Miss Zee's: 2011

Welcome to World of Wonder Preschool

Dear Parents,

We want to introduce ourselves and familiarize you with our procedures and policies. Please read this handbook carefully and feel free to talk with me or any of our board (of directors of Wow) if you have questions, concerns or ideas. An active role in your child’s education is beneficial to both you and your child. We look forward to our time together.

World of wonder Preschool began in Utah the summer of 1987 and has been in operation in Utah, Colorado and Idaho. The school has been in session since 1997 in the city of Downey, Idaho. It was located at the old Downey Hospital on Main Street. The Marsh Valley school district approved the addition of WOW in a classroom at Downey Elementary as a community preschool during the August 2003 regular board meeting.

In October of 2008, the W.O.W. preschool was relocated to the Brady’s big red barn in Virginia. July 2011 the Marsh Valley School Board approved the use of a classroom at Marsh Valley High School for WOW. It will also be utilized also as a learning lab for Early Childhood Development classes.

Priority for Placement in Preschool

WOW preschool is operated on a nondiscriminatory basis, giving equal treatment and access to services without regard to race, religion or national origin.

FIRST PRIORITY for entrance in preschool is given to children ages 4 and 5 who will be entering kindergarten the following year.

SECOND PRIORITY is given to 3 year old children who will be turning 4 after the September 1 deadline and will not be attending kindergarten next year.

THIRD PRIORITY is for 3 year old siblings of children accepted into WOW school.

FOURTH PRIORITY is for all other 3 year olds as space permits.

Enrollment is limited to a maximum of 12 students per session (class). A waiting list is maintained with the director/teacher on file in the WOW classroom.

Program Description

World of Wonder Preschool believes in a high quality program and wants to provide the best possible service to enrolled children and families. We are committed to offering a quality program. We make every effort to participate in ongoing training and educational opportunities for our staff. We maintain membership in the local and national organization of NAEYC. We maintain a close working relationship with the existing kindergarten at Marsh Valley School District providing a smooth transition to kindergarten.

We surround children with age-appropriate educational resources and learning tools that promote discovery learning and overall development. Guided by a nurturing teacher children engage in structural activities and receive encouragement to pursue individual interests in specifically designed activity and learning centers.

We are proud of our early education program and look forward to sharing your first school experiences.

Starting WOW Preschool with Your Young Child

Each child will respond differently to experience of starting preschool. Some children will cry others may appear angry; some will act as if they have been in school forever. Other children will be overwhelmed by the stimulation of all new activities, and children. Your child may be over anxious or overly excited. Please share these responses with the staff and feel assured that most children adjust easily after a short period of time.

To help your child make the adjustment easily, we suggest that you visit the preschool with your child on the first day of school. You can sit with your child while he/she takes in all the activities. We encourage you to plan on staying with your child one hour on the first day of school. This can help your child feel more secure. After the first day, feel free to leave when your child is busy with an activity or in the care of the teacher. Remember to say goodbye to your child each day when you leave him/her at school and provide reassurance that you will be back when it is time to go home.

WOW Mission, Philosophy, and Program

Mission Statement: World of Wonder Preschool’s mission is providing a safe, high quality, developmentally appropriate affordable program that meets the needs of children, families and community.

Program Philosophy: World of Wonder Preschool provides a safe, nurturing environment that promotes high self-esteem, encourages creativity, and teaches critical thinking by providing a developmentally appropriate, multicultural curriculum that addresses each child’s individual needs.

We believe that:

1. The children enrolled in our program are the reason for our existence. All other considerations are secondary to the needs of the children.

2. A fun, safe, nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional and cognitive development of each child is our main purpose.

3. Each child is valued for who they are now and we accept each child’s contribution with enthusiasm.

4. We incorporate developmental appropriate practice both age appropriateness and individual appropriateness.

5. We believe that children learn best by doing and experiencing things. Play is a child’s work as they try and practice new skills that lead to independence and help promote social skills. Child directed and teacher supported activities help achieve this.

6. Teachers and staff provide a wide variety of activities and materials, adapting where necessary to meet each child’s individual needs.

