Administration
Parents of the preschool children are members of the corporation. The policy-making part of the corporation is a ten member Board of Trustees. The Board consists of the following officers: president, vice-president/ secretary and treasurer, who are usually nominated from the previous board. The other trustees are voted on by the membership at large before the annual spring registration.
Board Meetings
Officers and trustees hold regular monthly board meetings. These meetings are open to the membership, and all parents are encouraged to attend. The board does opt for a closed session when discussing personnel or non-payment issues. Babysitting is provided free to all in attendance by a parent as a committee assignment. Please give notice in advance, as we may need to make arrangements for additional sitters. If parents have a topic they would like to discuss at the meeting, they need to notify the President two weeks prior to the meeting. Meeting minutes are posted monthly on the hall bulletin board.
Attendance is required at the fall orientation held on the first day of class. This is our Annual Business Meeting of the Corporation.
Teachers, parents and board members are encouraged to attend and support meetings and functions throughout the year that benefit the preschool.
Child Abuse
If a teacher observes evidence of child abuse, he/she will notify the proper authorities at (970) 679-4490.
Committee Asignments
As a cooperative preschool, our school relies on parents to help with running the school. In addition to helping in class, parents are required to sign-up for a committee assignment each year (one job per child per class). There are a variety of committee assignments, including: toy maintenance, Christmas parties, babysitting during board meetings, etc.
Families with more than one child attending (siblings or twins), or with a child enrolled in more than one class, will be expected to fulfill extra committee assignments. There is a $30.00 fine if you do not complete your yearly assignment, and the fine is compounded each quarter till the job is fulfilled (for example, two quarters $60, three quarters $90, etc.). Families that have not completed their committee assignments will not be able to register for the following school year till resolved. If you would like to take on additional assignments as a paid substitute, or if you have any questions, please call the Head of Committees.
Diapers & Toilet Training
Children in diapers are changed as needed on a sanitized changing table. Teachers use latex gloves for health reasons. Once a child is ready to begin toilet training, please notify the teacher and supply extra clothing for the child.
Discipline
There are some rules that we all must follow in order to protect the rights of everyone. Consult with the teacher if you encounter a persistent problem. Here are some general rules and suggested consequences:
• No one is allowed to take toys away from anyone else. Stay positive and explain that the child may have it as soon as the other child is finished. Be certain that you follow through by offering the toy to the child later in free play. No one is allowed to knock over another child's block structure. The child must help rebuild the broken structure.
• No child is allowed to inflict physical pain on anyone else or be destructive of the environment. If you see a child hitting, remove the child from the conflict and try to redirect him in an alternative way to communicate his needs. We follow the Thompson Valley School District code of discipline.
• There is no running in the classroom or hallway. Remind children to walk and explain that when we go outside, we can run freely there.
• If a grievance arises regarding the classroom or other students, please speak directly and confidentially to the teacher.
• The preschool reserves the right to expel any child whose behavior consistently disrupts the classroom or affects the safety of other children. If a teacher or parent has any concerns about the child's behavior, a meeting will be held to discuss the issue. If the child’s behavior does not improve within 30 calendar days, the child will be expelled. This process will be shortened if safety cannot be guaranteed.
Dress
We feel preschool should be a place where children can experiment with all kinds of materials including, finger paint, water, glue, sand, snow, etc. We even dabble in bubbles, pudding, cornmeal, oatmeal and rice! In order to feel comfortable, the children must have on suitable clothing that is not going to limit them. We suggest that all clothing be washable.
We also run, jump, work on balance beams, etc. These require certain types of clothing as well. Girls are encouraged to wear slacks, jeans or tights. Dress shoes can be very slippery; therefore rubber-soled shoes are suggested. On winter days, send hats and mittens. We go outside every day, except on extremely cold, rainy, or snowy days. Send boots on snowy days, for snow is one of nature’s most fabulous play materials and we take full advantage of it. Please label all outerwear clearly with your child’s name!
Facility
The preschool operates under a yearly contract with the First Baptist Church. Our preschool is completely independent of the church and its beliefs and functions. The following are mutual agreements with the Church:
1. The Church requests that all entrances and exits to the preschool area be made through the south doors. At no time should the north or east doors be used. No parking in the driveway west of the church or driving behind the church. (This is for the safety of all children.)
2. There is no smoking in the building or on the outside property. This no smoking request also applies to all business meetings held at the Church.
3. The grassy courtyard may be used for outside play, and toys used in that area are taken out and put away each day. Hauseman Hall may be used for active play during bad weather.
4. The preschool has separate full-coverage insurance.
5. In keeping with the energy saving recommendations, the church thermostats are regulated so that the temperatures in the classrooms will not get above 65-70 during the winter months. Parents are urged to dress their children accordingly so the school will be as comfortable as possible for them. Also, keep the doors to the classroom closed to keep the warmer air in and the cool hallway air out of the classroom.
Field Trips
During field trips, parent volunteers are asked to help with transportation. Volunteers are required to have car insurance and are responsible at all times during the trip for the children assigned to them. Please be aware that parents who assist with field trips are expected to watch and care for the children assigned to them for the entire amount of time spent away from school. Car seats are provided by each child’s parent.
Parents are notified about field trips through the monthly calendar, field trip permission slips and postings on the boards outside the classroom. If a child comes late to school and misses going on a field trip, the child should return home with his/her parent.
