Policies and Procedures

We ask all parents to pick up their children promptly. Habitual tardiness will result in an additional charge for every minute that teachers must wait with an unattended child.

PICKUP POLICIES

We will contact parents who are habitually late retrieving their children. Continued abuse of the prompt pick up policy thereafter will incur a late fee of $1.00 per minute.

We ask that parents please notify the school by note, e-mail, or telephone any time that children will be picked up by someone other than the person who normally picks them up. Teachers keep a list of the authorized custodians for every child, and no child is released without proper notification. Early release from class also requires an authorized signature.

All children receive a home visit from their teachers the week before school begins in the fall.   We believe that it is important that young children feel comfortable in their first school experience, and meeting their teachers for the first time in their own environment enables them to feel safe and secure more quickly. This meeting is the beginning step of orientation. It is also a time for parents to ask any questions that they would like to have answered.

These visits are approximately 15 to 20 minutes long; and teachers telephone each parent to schedule these meetings at a mutually convenient time.

Home visits are not possible for children who enroll after the first days of school or later in the school year.  So that these children may have a similar opportunity to acquaint themselves with their teachers, we invite them to arrive early on the first day that they attend class .

Orientation day is a very special day for everyone. It is the beginning of a young child's school experience, and we have designed it for parents and children to share together. For orientation, children arrive as if for a regular school day. They receive their first health check by the nurse, and then we invite them to play in their new classrooms for 15 to 20 minutes.

Playgroup orientation takes place on the first day of class.

We invite parents from all age groups to meet the school administrator during a special parent orientation session on the first full day of classes.

Our tuition is based on an annual fee and divided into monthly payments to make it more manageable for everyone. The school is non-profit, and we keep this fee as modest as possible.

We ask that parents encourage children to choose comfortable clothes for school. These clothes should be designed for active play and movement, and should be washing-machine safe. While children wear paint shirts as a protection for most painting experiences, paint does sometimes splatter. As long as clothes are washable, stains can usually be treated successfully with stain remover and cold water. We also keep dry clothes available during the school day for accidents and mishaps.

For safety reasons, we want children to wear sneakers to school whenever possible. Sneakers are safest for running, jumping, and climbing - and children do these large-muscle activities daily.

Children should wear appropriate dress for the weather, including gloves, coats, and hats during the winter season. We encourage them to hang up their own clothing and to dress themselves wherever possible. All exterior clothing should be clearly labeled.

We also ask that children carry a bag to class each day to assist them in bringing home handouts, show and tell items, and artwork. The children fill these bags themselves. Parents should ensure that all bags are easy to open, without fasteners or zippers for small fingers to fumble over. Backpacks are not appropriate. For the convenience of busy parents, we offer suitable bags for sale in the pre-school office.

It is not necessary for children to bring "items" for show and tell. Sharing time includes the sharing of thoughts and ideas as well as possessions.

We celebrate birthdays during snack time. Children each have their own special day to celebrate, including summer birthdays, for which we select a half or unbirthday day. Each celebration is a fun, happy time for the child involved, and we focus on the opportunity to share the occasion with special friends rather than on toys or food items.

Parents are responsible for their child's birthday treats. We ask that these be kept simple. Small muffins are a good choice, and so are fruits, cereal squares, etc. We encourage parents to be creative, and to involve children in preparing the treats at home.

Treats need not be restricted to birthdays. A new baby in the family, a special achievement, or an important milestone are all occasions for which children welcome added fanfare.

Our snack menus are based on sound nutrition, providing the children with 2% milk and a variety of crackers and fruit-type snacks. We limit refined sugars, preservatives, additives and colorings to the best of our ability, but we are aware that children often have additional dietary restrictions.

The state licensing authority requires that we receive written permission from a physician before making any change that affects our snack procedure. This policy applies to all situations, including allergy restrictions, milk restrictions, and special needs of any kind. We can make no change without this authorization, so receiving the paperwork is imperative.

Carpools promote friendships between children as well as providing parents with added convenience. We encourage their formation, but establishing them is purely a parental responsibility.

We provide each family with a listing of the children who attend school at the same time as their own children. Parents are asked at the time that they enroll whether they wish to have their names and telephone numbers included in this listing. They may choose to be omitted.

