PARENT HANDBOOK 

Tuition & Fees

Tuition for our 2 day a week program is $125 per month.  Tuition for our 3 day a week program is $155 per month.  Tuition is payable on the first day of class each month.

FEES

• There is a $75.00 non-refundable registration fee payable when registering.  This fee reserves your child’s spot, covers materials for the year and a t-shirt.

• Tuition is due on the first day of class each month.  Monthly invoices are emailed via Brightwheel.    Payment should be by auto-withdrawal through Brightwheel.   A late fee of $10.00 will be charged on late payments beginning on the 10th of each month.

• $20.00 NSF charge for each check returned.

• If your child misses preschool because of a trip, illness, etc. the tuition fee still must be paid in full for the month.

• The late pickup fee is $1 per minute.

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IMMUNIZATIONS

The Idaho State Health Department requires that all preschool children be immunized before or within 30 days of enrollment. Please provide a copy of your child’s immunizations as soon as possible.

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ILLNESS POLICIES

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For the health and well being of your child and of others at school, keep your child home for the following reasons: 

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1. A fever.  A child should remain at home for  24 hours after the fever is gone.  The child should be fever free WITHOUT medication for a full 24 hours before returning to preschool.

2. Cough or shortness of breath

3. Sore throat,

4. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (child should remain home for 48 hours after the last episode).

5. Red, "crusty", itchy eyes (conjunctivitis or pink eye is very contagious). The child must be kept at home for 48 hours while being treated with antibiotics and should only return to school if there is no discharge from the eyes.

6. A runny nose if there is colored nasal mucous.

7. Please keep excessively sleepy or unusually grumpy kids home as this may be an indication of a pending illness.

A parent or a person on the emergency contact list must always be available by phone during school hours.  It is the parent's responsibility to have someone available who can come to the school for emergencies or for a sick child.

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Teacher Illness

Please allow teachers two sick days without expecting a make-up day. When possible, we will try to make-up missed days due to teacher illness in excess of two.  Your class is not in session every day, but there are classes here every weekday which can make this challenging.

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PARENT PARTICIPATION

Parents are welcome and encouraged to participate in the classroom.  We ask that arrangements be made in advance with the teacher so plans can be made to best utilize parent availability.  It is also important to limit the number of parents in the classroom on a given day. This will allow the children time to adjust, settle into a new routine and develop a level of trust and comfort with the teacher. Please make other arrangements for siblings while you are volunteering at school.  You may visit the classroom at any time for any reason.

 

PARENT/CHILD SEPARATION

It is not unusual for a child to become teary when separating from a parent in an unfamiliar situation.  Remember, this is a new environment with new faces. A child is bound to feel a little uncomfortable.  Adults often have similar experiences when put in a like situation. Be encouraging. Your smile, eyes and body language communicate a lot. If children sense any type of apprehension on your part, this enhances their own feeling of uncertainty.  Separation is often harder on the parents than the child.  It is best to give hugs and leave quickly.  Usually they are fine and playing in less than 5 minutes. 

 

ANNUAL PRESCHOOL CALENDAR

We follow the West Ada School District Calendar.  All holiday breaks and spring break will be observed in accordance with this school year calendar unless otherwise stated. However, we do not cancel preschool for in-service or conference days observed by the district.  

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SCHOOL CLOSURES

If bad weather forces the West Ada School District to close schools, then our preschool will be closed.  If the Meridian schools are delayed for two hours, the morning session will be cancelled.  Please keep in mind that it is your choice to have your child attend school on these days. The conditions of rural roads can be very hazardous. The safety of both you and your child is far more important than missing one day of preschool.

 

ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

Please have your child use the restroom before leaving home. The preschool door will be opened near the start time of 9:30 or 12:30 depending on your class.  Please sign-in using the brightwheel app each day. This can also be done in your car or remotely using the QR code card. 

