Breakthrough Magnet School

Mission Statement

Early Childhood Philosophy

Breakthrough’s early childhood program emphasizes knowing and accepting

that each child develops along several dimensions. These include physically, gross

(big muscle) and fine motor (e.g. use of fingers and hands), social-emotionally, and

language, cognitive and attention skills. Among any group of children entering

school during pre-elementary years, children will demonstrate a wide range of skills

and abilities. In other words, each child will enter at different places on the

developmental continuum in every area of growth. Put it one other way, there is a

wide range of what is considered “normal” when it comes to our youngest children.

Our goal is to give all students appropriate learning experiences so they will develop

at their highest potential and become strong problem solvers and critical thinkers.

It is important for parents to know that children are safe at school-not just

physically but psychologically and emotionally. Teacher and staff are committed to

treating all students with dignity and respect. We are here to provide a high quality

education placing kindness and empathy at the same level of importance as the

more traditional academic skills.

Policies and Procedures

Dress Code

Breakthrough Magnet School has adopted a dress code for all students.

Appropriate dress that is comfortable enables the student to participate and

concentrate on learning, “Special clothes for a special place” supports the behavior

and academic expectations at our school.

The following is a list of appropriate colors and styles at Breakthrough

Magnet School:

Shirts: Breakthrough Logo school shirts only. “No t-shirts with any logo can

be worn under the Breakthrough Shirt.”

Slacks/Sweatpants: Cotton or corduroy. Navy, black or khaki. Pants must

be able to stay up around the waist on their own or belt pants. Belts are

difficult to maneuver for early childhood children, please take this into

consideration when dressing your child. Sweatpants are allowed for early

childhood children only in school colors.

Shorts: Long, Bermuda style (at the knee). Navy, black or khaki

Jumpers: (sleeveless dresses) – Cotton or corduroy navy or khaki. Please

dress girls in shorts or tights under dresses so that sitting comfortably on

the rug is not a challenge.

Sweatshirts/Sweaters: Breakthrough logo sweaters/sweatshirts ONLY for

extra layers and warmth.

Shoes: Sneakers or shoes appropriate for physical education or shoes with

rubber soles.

It is very important that each child has a labeled change of clothes in their

cubby at all given times. Please supply a complete set of clothing (shirt,

Pants, underwear, and socks), which will be left there in case there is need

for a change of clothes. When these items are used, they should be

replenished the following day with clean items.

Dress code exclusions

The following may not be worn at Breakthrough Magnet School:

Sleeveless tops, denim or jeans, short shorts, short skirts, baggy slacks,

logo or writing on clothing, pictures, crop top shirts, hats, jackets indoors,

spandex. No flip-flops.

Children’s Arrival and Departure:Safety first. Punctuality second.

School hours are 8:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. for PreK three and PreK four year olds.

The PreK four years old program will be full day (8:00 a.m.-3:15 p.m.) beginning in

January when we return from winter break. Kindergarten school hours are

8:05 a.m.-3:15 p.m. The early childhood staff believes in greeting children at the

classroom door and making the transition successful. The children have morning

and afternoon responsibilities, which include unpacking and packing their

belongings for the day. It is essential that parents drop-off and pick-up children

on time.

Busing: Buses are available to children once they start kindergarten.

Parent parking lot and drop off loop: The parent parking lot is closest to the field and has a sidewalk that leads up to the patio. It is VERY IMPORTANT that we give ourselves enough time to park and walk our children on the sidewalks up to the school. As a magnet school, many people drive from many different towns in order to get your child to school and we very much appreciate the stress of morning traffic, the day that lies ahead and the feeling of confusion or frustration we feel from time to time when we are arriving at the same time. Please be patient. If the parent spaces are filled and you need to park along the median, be VERY mindful that parents of older children are also driving to the loop to drop them off. Stay on sidewalks whenever possible. If a family member or friend is dropping off your child please review these expectations. Thanks.

Attendance and Punctuality: Attendance is crucial to academic success. All

students should strive for perfect attendance. Breakthrough’s commitment to

“wellness” includes ways to stay healthy such as proper nutrition, consistent sleep

schedules and exercise daily. School starts at 8:15 a.m. The expectation is that all

students will be on time.

The following procedures are required for absence from school:

1. Parents should contact their child’s teacher AND the main office the day of their child’s absence and provide the expected return to school date.

2. Parents should provide a note on the child’s return to school with the reason for the absence in order for the absence to be considered excused. Teachers will retain notes in the child’s folder throughout the year.

