early learners preschool program
TRANSCRIPT
Parent/Student Handbook
20152016
Early Learners Preschool Program
“EDUCATION IS OUR CONNECTION TO THE FUTURE”
Milne Grove School Richland School 565 East 7th Street 1919 Caton Farm Road Lockport, Illinois 60441 Crest Hill, Illinois 60403 8158380542 8157258391
Jaime Koziol, Principal/Program Coordinator
Robin Torkelson, Teacher Patty Martin, Classroom Aide
Lisa Wentz, ELL Aide and Bilingual Liason
Welcome to the Early Learners Program!
We are excited and eager to begin our twelfth year of the Early Learners Prekindergarten Program for school districts 88, 88A, 90 and 91. We are happy your family will be a part of our adventure this year.
Our program accepts children ages 3-4 that are eligible based on special screenings conducted at the beginning of the year. There are two sessions scheduled, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.
AM session: 8:30am-11:00am at Richland School PM session: 12:30pm-3:00pm at Milne Grove School
Each school will operate on a slightly different calendar; please refer to your site’s
calendar for specific student attendance information.
Early Learners Philosophy
The Early Learners Program hosted by Milne Grove School District 91 has been developed within the Illinois State Board of Education guidelines. The program is uniquely adapted to meet the needs and interests of the pre-k child. It is designed to promote children’s knowledge and skills in all developmental areas: cognitive, social/emotional, physical, and artistic and to establish a foundation for lifelong learning.
The Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards developed by the Illinois State Board of Education in Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, Physical Development/Health, The Arts, English Language Learners Home Language Development, Social/Emotional Development, and Technology Applications are educational objectives within the program.
The Early Learners Program reflects the belief that children are active learners. They build meaning and understanding through full participation in their learning environments. This child-centered program combines high expectations for each child with respect for individual development. We will be using the Creative Curriculum, which emphasizes learning through exploring and will be assessed through observations.
“Mastering phonics or learning to subtract at age 3 or 4 doesn’t translate into later school success,” says Lilian Katz, PhD, professor emerita of early childhood education at the University of Illinois. In fact, “too much early experience in work sheets, drills, or flash cards may backfire later,” she says. “Researchers think that gaining social competence- learning how to cooperate, solve problems, and think about other people- is what really makes a difference later on. Playing and working together on projects with other students is one way we build these crucial social skills. The educational learning in the classroom is integrated into the daily routine and is relevant to the students (for example, ‘there are five ‘J’ names in our class’).” The Early Learners Program is designed to embed important educational
objectives into the daily routine, to ensure the learning focus is relevant to the students, and to provide intentional instruction in a playful, joyful atmosphere.
Learning Environment
The Early Learners Pre-K Program provides a learning environment that affords each child opportunities to develop:
● self-confidence through successful learning experiences;
● responsibility for one’s own behavior;
● positive attitudes toward learning;
● a sense of responsibility for completing assigned tasks;
● the ability to share and cooperate with others;
● language/ literacy skills and strategies;
● mathematical thinking about patterns and relationships, order
and predictability, and logic and meaning;
● the ability to observe, explore, discover, predict, and solve
problems through concrete learning experiences;
● an understanding of the many aspects of their cultural and
environmental world;
● physically through use of large and small muscle activities;
● artistic expression and appreciation through art, music and
dramatic play;
● the natural curiosity young children use to make sense of their
world;
● the early concepts and skills that build the foundation for our
school districts’ Kindergarten curriculum.
General Information
Program Features: The classroom is designed to have:
● two computer stations along with IPads ● high-quality educational equipment ● developmentally appropriate materials ● variety of pre-literacy activities ● daily snack ● parent meetings and family activities ● field trips
We will have a lending library in our classroom where children are allowed to check out various books and games. These books and games are exclusive to our students’ use only and we ask that care be taken with them while at home.
We do have a certified nurse on staff to support the physical needs of students.
There will be parent education workshops and family fun nights held 8 times a year in the evening. Parents MUST attend 6 of 8 sessions in order to maintain their child’s enrollment in the program. Dates, times and locations will be sent home in calendars and/or newsletters as events are planned.
If you need any information regarding services such as health care, dental care, etc. please contact our program coordinator, Jaime Koziol, at 815-838-0542x104. She will be able to refer you to any services you may need for yourself or your child.
Assessment of children is completed through observations and anecdotal notes. They will have an individual record where all information on their progress and learning are documented. The culmination of your child’s record and work will be compiled into a growth portfolio online at http://www.teachingstrategies.com that will be shared with you on a daily and weekly basis if you accept the invitation and some of the information will be given to you at the end of the year.
Two Take Home folders are provided by the teacher and are means of communication. Please check your child’s Take Home and Parent Teacher Communication folders each and everyday. This will be just one way we can share information. Also regular newsletters will be sent home.