Parents who choose to participate in carpools must follow all safety rules imposed under federal and Ohio laws.

To enhance the learning experience of our 4/5 and 5/6 age groups, we take these older children on at least two field trips per year. Children wear school identification, including the school name, address, and telephone number during all trips away from the school premises. Permission slips must be signed by a parent/guardian and returned to the school before each trip in order for the child to participate.

We also invite guest speakers and other resource people to visit the school and share with the children.  We send additional information and permissions slips out to parents for these and other special events throughout the year, but we encourage parents to telephone or stop by the office with any questions.

We encourage parents to visit their child's classroom for an entire school session at least once during the school year. Parents are responsible for scheduling these observation sessions in advance with the child's teachers, so that the time for the session is mutually agreeable. Our teachers need to ensure that the classroom environment remains stable, but also wish to have time to speak with the parents during these sessions.

While parents visit, teachers point out and discuss the growth and development issues that they believe are important to a successful school situation. Where possible, parents are encouraged to chat briefly and informally during these sessions, but conversations about a child must always be conducted where they will not be overheard either by the child involved or other children.

The playgroup does not have formal parental observation. Children in this age group often find the experience upsetting, and we encourage parents to use alternate means of communication.

Our staff practices positive reinforcement and intervention. We encourage children to be responsible for themselves and to begin to see how their actions affect others. Teachers use positive methods that lead to self-discipline, while helping children to work through their problems independently in an atmosphere of love and support.

We believe that positive intervention leads to self-discipline.  We encourage children to assert themselves in healthy ways; to apply problem-solving skills; to interpret situations realistically; and to increase their careful listening skills.

Our policy concerning discipline ensures that children are never left alone or unsupervised, subjected to cruel, harsh, or unusual punishment; disciplined by other children; shamed, frightened, humiliated, or subjected to verbal abuse.

Where children lose control in a given situation, they may be separated from that situation for their own protection or for the safety of other children until they regain control.  While children remain separated from the group, they receive additional support and supervision from one teacher, while the second teacher remains with the group.  

Once the children are reunited with the group, teachers encourage problem solving.    Children are guided and supported while they express their own feelings, listen to the feelings of other children, and explore solution alternatives.   Wherever possible, teachers try to implement the solutions that children devise.

We believe that parent/teacher conferences should be a time of shared communication. To help both parents and teachers to better understand a child's individual needs, we encourage parents to describe their observations and insights about their children's physical, social, and intellectual growth at home and in other community situations. In turn, teachers communicate their own concerns and perceptions of the child's progress and strengths.

There are two conference days per year. Parents are notified in advance that sign-up sheets are being posted, and are encouraged to sign-up early to be assured of a convenient time slot.

In addition to formal conferences, we invite parents to take advantage of telephone calls, personal contact, notes, or additional conference sessions to ensure that children receive appropriate and optimum care during the school experience. We stand ready to help with any special needs, and if we cannot provide the required assistance ourselves, we will try to direct parents toward appropriate resources elsewhere.

We are always eager to hear suggestions or constructive criticisms from parents concerning any matters that involve the school. Regardless of the merits of these suggestions, decisions on their implementation rest solely with the pre-school Board of Directors.

For any complaints, concerns, or questions, we ask that parents notify the administrator in person, in writing, or by telephone. If unable to handle the situation directly, the administrator can then raise the issue at the next board meeting. Following the board meeting, appropriate action is taken as necessary.

We are required to inform parents that the state of Ohio provides a toll free number for parents to call concerning issues that involve serious life, health or safety risks. That number is 1-800-686-1568.

When parents must withdraw their children for relocation, illness or any other reason, we ask that they notify the office as far in advance as possible. We want to ensure that we can provide children with a smooth transition in their last days at Kirkmont.

When staff is available, we provide a short multi-age summer session for children with previous pre-school experience. The summer program is designed especially for children who need continuing readiness or for children who have limited peer interaction in their neighborhood. The philosophy is the same as our September-May program.

The summer pre-school staff plans specifically for this group and the individual needs within the group just as in the regular program, but there is a greater focus on flexibility and outdoor activity.

The summer program meets Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday a.m. from 9:30 --12:00 noon. Summer enrollment opens at the same time as regular enrollment. Tuition is due for the full summer session before the program begins.

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