Waverly Community

Preschool
Parent Handbook
Three Year Old Preschool Teacher: Ms. Rebecca Eagle (Ms. Eagle) Associate Teacher: Ms. Brooke
Coffey (Ms. Coffey), Room 14 Sweet Peas
Four Year Old Preschool Teacher: Mrs. Mary Whittet (Mrs. Whittet), Associate Teachers: Mrs. Debra
Faust (Ms. Deb), Mrs. Becky ONeill (Mrs. ONeill), Room 15 Carrots
Four Year Old Preschool Teacher: Ms. Anna Warfield (Ms. Warfield), Room 2 Corn
Colt Early Childhood Education Center
4434 W. Michigan Ave. Lansing, MI 48917
517-323-7777
WWW.waverlycommunitypreschool.weebly.com

Welcome to the Waverly Community Schools

Preschool program! We offer classes for three
to five year old children from September to
May. This handbook is intended to inform you
of the purpose, philosophy, goals, policies,
curriculum and procedures of the program.
Please read carefully and keep it for future
reference. Thank you for giving us the
opportunity to grow with your child.
Skilled professionals schooled in early
childhood and/or elementary education, teach
the program. Our teachers are kept informed
of current trends in education by attending
early childhood workshops and conferences
throughout the year.
The philosophy of our Preschool program is to
allow the children to learn through play. We
give them the opportunity to grow socially,
emotionally, physically and intellectually. The
children develop positive feelings, establish
friendships and increase physical and motor
skills when allowed to play. Our program
provides a sensitive and safe learning
environment. Working, playing and sharing
with other children, developing new interests,
learning good work habits, developing the
ability to follow instruction, as well as
establishing self-direction are our basic goals.
Our primary task is to develop a well-rounded
program to meet individual needs and help
each child feel good about himself.
Waverly Community Schools Preschool strives
to make the best learning experience for

every child. We believe that each child is a

unique individual. We also believe that each
child learns in his/her own way and we feel
that it is our place to guide each child within
his/her own learning style.
Our program is a nurturing, social and
educational experience that focuses on
learning through play. Our program focuses
on academic and social, based on the skills
necessary for success in Kindergarten and
beyond.

Objectives and Goals of Our Program

Objectives
Our program will provide a safe
environment that promotes selfesteem, positive interactions, and
positive learning experiences through
attitude, respect and acceptance.
Our program will help children learn to
recognize and deal with feelings and
emotions.
Our program will guide children though
cooperative play.
Our program will provide small and
large motor skill experiences
Our program will help children learn
appreciation for their bodies through
awareness of healthy and safe
practices
Our program will provide opportunities
for children to express ideas through
learning centers- writing/art, science,
manipulatives, dramatic play, blocks,

Goals

cars/houses, computer, teacher

directed, small groups.
Our program will allow for all childrens
ideas to be accepted and appreciated
Our program will provide a variety of
language learning opportunities ,
through written and oral activities
Our program will be culturally sensitive
to each family by gender, occupation,
religion and beliefs, etc. We will
accomplish this goal by doing clothing
study, looking at different holidays,
exchanging different foods during a
friendship feast, etc.
Special needs issues. Our program is
committed to making sure that every
child no matter what issues is included
in all activities. Our staff receives
training on inclusion and special needs;
we work with our Early Childhood
special needs classroom staff and
students on a regular basis. We have
written Individual education plans for
children that need more support than
individual classrooms provide. We have
access to our building social workers,
physical therapists, occupational and
speech therapists.

Our program will ensure that each

parent and child feels welcome and
valued
Our program will provide opportunities
for child and parent to work and play
together
Our program will provide an awareness
of appropriate child development
practices

Admissions/Enrollment Process
You must complete the following paperwork
before your child can attend the program:
Contract/Registration Form, Medical/Custodial
Form, Health Appraisal, Emergency Card, as
well as paperwork needed by the Waverly
Community Schools. You will also need to
provide a copy of your childs immunization
record. You must also pay the $50.00
enrollment fee (separate from payments) to
complete the enrollment process.

Classes will maintain a ratio of:

(Children:Adult)
o Three Year Olds: 10:1 or LESS
o Four Year Olds: 12:1 or LESS

Withdrawal/Dismissal Policy

Parent Withdrawal- parents may withdrawal

child from the program for any reason
Provide a written or verbal notification
of plans to withdrawal your child, as
soon as possible.
Your account with the program must be
up-to-date upon withdrawal.
There will not be a refund of tuition paid
if child is withdrawn mid-month.
Program Dismissal- staff has the right to
terminate your childs contract for the
following reasons:
Delinquent payments and/or continuous
NSF checks
Child or parent behavior becomes
continually disruptive and/or dangerous
to themselves, other children or adults,
or property
Paperwork is not current

Program Schedule
Classes
Daily Schedule:
Three and four year olds- MondayThursday
AM class- 8:15 am-11:15 am
PM class- 12:15 pm-3:15 pm
Full Day- 8:15 am-3:15 pm

Yearly:
Preschool begins after the school
district begins; Preschool school district
ends for the school year.