7. Teachers and staff provide a structured routine allowing the children to feel secure and self confident as they participate in their day-to-day activities.

8. Families are valued as an important component in early childhood, providing both assistance and information that is vital to the ongoing development of each child.

9. We encourage the development of imagination and creative play through the use of literature enhanced programs.

10. We support parents in their role as the child’s first teacher.

Program Goals:

Cognitive Development: As important aspect of children’s development during the preschool years is the ability to represent real objects, people, and events mentally or symbolically.

Through play, preschool children learn to:
1. Observe the environment around themselves and the natural world and attach meaning to those observations.
2. Begin to make generalizations based on observations, to remember those generalizations, and to make predictions based on them.
3. Associate words with objects and thus develop an increasingly experienced working vocabulary.

Social Development: Assist children in learning to form independent relationships of trust with adults outside of the family. Help children learn how to interact with other children and develop positive social relationships, including the ability to cooperate, negotiate, and practice greater give-and-take in friendships.

Physical Development: Provide regular and frequent periods of active play across all areas of the curriculum. Gross and fine motor skills and self-help skills and regularly observed and assessed as an important indicator of children’s general learning and development.

ABC’s of General Information

Arriving and Leaving

A smooth transition at the beginning and the end of the school day goes a long way to insuring that your child has a good experience and gets the most from preschool activities planned that day.
Students may not be dropped off. The student must be walked to the classroom and picked up in the classroom. Enter the high school using the Northwest entry door which is located behind the school north of the old gym. There is parking at that location also.

Children should not arrive more than 10 minutes before school begins. It is a good idea to stop first at the bathroom before coming into the classroom. After hanging up coats and backpacks, your child should find their name and sign in on the large whiteboard. Students are then free to choose an activity or group to join in as we gather before circle time. As parents leave you might want to check your child’s mailbox for notes, reminders, or important papers that need to go home.

At 11:30am or 3:00 pm if in afternoon session, children will be ready to be picked up. It is important that the release form be current and up to date. Our staff will only allow your child to leave school with adults listed on the forms. Release forms are kept on file in the classroom. 10 minutes after the end of the class, we will phone you first then your second person on your contact list, to pick up your child, if student is still at school. Preschoolers get very nervous if you are not on time or if they are not sure where they are supposed to go after school. Please try to be prompt or discuss any change the day before.
If you have an emergency or on occasion will be late, please call 380-5686. Please do not call between 9 am and 11:30 am and 12:30 pm and 3:00 pm. I do not take calls during classtime.

Birthdays

We like to honor each child for their birthday at school. If their birthday is in the summer months students can still king or queen for the day. We will send a note home and indicate the date on our monthly calendar for their special day. They get to do all the helping hands chores and be snack helper too! You are welcome to send special treats that day and a baby picture for us to see how much they have grown up.

Board of Directors of WOW Preschool

Cheryl Tennant Advisor - Marsh Valley High School Teacher
Michael Welch Academic Advisor – Marsh Valley High School Principal
Zinda Welch Director/clerk/teacher
Parent Representative

Book Buddies

WOW Preschool is literacy based preschool program. We place priority on reading readiness. To help achieve this goal it’s important that you read to your child 20 minutes each day. The Book Buddies are 20 bags of 4 books (one for each day we are not in session). At the end of the year a reward for Book Buddies will be given.

Busses

World of Wonder Preschool students do not have privileges to ride Marsh Valley School district busses to and from school.

Calendar

WOW Preschool follows the same schedule as set by Marsh Valley School District. We provide a yearly calendar that indicates holidays, vacation days and parent teacher conferences in our registration packet. A monthly calendar is sent home with your child on the 1st class day of each month.

Candy

WOW has a low-sugar policy: we try to avoid candy, cookies, cupcakes, etc. While there are occasions when these special treats are welcome, please speak with Miss Zee before bringing food to the school.

Celebrations and Holidays

Holiday activities at WOW can be simple as reading a book and as elaborate as having a party in the classroom complete with food, decorations, guests and music. Activities often involve a group discussion about a holiday and how their family celebrates it.

