PRESCHOOL PRE-KINDERGARTEN AND KINDERGARTEN - Schaumburg Christian School

TRANSPORTATIONIf you need assistance with transportation, pleasespeak to the receptionist about carpooling withother school families.FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOLTo ease the transition from home to school,students are more successful if parents do notlinger and make long good byes. Please be aseasy going as possible; i.e. “See you in a littlebit,” and a quick kiss good bye as you go out thedoor. It is amazing how quickly the childrenadjust to routine and get involved. It is normal tohave criers in the first few weeks of school, butchildren typically cry for only a few minutes.Our teachers are experts at diverting their fears tosomething positive. Once parents are out of sight,the students tend to settle down. Parents will becontacted if a problem persists. Refer to thesection Separation Anxiety for more information.You may also be eligible for bus transportation ifyou live within District 54. Please visit the schoolwebsite to get more information about this serviceor speak to the receptionist.STUDENT DRESS ANDAPPEARANCEClothing for students in Preschool - Kindergartenshould be appropriate for school and encourageindependence. The clothing should be easy tomanipulate by the child, simple, comfortable,appropriately sized, washable, and weatherfriendly. Student’s hair should look natural and notbe a distraction to the learning process.DISMISSALWhen picking up your child, please wait outsidethe classroom door. For your child’s safety, ifsomeone other than the usual person is pickingup your child, please send a note to the teacherand the receptionist that morning indicating thename of the new escort. In addition, pleasesubmit a note informing us of the peopleinvolved in your carpool. We may ask for proofof identification before we release your child tothem. If you are going to be late picking up yourchild, please notify the receptionist and yourchild’s teacher.PERSONAL LIFE SKILLSA well-rounded education for preschoolers kindergartners includes social and personalcharacter development. The Bible proclaims inProverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way heshould go: and when he is old, he will not departfrom it.” Our school parents often tell us that thecharacter development is one of the things thatattracted them to our school; because they areworking to instill in their children’s lives at homethe same principles that we try to instill in theirhearts at school. The school becomes anextension of the home. We look to the future.They will not remain small children; theyeventually will grow into elementary students,teenagers, and then young adults. Now is the besttime to teach biblical values, good manners,cooperative interaction and communication withothers, study skills, and proper work ethics. Ouradministration, teachers and staff are committedand unified to this important mission.PARKING AND TRAFFIC FLOWPlease help us provide a safe environment for ourstudents, parents, and faculty by following ourparking lot policies at all times. Our guidelines,which are intended to enhance safety and trafficflow, include the following: Please drive slowly and cautiously any time youare in or around the parking lots.Never drop anyone off in the drive-through lanein front of the Early Education Center. Standing,parking, or waiting for a parking space to becomeavailable is prohibited.Always park in a designated parking space in oneof the lots. Do not park along any curb or onPleasant Drive.Always keep your children close to you whenyou are walking to and from the Early EducationCenter (EEC) building.Never leave children unattended in your vehicle.Students are expected to be responsible for theirown actions in spite of the actions of others.Disobedience, disrespect to authority, dishonesty,stealing, profanity, disorderly conduct, andhurtful actions (biting, hitting, kicking, etc.) willnot be permitted.We endeavor to communicate with notes, phonecalls, emails, and parent/teacher conferences.Office referrals may become necessary for majoroffenses, repeated offenses, or when students failto respond to typical correction.Thank you for your cooperation concerning theseimportant matters.7

HEALTHCAREWe are deeply concerned for the health andsafety of all our students. The following areguidelines we use to ensure the best possible carefor each child.POLICIES AND PROCEDURESWINTER WEATHERClasses spend a portion of every day in outdoorplay, weather permitting. Please be sure yourchild has the appropriate winter clothing: snowclothes, boots, hats, mittens, etc. As a generalrule, if your child is too ill to go outside, he isprobably too ill to attendschool. As long as thewind chill temperature isabovezerodegrees,childrennormallygooutside for recess.If a child is injured or becomes ill, the school willtake whatever action it deems necessary, whichmay include parent contact, administering firstaide, or calling 911.Medication will be administered per writtenparental instructions and according torecommended dosage on box/bottle. At thebeginning of the school year, all parents orguardians are required to complete an EmergencyTreatment Release / Medication AuthorizationForm.Severe weather or other emergencies may requireschool to be closed. A decision to close school isgenerally made by 6:00 a.m. and is made on adaily basis.We ask that parents pick up their child promptlyfrom school when their child becomes ill. Anystudent with a temperature of 100.4 degrees orabove, or who has experienced vomiting ordiarrhea within the previous 24 hours, will not beallowed to remain in school. The parents will becontacted and asked to take their child home or toa doctor. The student must be symptom free for24 hours without medications before returning toschool. We reserve the right to refuse attendanceto any child who, in our estimation, may possiblyspread a disease or illness to other children, i.e.fever, chickenpox, strep, pinkeye, head lice,hoof-and-mouth disease, etc.Please be assured that we are in constant contactwith weather service forecasts. If weatherforecasts for our immediate area begin to worsen,we will always make decisions based on thesafety of our students and staff.Always assume that school will open as usual;however, it is always important to check with oneor more of the following sources of informationto obtain accurate and up-to-date information: A recorded message will be sent to yourprimary phone numbernotification system.throughourSome signs of illness are: unusual fatigue or irritability coughing, sneezing, runny nose, and eyes fever of 100.4 or higher vomiting or diarrhea inflamed mouth or throat rash/intense itching stomach ache Call: 1-847-885-3230, Press 5. This is theschool number. Information will beprovided regarding the opening or closingof school. Online: www.schaumburgchristian.comYou will find a post on the full-sitedashboard notifying you ifschool/extended care is closed.FIELD TRIPSField trips are taken at various times during theschool year to places of educational interest. Thestudents are required to maintain the same levelof conduct away from the school as is required atthe school.CHANGE OF ADDRESS OR PHONE NUMBERIn case of emergency, it is imperative the schoolhas access to your current address and phonenumber. To update this information, pleasecomplete the Information Change Form. Thisform is available with the receptionist.PARENT CHAPERONESThere are times throughout the school year whenparents may be asked to serve as chaperones.8

