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Daily Details

OUR ROUTINE

The daily routine at The Early Education Center exists so children have the security of knowing “what comes next”. Within the familiar routine, the schedule is flexible to accommodate the interests of children and any special guests, field trips or weather. We have scheduled a drop-off “window” to accommodate different families’ routines.

Every day children will find the schedule (in print and pictures) on the schedule board. Each preschool day includes circle time, activity time, playground, snack, lunch, and story. There is also a rest/nap time for children who stay past 11:30. Children may work on special projects related to the current curriculum focus or they may pursue their own interests in activity centers.

ARRIVAL AND PICK-UP

Drop-off is from 8:00-8:20. Arriving by 8:20 allows your child to settle in to the group before circle starts at 9:00. Joining the group late makes it difficult for your child to transition smoothly from home to school; it is also disruptive to the other children in the class.

The safety of children always comes first. Therefore, all children must be escorted into the building and signed in by a parent or other authorized adult.

Separation at Morning Drop-Off: Younger children sometimes have difficulty separating from their parents. When you leave your child in our care, please be reassuring about when you will return, and then leave. If you walk your child to the classroom, you may wait to see that he or she is engaged in an activity or with a staff member. However, staying too long will make the separation more difficult. We will call or message you once your child is happily settled if he/she was indecisive or worried when you left. Children generally become eagerly engaged in a classroom activity shortly after a parent leaves, but it is our pleasure to reassure you with a phone call.

Pick-Up: Part-day children leave at 11:30. Full day children leave at 2:30 (Bellows Falls) or 2:45 (Westminster). Picking your child up on time is just as important as arriving on time. This is both for children avoiding the distress of being picked up late and also so teachers can proceed with their assigned duties.

Families who are repeatedly late picking up their children may lose their slot at the Early Education Center.

At the end of their day, children must be picked up by a parent, guardian or other authorized adult. An adult is only “authorized” if he or she is listed on that child’s “Emergency Information” form. A parent may call the Early Ed. Center if they have an emergency and need to have another person pick their child up. The person must be described to the staff and the parent must provide the person with a signed note authorizing the child’s release. Staff will ask for identification of anyone not known to them.

The only exception to this is that we are required, along with all Vermont early care and education centers, to release a child to either parent. If one parent is not to pick a child up, we must have a copy of a court order, stating that the parent is not permitted to pick the child up, in our files.

OUTSIDE PLAY

Outside activities and play are an important part of our daily program. If a child is well enough to be in school, s/he is expected to participate in outdoor activities. Children need to be dressed appropriately for weather conditions with footwear safe for physical activities. Children will not go outside when the temperature (with the wind chill) falls below ten degrees.

REST

Most preschool children in all-day care benefit from a scheduled period of rest. This may be actual napping, or a quiet rest time. Although not all children require a nap, as children grow and engage in more activities, they may require sleep. Additionally, providing a rest time for children in care for 5 or more hours is a requirement of VT’s childcare licensing regulations.

Rest time away from home is a delicate time. We provide each child who stays through rest time with a routine to help the transition from active play to quiet resting. Our routine starts after lunch with toileting, hand washing, story time, and then resting on mats. During rest, the lights are low, quiet music may be playing, and children receive individual attention. Rest on individual mats lasts for 25-35 minutes, more if s/he falls asleep. Once children have awoken on their own, they will be given quiet activities to do while their peers finish their rest time.

  • Children leaving at 11:30 do not have “rest time” in their schedule.
  • We will provide each child with a resting mat and a clean sheet.
  • Please let teachers know about any special routines that your child relies on to slip off to sleep.
  • Send any small (small enough to fit in their backpack) comfort items, a special blanket or animal, that may help your child relax and be sure it gets laundered weekly.

GUIDANCE & DISCIPLINE

The primary goal of guidance and discipline is to allow for maximum social and emotional growth for individual children within the group setting. Children will be physically safe; they will gain self-awareness, self-esteem, and self-control. They will learn how to work together to solve problems.

Teachers will work with children in creating the basic classroom rules. The rules emphasize the positive and lay the groundwork for future expectations. Teachers will remind children of the rules in positive language, stating consequences (“We can’t do a puzzle if you throw the pieces around. Let’s get those pieces and do the puzzle together.”)

The interventions teachers use to address children’s mistaken behavior are firm but friendly. These interventions are solution-oriented, but not punitive. Children will be given choices, not “time-outs”.

If inappropriate behaviors persist, the Head Teacher will schedule a meeting with the parents. The child may be present at this meeting, depending on the circumstances. Our goal is to use positive means to solve problems when working with children and families.

If problem behaviors continue to occur and/or the child is a danger to him/herself or others, enrollment in the Early Education Center may be terminated.

SNACKS & LUNCH

The Early Education Center provides a daily snack and lunch. Full day children have an afternoon snack as well. Nutrition is a primary consideration when planning the snacks served at WNESU’s Early Education Center. Each month’s meal calendars are posted on the bulletin board for your examination. See “Feeding Guidelines,” at the end of this handbook for more details about meal times in the classroom.

While we provide lunch for children each day, children may bring their own lunches if you prefer.

We participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program to defray some of the cost of the healthy snacks and lunches we serve to children. The amount of money we receive is directly proportional to the income levels of the families we serve. We ask that all parents, regardless of income, complete the forms that determine this figure. All information is kept strictly confidential.

CLOSURES & WNESU CALENDAR

We follow the WNESU school calendar with an additional PreK in-service day (no school for students) once a month. In the event of a snow day, delayed opening, or other closure, you will get a phone call from our automated call system. (Please ensure that we have updated phone numbers). You may also check the website (wnesu.org) beginning at 6:00 a.m.

Preschool early release dismissal time is 11:30 am