A mandatory Student Assistance Team (SAT) meeting will occur after 10 days of

unexcused absences. Breakthrough will adhere to the State of Connecticut policy

and procedure concerning absences. 15 days of unexcused absences may be cause

or meeting about retention.

Arrival: For your child’s safety, we ask that you or another authorized adult walk

your child to the arrival door each morning. Be sure that the staff is aware of your

child’s arrival before you leave. Please call the school in advance if your child will

not be attending on that day. Please enter the building through the courtyard door

of the school, which opens at 8:05 a.m.

Departure: Pre-K children leaving at 12:00 p.m. will be dismissed from their

classroom patio door. When picking up your child, be sure that the teacher knows

the child is leaving (this is for your child’s protection). Be sure to sign your child out

before departing. If you have authorized a friend or family member to pick up your

child at 12:00 p.m., please advise them of our character theme and encourage them

to interact with other adults in a kind and respectful manner.

If the group is on our way to or from a program when you arrive to pick up

your child, please wait until we have reached our destination before asking us to

release your child.

If there is a change in who is picking up or dropping off your child, please

inform the classroom teacher through written notification.

Please pick up your preschooler by 12:00 p.m. and your Kindergartener by

3:30 p.m. as the staff in the classroom has other school responsibilities throughout

building. Aftercamp is provided for a fee for preschoolers after 12:00 p.m. and for

Kindergarteners after 3:30 p.m. Parents will be addressed by Mrs. Goldstein and

potentially billed for aftercamp if your child is picked up after these times.

Developmentally, Pre-K three students benefit the most from a half-day

program. Therefore, Pre-K three year olds are encouraged to be picked up at

12:00 p.m. if possible.

Daily Closing Time Policy

Breakthrough Magnet School has specific closing times. We expect that all

children will be picked up at the appropriate times. If an emergency arises and you

are going to be late picking up your child, please call the school. In the event that

your child is still at school after the appropriate times and we have not heard from

you, we will take the following steps in the order listed:

Attempt to reach you at home, work or school.

Call the people listed on the emergency and authorization card.

Call the police according to Hartford Public School Policy.

Persons Authorized to Pick Up Child

At the time of enrollment, parents must provide us with names of persons

authorized to pick up the child. It is the parent or guardian’s responsibility to

inform the school of any changes in the names of authorized persons.

We will release children to authorized persons only. If necessary, photo

identification or other official identification may be requested by the school before

the child is released. If someone other than an authorized person is to pick up your

child, please notify the school in writing. We will release children to authorized

persons only.

Copies of legal documents must be provided to the school’s administratorbefore any staff person can actively prevent non-custodial parents from picking up their child.

If you wish your child to ride in a car pool or go home with a friend, please

notify the school in the morning. These adults must be listed on the child’s

authorization form. We will dismiss children individually or by car pool as parents

arrive. Please be prompt in picking up your child and keep the school informed.

All information on the emergency and authorization forms, and in your

child’s file, must be kept up to date. It is your responsibility to inform the office of

changes, including:

Home phone number and address of parent(s)

Workplace and phone number of parent(s)

Name, address and phone number of child’s physician

Names and phone numbers of persons authorized to pick up your child.

An emergency can occur at any time. We request that you keep the school

informed of phone numbers to use in the event of an emergency. Please update

these numbers in the event they change during the school year. If you are going to

be away from your place of work for the day, be sure to leave a phone number

where you can be reached in case you are needed for a medical emergency.

Visitors

Breakthrough Magnet School preschool has an “open door” policy for parents.

Scheduled parent participation is encouraged. All visitors of an enrolled child must

check in at the office immediately upon entering the building.

Conferences

Parent/teacher conferences are scheduled two times per year – in the fall

and in the spring. Parents are notified in advance with a time and date.

Parent/teacher conferences are scheduled on the school calendar and

parents are informed of these dates. Parents and/or teachers may request

additional conferences at any time during the school year.

A written assessment report of each student’s progress will be given to

parents in the fall and spring conferences for the areas of intellectual, physical,

social and emotional development. At the end of the school year a final assessment

report will be sent home. A copy of the assessment report will remain in the child’s

file.

We feel that it is extremely important to have open and continued

communication between parents and teachers.

School Calendar

Breakthrough Magnet School will follow a similar schedule as the Hartford

School District calendar, with some exceptions for early dismissals for conferences

and teacher in service training. Breakthrough Magnet School conference days will

be announced through a flyer sent home with the children. Please note the second

Wednesday of each month the student’s will be dismissed at 12:00 p.m. for teachers’

professional development training. Aftercamp services will still be provided on

these early dismissal days for those students registered in this program.

