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ACCREDITATION St. Joseph Preschool is licensed and certified through the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services. The Preschool staff is certified in First Aid and CPR. Mrs. Kaelin holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and Child Development from Western Kentucky University. Mrs. Morgan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master’s Degree in Elementary Counseling from Western Kentucky University. Continuing Education is a yearly requirement for all Preschool staff.
2010-2011 PRESCHOOL STAFF Mrs. Christie Kaelin Preschool Director Mrs. Stephanie Morgan Lead Teacher Mrs. Robin Zoellner Preschool Aide
PRESCHOOL SESSIONS Preschool is offered in two sessions. The first session is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This class is designed to offer instruction and activities that prepare children for Kindergarten. Students must be 4 years old before October 1 to enter this session. The second session is Tuesday and Thursday. This class is designed to introduce very young children into a classroom setting. Students must be 3 years old before August 4 to enter this session. If space is available, M/W/F students may also come on Tuesday and Thursday. *Please see SJS Handbook for current Tuition Rates and Payment Schedules.
SCHOOL HOURS 7:00-7:45 Breakfast offered in Gym Monday-Friday 7:30 Preschool Open Monday-Friday 8:00-1:00 Preschool Class Monday-Friday 1:00-2:55 Rest/Play in Preschool Monday-Friday 2:55-5:30 SACC in St.Joseph Parish Hall Monday-Friday
ADMISSION POLICIES Admission of preference is given to practicing Catholics who are registered members of St. Joseph or Holy Spirit Parishes based on chronological placement on the reserve roll. No person shall be refused admission because of race, color, national origin, or gender.
REGISTRATION REQUIREMENTS Before the first day of the student’s attendance, the following documents must be on file in the main school office: 1. School Registration Form 2. Current KY Immunization Certificate 3. Emergency Card for main office 4. Birth Certificate 5. Baptismal Certificate (if applicable) 6. Social Security # 7. Hot Pink Student Information Sheet (to be returned to Preschool) 8. Purple Pick-Up List (to be returned to Preschool)
A non-refundable registration fee of $150 is due upon registration
PRESCHOOL SUPPLY LIST *Each child will need his/her own backpack. No mini-backpacks or backpacks with wheels and handles, please. It is not necessary to label school supplies, as they are compiled and shared throughout the year. 1-box Crayola Crayons 2-pkg. Crayola wide tip markers 1-can Shaving Cream 2-pkg Crayola thin tip markers 1-indoor/outdoor disposable camera 1-large fleece rest blanket 1-pair of scissors 2-Cans Clorox Wipes 2-bottles of Elmer’s Glue 2-pkg. glue sticks (A-M) 1-box Gallon size Ziplock bags (N-Z) 1-box ziplock sandwich bags
Preschool Handbook
ARRIVAL- All cars should enter the parking lot from Barry Street, and exit on Nugent St. Parents will need to park in the school or hurch lot and walk their student in to the back door of the Preschool. Arrival Time is 7:30-8:00. Upon arrival, it is the parent’s responsibility to sign in on the board and assist the child with putting their folder in the basket, putting items in the “teachers” turn-in basket, hanging up jackets/backpacks, and WASHING HANDS before interacting in the classroom. We understand that beginning a new preschool experience can cause anxiety in some children. It can be very helpful to use your morning commute for talking to your preschooler about their day. Talk about the sign in routine, fun things that will happen and include your expectations for behavior. Stay consistent with your morning schedule, allowing for plenty of time for dressing and breakfast. After assisting your child with drop off routine, reassure them that you WILL be back, and promptly leave. Prolonging your departure only increases anxiety. Please be assured that we will comfort your child and help them through this transition.
BACKPACKS- Each child is required to bring their backpack daily. NO MINI-BACKPACKS or backpacks with wheels, please. Your child’s backpack should be large enough to hold daily work and folders, lunchbox, and a comfort item if needed (blanket or stuffed animal for rest time only). BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS- We celebrate birthdays in a special way here in Preschool. Parents are encouraged to make a “my life” poster including photos and captions from special moments of your child’s life. After lunch, we sing a special song and birthday prayer, and have birthday treats (if supplied by the parent). Please notify a teacher at least a week in advance if you plan to bring a treat. Suggested treats are cookies, rice crispy treats, donut holes, or individual snack cakes. Please do not bring a sheet cake or cupcakes..they are too messy.
