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Pussywillow Preschool, 2865 Peatt Rd, Langford BC, V9B 3V7 (250) 474-0656
20 minutes from downtown Victoria just south of Goldstream Ave
PARENT
INFORMATION BOOK
Pussywillow Preschool is a Nut Free Environment
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The program at Pussywillow Preschool is
designed to meet the individual social, emotional, cognitive and physical
developmental needs of the children. The
Early Childhood Educators set individual goals and objectives for each and
every child. The program is designed to
developmentally stimulate and challenge on an individual basis and allow each
and every child to experience success for their efforts. Cognitive development will be presented indirectly
during circle activities and art, science and theme activities. Children learn through play, working with
this philosophy children work towards and/or master skills that give them the
readiness to move on from the preschool experience with a sense of self-direction,
initiative, confidence and self-esteem.
The themes at Pussywillow Preschool change
every two weeks. All circle time
activities, stories, special art activities and enrichment
activities revolve around the current theme.
3 YEAR OLD PROGRAM
Emphasis is on Social
and Emotional Development
In a
Group Setting Children Learn to Follow Directions
Within
a Safe, Nurturing Environment, Children Learn to
Express Their Needs and Interests in a Group Setting
4 YEAR OLD PROGRAM
Children Develop Interests in all Aspects of the Program
Children Further Develop and Practice Problem Solving Skills
Attention Span, Short-term and Long-term Memory ,
Creative Thinking, Pre-math and Pre-reading Skills are Developmental Objectives
and Goals
RULES OF THE PRESCHOOL
Pussywillow Preschool Emphasizes a Mutual Respect Environment
Please reinforce our 3 basic rules with your child
No
hurting yourself...No hurting your friends...No hurting the toys
SPECIAL EVENTS
Monday
Wednesday and Friday Classes
Seasonal Fun Days
Christmas Play and Santa Visit
Little Scientist Program
Year End Picnic
Graduation Day
Tuesday Thursday Classes
Seasonal Fun Days
Santa Visit
Afternoon Class - Little Scientist Program
Year End Picnic
All children moving on to kindergarten will be involved in Graduation Day
PROGRAM DETAILS
NEWSLETTERS
A school calendar will be sent home in September and monthly calendars will
be sent home on a regular basis to keep parents informed of all upcoming
events.
MISSED NOTICES
Please familiarize yourself with your child's class bulletin
board. If your child has been absent please look for notices labeled with your child’s name.
SNACK
PLEASE LABEL YOUR CHILD’S
SNACK BAG AND PRESCHOOL CUP
Each child brings a nutritious snack from home and a
empty cup (no lids or straw/lid cups please).
The children will be served filtered water at snack time. Please send your child with ready to eat food
- for example: oranges peeled or cut into pieces, if your child prefers her
apple cut up please do that at home, a cut in the end of a banana peel or a
snip with the scissors in prepackaged items before putting them in the snack
bag allows your child to use self-help skills at the snack table. Some snack suggestions - raw vegetables,
fruit, cheese and crackers, part sandwiches.
To avoid spills and waste, please send ‘yogurt
in the tube’ instead of ‘cup and spoon yogurt’.
Please no cookies, pudding in a
can, chocolate covered granola bars or fun fruits.
OPEN SNACK
Children have the snack table available to them for
one hour during the session. With every child on different breakfast and lunch
schedules we find this flexibility meets the needs of all the children.
When children want snack they incorporate it into their freeplay. Open snack creates opportunities for different
social groups to interact and self-initiation skills to develop.
SHARED
SNACK
On special event days, to avoid too much
food and waste, on a rotation basis up to 5 families in each class will be
asked to bring specific foods. A note
will come home in your child’s lunch bag if it is your turn.
SNACK BAGS AND CUPS ARE NOT REQUIRED.
INDIVIDUAL ALLERGIES WILL BE RECOGNIZED.
PUSSYWILLOW
PRESCHOOL IS A NUT FREE ENVIRONMENT
SHARING DAYS
Check the school calendar for exceptions, but generally the last school
day of every month will be sharing day. Every
child is to bring an item from home to ‘share’ on this day. No superheroes please
or any items that have any relationship to violence. Toys that include many/small pieces are not
recommended as such pieces are easily lost in the playroom; also breakable
keepsakes are not recommended. Live
pets are welcome, they will be ‘shared’ first to
allow parents to take them home once their child has had their turn sharing
information. There are two parts to
‘sharing’: each child shares information
about their item at circle time (language development); and during freeplay, with their friends, children will enjoy playing
with the toys they bring (social development).
