preschool handbook
DESCRIPTION
Saint Joseph School DistrictTRANSCRIPT
St. Joseph School
District
Early Childhood
2017-18
Early Childhood Department Mission Goals
$ To provide a safe, supportive, and nurturing environment by encouraging and responding to children's natural interests.
$ To support each child's individual stage of development by providing a balance of purposeful play and teacher-‐guided activities based on on-‐going assessments.
$ To engage children in the experiences necessary to construct their
own knowledge and prepare them for their next school experience. $ To recognize parents as the principal influences on their child's
education and development by providing opportunities that reinforce the parent’s role as an educator.
Eligibility Requirements for Preschool
Title I programming: The SJSD determines children eligible for Title I programming by identifying preschool children most at risk of failing to meet the State’s academic achievement standards based on multiple, educationally-‐related, objective criteria, such as developmentally appropriate measures of child development, teacher judgment, and interviews with parents. Children must be four (4) years of age before August 1 to qualify for Title 1 Preschool.
Half Day Transportation not provided Special Education programming: Young students who have identified developmental delays may be eligible to attend classes that provide early childhood special education. Servicing children ages 3 through pre-‐kindergarten age that demonstrate a need for individualized educational programs.
Half Day or Full Day Transportation may be provided
Peer Model programming: A play pal is a child that is at least 3 years of age and has demonstrated advanced abilities in the areas of language and age appropriate socialization skills. These students serve as a peer models for students with disabilities.
Half Day Transportation may be provided
A birth certificate or other approved legal document, giving proof of the child’s birthdate, must be presented at registration. Children must be immunized according to state regulations before the first day of school or attendance will not be permitted.
School Title availability
ECSE availability
Peer Model availability
Coleman 36 4 0 ELC 60 30 4 Enright Center 36 4 0 Hosea 48 16 0 Humboldt 36 9 0 Lake Contrary 0 22 0 Lindbergh 24 26 4 Oak Grove 36 68 4 Skaith 36 4 0 Truman 12 12 0
Totals 324 195 12
The Value of Play
Play promotes... literacy and language development as children: $ use communication for taking turns, negotiating, and planning their play $ reconstruct events and sequences in events and stories leading to
increased story comprehension $ increase speech fluency $ practice new vocabulary
physical development as children: $ coordinate their actions with objects and other people $ engage in activities that develop stamina, flexibility, strength, coordination, and fitness $ practice gross and fine motor skills
cognitive development as children:
$ pretend to be some object or person $ learn new ideas from peers $ problem solve and think abstractly about their world
$ learn to distinguish fantasy from reality social growth as children: $ learn to consider the perspective of others $ participate in turn taking, cooperating and sharing $ experiment with leadership skills $ learn to tolerate delays $ work out stress $ increase goal-‐directed behavior and persistence $ use creative imagination $ pursue their own ideas $ develop friendships $ work through conflict $ experience sheer fun-‐-‐the positive aspect of fun is that it is
essential to growth and a strong motivation for every kind of learning
Observation of children at play guides teachers in planning appropriate
activities and experiences to meet the developmental needs of students.
Preschool Schedule Components
The Saint Joseph School District preschool programs follow the High/Scope Curriculum. Each classroom follows the same daily routine, consisting of the same components. The order and length of each component varies from classroom to classroom based on student abilities and interests. These Components are: Large Group ~ The large group time involves a variety of activities. For example, it may include games, music, read alouds, presenters, etc. Although large group time works on many skills, some of the more important skills are turn-‐taking, listening, lengthening attention span, and being respectful of others’ ideas/feelings. Writing Time ~ This provides fine motor development. Writing time may include a variety of writing experiences including pencils, markers, whiteboards, chalk, and shaving cream. Other forms of letter work may be used during this time, such as letter stamps and playdoh with letter cutters. A mini-‐lesson may be used at the beginning of this time on topics including, but not limited to, capital vs. lowercase, directionality, and holding a pencil. The teacher’s and para's roles may include taking documentation, collecting writing samples, and discussing the writing with the students.
Planning ~ Planning for work time provides an opportunity for children to expand their oral language abilities. The act of planning may look very different and can involve reviewing a variety of concepts. As the teacher listens to a child's plan, the teacher can document the plan to see if a child is doing the same activity or a variety of activities from day to day. If the planning activity involves reviewing concepts, the teacher can check and document the mastery of those concepts.