We will follow all closings, late openings and early release times due to

weather as the Hartford Public Schools. Announcements of such can be heard on

WTIC AM and FM radio stations and WNBC Channel 30 on television.

Home/School Communication

Meet and Greet: Wed., Aug. 24th at 4:00 p.m.

This will be an opportunity for new PreK three and PreK four year olds as

well as their families to meet their classroom teacher and become acquainted with

the school environment.

Curriculum Night: Wed., Sept. 14th at 6:00 p.m.

Curriculum Night is designed to share educational and developmental goals

for the children in the program. This is a time when the Early Childhood staff will

answer parents’ questions and concerns as well as give information on the

expectations for the school year.

Toileting

All children at Breakthrough Magnet School are expected to be toilet trained

and use the bathroom independently beginning the first day of school. Pull-ups

should not be used in lieu of underwear.

Student Health Information

A current physical examination dated within one year, including a record of

immunizations, must be on file before a student can attend class. Your doctor must

do a new physical exam each year. Forms are available from the school nurse. A

copy of your child’s birth certificate, social security number, and an emergency

phone number must also be on file prior to the date of entry.

All medications must have an authorization form signed by the doctor

and parent. Medication will be stored in the Health Office and administered by the

school nurse. The authorization form must be re-submitted each school year that

the child needs to take the medication. Students are not allowed to carry any

medications, even “over the counter” products or keep them in book bags.

Please notify the classroom teacher and the School Nurse if your child has

any specific health concerns that the staff at Breakthrough Magnet School should be

aware of. Allergies, asthma, and bee sting reactions are examples of health concerns

that may require immediate attention and such information is needed for your

child’s safety.

An emergency form on file for every child in our school is a requirement in

the event that a parent or guardian is needed immediately. We request that this

form be kept current with any telephone number changes, including emergency

contact persons that may occur throughout the year.

Children will often ask to be brought to school even when they are ill. We

request that students with elevated temperatures, episodes of vomiting or diarrhea

be kept home until they are well. This will protect both the child that is ill from

further complications, and classmates from the spread of contagious illness.

A plan for a sick child’s care should be in place for children in the event a

parent cannot stay at home with a sick child or if the school calls because your child

is sick at school and needs to be picked up.

Program Information

Outdoor Play

Daily outdoor activity is very important for young children and is planned

whenever possible. Unless the temperature is below freezing, 25 degrees

Fahrenheit or it is raining, the children will spend some time outside every day. It is

our policy that children who are well enough to come to school are well enough to

go outdoors. However, children will be excused from this portion of the program

with a doctor’s written statement. Fresh air and movement is something that each

child needs daily for general well-being and healthy development. We will not take

the children outdoors during inclement weather based on the judgment of the

classroom teacher. They should be appropriately dressed for the current weather

conditions, i.e., hats, mittens, and warm coats when cold, and boots in wet or snowy

weather. Children’s clothing, particularly coats, jackets, snowsuits, hats, boots, and

mittens, should be clearly marked with the child’s name. Each child should have a

personal backpack in which to hold their belongings. It is requested that each child

bring a complete set of clothing (shirt, pants, underwear, and socks) to school,

which will be left there in case there is the need for a change of clothes. When these

items are used, they should be replenished the following day with clean items.

Field Trips

Field trips are an important part of our program and are planned on a

regular basis. Children who are in our PreK four year old and Kindergarten

programs are invited to participate. PreK three year olds will have special enriching

activities in the classroom during these times. We will provide the same responsible

adult supervision for these excursions as we do while they are attending the school.

The field trips offer education, language building experiences. Parents are welcome

and needed to join us on field trips. We ask parents to make arrangements for their

other children so they can attend to the preschool child’s needs. Transportation is

provided by school bus rentals. Siblings are prohibited from riding on school buses.

Parents will receive advance notice of upcoming field trips and the means of

transportation. Permission slips must be signed and returned to the school if the

child is to participate in the trip. Parents are asked to take notice of these special

trips and discuss them with their child.

“Nap and Rest Policy”

Naps and rests are appropriate for children who are enrolled in aftercamp.

Generally, rest time is for periods of one to two hours, cots are provided. The

decision to nap is not up to the child. However, a child who has completed a rest or

nap of 30 minutes will not be required to remain on a cot.

Each child will be expected to rest quietly during the time. Children are

welcome to have security objects such as a stuffed animal or a blanket. During all

other times of the day the security objects are to be kept in the child’s backpack. If a

child shows the need for a security object a place will be provided for them.

