The Lunchbox Press
THE LUNCHBOX PRESS
NASA Goddard Child Development Center
September Events
Sept 4: Labor Day (GCDC
Closed)
Sept 5: First Day of School
Sept 7: Back to School Night
Sept 12: Blue Sky Puppet Show
(All Students)
Sept 14: Cassini Grand Finale
Presentation (Pre-K/K Students)
Sept 20: Picture Day (All
Students)
Sept 21: Kangaroo Kids
Performance (All Students)
Sept 22: Science Tellers (PreK/K
Students)
Sept 28: Zoo Trip (PreK Students)
NASA GCDC
September 2017
GCDC’s philosophy is to meet children’s developmental and individual
needs and to create a stimulating environment in which children learn
through exploration and discovery; feel safe, comfortable, and have a
sense of belonging; and learn and develop social-emotional skills
through interaction with their classmates and teachers. As a result,
children become more independent and confident learners.
GCDC provides a variety of intellectual experiences through
participation in language arts, social studies, science, mathematics,
music, art, creative dramatic play, sensory play, and physical
development. GCDC teachers provide support, encouragement, and
individual attention to facilitate learning and promote each child’s
strengths and development.
The operating philosophies or principles that guide GCDC internal
conduct and relationship with partners, customers, and stakeholders are
as follows:
Passion for Children: Serving children is our highest priority. We see
ourselves as partners with parents to ensure high-quality education for
children.
Continued Page 2
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The Lunchbox Press
Back to School Night
At back to school night, parents are
given the opportunity to learn more
about their children’s classroom
routines, curricula and expectations.
It is also a great opportunity to
learn more about how you can
become involved in your child’s
education.
Our Back To School Night is
scheduled for September 7th. The
scheduled time for each class is as
follows:
Preschool 3 (The Milky Way &
Little Dippers) 4:15-5:00 p.m.
Preschool 4 (Shooting Stars)
5:00-5:45 p.m.
Kindergarten (Rockets)
5:00-5:45 p.m.
PreK (Constellations &
Satellites) 5:45-6:30 p.m.
There will be staff available to care
for the children (weather
permitting) on the playground.
A light snack will be served for
families between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00
p.m.
Note: Preschool 2 (Comets and
Little Discoveries) will not have a
Back to School Night. The parent
meeting for these classes was held
on August 15th.
NASA GCDC
September 2017
Continued From Page 1
Respect for Diversity: We honor diversity and recognize that we are
stronger when we are diverse. We strive to be culturally sensitive and to
advocate equity and inclusion in all our work.
Excellence and Accountability: We set high standards for ourselves,
use research-based best practices, and deliver on all of our promises
with integrity.
Responsiveness: We listen to our stakeholders carefully and use their
input to inform our actions.
Innovation and Collaboration: We seek new and better approaches
to current and emerging needs. We know we are most effective when we
work with others towards shared solutions.
Engaged and Talented Staff: We employ and invest in skilled
employees who embrace our mission and deliver excellent services.
Mission
To provide a developmentally appropriate preschool through
kindergarten program where children learn and develop in the following
areas of development:
Social-emotional: Through interactions with classmates and teachers,
children learn to demonstrate a sense of self, responsibility of self and
others, and pro-social behavior;
Cognitive: Children learn problem-solving strategies, logical thinking,
and representation and symbolic thinking through a variety of learning
experiences in the language arts, mathematics, music, art, and creative
play;
Language: Children learn how to express themselves using words and
expanding sentences, listening and speaking, reading and writing, and
demonstrating an understanding of print concepts; and
Physical: Children learn to control small muscles, coordinate eye-hand
movements, demonstrate basic large/gross motor skills and show
balance while moving.
GCDC seeks to empower all children to become effective, enthusiastic
and socially competent learners and to create a community of learners
that bond children, their families, the school and the community.
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 The Lunchbox Press September 2017

Financial Matters
• Accounts are billed via Tuition Express every Monday for the 2017-2018 Statement of Fees
week. Weekly Tuition
$286 Preschool 2
• The Business Manager will process your payments each $244 All Other Classes
Wednesday, regardless of your child's attendance, using Tuition
Express. Other Charges
Cot Sheet: $12.00
• Tuition Express will electronically deduct payments from your
T-Shirt: $10.00
bank account automatically.
Activity Fee
• Charges for any other fees incurred (e.g. t-shirts purchases, cot
$50 Per Enrolled Family (Automatically Billed
sheet purchases, late pickup fees or fees charged due to unmet October 2nd)
volunteer requirements) are also automatically deducted along
with tuition each week. Annual Membership Fee: $25

• Parents can check their parent status at any time using the Insufficient Funds Fee: $20
computer in the atrium.
Late Payment Fee: $20
• Parents will receive an account statements via email at the
Volunteer Hours: $25 Per Unmet Hour
beginning of the month for the prior month. Parents should
report any known errors to the Business Manager immediately. Late Pick Up (After 5:30): Based Upon Number of
Minutes/Events

Meal Services
GCDC provides meals that meet all United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Child and Adult Care
Food Program (CACFP) nutritional guidelines.