Work Time ~ This is the longest piece of the daily schedule. During this time, the students are working (playing) in areas throughout the room. In addition to pre academic skills, the students are learning problem solving skills, conflict resolution, and social skills. The teacher’s and para's jobs may include being actively involved in play, working one-‐on-‐one with students, and taking documentation. A classroom clean up should follow at the end of work time. Recall ~ It is a time to strengthen oral language. It is a share time where students practice listening and asking questions. Each child is given the opportunity to recall throughout the week, but not necessarily on a daily basis. Snack ~ Students develop table manners, gain nutritional knowledge and practice social skills while enjoying a pre-‐planned snack. A variety of concepts and self-‐help skills are also emphasized during this time. Small Group ~ Students are placed in small groups led by a teacher or para. These groups are formed to explore materials and concepts with a planned purpose and goal. The teacher and para take documentation of skills displayed through a variety of developmentally appropriate activities. Small group does not always produce a product. Gross Motor Time ~ Gross motor time may be indoors or out, and lasts 15-‐20 minutes daily. It may consist of structured activities such as games or dances, or may be unstructured. Gross motor time is always supervised closely. Gross motor time is important to the daily routine as it not only encourages physical fitness, but it teaches conflict resolution, turn-‐taking, rules, and cooperation. Read Aloud ~ This is a time to expose the children to a variety of literature. It serves many purposes including: increasing attention span and listening skills, making plans, concepts of print, directionality, discussing parts of the book, making predictions, visualization, and comprehension strategies.
Zaner-Bloser Manuscript Writing
While handwriting is not formally taught in preschool, many parents find it helpful to know the kind of writing that primary children learn. The various letters are formed as shown on the following page. Children learn to use the capital letter at the beginning of their name. For example: Mary -‐ not MARY Smith -‐ not SMITH
"Children who are encouraged to draw and scribble 'stories' at an early age will later learn to compose more easily, more effectively, and with greater confidence than children who do not have this encouragement." This finding is based on research literature reported by the U.S. Department of Education (What Works: Research about Teaching and Learning, second edition, 1987) The preschool years provide parents with the opportunity to build a solid base upon which good writing skills will be developed in later years. Use this critical time in a child's development by providing materials to strengthen their fine motor skills: $ Playdough $ Scissors $ Hole Punches $ Beads for Stringing $ Tweezers for Picking Up Small Items As well as materials for them to use in their meaningful writing experiences: $ Paper $ Crayons $ Large pencils $ Chalk $ Dry Erase Boards $ Markers $ Paint $ Magna Doodles Your preschooler will need good modeling on your part and most of all, lots of encouragement and supportive response.
Learning Begins Before Kindergarten
Children begin learning at birth, and Parents as Teachers (PAT) helps give children the best possible start in life. Parents as Teachers is a free and voluntary early-‐learning program for parents with children birth to age 5. This nationally-‐known program, which originated in Missouri, has spread throughout the United States, reaching thousands of families. Parents as Teachers has much to offer you and your child.
The benefits of Parents as Teachers
Parents are a child's first and most influential teachers. Parents as Teachers helps families lay a strong foundation for a child's future success in school.
YOUR CHILD WAS BORN TO LEARN!
As a Parents As Teachers (PAT) participant, families receive the following services:
$ Personalized home visits by a certified parent educator, specially trained in child development and eager to help families give children a great start. $ Group meetings with other parents, where families can share
parenting experiences, gain new insights, and talk about topics that interest them.
$ Information and guidance, beginning even before a baby is born, on preparing for baby, home safety, what to look for as children develop, effective discipline, constructive play and more. $ Periodic screenings to ensure that your child has no undetected learning, sensory (hearing and vision) or developmental problems. $ A referral network that helps families find special services, if
needed, that are beyond the scope of PAT.
ENROLL NOW IN PARENTS AS TEACHERS
671-‐4300
The St. Joseph School District
Vision
St. Joseph School District: A Great Place to Learn
Mission
Educating Each Child For Success
Values
• Commitment to Excellence • Integrity of Actions
• Culture of Collaboration
St. Joseph School District
Tammy Flowers
Coordinator of Early Childhood Services Early Learning Department
925 Felix 816-‐671-‐4000