Goals and Functions of Holidays

1. To validate children’s and families’ holiday experiences and traditions as home.
2. To expose children to different ways of celebrating the same holiday.
3. To expose children to celebrations and traditions different from their own.
4. To foster respect for celebrations sand traditions different from their own.
5. To provide fun and a break from the routine.
6. To mark time for children
7. To build a sense of community, family and togetherness.
8. To provide accurate information about holidays in a developmentally appropriate manner.
9. To encourage critical thinking about bias and unfairness.
10. To provide a stress-free environment.

Below is a list of general guidelines followed at WOW as we implement holidays.

1. We are inclusive. We strive to validate everyone and exclude no one. No one holiday is portrayed as more important than the other.
2. We concentrate on reflecting a holiday in a way that is important and relevant to families at home.
3. We work to be culturally relevant in all of our activities.
4. We involve parent/guardians as much as possible.
5. We are careful to avoid stereotypes when presenting holiday information to children.
6. We provide activities that are develop appropriate for the ages and stages of the children.

Child Abuse

As professionals working in Early Childhood, we are required by law to report any known or suspected child abuse, neglect, or child sexual assault. We may question a parent about how a child received a bruise or other injury. If you feel uncomfortable with these questions please remember that intervention for the prevention of abuse is our legal responsibility and that we ask questions because we care about your children.

Clothing and other necessities

Please dress your child in comfortable, washable, weather and activity appropriate clothing. He/she must wear closed toe shoes that allow for running, kicking, climbing, etc. Please anticipate that your child will get paint, sand, play dough, etc on clothing. If you feel that your child needs a change of clothes because of potential accidents or because they are uncomfortable if they get dirty, please provide a zip-lock bag with your child’s first and last name on each article of clothing. Make sure that all outerwear is also marked with his/her first and last name in permanent marker. Your child will have a cubby for his/her personal items.

Concerns: Who to talk with…

The relationship between you and our staff is an important one. Open communication and acceptance are essential to establishing and maintaining a positive relationship that will benefit your child. Even in the most ideal situations, problems may arise ranging from a simple misunderstanding to a conflict of values. Talking over concerns with Miss Zee or the staff member involved will probably be all that is necessary. If a problem cannot be resolved please speak with Principal Michael Welch, Marsh Valley High School. Mr. Welch is also a member of WOW Board of Directors. 208-897-5737.

Confidentiality of Information

The use or disclosure of information maintained in the family file will be limited to purposes directly related to the administration of the child development program. No other of this information will be made without the parent’s prior written consent.

Daily Preschool Schedule

Daily schedules will vary. The schedule described below is typical for the WOW preschool.

8:00 AM Teacher arrives, sets up classroom

9:00 - 9:15 Greet children as they arrive. Free play/socialize

9:15 - 9:30 Circle time - Pledge of Allegiance, Calendar, Weather, etc.

9:30 - 10:00 Lesson and Activity Centers - Wed: Art, Exploration Centers, and Science
Thurs: Review concepts, self-directed activities to enhance concepts.

10:00 - 10:30 Recess to include: PE, Movement to Music, Outdoor Play, Rhythm
Band and Large Muscle Games.

10:30 – 11:00 Snack time/Story time

11:00 - 11:30 Music/Singing time. Thurs: Show and Tell.

11:30 - 11:40 Children are picked up.

11:45 - 12 PM Teacher clean-up and evaluation of the day’s activities.

12:00 - 12:30 Teacher Lunch break

Afternoon Session

12:30 - 12:45 Greet children as they arrive. Free play/socialize

12:45 – 1:00 Circle time - Pledge of Allegiance, Calendar, Weather, etc.

1:00 - 1:30 Lesson and Activity Centers - Wed: Art, Exploration Centers, and Science
Thurs: Review concepts, self-directed activities to enhance concepts.

1:30 - 2:00 Recess to include: PE, Movement to Music, Play, Rhythm
Band and Large Muscle Games.

2:00 - 2:30 Snack time/Story time

2:30 - 3:00 Music/Singing time. Thurs: Show and Tell.

3:00 - 3:10 Children are picked up.

