Frequently Asked Questions: This page contains answers to common questions
of students and parents.
- What does my child need to bring for snack?.
- What if my child isn't toilet trained yet?
- What do I do if my child is out sick?
- My child is taking medication--should I send it with him/her?
- What should my child wear to preschool?
- How are birthdays addressed?
- What about holiday parties?
- When is my sick child too sick to be at school?
- Are there parent volunteers?
- Is there outside play time?
- What about confidentiality?
What does my child need to bring for snack?.
Most preschoolers bring fruit, crackers, cheese, fruit snacks,
raisens,
pudding cups, even sandwiches. Anything that is manageable by
your child
and that you think he/she will eat. The children can buy milk at
school for
$.40 and have a choice of whole, 2%, chocolate, or strawberry .
You
can pay by the day, week, month, whatever is easiest for you.
In the morning class, we usually have our snack between 9:30 and
9:45 and in the afternoon class, we usually have snack at 1:30,
so keep these times in mind when feeding your child before coming
to school.
What if my child isn't toilet trained yet?
Many of the children in preschool aren't yet toilet-trained, or
are working
on it. I work very closely with families to maintain consistency
and have
many children on toileting schedules and reward systems, as
needed. Please
be sure to send your child with enough diapers, pull-ups, wipes,
etc. and
if you make a change over to underpants, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!
thans
What do I do if my child is out sick?
Call me directly in the classroom before 8:00, (or 11:20 for pm
students)
and if your child rides the bus, please also call the bus company
to save
them a trip--thanks You can also e-mail me--I check my e-mail
before
leaving the house in the morning and several times throughout the
day.
My child is taking medication--should I send it with him/her?
NOOOOO! I can not dispense medication of any kind! If your child
needs to
take something during the day, please, please, bring it to the
school nurse
and she will dispense it.
What should my child wear to preschool?
Your child should wear comfortable play clothes every day that
he/she can
manage as independently as possible and also that can get dirty.
We take
our time in preschool very seriously, and often get very dirty.
Although
the children always wear paint smocks, some inevitably gets on
clothes. And
in hair, and on faces.....! We do a lot of rolling around on the
floor and
try to spend as much time outside as possible. I know all the
children
love, love, love their Crocs, but safer footwear is appreciated.
During
boot season, the children need to change in to SHOES, not
slippers, and not
socks. We never know when we might have to leave the building
for a fire
drill.
How are birthdays addressed?
On your child's birthday, he/she will be given a special crown to
wear, we
will sing "Happy Birthday" at circle, and if you choose
to send in a treat
to share, we will enjoy it at snack. Non-edible treats such as
bubbles or
stickers are fun too, as we regularly have students on restricted
diets.
Please touch base with me a day or 2 prior to the big day so I
can relay the
message to parents of children with restrictions, so they have a
chance to
provide a safe treat for their child.
What about holiday parties?
I try to keep these as low-key as possible. I generally have a
sign up
sheet on the door for donations and the "party" is
limited to snack time
only. Most parents do not attend, as this is often difficult for
students
of this age to understand and behaviors can quickly deteriorate.
When is my sick child too sick to be at school?
Obviously, use your own judgement, but children who have been
vomiting,running fevers, up all night or coughing excessively
should not be
in school. I don't worry too much about runny noses-everyone has
them.
Check the student handbook for any other more specific
regulations.
Are there parent volunteers?
I generally prefer not to have volunteers in the classroom for 2
reasons.
#1: this is a special education environment and confidentiality
is strictly
enforced. #2: I have found that preschool students respond to
teachers much
more effectively when parents are not around. If you would
like to help
out, I often have cutting, laminating, copying etc. that can be
done. I
will also be looking for a parent to manage monthly book orders.
If you are
interested, let me know.
Is there outside play time?
Yes, but as the weather gets colder, it is not possible for us to
go out every day, due to the time constraints. Until the snow comes,
we will squeeze in as many days as possible, so please be sure
your child is prepared every day with a jacket or sweatshirt in
the fall and coats, hats and mittens when it gets colder. We do
not go outside when the temperature is below 20 degrees. During
the fall and spring, we sometimes have some of our gross motor
centers outside as well, weather permitting.
It's very important that all children be prepared on all
designated days, as the safety of the group becomes compromised
if one staff member must remain inside with a child who is
unprepared for the day's scheduled activities.
What about confidentiality?
Our classroom is a special education program and under IDEA, the
rights of the children are closely monitored. This means, that
I can NOT answer questions about other children, can not tell you
other children's last names, addresses, phone numbers, disability,
etc.
If a parent or staff member is interested in videotaping the class,
permission must be granted from all parents.
Please do not ask the paraeducators about children other than your
own.
Feel free to ask me questions about your own child.