Parents must review all GCDC menus and determine what foods their children should and should not eat.
GCDC menus are available online and on the parent boards outside each classroom. Our Food Service
Manager writes the menu for the day on the whiteboard outside the GCDC kitchen.

Milk/Milk Substitute: GCDC provides 1% milk with every breakfast and lunch meal service. We also
provide one milk substitute. As a participant in the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Child
and Adult Food Service Program (CACFP), we must ensure that all milk
Meal Times served meets nutritional guidelines. Specifically, our milk substitute must
be nutritionally equivalent to milk and meet the nutritional standards for
Breakfast 9:00-9:30
fortification of calcium, protein, vitamin A, vitamin D, and other nutrients
Lunch 12:00-12:45 to levels found in cow’s milk. Unless parents provide a medically
documented need, only 1% milk or our approved milk substitute will be
Snack 3:00-3:30 served. Requests for milk service other than 1% milk or our approved milk
substitute must be submitted to the GCDC Assistant Director for review
along with a physicians signed and stamped food allergy documentation.

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 The Lunchbox Press
Arrival Time
Each class at GCDC begins its day with
a morning meeting or circle time. This
gathering is one of the few times that
teachers engage in teacher directed
instruction. During this period, teachers
build schema for the rest of the day by
introducing concepts, explaining goals
for each center during play and
reviewing basic concepts such as letters,
numbers, letter sounds, vocabulary,
weather, calendar and much more. A lot
happens in this short period! Teachers
then build upon this introductory lesson
throughout the day.
We have found that children who are
regularly present for morning meeting or
circle time have a far better day. When
children routinely arrive later in the day,
they often miss important concepts.
While our teachers work with the
students to help them catch up, it’s
simply not the same as participating in a
dynamic morning meeting or circle time
with their peers.
When children’s schedules are
disrupted, they are often more irritable
throughout the day. For example,
children that are allowed to sleep late
and then come to school often find it
difficult to get on schedule with the rest
of the class.
One thing that parents can do to ensure
that their children get the most out of
this school year is to have their children
here by 9:30 a.m. each day. This arrival
time ensures a less disruptive day, better
learning opportunities for your child and
better preparation for a traditional
school day.
NASA GCDC
September 2017
As we embark upon a new school year, here are some tips for
supporting your child’s Teachers:
• Remember Program Hours: GCDC hours are 7:15 a.m. –
5:30 p.m. Parents should not enter the building before 7:15 a.m.
The opening Teacher has many tasks to complete before the
building opens and cannot focus on children before 7:15 a.m.
Children must be picked up before 5:30 p.m. Parents who pick
up their child after 5:30 p.m. will be charged a late fee.
• Be Mindful Of Your Teachers’ Time: Discussions with
Teachers are encouraged; however, parents must make an
appointment for conversations that will last more than 2-3
minutes. Please call and discuss a meeting time that will be
convenient for both of you.
• Respect The Classroom Space In Their Absence: Other than to
put things away in your child’s cubby, please do not linger in the
classroom with your child before the Teachers arrival or after the
Teachers’ departure for the day. Even if you stay with your child,
families must follow this rule. The Teachers have their rooms organized
and ready for the next day before leaving each afternoon. When
children are allowed to play in the classroom, it often results in
Teachers having to re-set the room before they can begin the day.
Children arriving before 8 a.m. must be taken to the opening
classroom.
• Limit Calls During The Day to Avoid Disruptions in
Instruction. Absent an emergency, please ask your child’s
Teacher for the best time to call during the day. Each Teacher has
a different schedule. Emails may be best for some Teachers.
• Let’s Just Kiss and Say Goodbye. If you begin the school year
lingering in your child’s classroom for extended periods of time,
your child will come to expect it. To help you, your child(ren) and
the Teachers get off to a good start, teach children from the first
day of school not to depend on prolonged goodbyes. Long
goodbyes often cause children to become anxious and cry. We
want the children to feel safe.
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 The Lunchbox Press September 2017

Volunteer Requirements
• All enrolled families are required to volunteer 10 hours per school year in the following
increments:

• Four hours between August and December

• Four hours between January and June.