CLOTHING/ UNIFORMS: Please see the SJS Handbook for specific vendor information. Preschool Girls Uniforms-Navy blue shorts, skorts, or pants with white Peter Pan-collar shirt, white polo-style shirt, or Red Land’s End polo style shirt. Plaid jumpers can be worn with either white or red shirt underneath. As well, spandex or fitted cotton shorts should be worn under jumpers to cover underwear J! Preschool Boys Uniforms-Navy Blue shorts or pants with white polo style shirt, or red Land’s End polo style shirt. Girls and Boys-Solid white or Navy socks (or tights) with no cables, logos, or ornamentation. Shoes-To encourage self-sufficiency, we prefer slip on, zip on, Velcro, etc…for Preschoolers. Shoe laces come untied all too often, and are often a trip hazard to little ones. Shoe tying is not a part of the Preschool Curriculum, and should be taught at home. J Belts- Belts are not necessary in Preschool, as they can interfere with the child’s ability to toilet themselves. If vendor uniform shorts and pants are too large, solid navy pants or shorts with elastic waist (pull on style) are permitted. However, in keeping with St.Joseph’s uniform policy, they may not be jersey, sweat pants, corduroy, or have cargo pockets or logos. Extra Clothes- Please be sure that all items are labeled with your child’s name in permanent marker! An extra uniform should be placed in a Gallon size Ziplock with the name marked on the outside, and left at school for accidents and spills. The soiled items will be sent home in the backpack, and laundered items should be promptly returned to the “extra” clothes bag.
CONFERENCES- St. Joseph Preschool does not follow the fall conference schedule of St. Joseph School. Preschool conferences are held in the spring after Kindergarten Readiness Tests are completed and scored. However, we will gladly schedule a conference with you any time throughout the year. We are usually available in the Preschool Building from 1:00-2:30 daily, and can be reached by phone in the evenings until 9:00 pm. (Christie Kaelin). Please do not try to speak with us during drop off and dismissal time, as the safety and supervision of our students is our top priority.
CUBBIES- Each child will have their own cubby for personal belongings at Preschool. They are only large enough for a backpack and jacket, so please leave other toys and personal items at home J
CURICULUM- Our monthly curriculum focuses on themes that are aligned with the seasons and our school year. Our daily curriculum focuses on phonics, reading, writing and drawing, math, science, practical life experiences, large and fine motor skills activities, art, music and dancing, creative drama, storytelling, small and large group activities, and individual instruction from teaching staff. We use Saxon Publishers’ Preschool Curriculum for introduction to reading and Phonics. The religion program that we use is Gospel Weeklies by Phlaum Publishers. It is a Catholic curriculum that is taught once a week, and is aligned with the church’s liturgical cycles and Sunday Mass readings.Weekly Reader Magazine for Preschoolers is used as an extension of our weekly themes.
DAILY SCHEDULE- Below is a schedule of a typical day. We try to stay as consistent as possible, but remain flexible for special activities and inclement weather. 7:30-8:00 Arrival 8:50-9:00 Clean up and Restroom 9:00-10:30 Morning class, large and small group extension activities 10:30-10:45 Restroom and prep. For outside play 10:45-11:20 Outdoor Play or Inside Physical Activity 11:20-11:35 Restroom, wash hands, prep.for lunch 11:40-12:10 Lunch in Gym 12:10-12:30 Large Group Activity and Birthday Celebrations 12:30-12:50 large or small group extension activities or free play 12:50-1:00 Prep. For Dismissal 1:00 Dismissal 1:00-1:30 Quiet Play, Movie, restroom, prep. For rest time. 1:30-2:30 Rest 2:30-2:50 Wake up, prep. For 3:00 car line 2:55 Dismissal
 DISCIPLINE- Please see SJS Handbook for detailed Discipline policies. At St.Joseph Preschool, we strive to teach children to conduct themselves in a manner that is respectful to others and themselves. We work daily with children on problem solving skills and talking things through in a non-violent manner. First offenses are often solved with an apology, a hug or a handshake. Repeat offenders may need time alone in the "sad chair” until they are ready to cooperate and work through the problem. If at any time we experience extreme behavior that is harmful to your child or others, you may be called to come to school to speak with your child or remove them for the day.
