INFANT DAILY LOG
It is extremely important for our program to keep the communicating doors
open between parents, home and school. We can better serve your child and
you if we are informed of any medication that your child is on or has been
given, or if your child did not sleep well, or if she woke up earlier than
usual, etc. Then too, we need to be informed of any changes in your baby's
schedule such as switching from formula to whole milk or from the bottle to
a cup. For this reason, we have the daily log which is located on the shelf
directly to the left of the changing table. When you drop off your infant,
please take a moment to write us any information that will pertain to your
baby's day. By the same token, we will write down when and how much
formula, water, milk or juice that your baby has received throughout the
day. We will also relate how long they have slept each day and how much and
what kinds of food they have had and at what times. We will inform you of
their diaper changes and any abnormalities that may have occurred. We will
relate any concerns that we have. So it is important to check the
log when you retrieve your baby at day's end. Also, please remember to
sign-in and sign-out your infant each day in the notebook provided on the
table in front of our classroom. A first initial and last name and the time
is what we will need. This book may also contain school newsletters and
information or forms that you need to have.
PARENT VOLUNTEERS
As you may know, Villa requires that parents donate at least ten hours of
their time to the school. This could be volunteering for different fund
raisers such as the school wide Halloween party or helping with our garden
etc. Please contact Sue Watson or talk to Christy about any time or talents
that you would like to donate to the school. There is a sign-up sheet
posted in the toddler room for parent volunteers at this year’s Halloween
party.
THE "PHASING IN" PROCESS
The Montessori infant program requires all new parents to set aside time for
their baby to be gradually introduced to her new school environment and her
new caregivers. This will insure that your baby will feel comfortable and
relaxed and happy and that the transition will be a smooth one for all.
Please plan to set aside at least one week or more depending on your child's
temperament. Our program asks that you stay with your baby on the first day
with us and that you and your infant only be with us for about 45 minutes.
This will give us time to get acquainted and learn about your baby and give
your baby time to absorb her new environment. On the second day, our
teachers will interact with your infant more directly. You and your baby
will again stay with us for a little longer (maybe l hour or more). On the
third day we will ask that you move to another part of the classroom, out of
sight of your baby. The teachers will interact more with her and your stay
will be longer, perhaps 2 hours or more. On the fourth day we will ask you
to leave the classroom for awhile, perhaps for half of the day, remaining
close by with your cell phone in case we need you. If all goes well, we may
feel that your baby is ready to try a full day with us without you by the
fifth day. However, each baby is different. Some infants will only take 2
to 3 days to phase in and others may take a full 10 days. We realize that it
is difficult to set aside this amount of your time but it is extremely
important to the success of our program and to the comfort and trust we need
to establish with your infant. If the parents are not available for this
time, a grandparent or other close family member may be substituted. Thank
you for your cooperation in this process.