• Two hours between June and July.

• GCDC utilizes VolunteerSpot to advertise volunteer opportunities http://signup.com/go/YJgDjws

• Families will be charged $25 for each unmet volunteer hour requirement at the end of each reporting period.

• All volunteer hours must be approved in advance by a member of the GCDC staff. Jobs listed on VolunteerSpot are considered
approved

• Parents must document the completion of hours by submitting a completed volunteer receipt. Completed should be placed in the
bin on the all outside the office.

• Families can check their volunteer record on our website at any time.

Presidential Volunteer Service Award

Although we only require ten volunteer hours per school year, GCDC seeks to recognize those parents that go well above this
requirement. GCDC is a President’s Volunteer Service Award certifying organization. GCDC will honor parents that earn 100 hours
during any period of their child’s enrollment at GCDC with this prestigious honor from the President of the United States.

So, we ask that parents submit volunteer service receipts for all volunteer acts performed at GCDC-- even after completion of the ten-
hour minimum requirement. Hours will be totaled at the end of each school year to determine which volunteers have earned enough
hours to be considered for this award.

Parking Lot Safety

To keep everyone safe, families must comply with the following parking lot
safety rules:

• We are a “No Idle Zone.” That means drivers may not leave their cars
running while in any of our surrounding parking lots. This policy includes
both occupied and unoccupied vehicles.

• Drivers must follow the posted speed limit at all times.

• Drivers must park in a legally marked parking space.

• When pulling into or out of spaces, be courteous to small children trying to

get in and out of cars. Please stop and wait for them to do so before pulling
into or out of a parking space.

• Be mindful of small children when backing out of parking spaces.

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 The Lunchbox Press September 2017

Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) Checking In and Out Each Day

Parents must sign their children in and out each day using the
computer in the atrium. The GCDC Business Manager will
The general purpose of the assign each parent a personal identification code to facilitate
NASA GCDC Association September PAC Meeting this process.
is to support the GCDC in For your child’s safety, it is imperative that the sign in/out
September 13th
all of its endeavors. The process be completed daily without fail because:
purpose of the Association 12:00-1:00 p.m.
• This is our official record for Maryland State Department
is to:
GSFC Rec Center of Education.
• Promote and enhance the (MSDE).
education of GCDC Bring Your Lunch & Join
• This data is used to
students; The Conversation
secure funding for
• Promote open the Child and Adult
communication and cooperation between GCDC Care Food Program
administration, GCDC parents, and the NASA GSFC (CACFP). This is
Goddard Employees Welfare Association (GEWA); the money we use to
• Provide volunteer assistance to teachers and other staff purchase meals for
members; and the children.
• Raise funds in support of the goals of the Association. • This is the official record of who is in the building each day.
In the event of an emergency, offsite personnel can retrieve
Furthermore, the purpose of the Association Board of
contact information from this system and notify parents of
Directors is to provide support and advice to the GEWA
Operations Manager in overseeing the GCDC. Parent our location.
Association meetings are held monthly. All parents Parents must immediately notify the office staff if an issue
are invited to attend. Information about these meetings arises with check in/out procedures.
will be posted at GCDC, listed in the school newsletter and
include in the weekly updates.

Early Closure
If GSFC closes early for any reason, GCDC will close 30 minutes after the closing time announced by GSFC
leadership. For example, if GSFC closes at 3:00 p.m., children must be picked up no later than 3:30 p.m.

GCDC will follow the guidance provided to GSFC Civil Servants for unscheduled early dismissal announcements.
These announcements typically proceeded Federal Holidays.

When early closures are anticipated, it is the parents’ responsibility to monitor GSFC closure
announcements.

GCDC will notify parents of early dismissal via email, text message and social
media.

Parents must always keep all contact information current so that this information is
available in the event of any emergency or early closure. Families can update
emergency contact information via our website at any time.

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 The Lunchbox Press September 2017

School Supplies
All parents are required to provide the supplies listed below. With the exception of diapers and wet wipes, supplies should
be submitted to the office on the first day of school so that we can keep track of submissions. We will store all of the
supplies in a central location since the Teachers have limited storage space in their classrooms.