Teacher/Parent/Child Meetings- Before

preschool begins for the school year.
Developmental Screeners- performed by
teachers before school begins and before
school ends; scheduled during a day when
school is not in session.
Calendar- our Preschool calendar is consistent
with the Waverly Community School
District calendar.
Lunch Hour/Preparation- Monday through
Thursday 11:15-12:15
Daily Schedule
Arrival/Welcome- reading with
assistant, parent see you laters,
teacher hellos, information exchange
Large Group/Circle Time- calendar,
weather, songs, finger plays,
introduction of centers,
letter/numbers/theme talks
Small groups- skills activities lead by
teachers

Large Motor- active play, indoor/outdoor

Choice-Work Time/Center Discoverymath, science, language arts, reading,
social studies, art, music, fine/gross
motor, listening, speaking, etc.
Snack- nutritious, fun, interactive,
family-style, follows meal pattern for
child from CACFE, Michigan Department
of Education Nutrition Program
Recall/Closure- story, song, dance,
show and tell, outside play
Outside Time- 30 minutes, weather
permitting
Teeth brushing

School Year Activities

Birthday Celebrations- we do celebrate
birthdays by singing the birthday song
and eating a treat, which parents must
provide, if desired. If your childs
birthday is in the summer and you
would like to have it recognized during
the school year, you may choose a day
to do so and provide a treat on that
day.
Field Trips- we will arrange a variety of
educational field trips throughout the
school year. Parents (or other
Responsible adult) may be responsible
for transportation for these field trips.

Parents/others must have volunteer

clearance on file to attend field trips.
Holidays- we will celebrate many of the
popular holidays throughout the school
year. If there is a holiday that you
would like to be considered, please let
us know. If your child cannot celebrate
holidays with us, please let us know
about that also.
Other Activities- we will have various
other class time activities which
parents will be invited to.

Rates and Payment Schedule

Rates
$200.00 per month/ child
Payment Schedule
Tuition must be paid on the first of each
month, at the Administration Center. A
late fee of $10.00 will be added after
the 1st of each month, if payment is not
made.
Tuition must be paid regardless of
childs attendance.
Tuition may be paid at the
Administration Center on Snow Rd or
through Tuition Express.
Daily Procedures
Arrival

Your child may not arrive any earlier

than the start of school, in order for the
teachers for prepare for a successful
day of preschool.
Your child MUST be brought into the
classroom by a parent or guardian each
day
Your child MUST be signed in at the
beginning of each class by parent or
guardian
Please let the teacher be aware of any
changes in health, colds, flu systems,
etc. The staff will also visually look and
note any out of the ordinary health
issues.
Departure
Your child must be picked up no later
than five minutes after the closure of
class
A fee of $1.00 per minute may apply
after five minutes.
Your child will not be released to
anyone who is not listed on the
emergency card without written
consent from the parent. An ID must be
provided by the adult picking up the
child for the first time.
Absences and Illness

If your child will be absent, please call

the teacher as soon as possible to
inform of the absence.
Do not send your child to school if they
have any of these symptoms:
o Sore throat/coughing
o Discharge from eyes, ears or
nose (severe)
o Diarrhea and/or vomiting
o A Temperature above 99 degrees
o A contagious disease or illness
We will fill out an illness report if illness
occurs at school
In line with the school district
procedures parents of children in preschool who present with fever, vomiting
or other health concerns will receive a
phone call from the staff for discussion
for response (pick up, parent check on
child, etc.). The child will remain in the
office sick bed until parents are
present.
In the case where a student receives a
minor injury (scrapes, bumps on arm,
etc.) parents will be given a written
ouch report. Any additional higher
injuries will be addressed using first
aide and medical emergency response
as needed. Parents will be contacted
immediately by phone using parent
provided emergency numbers.
School emergencies such as fire,
tornado, etc. will be addressed through

the Waverly Community School wide

policy approved response plans and
procedures. These are tiered into red,
green and yellow.

Cleanliness/Sanitation/Food Preparation
Hand washing
o Will be done as needed, including
but not limited to: before eating,
using the rest room
o Hands will be washed with warm
water and soap for at least 20
seconds
Cleaning/Sanitizing
o Three step cleaning of tables:
soap water, sanitizer, water
o Cleaning of toys and other
surfaces
Food Preparation
o

Before and after preparing or

eating food, staff/children must
wash hands with soap and water.
All opened foods will be labeled
with the date and its contents,
and then stored in air-tight
containers, refrigerated if
needed. Unused food is

o
o

discarded within 36 hours of

opening.
All serving dishes are washed
and sanitized after each use.
The food contact surfaces of
equipment, eating and drinking
utensils, are washed, rinsed, and
sanitized (with 50 to 100 ppm of
chlorine bleach to water) for 60
seconds. Items are air dried (no
towel drying allowed) for at least
3 minutes.
Milk will be served in small
pitchers poured from the original
milk container as long as the
returned milk is discarded and
not re-served.
Cold foods are kept cold, 38-40
degrees F. Hot foods are kept
hot, 140 degrees F.
Meals/snacks served at Waverly
Preschool program follows the
USDA Child and Adult Care Food
Program meal pattern
requirements.

