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Fall 2006
Director’s Corner - Fall 2006
As always, in September I want to welcome all of our new and returning students
and families. In November, I will have been at Children’s Corner for 26 years! As I get
older, the years seem to fly by! It is hard to believe that in September we will be starting
again with new two-year-olds, more younger siblings, and new friends - what fun for us!
The teachers have been busy finishing the summer programs and planning for the fall in
anticipation of new students.
Our Back to School Night was on Monday, September 11 from 7-9pm for all
parents. This will be an opportunity for parents to see their child’s classroom and meet
their teachers. Teachers will be providing an overview of the year’s curriculum, letting
parents know their child’s primary teacher and answering questions. We hope that all
families will be represented. Please remember this night is for adults only.
Each September, I feel it is important to utilize our newsletter to share information
and to review some of our policies and procedures. When families first come visit,
parents receive information about our program, philosophy, curriculum, and policies.
Initially, parents often feel overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive and
feel that they will never remember everything. Usually after about a month or two,
families are feeling comfortable with the new routines. However, over the years we have
discovered that no matter how hard we try to communicate with families, some still miss
information. We share information in several ways at Children’s Corner. A quarterly
newsletter is mailed to all of our families. (If you move, please be sure to change your
address in the office as this newsletter is mailed bulk rate and is not forwarded.) We also
have a monthly E-Newsletter so be sure we have your e-mail address. Signs are posted on
the bulletin boards and portable easel in front of the office, and on the gate leading to the
classrooms. In addition, teachers post notices in the classrooms by the sign-in sheets and
put flyers in the children’s cubbies. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to ask!
Ask the teachers, the directors, the office staff, and other parents! We want to be sure
that everyone understands Children’s Corner’s program and feels a part of it. Keeping
the lines of communication open is critical if we are to provide the best care for children
while also trying to meet the needs of our families and teaching staff. If you have any
suggestions, we also have a suggestion box in the office for your use.
We all agree that the safety of our children is the fundamental concern of both
parents and teachers. If you, the parents, or “alternative care provider” (nanny, relative,
etc.) are on the premises of Children’s Corner, you are responsible for your children and
any children accompanying you. “Premises” is defined as classrooms and playgrounds of
Children’s Corner or any other designated site for a scheduled event (i.e. multipurpose
room, etc.). We ask that you please keep all of your children with you while at Children’s
Corner. Our reasoning is that when the parent is present, the child assumes the parent is
in charge, and this philosophy makes staff members hesitant to intrude when parent and
child are together. We will, of course, intervene if we observe an unsafe situation. We
ask that you not allow children to climb on our gate and fences or open the gates. It is
dangerous for your children, and the added wear on the gate is a continual maintenance
problem. We tell children that only teachers and parents open gates to insure that gates
are securely closed and do not remain open, allowing other children to enter or leave the
play yards. We would greatly appreciate your attention in this area. As many of you
know, transition times can be difficult when we have children arriving and departing. We
want our families to feel welcome at Children’s Corner and we also want all children to
benefit from their scheduled time at school. If you want to visit with other families at
transition times, we ask that you use the picnic table area outside the office or the Train
Park. This allows teachers to focus on the children in their group and for all children to
enjoy their preschool experience.
Another safety precaution is keeping your children’s files current. Please
remember to inform the office of changes in addresses, home and work numbers, and
children’s allergies. Often parents remember to fill out information about allergies on the
initial forms, but neglect to inform us about additions or deletions. In case there is an
emergency, we want our information about your child to be as current as possible.
One of the most important aspects of caring for young children is the continuity
between home and school. Please let teachers know when things change at home or if
your child is having difficulties at home or school. We want to work with you to make
sure that we do our best to meet your child’s needs at school. We want to be sure that he/
she has a positive experience at Children’s Corner.
Due to the developmental needs of the younger children, we will continue to have
3 teachers with 13 children in Room 5 (a 1:4/5 ratio). Hopefully, this increases the
opportunity for regular feedback for parents. We will not be doing formal parent-teacher
conferences for this age group. However, as always we will be available to discuss any
concerns on the part of either the teachers or parents and will set up conferences on
request. We will continue to have 3 teachers and 15 children (a 1:5 ratio) in Room 6 and
Room C will remain the same with 3 teachers and up to 24 children (a 1:8 ratio at the
maximum). Again this year, the Clark location will provide full-time care for 12
children.