HOME VISITSEach preschool - kindergarten teacher would liketo visit the homes of their studentsearly in the school year. The purposeof the visit is to get acquainted withthe child’s family and to discuss thestudent’s individual needs at school.Teachers will have sign-up sheetsavailable for parents to indicate theirdesire for a home visit.BIRTHDAYSIf you desire to celebrate yourchild’s birthday at school, pleasemake arrangements in advance withyour child’s teacher.TOYS / PERSONAL PROPERTYLabel all your child’s belongings: book bags,coats, blankets, etc. Toys from home arediscouraged; however, special allowances will bemade for show-and-tell days. This policy helps toprevent the loss or damage to treasured items.VISITORSVisitors are always welcome at SCS. Pleasecheck in with the school receptionist upon yourarrival.SNACKSParents are responsible for their own child’s dailyclassroom snack. Please send a healthy snacksuch as fruit, veggies, cheese, crackers, cookies,muffins, dry cereal, etc., and bottled water. Popand candy are inappropriate snacks.Parents are always welcome to visit classes. Inorder to provide uninterrupted instruction, we askthat such classroom visits be scheduled inadvance through the school office.EXTENDED CARESchaumburg Christian School provides extendedcare service for our students in preschool through8th grade. Extended Care hours are from 6:30a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Rates are available on theschool website or at Early Education Center frontdesk. Students are billed 1.00 per minute / perchild after 6:00 p.m.PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCESThe school is an extension of the home. Werecognize the importance of the home and theschool working together to obtain spiritual andacademic growth for the student. Therefore, ourpreschool - kindergarten teachers schedule timesin October and February for parents and teachersto meet in order to discuss the needs of thestudent. Other conferences may be scheduled asnecessary throughout the school year. Teachersare happy to arrange conferences with parents asneeded, but please be considerate of the teacher’stime.SCHOOL SUPPLIESPlease refer to the school supply list for whatsupplies you will need to purchase for your childto bring with her/her to the classroom. A schoolsupply list can be found on theresource page of the schoolwebsite or check with the EECreceptionist. Your child’s teachermay ask for additional items.Please review all enthroughout the year to make sureyour child has all needed supplies. Pocket foldersare our special way of communication betweenthe teacher and parents. Please check and emptythem daily for notices, papers, and crafts. Allstudents will need an extra change of clothing.Please label each piece of clothing and placethem in a zip lock bag to be stored in thestudent’s book bag. All preschool and prekindergarten (napper) students will also need asmall blanket labeled with their name. Cot sheetsfor naptime will be provided for all nappers, andthe cost of the cot sheet will be reflected on theschool bill.BATHROOM HYGIENEAll children need to be fully toilet trained beforethey begin school. Diapers or pull-ups are notallowed. We consider a student to be toilettrained when he can complete all bathroom needsindependently. The student is not considered tobe completely toilet trained if he is experiencingaccidents.It is beneficial to take your child to the washroomeach day before coming to the classroom;however, a child may be permitted to use thewashroom whenever necessary. Please dress yourchild in clothing that does not restrict theirpersonal hygiene. Remind your child of properwashroom habits before sending him to school:flushing the toilet, washing hands, etc.9

