Home-School Connection

OVERALL RATING (4.1)

Conducts an open house at start of school year

Conducts a parent-teacher meeting at start of school year

Conducts regular parent teacher conferences

Provides summary of child’s learning at end of year

Provides guidance on developmental goals for the following year

Provides guidance on best Kindergarten and elementary schools

There are parent teacher conferences held twice a year where teachers will discuss children's progress one-on-one with parents. At the beginning of the school year, there is a pre-school event for parents as well as a coffee morning to share classroom routine and activities for the parents. In addition, the staff are readily available to communicate via phone or e-mail. There is a weekly "Thursday envelope" containing information about school events and updates as well as a monthly curriculm information sheet from Chinese and English teachers. Parent involvement is welcomed and supported.

Separation

OVERALL RATING (3.9)

Beginning of the year separation is handled through:
- Pre-entry meetings with parents at school

Director's and Parents' Comments

Director's Comments

The teachers are very nurturing and well adept at handling separation anxiety on a case by case basis, from individual hand-holding to finding new friends for the children to finding activities to distract the children, as well as helping parents to handle this situation.

Parent #1
None of the preschool separation items applied to us--possibly some of them would have been available to us if we had needed them.

Parent #2
Warm community. Great teachers. Kids felt loved and cared for, comfortable even while spending half the day hearing a brand new and totally foreign language, Mandarin Chinese. Most kids continue at CAIS for K.

Parent #3
Most children in the Chinese American Int'l School (CAIS) preschool (pre-K) program continue on at CAIS. Children typically stay in the preschool program for 1 or 2 years before entering K. This is a challenging, full-day, bilingual experience; for children not used to lots of school or multiple languages, the school can be a big adjustment.

At the beginning of Pre-K, both of our children complained that the day at school was too long. (They were used to about 12-hours of school a week prior to CAIS.) The community is strong and involved as it includes the entire school (Pre-K - 8th grades); there are lots of outreach programs to get new families acclimated and involved. The administration hosts a parent meeting just before classes begin to go over routine details (start time, sing-in and out procedures, what to send with your child, etc.). Shortly after the beginning of the year, they hold a back-to-school night where both Chinese and English teachers discuss objectives, classroom activities, etc. The Pre-K and K teachers also hold a Montessori night during the school year to teach parents about this teaching philosophy which is used in the English classroom.

Over the summer there are usually some playground play dates arranged by 2nd time parents to give everyone a chance to meet and play. Shortly after school begins there is a PA sponsored school-wide picnic at a playground, and a new parents gathering, usually hosted at a CAIS family's home. There are lots and lots of parent volunteer opportunities at the school and in the classrooms, many of which are organized through the PA.

A micro-soccer team of CAIS pre-K kids is usually organized and coached by parents. A wide variety of after school enrichment classes are also available during the school year. Last year our 4-year-old leaned how to play Chess in such a class.

Parent #4
The school has clear and helpful guidelines about separation; when you say good bye, then you leave, rather than saying and not doing. It helped to establish a ritual, the lining up of kids at a certain time in the morning and to agree ahead of time on separation at the class room door. As long as we maintained all the steps to the good bye ritual (a hug, a kiss and holding hands until the class room door), it was fine.

Parent #5
They don't offer Kindergarten admissions advice because the program is pre-K through 8th grade.

Parent #6
This preschool does not handle separation well. It expects children to be ready to go to school every day without any separation anxiety.

Parent #7
The school did not really do anything for separation anxiety.

Discipline

OVERALL RATING (3.8)
Parents' Opinions
Parents at this school, on average, believe that conflicts between children: are handled extraordinarily well in a way that not only gives me confidence in the safety of my child but also reassures me that my child (and his/her peers) are learning the early skills needed to socialize effectively with one another

Overview

Director's Description of Approach Toward Discipline

Certain behaviour is not tolerated - such as kicking another child, biting, or hitting. The child will have a consequence such as time out as well as a discussion about why the bahaviour occurred. The situaion is resolved with an apology if necessary. Parents are also notified. We do have a "respectful school policy".

Director's Response to a Sample Discipline Scenario

Description of how teachers handle the following scenario: Child A and Child B are good friends and usually play together. One day, Child A decides to play with Child C and tells Child B, 'I don't want to play with you today. I'm playing with Child C instead.'

The teacher will explain about choice and hurt feelings to child a and child b and help child b to transition to another child to play with or the teacher.

Extended Care

Notes on Schedule and Extended Care

Notes

In addition to extended day till 6pm, we also offer a wide range of enrichment classes for parents to sign their children up for, including cookery class, origami, hula dancing, lego class
and ceramics.

Application Process

Admissions Process

Director's Comments

CAIS offers a wonderful summer camp ( 2 sessions each lasting 4 weeks) as a way of experiencing life at CAIS.