In the spring, for Rooms 6, C and at Clark, teachers will offer the opportunity for
parents to sign up for conferences on sign-up sheets in the child’s classroom. Parents
and/or teachers may also request a conference at any time and we will do our best to
schedule a convenient appointment. We hope that this year all parents will take
advantage of this opportunity. When teachers are in the classrooms, their primary
responsibility is to the children in their charge so please do not get into lengthy
conversations with them in the classroom. Our teachers are always willing to give you a
call at a convenient time for both of you and this allows our teachers to give both you and
the children their undivided attention.
As most of you know, Children’s Corner is accredited by the (NAEYC) National
Association for the Education of Young Children. As part of maintaining our
accreditation, we ask parents to complete an annual parent questionnaire that evaluates
our program. Questionnaires are one opportunity for parents to give us feedback. In
addition, the entire staff hopes that all of our families will feel that they may ask any
questions, share any concerns, make suggestions, and yes even voice any complaints to
us. Remember, we also have the suggestion box in the front office. If you want to make
any suggestions in writing, please feel free to drop something off in this box. Signed
comments and questions will be addressed individually, and questions and concerns of
general interest will be addressed in our monthly newsletter. As a staff, we are
continually evaluating our program and view our parents as partners in our efforts to
bring the best pre-school experience to each child in our care. Please consider this an
open invitation to talk with ay of us. My hope is that questions and/or concerns will first
be directed to your child’s teacher. If for any reason this is not possible, in addition to
myself, Chris Losch as our Program Director, is responsible for staffing and curriculum.
We work closely together and one of us tries to be available at all times. I will be
dividing my time between the Hillview and Clark locations. When I am off site, the
office is always informed of my schedule and may contact me as necessary. We also
always respond to any messages left for us if we are not immediately accessible. We
want to keep the lines of communication open in order to provide a positive pre-school
experience for you and your child. Know that we appreciate your support. Our
partnership will greatly strengthen our school community.
Our goal at Children’s Corner is to design an environment that provides
outstanding nurturing and the opportunity for all children to reach their fullest potential.
We want to help all children respect others, develop their social skills and creativity,
develop their language and self-help skills while promoting their cognitive development
in a play filled environment. I also hope that through our member activities, workdays,
and participation with your children at school, our Children’s Corner community will
grow and provide opportunities for families to be together and enjoy each other’s
company. I am looking forward to another wonderful year.
SPECIAL ARTICLE
Sometimes it is difficult for a parent to know what to do when their child cries or
clings when dropping them off at school, especially at the beginning of a new school year.
Here are a few suggestions from the August issue of “The Well-Centered Child”:
1. Arrive on time and greet the teacher like an old friend. If you are among the first
to arrive, the room will be quieter. Your child will have a chance to see you talking
in a friendly way to the adult who will care for him. It is easier for a child to accept
a new teacher as a caregiver (and human being!) if it’s clear that you like her, too!
2. Bring along a comfort item to leave with your child. It might be a picture of you, a
special blanket or stuffed toy. A wise person once described such security items as
being like a “portable mom”. They do help. In much the same way, a parent who
leaves a scarf or other personal item with a toddler is also leaving a concrete message
“A piece of me is with you. I’ll be back.
3. Do not slip away while your child is busy playing. Doing so may cause her to
mistrust you and will only lead to more determined clinging next time. Always let
your child know that you are leaving. You will be helping her learn that separation can
be faced and managed.
4. Tell your child when you will return. Although your child can’t tell time yet, he can
understand ideas like, “I’ll be back when you’re playing outside after naptime.” Be sure
to return when you said you would.
5. Say good-bye quickly. Say it cheerfully. And confidently. (Even if you don’t quite
feel that way the first few times.) Ever since he was a baby, your child has checked the
expression on your face to find out how to react. When you look worried, he feels
worried. Looking cheerful and confident says, “You can handle this!”
6. Call the school later if you are concerned. Just as you might give a regretful sigh
when seeing a loved one
off at the airport, so might your child cry briefly when you say good-bye. Because
she’s sad when you leave
doesn’t mean she’ll be sad all day, however. Give the school a call later on.
Knowing that she’s settled in can help you feel better.
It’s okay to take awhile to learn to say good-bye to someone you love. It helps to
keep in mind that saying good-bye gets easier with time and experience. Eventually, your
child will understand fully that you’ll always return, and will be able to let you go with
trust and confidence.
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"Tis education forms the common mind;
Just as the twig is bent, the tree's inclined."
- Alexander Pope
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