3:10 - 3 PM Teacher clean-up and evaluation of the day’s activities.

3:15 - Teacher prepares and leaves for home.

Discipline

Rules: 1. Never hit, kick, pinch, or push.
2. Cleanup after free play time and snack time.
3. Use walking feet in schoolhouse.
4. Use inside voices in schoolhouse.

Consequences: 1. Repeat and review rules.
2. Redirect child’s attention.
3. Use time-out for no more than 3 minutes if rule #1 is broken.
4. Teacher or staff talks with child about what might be a better
way to do things after time-out is up.
5. Express extra love and caring for all children.
6. Excessive aggressiveness towards other students or staff the
parent will be notified.

Enrollment Procedures for Preschool

For preschool enrollment you will be required to bring or do the following:

Complete application packet
Release names and emergency numbers
Birth Certificate (Copy)
Immunization records (Copy)
Attend Back to School night

All information, records, application etc. must be submitted to WOW by the end of the 1st week of class.

Emergency, Health, And Release Information

Your cooperation in filling out the Health, Emergency cards, release forms and updating needed will help in keeping our records up to date and ensure the safety of your child. It is extremely important that we have your current address and phone #’s in case we need to reach you regarding your child. Any current changes in emergency information needs to be made in person with Miss Zee.

Fees and Costs

WOW Preschool is self supported by parent fees and we depend on your tuition to maintain our program. There are a maximum of 12 students per class, so enrollment is limited.Tuition of $60.00 per month is due on the 1st day of each month. Please make checks payable to WOW Preschool. WOW requires the patron to pay all return check charges to them for any returned checks.
If monthly tuition is not received by the first week of each month a note will be sent home as a reminder. A $10.00 late fee will be assessed for payments received after the 10th of each month. All fees must be current to maintain enrollment.

Food Experiences

Snack time is 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM. Several times a month we will be cooking or making our own snack to enhance the theme of the week or to reinforce the letter of the week. Snacks are provided for except for birthday treats or class parties. On these special days, a note will be sent home with an assignment.
To help us keep our costs down this year we are going to have a snack bucket. This will help add variety to snack time and to prevent me from having to store large quantities of crackers and cereal. It will work out to apprx. one time per month. If this is a problem for you please let me know. If your child is celebrating a birthday during the month they will not be asked to provide an extra snack another time.

Some ideas for snacks: Crackers, cold cereal, graham crackers, fruit snacks, pretzels, rice crispy squares, ½ sandwich (Peanut butter, meat, cheese), cheese sticks or squares, apples, grapes, bananas, carrots or celery sticks or broccoli trees and dip, Pudding or Jell-O cups, granola bars.

PLEASE!!! No Candy

Keep cookies or cupcakes for Birthday Celebrations

Nutritious snacks are served at the preschool. See Snack Bucket/ Supply List for more information.
Food Allergies Please notify us if your child has an allergy, it will be posted.

Head Lice

The WOW school has a “no nit” policy. This policy states that children with lice or nits will be excluded from preschool. Students must be nit-free before returning to school. If your child has been excluded for head lice your must accompany him/her to the classroom for a head inspection prior to leaving the child at school.

Illness

WOW school staff is unable to care for sick children. Please be aware of your child’s health before arriving at school. We will call parents to come and pick up the ill child. The main reasons for keeping or sending your child home are:
1. Illness keeps the child from participating in routine activities due to illness.
2. The child requires more care than we can provide without compromising the
needs of other children.
3. Having the child in the school poses an incredible risk to the other children
and adults with whom the child comes in contact.
4. The child has a fever or must be given medication to keep his/her
temperature in check.
After an illness please keep your child home until he/she has been fever-free for 24 hrs. In some cases the staff may require a doctor’s note clearing the child to return to school.

Injuries and “Ouch Reports”

If a child is injured at school in such a way as to leave a mark, a complete injury report will be filled out by the staff and filed with the Director in the classroom. An “Ouch Report” will also be filled out and sent home with the child and parent of what happened and what measures were taken at the time of the injury.