However, the security objects will be permitted in the working areas of the

classroom at the discretion of the classroom teacher. Nap items will be sent home

on Friday of each week.

Preschool children really need this rest time to help them relax and unwind

from their busy morning schedule. This quiet time enables them to have a more

positive afternoon and to be a happier child when at home with you at the end of the

day.

Children’s Belongings

Toys and items of value should remain at home. We cannot assume

responsibility for materials. A lost and found is available in your child’s classroom.

Lost articles that are not claimed are given away to local shelters or charities.

School Meals

Free of Charge to all

Breakfast: Breakfast is an option for children who need it and is served in your

child’s classroom. It is free of charge to all students.

Lunch: Lunch is also served in your child’s classroom. If the meal is brought from

home we suggest sending meat or dairy protein items, bread, vegetable, and a fruit.

Our school is a NUT FREE ZONE. The school will provide milk. Our school

provides a lunch that meets USDA requirements. Lunch is also free of charge to all

students. A menu will be provided once a month. Please check the lunch menu daily

to ensure that your child will be happy with the lunch choice that day.

Lunch orders are placed for the entire school at 8:45 a.m. If your child will be

arriving at school later than 8:45 a.m. you will need to call the office to order a lunch

for your child. If you do not call there will not be a lunch available for your child.

Nurturing Positive Emotional Development

Behavior Guidance

Goals and Reasons

The goals of guidance techniques at Breakthrough Magnet School are to help

children develop safe and appropriate ways of interacting with others and with the

environment. Young children are working toward independence, cooperation and

self-control. The behavior guidance techniques used by the staff will center on

positive reinforcement, positive role modeling by adults, intervention techniques

and redirection.

Another goal of behavior guidance is to help children develop tools to solve

problems. Guidance is the external tool to help children develop internal control.

Young children learn by experimenting, testing limits, and experiencing the

consequences of their behavior.

The staff is very knowledgeable about child development, understands the

developmental level of the children in their classroom, and recognizes that

expectations and practices of certain behaviors vary in accordance with

developmental levels.

Children need to learn the rules of getting along in a group, and adults need

to balance the need for individual rights and self-expression with the needs of the

group. It is important for children to know personal boundaries; this provides a

sense of security for young children. Rules and limits in a preschool setting are

likely to differ from those in a child’s home because of the need to protect the rights

and safety of other children.

When behavior problems arise, we will look at our routines, the

environment, and the individual needs of the child to help the child overcome the

behavior. Providing each child with choices, foreseeing problems, and responding

to their needs immediately enables us to help the child positively.

Consequences for a child’s unacceptable behavior must be immediate and

directly related to the behavior. Parenting with Character in Mind (PCM) is

Breakthrough’s tool in behavior management. This program is available for all

Breakthrough Families during the month of October, every Thursday from

6:00-7:30 p.m. Childcare is provided.

Multicultural Policy

A Global School for Students in Character.

Our school is committed to multicultural education. This means we share a

commitment to human rights, dignity of the individual and social justice. We strive

to create a program that truly reflects the lives of our children, families, staff and

community. By recognizing the impact culture has on families, we will make every

effort to provide culturally responsive care by affirming human differences and the

right of people to make choices about their own lifestyle. We seek to recognize,

appreciate and respect the uniqueness in each child. We make the commitment to

multicultural education by:

Recognizing the beauty, value, and contribution of each child.

Fostering high self-esteem and positive self-concept in all children.

Teaching children about their own culture and facilitating

appreciation for that culture.

Introducing children to other cultures.

Providing children with a positive experience by exploring similarities

and differences.

Encouraging children to respect other cultures.

Increasing children’s ability to talk and play with people who are

different from them.

Helping children to be a group member.

Talking about racism and current events regularly with the children.

Helping children live happily and cooperatively in a diverse world.

Helping children recognize unfair behavior, and giving them the

knowledge to do something about it.

Staff treating children of all races, religions, family backgrounds, and

cultures with equal respect and consideration.

Providing children of both sexes with equal opportunity to take part

in all activities.

Policies on Child Abuse and Neglect

By law, employees of Breakthrough Magnet School are mandated reporters for all suspected cases of child abuse and neglect. The Connecticut Abuse “Hot Line” number is 1-800-228-5437. The support staff including our school nurse and social worker are available to assist in this process.

York, Stacey. Roots and Wings: Affirming Culture in Early Childhood Settings. Toys ‘n

Things Press, 1991