Children are to bring items to welcoming circle time and parents collect
items from cubbies at going home time.
Often children find nature items as the seasons change. Such items can
be brought to preschool at anytime, and these ‘sharing’
items are included in our day-to-day welcoming circle.
SPECIAL HELPERS
Upon arrival your child will know if it is their special helper day.
On a rotation basis, every session 2 children will find a special kitty
charm hanging on their cubby hook - these children will be our special helpers
for the day. Special helpers hang the kitty charm around
their necks before coming to circle time. Throughout the session special helpers
will use the magic wands, enjoy special activities at circle time and be ‘leaders’
for the day.
·
BIRTHDAYS
NO CUPCAKES OR CAKES
PLEASE...
to avoid waste...in most cases icing is gobbled up and little else...
Some suggestions are donut holes, cookies, flat round arrrowroot cookies iced and decorated with a few smarties, scoops of ice cream or Jell-O
in plastic cups and plastic spoons.
INDIVIDUAL ALLERGIES WILL BE
RECOGNIZED
In consideration of all children’s feelings please avoid handing out
birthday invitations to children at preschool.
If parents wish, the teachers will take the invitations and put them in the
required snack bags/back packs.
FIELD TRIPS
Our preschool session will begin and end at the field trip site. Please note the average length of a field trip
involves a 45 minute tour plus traveling time. Every effort is made to consider pick-up
schedules of older siblings. It will be
the responsibility of the parent to drop off and pick up their child at the
field trip location. If this is not
possible please connect with another parent in you class to transport your
child to and from the field trip or ask the teachers for names of parents
willing to drive.
FIELD TRIPS ARE CONSIDERED A
PRESCHOOL SESSION THEREFORE SMOKING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED ON ANY FIELD TRIP SITE,
INCLUDING THE PARKING AREA.
PLEASE NOTE SMOKING IS
STRICTLY PROHIBITED ON THE PREMISES OF THE PRESCHOOL, INCLUDING THE PARKING
AREA.
PARENT/TEACHER
COMMUNIQUES
SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER ATTACHMENT
Helping Teachers to Set Goals...
We Would Appreciate Parent Response to a Couple of Prepared Questions to Help us Understand Your Child’s Uniqueness.
Safety Check...
Emergency Cards
Earthquake Preparedness
Please attach a comfort letter from the family and a picture or pictures of the family.... you may not have one picture with everyone in it, if you wish to send a couple that is fine. Please return it with the blue sheets.
Comfort Letter Suggestions:
-
we will come and get you as soon as possible
-
we love you
-
please listen to your teachers
-
you're teachers will take good care of you until we can be together again.
‘YOUR CHILD AT PRESCHOOL’ INFORMATION SHEETS
SENT HOME AFTER YOUR CHILD HAS ATTENDED PRESCHOOL FOR
SIX MONTHS…OR MORE…IN EARLY SPRING
Details for Parents About Their Child’s Growth at Preschool
·
Please know the teachers are only a phone call away if you have any
concern, thoughts or ideas you would like to share...parents and teachers
working together will ensure each child the very best positive preschool
experience. Every child will have issues
to work through within the group, after you have listened to and acknowledged
your child’s feelings with regards to a preschool issue, always bring your
child to talk with the teachers about the situation that has caused the child
concern. Following these steps provides
an excellent problem solving model. The
fundamental skill of expression and
listening during problem solving is so important for self and mutual respect
and at all developmental levels it is given emphasis throughout the programs at
Pussywillow Preschool...situations at preschool
involving your child need to be solved at preschool with teachers and parents
together providing support.
Please keep in mind that often there may be an opening for
communication between parents and teacher at the beginning of each preschool
session. When there are two teachers onsite, only one teacher will be involved
in the opening portion of circle. In the case where only 1 teacher is on
site the children begin the sessions independently with puzzles.