Daily Schedule Welcome/Arrival- Children are welcomed and participate in quiet activities to begin the day after identifying their names. These are fine motor activities such as math manipulative, lacing beads, cutting activities, etc. Circle Time/Large Group- We will do calendar, pledge, weather, sing songs, and talk about our weekly letter, math skill, concept and theme. We will also do literacy activities through stories, letters, and letter sounds. Small Groups – Children work independently or with a teacher on projects related to the theme, the letter of the week, math skills or concepts. They also write in journals. Centers – Children move around the classroom independently deciding which center they would like to play in. Snack/Routine- Children eat their snack that is provided for them. This is also a time where social skills are promoted by encouraging children to engage in conversations with each other. Gross Motor Time- This will be conducted outdoors unless weather does not permit and then we will have gym time inside. Dismissal/Closing Circle- Children independently collect their belongings and dress for home. We also do a question of the day and a story before leaving.
Learning Areas
The Early Learner Program uses a research-based curriculum and follows the Illinois Early Learning and Development Standards. There are specific learning areas that children can plan to work at that help develop certain skills. These learning areas contain educational materials that provide opportunities for different types of learning during Work Time. In the CONSTRUCTION/BLOCK AREA children:
● develop eye-hand coordination ● explore spatial relationships ● compare sizes and shapes ● develop large and small muscle coordination ● learn how to work and plan together ● become aware of organizing and measuring ● become aware of problem-solving techniques
In the ART AREA children learn:
● creativeness through planning, designing, and constructing an idea ● a satisfactory way of expressing ideas, impressions, and feelings ● experimentation with color, shapes, sizes, various textures, and configurations ● eye-hand coordination and better fine-muscle control for later writing skills ● respect for the artistic expressions of others ● to develop their visual and tactile skills
In the COMPUTER/IPad AREA children learn:
● to develop eye-hand coordination ● to develop language ● to learn cooperation ● to practice listening carefully to directions ● to solve problems
At the BOOK and WRITING CENTERS children learn:
● to respect and care for books ● to imagine events and situations ● storytelling and dictate stories ● an interest in words and books ● sequencing to pictures ● the sequence of a story ● left-to-right progression ● the interpretation of pictures and details of pictures
In the HOUSEKEEPING/DRAMATIC PLAY area children:
● have the opportunity to develop self-confidence through role-playing ● can act out familiar situations, assume family roles, and work out problems and
concerns ● develop muscle coordination, oral language skills, and math readiness
In the MATH area children learn:
● to recognize, describe and name shapes ● to recognize patterns and relationships among objects ● to classify objects and explain how the grouping was done ● one-to-one correspondence ● how to make comparisons and to see relationships of concrete objects
In the SAND AND WATER area children learn:
● to measure ● to make comparisons ● to use eye-hand coordination ● to clean up and manage materials ● to observe how various substances react to water ● to develop visual and tactile senses ● oral language by interaction with peers
In the MUSIC AND MOVEMENT area children:
● strengthen agility and balance ● experiment with motor activities ● develop muscular strength and coordination ● relieve tensions and use energy constructively and imaginatively ● sing, play instruments, and make up songs ● move to beat, dance, and listen to music
In the PUZZLES and MANULATIVE area children learn:
● to develop perceptual discrimination by shape, size, color, directions, detail, and design
● to practice eye-hand coordination ● to practice problem-solving skills ● to develop storytelling skills ● to develop readiness and explore basic concepts in a variety of curriculum areas ● to experience a sense of achievement and develop self-confidence ● to develop concentration skills
In the LISTENING CENTER children will learn:
● to practice listening skills ● to follow directions ● an interest in words and books ● to imagine events and situations
Safety and Security Information Transportation
Transportation will not be provided and it is the responsibility of the parent or guardian to pick up and drop off their child in a timely manner. For the protection of your child, the teacher MUST be notified if there is a change in the way your child goes home from school. Write a note in your child’s Parent Teacher Communication folder explaining any such transportation changes. In the event of a last minute change, call the school office immediately. A form of identification will need to be shown by anyone picking up your child. When you complete the emergency cards, please list the names of individuals that you authorize to pick up your child. Photography
Photos may be taken in the classroom and at school events for assessment use only. At the end of the school year, children will have an individualized portfolio documenting their growth and achievements. Attendance
Your child must attend class regularly for optimum learning. This program carries a waiting list of children to be enrolled in this program. In order for your child to get as much benefit from this as possible, they have to be here; therefore, your child can only miss 10 days of school. If your child misses more than 10 days, he/she may be dropped from the program in order to give another child the opportunity to enter the program. If there are special circumstances that occur within your family please call the classroom teacher. If it is necessary for your child to be absent, you must call the main office to report the absence at 815-838-0542 (MG) or 815-744-6166 (Richland).
Tardiness
We begin our school day promptly in order to maximize the instructional time. When your child arrives late it requires one member of the teaching team to break away from the classroom instruction to assist him/her, which disrupts your child’s learning and the learning of others. If your child is late to school, you will need to report to the main office to sign in your child.
