
● Medication must be in the original labeled container; all medications will be kept in the
nurse’s office.
All of the previous policies are critical to the well being of our children and staff. A child should be
ready to participate in the full school program, including outdoor play, when returning after an
illness. We are unable to honor requests for limited activities. Your cooperation is essential to the
health of all our children!
In the event your child becomes ill at school we will contact you to come and pick them up. In the
event of an injury or accident, you will be notified with written documentation. If the injury is
serious enough that medical attention is warranted, you will be called immediately.
Healthy Snacks for Young Children
We believe that healthy, nutritious snacks are vital to a child’s growth and development. . The
children are served a healthy snack every day.
In order to provide these healthy snacks, we need parental support. You will be asked to pay a
monthly snack/supply fee of $20.00 (this is included in your tuition fees if you pay tuition).
Child Care Policies
Imagination is the
Highest kite one can fly
- Bacall
Procedures for Emergencies
In the event of a fire, the children will be removed from the classroom in a calm and
orderly manner. We will exit the classroom using an outside exit door. The classroom
teacher will guide the children outside while the teacher’s assistant checks the classroom
areas for children. Once outside, the teacher will do a roll call and ensure that all children
are present.
In the event of a tornado or other extreme weather conditions, or any other emergency
situation, the class will follow specific directions from the school principal as to what to do
to maintain safety.Supervision and Written Closure Procedures
Summit Preschool children are closely supervised at all times by Woodland Park School District
(WPSD) staff members. A qualified preschool Director and/or group leader is always present.
Others who may be present in our classroom are paraeducators, parent volunteers, students from
the upper grades, therapists affiliated with the school district, and occasional observers. Only
WPSD staff members are responsible for the safety and primary instruction of children;
therefore, at least one staff member is required to be present with any volunteers.
A head count of the children will be taken at the beginning of each day, and several times
throughout the day, including, but not limited to going outside, coming inside, and before and after
any times the class has traveled to another part of the building.
At the end of each session and playground time, the teacher and paraeducator will follow these
procedures:
● The playground area will be checked to ensure that all children are inside the classroom.
● The bathroom and classroom centers will be checked to ensure that all children are present.
Reporting Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect
Any care giver or staff member in a child care facility who has reasonable cause to know or suspect
that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect, or has observed that child being subjected to
circumstances or conditions that would reasonably result in abuse or neglect, must immediately
report or cause a report to be made.
A parent or care giver should report suspected child abuse or neglect to the Summit Preschool
Director, the Summit Elementary Principal, or the school counselor.
Suspected child abuse or neglect can also be reported by notifying the Teller County Department
of Social Services (687-3335) or the Teller County Sheriff’s Office (687-9652).
The American with Disabilities Act
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protections to individuals with
disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin,
age and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public
accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services and
telecommunications. The ADA went into effect January 1992.
The ADA mandates that equal access be given to all children with disabilities in preschool programs
and that children with disabilities be fully integrated into the regular activities. The law not onlycovers the facility where the preschool is offered, but also which features are needed to access
the facility such as sidewalks, doors and bathrooms. However, providers are not expected to do the
impossible.
Preschools are required to make “readily achievable accommodations” for all children with
disabilities. “Readily achievable” is defined as being “able to accomplish easily and without much
difficulty or expense.” Programs are not required to make changes that would create an undue
burden, which is most simply defined as creating significant difficulty, expense, increasing safety,
or crime considerations.”
To File a Complaint About Summit Preschool
If a parent wishes to file a complaint about the Summit Preschool, please see the Summit Preschool
Director or Summit Elementary School Principal.
You may also contact the state licensing office at:
Colorado Department of Human Services
1575 Sherman Street
Denver CO 80203-1714
(303) 866-5958
Odds and Ends
Play is FUNdamental
Children have so many demands placed upon their time, such as piano practice, homework,
helping around the house, swimming lessons, etc.
While a few structured activities are part of growing up, parents and teachers need to
make sure that young children have lots of time to play, a safe space to play in, and
friendly people to play with.
Play is indeed FUNdamental for children.
Taken from Play is FUNdamental by Janet Brown McCracken, NAEYC
Personal Belongings and SpaceActive indoor and outdoor play is a regular part of our day! Please dress your child in clothing and
shoes that are suitable for running, climbing, and other vigorous activities.
We will be outside for a part of each day, unless the weather is extremely cold or hot. Our
playground gets wet, snowy, muddy, and stays this way from October to May, so please send your
child with clothing and footwear appropriate to the weather!
Each day will include “messy” activities with paint, markers, glue, clay, water, etc., so clothing should
be easy to launder. Each child will need a change of clothing to keep at school, including a shirt,
pants, socks, and underwear. Please label your child’s clothing and put it in a large ziplock bag with
your child’s name clearly marked on the bag.
Children are encouraged to help themselves with dressing and undressing. All clothing should be of
a type that can be managed without too much difficulty by little, inexperienced fingers! This is
especially helpful for managing toileting skills independently. Thank you for your help!
Emergency Closing
Our district Emergency Closing Policy includes a possible Two Hour Delayed Start Time. This means
that if inclement weather conditions exist/appear imminent, the start of school may be delayed for
two hours. If the Two Hour Delay is initiated, the morning preschool sessions will be canceled, due
to extremely short instructional time, however afternoon classes will still be held. Local radio and
television stations are informed by 6:00 a.m. if school is closed or delayed. Also, you may call the
school office (686-2401) for a recorded announcement of delays/closures, or call the bus barn
(687-4411).
Television and Video Watching
Summit Preschool uses multi-media such as television, films, and video tapes as follows:
● Viewing is limited to developmentally appropriate programming that has been viewed by
adults for use.
● Staff discusses material viewed with children to develop critical viewing skills.
Classroom Placement
When placing children into a class, we must take several factors into consideration:
Boy/Girl Ratio
Balancing of Special Needs, CPP, and Tuition
Multi-age Ratio (Peer Modeling)
We will try to honor your first choice however; the above items will be the final factors in
determining in which session your child is placed. Thank you for your understanding!Note: If you have questions regarding the placement of your child, please contact the Summit Preschool Director at 686-2414.
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