Identifing Where Children are at All Times
1. Children must wear name tags at all times.
2. Children are counted during transitions: going to and from the play yard, going to the bathroom, to visit another classroom, etc.
3. Children are accompanied to the bathrooms to toilet or wash hands.
4. During transitions, one adult stays at the head of the line and one adult stays at the end of the line.
Parent Conferences / Problem Solving with Teachers
If at any time you have concerns, a conference with the teacher is strongly recommended. Talking with the teacher encourages good communication and can alleviate many misunderstandings. Arrange for an appointment with the teacher first. You may contact the preschool president if you wish to arrange a 3-way conference.
Registering Complaints
Parents who have a complaint about the preschool may:
1. Go through the procedures listed in the parent handbook and/or:
2. Register a complaint through the State of Colorado. The phone number for such a complaint is 1-800-799-5876. The address is Department of Human Services, Division of Child Care, 1575 Sherman Street, Denver, Colorado 80203-1714
Response to Emergencies
Tornadoes: If there is a tornado, the windows are to be opened and the children are kept in the hall. Doors to the classrooms will be left open.
Fire: If there is a fire, the children exit through the back door of the building and wait with their class on the grass to the north of the building.
Notification and handling of children’s accidents and illnesses:
1. Accident/illness forms are filled out when a child has an accident at school.
2. If a child becomes ill, the child is isolated from the other children and the parent or emergency contact is called to pick-up the child.
3. If it is an extreme emergency, an ambulance is called for the child.
4. If necessary, first aid is administered.
Resposibilites of All Parents
1. We ask that children be dropped off in their classroom no more than five minutes prior to the start of class. Teachers and parent-helpers need the time before class to prepare activities and have materials ready. Do not enter through the parent helper door (by the playground) unless you are parent helping that day.
2. Your child will be given a cubby to store artwork, parent notices, permission slips, and more. Please be sure to check your child’s cubby each school day.
3. A monthly newsletter, called the Parent Helper, provides parents with current information on school events, schedules, and tuition. In addition, newsletters and additional information are posted on the preschool website at www.communitypreschool.org.
4. Please sign children in and out of class daily. The sheets are located on a board in the hallway by each teacher’s classroom. Sign-in sheets ensure that all children can be accounted for in the event of an emergency.
5. New ideas for crafts, stories, field trips, projects, etc., are encouraged and appreciated by the teacher. A suggestion box is available in the hallway at the preschool.
6. Parents are expected to pick their children up on time at the end of class. The teachers are paid professionals and they cannot watch children after school. If necessary, teachers may charge for babysitting at their discretion. If after one (1) hour the parents can’t be reached, or the other listed emergency contacts, child protection services may be called.
7. Parents are required to help in the classroom a set number of times per class per quarter for each child enrolled at CPS. Parents will be assigned extra parent-help days as needed. See the parent helper section for further information.
8. Parents are required to sign-up and complete a committee assignment each year for each child in each class. See committee assignment section for further information.
9. Fall Orientation is mandatory for all families and is held the first day of your child’s class. This 30-minute orientation will inform you about expectations for the upcoming year and answer any questions you may have.
10. Parents are responsible for following the Rules and Policies of Community Preschool. Failure to do so can lead to termination of membership from the school.
Show & Tell
Children are encouraged to bring show and tell objects on days when you are scheduled to parent-help. Please do not allow your child to bring chewing gum or candy to school (with the exception of special events, such as holidays, birthday celebrations, etc).
Sick Policy
Since the preschool is licensed by the State through the Department of Welfare, it is important that:
1. A child should not attend school if he or she is not feeling well. This includes running a fever (any temperature 100 degrees and up), runny nose (other than clear), coughing, excessive sneezing, vomiting and diarrhea. If any child appears ill upon entering or during class, the teacher is required by state law to send the child home.
2. So that other preschoolers’ parents can be informed, parents are to notify the preschool immediately if their child comes down with a communicable disease. Examples include chicken pox, pink eye, strep throat, scarlet fever, mites and lice.
3. In an emergency situation that requires medical attention, the preschool will first try to contact the parents, then the child’s doctor, and finally the doctor on call.
4. The only medicine that will be administered at preschool is for life-threatening situations such as allergies and asthma. All medicines must be provided by the parent. A prescription for the medicine should be on file. Teachers will be trained to administer the medicine.
Television
As a general rule, television is not viewed at Community Preschool. Occasionally, a children’s educational video is used in class.
Transportation
The preschool does not transport children to or from school. Children will only be released to those designated in their file, and teachers may ask to see identification if there is any question. If a child will be picked up by anyone other than his or her parent or legal guardian, a written permission slip must be provided to the teacher. In addition, please make teachers aware if there are specific individuals who should not be on school grounds.
Understanding Your Child at Preschool
• When beginning a new school experience, children can act out. They may be shy in a group setting, cry, refuse to share, cling to their parent, or hit another child. This is normal behavior for this age group. It takes time for a child to get used to their surroundings. Please be patient - sometimes it is harder on the parent than on the child!
• Let your child stand and watch if that is what he or she wants to do. Watching is a form of participation.
• Keep in mind the process versus the product. The children are learning developmental tasks, and need to try many tasks on their own; the “perfect” end product is not the goal.
School General Information
