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

A Parent Play Day in the spring allows parents to come to school for a morning of fun interaction with their child, followed by a discussion session with the school's counselor. There are annual Parent Conferences in November, Kindergarten readiness conferences in January, and an Open House in May. Class-created books are sent home often to connect parents with what is occurring in the classroom, as are regular teacher letters explaining upcoming class learning goals and activities. Teachers write daily message boards about something specific that was done that morning to spark parent-child conversations at pick-up time.

Separation

OVERALL RATING (4.4)

Beginning of the year separation is handled through:
- Parents in classroom early on
- Small group sessions
- Pre-entry meetings with parents at school

Director's and Parents' Comments

Director's Comments

An open house is held for parents and children to play together before the start of school. Every effort is made to accommodate children having difficulty adjusting to school, including parent-director conferences and abbreviated schedules at the beginning of the year, if necessary.

Parent #1
The teachers write a letter to their students and include a photo. It's special to my children and helps them feel comfortable with their new teachers. Teachers also accommodate worried children in a number of ways, including dedicating an assistant to holding hands, etc.

Parent #2
Both my children did not have separation anxiety, but see that the staff is well equipped to deal with the separation process.

Discipline

OVERALL RATING (4.5)
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

Our preschool program is designed to provide a loving atmosphere of acceptance, inspiration, and confidence. A great deal of emphasis is placed on the classroom as a community of friends, and conversations about how friends should be treated are a central feature of our classroom discussions. To this end, the staff first seeks to redirect potentially disruptive or inappropriate behavior by helping the child find an alternative activity. Other techniques include removing the child from the situation for a brief period and assisting children to positively communicate their feelings through teacher modeling.

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.'

Teachers would reinforce the idea that the class is a community of friends, and that it is okay to want to play with different children. At the same time, every attempt would be made to help Child B engage with other classmates.

Extended Care

Notes on Schedule and Extended Care

Notes

Optional extended care until 6:00 pm.

Application Process

Admissions Process