Clothing
Appropriate Clothing for School
Early Learners need to wear clothing and shoes that allow for easy movement. Your child should dress in clothing that is easily washed since much time is spent painting and sitting on the floor. Clothing should be easy for your child to remove for bathroom purposes.
Outdoor play is an important part of our program. Each playtime will be spent outside unless it is raining or too cold. Please see that your child’s clothing is appropriate for the weather and that shoes are worn to protect feet. Please no sandals, flip flops or overalls. Labeling Clothing
Please label all articles of clothing that your child brings to school. Numerous articles of clothing will end up in the school’s lost and found. White sweaters and yellow raincoats can look amazingly alike! Change of Clothing
Occasionally accidents do happen. For this reason, please send a change of clothing (shirt, underwear, pants, and socks) with your child’s name written on them and put them in the Zip Loc bag with your child’s name on you received in your child’s folder at Open House. We will keep these in cubbies and a special tub and they will be returned to you at the end of the year. Diapers/Pull-Ups
If your child requires diapers or pull-ups, please send some with your child and we will keep these in their cubby or a special tub. Your child is NOT required to be potty-trained; however, if he/she has a bowel movement in his/her diaper and cannot change or clean him/herself, you MAY be contacted to come to school to take care of it. Please let the teacher know if your child is not potty-trained. Backpack
Your child needs to bring a school bag or backpack every day. It should be large enough to carry schoolwork, a folder and a large library book. Please write your child’s name on the backpack. We discourage children from bringing toys from home to school.
Parent Involvement Plan
Parents are their child’s first teacher. This program is dependent upon
parent involvement and requires a parent agreement to be signed. Your dedication will help your child become successful. Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parent conferences will be held twice a year. One of the conferences may take place in your home as a home visit. Please check the calendar for the conference dates. You will get a scheduled time once the date gets closer. The conferences are an opportunity to report your child’s progress and for the teacher and the parents to get acquainted. The teacher and the parent will discuss how they can work together to enable the child to have a successful school year. Parents are required to attend these scheduled conferences. Any additional conferences at the request of the family or teacher will be scheduled as needed/wanted. Parent Educational Meetings/Family Fun Nights
Twice each school year parents and families will be invited to evening parent educational meetings, where they will hear from the classroom teacher, school psychologist, social worker, and/or other early childhood trained professional. Topics discussed may include discipline, social behaviors, academics, how to practice with your child at home to enhance their learning, transition into Kindergarten, etc. Attendance at least one of these meetings is mandatory.
Six times each school year, a family fun night will be offered to all program participants and their families. ANY family member is welcome to attend with the early learner to participate in game nights, story time, gym night and a wide variety of other fun and family focused activities. Attendance at least five of these meetings is mandatory. Volunteering
We encourage classroom volunteers. By parents sharing their child’s school day, they are taking an active role in their learning experience. Whether you can come on a regular basis or only commit to a few individual days, we welcome you into the classroom. We will also need assistance when we go on field trips. Parent Lending Library
We have a parent lending library that covers a variety of parenting areas. These topics can include single parenting, dealing with tantrums, how to talk to your children about divorce, blended families, etc. We will carry books and VHS tapes on various parenting issues that you are welcome to check out at any time. We also have a variety of board games and children’s books that you can borrow.
You will receive a list of these titles in your child’s Take Home Folder at Open House. If you would like to check an item or more out, just put a note in your child’s Parent Communication folder and we will send the item(s) home with your child. Parent Shared Activities
Children will bring home activities to do with parents once a week. These can be tasks that can be done on a daily basis. Instructions on what to do for each activity will be sent home along with any needed materials, if any. Communication With Teachers
● Any notes should be written inside the parent-teacher communication notebook and will be answered in the same manner.
● Please immediately advise the teacher when there is a change of address, phone number, or emergency number.
● Please call (815)838-0542 Ext. 2112), write or email ([email protected] )the classroom teacher is there is anything you can share about your child’s progress.
● Please let us know if there is a change (hospital, illness, death, divorce, trip, new baby, etc.) in your home. It will be kept confidential. These events do affect your child’s class performance.
Discipline
Our class discipline plan is based on respect for others. Students are guided to make good choices. The teacher will communicate with you about your child’s success and areas for growth in this ongoing process.
Transition Plan
The Early Learners Program is committed to transitioning students into and out of the program. Parents receive summer letters containing valuable information prior to the start of the school year. Students and parents get to meet the teacher and view the classroom prior to the first day of school during our Open House.
EL students are welcomed into our school and really become a part of the student body. They attend school assemblies, take part in our character education and multicultural programs, practice our safety drills, and visit our school library on a weekly basis. Throughout the school year parents are welcomed into the classroom and on field trips to foster a family-school connection. Parent educational meetings are also held.
Students also get a chance to work with students in other grade levels. First grade students pair up with and read to our Early Learners, and the Early Learners also visit the Kindergarten classrooms to ease the transition that many will make the following school year.
MISSION STATEMENT:
Making daily investments to empower children to become life-long learners and future leaders.