FIRE DRILLS
Safety is an important factor of the program. Fire drills will be practiced
and the Monday/Wednesday/Friday classes may be introduced to earthquake
precautions if the teachers feel that the individual groups as a whole would
feel comfortable with a carefully prepared non-threatening introduction.
CARPOOLING
Please ensure the ‘driver of the day’ passes on preschool messages.
ABSENTEES
Please phone the preschool and leave a message if your child will be
absent. Inform the school immediately
regarding any communicable diseases.
In the event of the absence of a teacher, a qualified assistant will substitute.
FOOTWEAR
STARTING IN OCTOBER
Please leave outdoor shoes in the cubbies, indoor shoes or slippers will be kept at preschool... The basket will be in the middle of the circle carpet at the start of each session...please help promote self help skills by bringing slippers that the children are able to put on themselves.
Please check the basket regularly. It is located on top of the cubbies in each classroom.
CUBBIES
Hold a coat, outdoor shoes AND ONE SMALL BACKPACK WITH A SNACK. PLEASE DO NOT BRING 2 BAGS TO PRESCHOOL AS THE CUBBIES ARE SMALL. Please leave sunglasses at home, remove strings from mittens and coats for safety.
OUTDOORS
PLAYGROUND
Both gates are to be kept locked at all times.
Upon leaving, once through the gates, children are to be held by the hand
until they reach vehicles.
YOUNGER SIBLINGS
Please do not allow them to stray from you on the playground. This part of the program is to allow the preschoolers freedom on the playground to develop their large muscle skills and it is unsafe to allow toddlers to mingle without the undivided attention and hands-on supervision of their parents. Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring safety for everyone.
Children take home a project every day with the exception of Sharing Days
and Special Event Days. Left over projects will be hung up in the playroom.
Please check the clotheslines for your child’s art.
HOMEWARD BOUND
If parents arrive early at pick-up time please know you are welcome to
join us on the playground but please remain on the playground while the teachers
take the children back indoors to prepare for going home. The teachers will
reopen the door when the children are safely settled at the tables. If parents
arrive early to pick up their children while we are out on the playground,
please collect their belongings from the classroom before you collect your
child from the playground. Thank you for your cooperation as we strive to
maintain a high standard of safety.
GOING HOME PROCEDURE
Children will be seated at the tables and will remain seated until adults
come over to the tables and collect them. Adults please collect back packs, etc. from
cubbies and pictures from shelves before
connecting with the children seated at the tables. Parents please help the children learn this
routine.... it can be confusing with so many people coming and going at the
same time..... following the routine allows for a safe and enjoyable transition.
PLEASE DO NOT COLLECT CHILDREN
FROM TABLES AND HAVE THEM IDENTIFY THEIR OWN ART WORK ON THE BENCHES...AS
ULTIMATELY WE WANT TO AVOID THE CONFUSION OF A TRAFFIC JAM AND MOST IMPORTANTLY
A SMOOTH TRANSITION ALLOWS THE TEACHERS TO KEEP CAREFUL WATCH THAT CHILDREN
DO NOT GET SEPARATED FROM THEIR ADULTS WHEN LEAVING THE BUILDING.
RELEASING
CHILDREN
Your child will only be released to people named on the registration
form. However if it is necessary to add
a name to the list the parent who signed the registration form is required to phone the preschool with
the necessary information and provide a hand delivered note with their
signature.
SCHOOL CLOSURE
Public school holidays (including the winter and spring break),
district wide non instructional days and closure due to safety conditions
(including snow closure) shall be observed. Please
listen to your local radio station for District No 62 Snow Closure
Announcements. There will be no adjustment in fees for any closures listed.
Please provide a recent photograph of your child. Both parents and children
enjoy the picture gallery for each class.
CLASS TIMES
CLASS TIMES
Castle
Gate House
9:00 – 11:15
9:30 – 11:45
12:15 – 2:30
12:45 – 3:00
To allow the teachers preparation time for all classes, the preschool doors will be opened at 9:00 and 12:15 in the Castle and 9:30 and 12:45 in the Gate House to welcome the children and parents. Please make every effort to arrive on time as circle time is an important part of our program and the children know they have missed something if they arrive after circle time begins. As well, please provide prompt pick-up for your child. Children easily become anxious when parents are late picking up.