Preschool 2 Preschool 3 Preschool 4 Pre-K Kindergarten

Comets/Little The Millky Way/ Constellations/

Shooting Stars Rockets
Discoveries Little Dippers Satellites

1 Package of Glue 1 Large Package of

Diapers 1 Large Package of
sticks Markers 1 Large Package of
Markers
Markers
Wet Wipes
1 Composition 1 Package of Glue
1 Package of Glue
Notebook (No sticks 1 Package of Glue
1 Package of Glue sticks
Spirals) sticks
Sticks
1 Package of Color
2 Package of Large
2 Large Containers Pencils 2 Spiral Notebooks
2 Boxes Gallon (9”) Paper Plates—
of Lysol Wipes
Ziplock Bags The Cheap Kind
2 Boxes Gallon 1 Large Container
Because These Are
2 Boxes Gallon Ziplock Bags of Lysol Wipes
2 Large Containers For Art
Ziplock Bags
of Lysol Wipes
2 Rolls of Paper 2 Boxes of Quart
1 Large Container
1 Package of Small Towels Size Ziplock Bags
1 Package of Small of Lysol Wipes
(6”) Paper Plates—
(6”) Paper Plates—
The Cheap Kind 1 Tube of 1Tube of
The Cheap Kind 1 Pair of Child-
Because These Are Toothpaste Toothpaste
Because These Are Sized Scissors
For Art
For Art
1 Package of 1 Package of Color
1Tube of
1 Container of Bathroom Cups Pencils
1 Tube of Toothpaste
Bathroom Cups
Toothpaste

In-Service: Sorry, We Are Closed!

As noted on the 2017-2018 School Year Calendar, GCDC will be closed the week of August 28th. As a licensed
and accredited program, GCDC must ensure that our staff engages in continuous professional development.
Our Teachers will use this time for in-service training. Additionally, we use this time to maintain our building.
These activities require that the building is well ventilated before children re-enter. This work helps to ensure
our building meets licensing requirements. Tuition is still due for this week for our continuing students. Thank
you for your support. We’ll see you on the first day of school, September 5th!

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 The Lunchbox Press September 2017

School Calendar: Non-Curriculum Days

Health and Wellness
Parents are asked to follow our hand washing and DATE EVENT
communicable illness policies and procedures.
Aug 28-Sept 1 GCDC Closed (Teacher Inservice)
With your support, we can minimize the spread 2282824-26
of illnesses throughout the center. Sept 4 GCDC Closed (Federal Holiday)

Sept 5 First Day of School

Hand Washing
Oct 9 GCDC Closed (Federal Holiday)
At GCDC, we implement many strategies
designed to help minimize the spread of Nov 10 GCDC Closed (Federal Holiday)
germs. One of these policies is that all Nov 18-22 Curriculum Break/GCDC Open
children and staff must wash hands upon
entry into the classroom each day. Parents Nov 23-24 GCDC Closed (Thanksgiving Break)

can help by assisting their children with this Dec 18-22 Curriculum Break/GCDC Open
process each morning.
Dec 25 GCDC Closed (Federal Holiday)
Doing this will contribute to minimizing the
Dec 26-29 GCDC Closed/Winter Break
spread of germs, reduce the number of times
your child is sick and reduce the number of Jan 1 GCDC Closed (Federal Holiday)
work days you are required to miss as a result Jan 15 GCDC Closed (Federal Holiday)
of your child’s illness. If we all work together,
Feb 19 GCDC Closed (Federal Holiday)
we can create a healthier learning
environment for everyone. Mar 16 GCDC Closed (Teacher Inservice)

Mar 26-30 Curriculum Break/GCDC Open

Communicable Illnesses
Parents must notify GCDC any time their child
has a communicable illness--any sickness that is
spread from person to person, please notify the
office immediately.
Parent notification is the first step in the chain of
reporting. Once a member of the administration
team is notified, that information is posted in the
affected classrooms and on the parent board near
the main entrance.
Sick children must be kept home until they are
symptom-free (without the support of
medication) for 24 hours. Children may not be
brought back for partial days. If your child is sent
home at 3 pm. on a Wednesday, the earliest they
can return to school is Friday.
If your child has a persistent running nose, we ask
that you take them to see their physician. It is
hard to keep the room clean when this condition
exists.
May 18 GCDC Closed (Teacher Inservice)
May 28 GCDC Closed (Federal Holiday)
Curriculum Breaks
Goddard Child Development Center is certified by the Maryland State
Department of Education (MSDE) as a nonpublic nursery school. As such
we are required to have 170 days of instruction per school year.
Because GCDC is employer sponsored child care for NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center (GSFC), we are open year round. Any days outside of
the 170 MSDE required days that we are open are considered non-
curriculum days. On these days, the children are engaged in
developmentally appropriate learning activities; however, the curriculum is
more relaxed and no new content is covered.
Kindergarten absences on curriculum break days do not count toward total
attendance days required by MSDE. These are good days for planned
absences for all GCDC Students.

NASA GCDC 8