DISMISSAL- Please see SJS Handbook for Complete Dismissal Details 1:00 Preschool Dismissal- Parents should form a car line alongside the walkway just past the flag pole in the back parking lot. Children will be walked over to the first set of stairs just past the flag pole, and seated on steps until your arrival. Please do not get out of your car. Teachers will take students 3 or 4 at a time to put in cars. After your child is loaded, we ask that you carefully but promptly pull away to expedite the dismissal process. If you need extra time to assist with buckling in, please pull to the end of the parking lot past the stop sign to get out of your vehicle. Please remember to keep conversations with teachers minimal at dismissal time, as the safety and supervision of the students is our top priority! Children who are not picked up by 1:15 will be returned to the Preschool and charged for the 1:00-3:00 Rest/Play session. 3:00 Dismissal- Parents are to wait in the car line until you reach the Preschool class. We will be seated on the steps under the blue awning at the end of the car line (just before the stop sign). Again, please do not get out of your car. Your child will be brought to you, and put in on the passenger side of the vehicle. If you need to get out to assist with buckling in, we ask that you pull past the stop sign out of the way. Children who are not picked up by 3:15 will be taken to the afterschool SACC Program in the Parish Hall, and charged for the session.
EMERGENCIES-Enclosed in your Preschool Orientation folder is a Hot Pink Sheet titled “Emergency Form”. Please fill this out and return to Preschool on or before the first day of school. Don’t forget to include the name of your child’s Physician and phone # ,and sign the release at the bottom. Also, it is the parent’s responsibility to add or remove phone #’s and emergency contacts from the list.
HANDWASHING- For the health and safety of all, it is imperative that children wash their hands upon entering Preschool in the morning, and several times throughout the day.
HELPING HANDS BOARD- Located in the hallway of the Fishy/Turtle room is our Helping Hands Board. Occasionally, we will need assistance with the purchasing of small items that are used for curriculum enhancement and special projects/activities. If you would like to help us with these needs, feel free to take the tag off the board and fill the order :) Bring in the items with the tag stapled to the top before the specified time. We ALWAYS appreciate and welcome any “extras” !
HOME/ SCHOOL FOLDERS- As with the upper grades, St.Joseph Preschool uses the Home/School Folder system. We use the folder to send home school work and important notes for parents. You will need to check for the folder every evening, empty it, and place it in the “folder basket” each morning at Arrival Time. Any notes, payments, etc…that are in the “return to school” side of the folder should be placed in the Teacher’s Basket in the hallway each morning. We do not check backpacks until the end of the day, so items left in folders may be missed unless they are turned in at Arrival time. The Home/School Folder may only come home on Thursdays and Fridays, but more frequently depending on the necessity.
ILLNESS AND MEDICATION- Please see SJS Handbook for Full Details. If it is necessary for your child to continue taking medication for illness, you must fill out a medication permission slip in the Preschool on that day for it to be administered. All medications should be handed directly to the teacher at arrival and locked up immediately. Refrigerated medications should not be brought to school, as we have no means to lock them up in a refrigerator. If Asthma inhalers or Nebulizers need to be kept at school for emergency or daily use, we will ask you to fill out an emergency medication slip for the whole year. As with all medication, Preschool children will not have access to their inhalers and nebulizers. They will remain locked in the medicine cabinet until they need to be used.
IMMUNIZATIONS- All Preschool Students are required to have a current KY immunization of file. If the certificate should expire during the school year, you will receive a notice and will need to make arrangements to get immunizations and a new certificate. Per KY child care laws, if a student’s immunization certificate is expired more than 30 days, you may be asked to remove your child from the program until a new certificate is issued.
KINDERGARTEN READINESS TEST- Each year in the spring, Preschoolers are tested on their knowledge of learned Preschool curriculum using the Scholastic KRT. After the standardized tests are completed and scored, parent conferences are scheduled to discuss your child’s Academic Progress and future needs.
LUNCH- Please see SJS Handbook for pricing and lunch account info.
Our school lunch menu is located on the sign in board of the Preschool Hallway, and can be found on the school’s website. School Lunches meet all the Federal and State guidelines for health and nutrition. You are welcome to pack a lunch from home. However, per state licensing regulations, the lunch from home must include each of the following 5 components: Protein/meat, milk, fruit, vegetable, bread. Milk can be packed in the lunch box, or purchased separately at school. Candy, gum, soda, etc…are not permitted in lunchboxes. Candy in Lunchables will be sent home to you! Please include your own cold pack in the lunchbox, as we only have a mini refrigerator in Preshool. Lunch sign-in sheet- Each morning at arrival, you will need to fill in your child’s lunch option for the day. Beside your child’s name you will need to mark
L- Has a complete lunch from home. Nothing needed.
M-Lunch from home but needs to purchase milk
1-Menu choice #1
2 -Menu choice #2
PB- Peanut Butter Sandwich (offered every day)
MASS- Because space is tight and attention spans are low, Preschool children do not attend weekly school masses. However, you are welcome to take your child to school mass at any time. Preschoolers do occasionally attend special liturgical celebrations and Masses as a class.