ATTENDANCEIn order to gain the most from school, eachstudent is requested to attend regularly. Parentsshould notify the school receptionist of absencesprior to 9:00 a.m.CLASS CUTSA maximum of five days of class cuts arepermitted each semester for unavoidableabsences. These are for non-school sponsoredparent-attended activities including churchsponsored functions and family vacations. Ifpossible, family vacations should be restricted todays when school is not in session. Individualstudent vacations or other activities that do notinclude parents will not be approved.Class cuts are to be arranged at least two schooldays prior to the absence. Parents of preschool –kindergarten children are asked to arrange classcuts through their child’s teacher and to notifythe receptionist. Class cuts should not be takenduring the first two weeks of the school year orduring the final two weeks of each semester.Any kindergarten student absent for thirty (30)days or more during the school year may beretained at the same grade level.TARDINESSStudents are expected to be on time to school andall scheduled activities during the school day.Students may arrive thirty (30) minutes prior tostart time.Start times: Preschool Pre-Kindergarten Kindergarten8:30 a.m.8:30 a.m.8:15 a.m.10

ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE When a child enters school for the first time, heoften experiences certain fears: fear of theunknown, fear of being separated from hisparents, fear of new people, fear of a newfacility, etc. These fears become exaggeratedwhen the child cannot understand the languageand cannot communicate his basic needs.5. Provide a translator for your child for thefirst few days of school to assist your childwith the basic directions and routines.As parents and teachers, we want the child’s firstexperiences at school to be pleasant ones;therefore, we have compiled a few suggestions toassist you in preparing your child for school.6. Encourage your child to practice English outloud at least 10-15 minutes per day. It isimperative that he has an opportunity to haveoral practice in English with his parentsbecause he is more secure in his homeenvironment.How can you help your child?1. Teach your child the English phrases for hisBASIC needs: I have to go potty. I need a drink. I feel sick.7. Avoid using television as a method to learnEnglish. It does not give your child anopportunity to vocalize the words, becorrected, or practice repetitively.8. Purchase the phonics audio CD used to teachand practice phonics at SchaumburgChristian School.2. Usingpictures,picturedictionaries,flashcards, and picture books, teach yourchild the English counterpart of familiarwords such as crayons, glue, paint, pencil,desk, table, chair, toys, coat, book bag,snack, slide, sand box, swing, etc.Procedure: Hold up the picture of an objectand say the word in English. Ask your childto repeat the name to you out loud. Practiceit until your child masters the English names.3. Teach your child simple classroominstructions by acting out the action as yousay them together in English: stand up, sitdown, come here, line up, look up, listen,share, pick up (objects like toys, crayons,books, etc.)4. Meet with your child’s teacher to establishthe following: Plan to get involved in the classroomactivities, such as crafts, field trips, andparties.Help her pronounce your child’s firstand last name correctly.Teach her your home language for basicneeds – “I have to go potty,” etc.Tell her some interesting facts aboutyour culture and family.Share ideas about your child’spersonality.11

DEALING WITH SEPARATION ANXIETYEvery new school year the sound of a child’sfrantic cry reaches the school office. This is nota surprise for those of us who care for childrendaily. These children are experiencing what iscommonlytermed,separationanxiety.Separation anxiety is a fearful emotion thatoccurs in children whose parents entrust them tothe care of people other than themselves(babysitters, schools, church nursery, etc.). It istypically manifested by excessive ness.3. Reassure your child that you are happy withthe decision you have made to enroll him inschool and that you want him to go and havefun.Separation anxiety is a natural and expectedreaction, and is usually the result of a childfeeling insecure. New surroundings, new faces,new routines, changes, adjustments in schedule,fear of being left behind, or inability to expresstheir basic needs are a few of the usual causes forseparation anxiety.6. Take time to pray together before going toschool.4. Ensure that your child is able to communicateto his teacher his basic needs. For example, “Ihave to go potty. I need a drink of water.”5. Provide a stuffed animal for your child tosnuggle (not his favorite, in case it gets lost) ifhe is staying for extended care.7. Take your child to the restroom before goingto the classroom.8. Arrive early each day to allow your childplenty of playtime with friends before schoolstarts. Children that arrive late or just beforethe bell chimes often experience anxiety andembarrassment.For parents, a child’s separation anxiety can beuncomfortable, frustrating, and sometimesembarrassing. Parents find it very stressful andoftentimes feel guilty or doubtful.9. Make your departure a natural routine whendropping off your child. Tell him ahead oftime that you will be taking him to theclassroom, giving him a kiss and then leaving.Your child’s teacher plays an important role inassisting you during the adjustment period. Theteachers are experts in dealing with studentsexperiencing difficulty by giving them comfortand engaging them in other activities. Once thechild is distracted, they begin to relax andeventually enjoy the activities. Typically thisprocess take

Schaumburg, Illinois 60194 847-885-3230 www.schaumburgchristian.com www.schaumburgpreschool.com . Welcome to SCS preschool, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten! We are . Schaumburg Christian School, a ministry of Bethel Baptist Church, is a private institution