DAILY SCHEDULE
Circle Time AND
Little Scientist Program beginning in the New Year
(15 – 25 minutes)
•
Freeplay and Art Activities/Enrichment AND
Open Snack
(1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes)
•
Clean-up Time
Story Time
(20 minutes)
•
Outdoor Play...Weather Permitting
Large Muscle Indoor Play or Group Play dough Activities
(20 minutes)
**********************
Discipline Policy
The preschool program’s
objective is to provide children with a caring, nurturing, stimulating environment
which affords them the opportunity to learn through play with age appropriate
guidelines in place. The Early Childhood
Educators maintain the role of facilitators and provide an ultimate standard
of safety as well as a link between home and preschool.
At all times guidance will be positive, clear and consistent taking
into consideration individual needs of the children.
Redirection and choices will be the crux of the discipline policy at
Pussywillow Preschool when it becomes necessary
for the teachers to initiate behaviour changes due to the social/emotional needs of individuals
and the group.
ART EXPERIENCES SCIENCE EXPERIENCES
EXAMPLES EXAMPLES
PAINTING Summer
Treasures
Marble Seasonal
Finds
Water Colours Tree
Discovery Box
Tempra Colour Clowns
Q-Tip Winter
Tracks
Duplo Ice
Castles
Sponge Tornado
Bottles
Toothbrush Taste
and Sniff Trays
Finger Feel
and Guess Socks
Food Colouring Seed
Match
Stencils
Raindrop Rubber
Eggs
Vegetable Roots
and Shoots
Kitchen Utensils Numbered
Rock Collection
Strawberry Baskets Growing
Sunflowers
Rollers Insects
and Spider Collection
Magnet
and Fish Activities
3-D
Christmas Trees IMAGINATION
STATION
Teddy Bear
Wagons
Pumpkin Patch
Christmas Candles
Chinese New Year
Dragon 3 Little
Bears & Goldilocks
Daffodils
Valentine Candy Shop
Bird Feeder Bakery
Ralph the Bird Pizza
Shop
Leprechaun Ladders
Easter Eggs Flower
Shop
Dinosaur Digs Post
Office
Bumble Bees Ice
cream Shop
GROUP
Seasonal Murals
Field Trip Thank you
Posters
GLUING
Size of surface to be covered allows for variation of time and effort involved. Cognitive focus varies, tactile experience varies, fine muscle development varies due to colours, texture, size, shape, 3-D objects, number of choices and cutting practice.
ENROLLMENT
1.
Enrollment form, registration fee and post-dated
cheques must be received before a child attends
classes.
2. To enroll in the three year old program,
the child shall be three years of age by December 31st of the current school
year.
3. To enroll in the four year old program, the
child shall be four years of age by December 31st of the current school year.
4.
A 10% reduction will be given to families
with two children attending the preschool and a 15% reduction will be given
5.
An annual registration fee will be required
from each preschool family.
6.
Families enrolling from the lst to the 15th of each month shall pay a full month’s fee.
Families joining after the 15th of each month shall pay 1/2 month’s
fee...excluding the month of September.
1/2 month’s fee will be determined by the number of sessions in September.
7.
There will be no refund of fees for any preschool
days absent or missed due to sickness or family holidays. Full fees are required to guarantee the child’s
place in the class for any length of absence.
8.
Monthly tuition fees shall be paid by post-dated
cheques dated from September 1 to June l of the
following year and are due upon registration.
9.
Any fees that are returned from the bank Non-Sufficient
Funds need to be paid in cash and an additional $10 service charge is to be
included.
10.
Any fees that are not received before the
lst of the month need to be paid in cash.
11.
Notification of withdrawal of a child from
the Preschool shall be made in writing one month in advance, or one month’s
tuition fee shall be paid in lieu of notice.
Notice shall be given on the first of the month. March 1st is the deadline for notification of
withdrawal for the current school year.
12. All fees for the current preschool year must be paid in full by June 1st.
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Thank you for visiting our site.
Pussywillow Preschool 2865 Peatt Road, Victoria, BC V9B 3V7 250-474-0656
Located 20 minutes from downtown Victoria, just south of Goldstream Avenue, in Langford.
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