PARTIES!!! Preschool loves to party! Generally, we celebrate Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, St.Patricks, Valentine’s Day, and a few others. Our home room parent may call on you to volunteer for game booths or to bring in a snack or game prizes. These are so much fun for our kids! Please volunteer in any way you can :) PICK UP LIST- Each registered child at St. Joseph Preschool must have a Pick-Up List on file at all times. Under NO CIRCUMSTANCES will a child be released to anyone who is not on this list. However, should special circumstances arise, your child may be temporarily released to persons not on the list, provided that a signed and dated letter is sent to school with the child. Although anyone on the list may pick up your child, it is helpful to the teachers if we know who is coming for the day JAs, well, it is the parents’ responsibility to add and delete names from the Pick-Up List. * Please inform anyone who may be picking up that teachers will check picture I.D.'s until we are familiar with them. READING PROGRAM- During the first quarter, students will be tested on their knowledge of letters and sounds. Upon completion of testing, students will be grouped into small groups according to their pre-reading ability. Most students will receive a ziplock bag with a “letter ring” with both capital and lower case letters to work on at home with parents. Each night, the parent should take about 5-10 minutes to go through the ring with the child, reciting the letters and sounds. There will be a slip to sign, and the letter ring and slip need to be returned in the child’s backpack for daily use and review in Preschool. After your child has mastered letters and sounds, they will receive an early-reader book and signature slip in a ziplock bag. After reading the book with your child each evening, please sign the slip and return the entire baggie in the backpack. Your child will receive a new book every week, or bi-weekly, depending on the mastery of the book.
SACC- School Aged Child Care is offered every day from 3:00-5:30 in the Church Parish Hall. Preschoolers are walked over by preschool teachers, and signed into the program each day after rest/play. At SACC, children are grouped according to age, and are offered a snack, homework help, and free choice centers. The cost for SACC is $5 per day, and is billed at the end of the month.
SIGN IN BULLETIN BOARD- Upon arrival each morning, it is the parent’sresponsibility to sign your child in for the day. The Attendance sheet should be timed and initialed, the Rest/Play sheet and/or the SACC sheet should be checkmarked if you intend for your child to stay for extra sessions, and the Lunch sheet should be filled out with your child’s choice. As well, lunchboxes should be taken out of backpacks and put on the shelf, Home/School Folders put in the basket, and notes and items for the teacher should be placed in the “Teacher’s Basket” in the hallway.
SNACKS- Snacks are provided every day in preschool during the first quarter, as refreshment after morning outdoor play. Cookies, crackers, etc…and 100% fruit juice are served around 9:30. After the first quarter, snacks will be discontinued. Snacks from home are not permitted. Please be sure you allow time in the morning for a good, filling breakfast! J
SHOW AND TELL- After Christmas we will begin our show and tell program on Fridays after lunch. This is the only time during the year that your child is allowed to bring a toy or special item from home. The show and tell must be small enough to fit in the backpack, and should stay in the backpack during the day until show and tell time. Please do not allow your child to bring anything valuable or special that might get broken or lost.
TOILET TRAINING- Your child must be fully toilet trained to attend Preschool. Pull-Up disposable training pants are not allowed. During the first week of school, we give many lessons on “bottom wiping” so that children may freely toilet themselves without wiping assistance! Should your child have a “wet” accident, we will assist them in wiping down and redressing in dry clothes. However, if your child has a BM accident, you may be called to come to school to change them. State regulations require specific standards for diapering and handling feces…St.Joseph Preschool cannot accommodate these requirements. (If it is a solid BM that can be dumped and cleaned easily with wet wipes, we may not have to call you). Frequent accidents may indicate that your child is not ready for Preschool, and you may be asked to temporarily remove your child from the program until toilet training is complete.
TOYS/ GAMES/ VALUABLES- Please refer to SJS Handbook for Specific Details. Toys and games from home are not allowed to come to school. Comfort items such as a blanket or stuffed animal may be brought for rest time only. They need to stay in the backpack during the day until rest time.
VOUNTEERS- Please see SJS Handbook for Complete details and requirements We love volunteers at Preschool, and are always in need of help on party days and School Events! Also, if you have a special talent or craft to share with us, please speak to Preschool teachers to set up a special day or activity! Our kids love special “visitors” in Preschool!!! Please feel free to volunteer in any way you can! J |
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(Alphabetically Listed)
BR
8:00-8:50
REST/ PLAY
the end of each month.