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DEPARTURE

If your child is going home with another child to play, please inform your child's teacher.  Please sign out  using the QR code card and wait for the preschool door to open.  Please inform anyone who may be picking up your child for you to expect to show ID.  Please be sure to add them to your brightwheel contacts.

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PROMPT PICK UP

It is important and necessary for you to pick up your child or carpool on time. A child whose ride is late may experience great anxiety and worry.  It is difficult for the child/children and for the teacher who needs to eat lunch, sanitize everything, and prepare for the next class.  We understand that emergencies happen.  If an emergency occurs, take time to give us a call or send a text.  There is a $1 per minute fee if you are late picking up.

 

DRESS

Please label all sweaters, jackets, coats, school bags, backpacks, etc. with the child’s name.  Dress your child in comfortable, practical clothing for painting or playing outdoors.  Send your child each day dressed appropriately for outside.  Children's clothing should be uncomplicated so that they can easily use the bathroom by themselves.  Expect your child to get messy and provide a change of clothes in their backpack that includes socks and underwear.

 

“POTTY” POLICY

We have a potty-trained only policy.  We know there are times when accidents happen, but these should be out of the ordinary.  If a child has a potty accident, they will need to change into dry clothing.  Children are encouraged to change their own clothes; we will help when needed, of course.  Please be sure there are appropriate clothes in their backpack for the season including dry socks.  

 

SNACK TIME 

WE ARE NUT FREE THIS YEAR

Snack time is a great opportunity to extend language development, develop relationships, learn about manners and nutrition, and practice self-help skills. You will be asked to provide snack for 2-3 weeks for 12 children.  This is very exciting to the children because they will be the snack helper during that time.  Do not worry about a drink.  We will be drinking water with our snack every day.  Healthy snacks are preferred and we ask that you watch food labels and be aware of nut allergies.  Only pre-package, store bought, snacks are permitted.  If your child has a special diet you may be asked to provide their snack.

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BIRTHDAYS

Birthdays are special to children.  You are welcome to provide a special snack to celebrate the big day.  If you would like to bring cupcakes for birthday snack please be sure they are store bought, and the small ones are preferred.   Please do not bring party invitations to school to be passed out by the teacher or put into backpacks unless you have one for every child in the room.

 

SHOW AND TELL (currently show and tell is suspended as we have been advised to limit items from home)

Your child will have an assigned day for show and tell.  Their “show and tell item” will go into a basket at arrival and stay there until show and tell time.  After the item is shown it goes directly into the backpack.  Often these are treasured items and we want to keep them safe from loss or damage so we do not play with them in class.  Please do not send toys or blankets from home on any other day.  There is plenty for us to do in preschool and we wouldn’t want to lose a special item. 

It is a great idea to share an item that follows our theme or Letter of the Week!

 

DISCIPLINE

The classroom environment is designed with preschool behavior in mind.  Proper classroom preparation fosters good behavior.  However, frustrations inevitably occur.  All behavior is really an effort to tell us something.  Understanding this fact helps teachers to decipher the real issue at the root of challenging behavior.  That being said, our discipline is age appropriate.  It often takes the form of a gentle reminder or redirection. At times coaching the child in which words they should use or how to negotiate is necessary.  Choices are offered encouraging children to make appropriate decisions and to take responsibility for their actions.  For repeated unsafe behaviors a child may be encouraged to take a break or find a safe space to self-regulate.  We will practice tools for self-regulation in class including breathing exercises, verbalizing "I need a break", and a safe space to go for self-regulating, if desired.

 

FIELD TRIPS 

Bright Shining Stars love to extend our learning by attending field trips.  Your registration fee covers the cost for all field trips throughout the year.  We are unable to transport your preschooler, so any field trip that is not a walking field trip will need to have parent participation for transportation and supervision.

 

SPECIAL VISITORS 

We encourage parents with special talents such as artists, dancers, singers, fire fighters, police officers, doctors, dentists, storytellers, musicians etc. to come and visit our classroom.  Just inform the teacher of your desire to visit and set-up a time.