Inclement Weather Policy

If Waverly Community Schools is closed
for any reason, the Preschool will also
be closed. To check if there is no school
you may check one of these:

Call 886-1142
Waverlys webpage:
www.waverlycommunityschool.n
et
o www.cancellation.com
o Channel 6 , 10 or 47 News
If Waverly Community Schools has a
two-hour delay, A.M. classes will not
have school, but P.M. classes will go on
as regularly scheduled.
o
o

Appropriate Dress
Make sure your child is dressed for the
days activities: comfortable and safe
clothing is recommended.
Please dress your child according to the
weather, so we can enjoy outside play
even during the winter.
o Winter gear: warm jacket, snow
pants, boots, gloves/mittens, hat
Shoes must be worn during class at all
times.
We will be having outdoor recess every
day, unless it is raining or
temperature/wind chill is below 0
degrees.
Behavior and Conflict Resolution

All children are expected to behave

appropriately, according to the rules of
the classroom.
If conflict resolution/disciplinary action
is necessary, due to undesirable
behavior, this steps procedure will
occur:
1. Conflict resolution procedure (as
many times as necessary)
Approach calmly, stopping
any harmful actions
Acknowledge childrens
feelings
Gather information
Restate the problem
Ask for ideas for solutions
and choose one together
Be prepared to give followup support
2. Teacher will speak to parent
about undesired behavior that
occurred and ask for
reinforcement of expectations
3. Child will be removed from
program for a designated
amount of days based on
severity of behavior
4. Child will be permanently
removed from program
R 400.8140 (3) (3) Non-severe and
developmentally appropriate discipline

or restraint may be used when

reasonably necessary, based on a
childs development, to prevent a child
from harming himself or herself or to
prevent a child from harming other
persons or property, excluding those
forms of punishment prohibited by
subrule (2) of this rule. (Licensing Rules
for Child Care Centers)
We employ positive discipline and
prefer natural consequences. Children
learn from themselves as well as
others.
Parent Visitation and Volunteers- we have an
open door policy for our parents and we
encourage you to visit our classroom at
any time. The only exception is if your
child is having a hard time adjusting to
he or she being left in the classroom, a
visit from the parent could prolong the
adjustment for the child. All adults
wishing to volunteer in the classroom or
on field trips must fill out a volunteer
form and screening form at Waverly
administration office.
Parents are invited to help in the
classroom to provide assistance or
share an occupation, culture or hobby.
Accidents/Injuries
If your child is injured during our class
time we will do the following:

Minor injury (scrape, bump, etc)

Inspect the area for more
serious injury
Clean the wound
Apply ice if necessary
Apply a bandage if
necessary
Write up an incident report
o Major injury (broken bone, deep
cut, etc)
Survey area for other
injuries
Call 911
Care for injury, based on
first aid
Call parent
Write up a incident report
Letters will be send home to notify for
infectious diseases, ie. Head lice,
scabies, etc.
Handling of bodily fluids
o Use of gloves and hand washing
o Sanitizing
o Custodial assistance
o

Fire/Tornado/Code Red
Fire- we will exit the building as quickly
as possible and go to our designated
safe spot

Tornado- we will go into the middle of

the school building and sit against the
wall at our designated safe spot
Code Red (Lock Down)- we will remain
in our classroom, with all doors locked,
windows/shades closed and sitting
together until lock down is over. No one
is to enter or exit during this time.
For any of these parents will be notified
as soon as it is possible to do so.
School emergencies such as fire,
tornado, etc. will be addressed through
the Waverly Community School wide
policy approved response plans and
procedures. These are tiered into red,
green and yellow.

Community Resources
Access to social worker, speech,
physical and occupational therapists
Resources for assistance/family
community services are available upon
request.
Parent/Teacher Communication

Daily Communication- the teacher will be

available each day for any necessary
communication
Newsletter- a biweekly newsletter will be
provided, via email unless hardcopy is
requested, to inform you about class
activities, field trips, learning
opportunities and much more.
Calendars- each month the children will make
a calendar. This calendar will include
holidays, field trips and other activities.
Parent/Teacher Conferences- we will have
conferences two separate times over
the school year. If you have any
concerns during other times of the
school year you may contact us.
Teacher/Parent/Child Meeting-meet in your
childs classroom for a one-on-one
meeting to discuss your child/family, go
over paperwork, assess your child using
Brigance and observation.
Staff and Volunteers
All employees and Volunteers of the Waverly
Community Preschool Programs have been
cleared through D.H.S. Central Registry and
through the Michigan State Police Criminal
Clearance Program.
Volunteers must report any proven
charges of child abuse and neglect
and/or other felony convictions.

parents and other volunteers must

complete the ICHAT form and send in a
copy of the a current driver license and
be cleared before volunteering in the
classroom
All volunteers will be under the direct
supervision of the lead teacher or other
paid school personnel at all times.