Kindergarten Readiness Skills

We will concentrate on meeting the Fall Kindergarten Idaho Reading Indicator goals:
Write Name (First letter uppercase and the rest in lower case)
Recognize all uppercase letters
Detect Syllables
Detect Rhymes
Print Awareness
Recognize and Count to 20
Numbers, values

Leaves of Absence from the Program

With a limited enrollment and a waiting list, WOW Preschool does not allow limited term leaves.

Medication

The staff and director of the WOW Preschool will not administer prescription or non-prescription drugs for any reason. The reason for this is the time of school is two and one half hours. Allowing for dispensing medications would take time away for all. Please give medication, if necessary, before the child arrives at school or after school.

Mail Boxes and Cubbies

We will assign each child a mail box so we can put reminder notes, forms, receipts, calendars, etc in. Please check these each morning when you drop your child off. You will also find a pocket for payments to WOW, forms for absence reports, and Miss Zee forms to schedule a meeting or need to communicate with me in any way. Our hope is that this will take care of the daily business needs in an organized way and allow us to focus on the children.

Parent Conferences

WOW school wants to provide a preschool program that meets the needs of both you and your child. To achieve this we will schedule Parent/Teacher Conferences. These are held three times yearly. The dates are listed on the yearly calendar.
Parent/Teacher communication is an important part of your child’s educational program. The conferences will be scheduled each fall to develop the student’s curriculum plans. Separate sets of conferences will be held in the winter and in the spring. In addition, you are encouraged to talk to the staff about your child’s day at the center, to freely discuss any concerns you may have about your child or the school, and to share family information that may impact your child’s day. We are planning a Back to School Night. This is a mandatory parent meeting for the parents of students who are enrolled in the WOW Preschool. At least one parent must attend. No enrollment will be complete without this meeting. The date is listed on the yearly calendar.

Resources and Referrals

Often parents need information about services for their children or families. Please ask the director if you need help in any way. We will try to connect you with the needed services.

Safety Plan

Natural Disaster - Power Outage or Emergency

1. Child will be kept at school until parent or authorized person can pick up.
2. If school is unsafe or we are asked to evacuate, we will go to center will established by the Red Cross or emergency personnel. Miss Zee will stay with children until all are picked up by parent or authorized person.
3. We will try to notify each parent as to the nature of the Emergency and where they can pick up their child.

Fire Plan

We practice fire drills at least 3 times each year. We will line up by our cubbies so Miss Zee can count the children, and then follow her out one of the exits to a safe distance from the building. We will follow all high school drill procedures.

Show and Tell

At WOW show and tell is a very important part of our letter recognition and reading readiness program. Each week a slip with 3 choice will come home on Tuesday. The choices will focus on our letter of the week. Please read through each choice with your child and choose the one you and your child would like to do together. On Thursday send the signed note and completed project to school with your child for Show and Tell. It may help to have your child practice at home “telling” about the project to their classmates.

Snow days and School Closures

WOW preschool is on the same schedule as Marsh Valley School District. If a snow day is called or if Marsh Valley High School is closed for any reason WOW will also not be in session. Miss Zee or a member of our Board of Directors will try our best to notify you before 8:30 AM of the school closure.

Special Programs

January - Open House so your child will have an opportunity to show off what they have done so far. This is the second parent/teacher conference.

May - We will have a short spring musical and graduation ceremony. The dates are located on your yearly calendar.

Testing and Screening

The Idaho State Education Policy currently does not include testing of preschool students for the Idaho Reading Indicator. Observations and evaluations will be conducted by Miss Zee throughout the year to record developmental benchmarks.

Toys and Personal Items

To protect your child’s property, toys and other personal items are not allowed at school, except as arranged by the child’s teacher.

Volunteer Help

Volunteers are always welcome. This year we will need one parent volunteer during all class times to coordinate bathroom trips and any emergency drills that the high school may conduct. The bathroom is a short distance away so the help is needed. Marsh Valley High School policy states that any visitors must register at the office. You will sign in and they will have visitor passes for you.

Miss Zee's

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

2011/2012 Handbook

Saturday, July 23, 2011

WOW 2011/2012 Snack Bucket and Supply List

2011/12 Welcome Letter