Children should come to school in clean, comfortable, weather-appropriate clothing. During the school day they will participate in outside play, science experiments and art projects. Some of these activities may spoil fine clothing so please dress your child in PLAY CLOTHES. An extra set of clothing should be kept at school in your child’s cubby in case of spills or accidents. If a spill or accident occurs and your child does not have the necessary clothing, they may use our “share-wear” which can be laundered and then returned to school.
Parents wishing their child to wear sunscreen are strongly encouraged to apply it at home. If you would like for your child to be given hand lotion or non-medicated lip balm, please let us know so that we can give you the appropriate form to sign. (Hand lotion is provided by PSP, lip balm must be sent from home and kept in your child’s cubby.)
PSP does NOT have diaper-changing facilities, so we require that all enrolled children have at least begun the toilet-training process. If your child is not fully toilet-trained upon enrollment they may begin preschool wearing pull-ups and transition to underwear as they progress. Children are encouraged to wear underwear as soon as possible, as we feel this facilitates more effective toilet-training. Families unwilling to respect this policy and consistently work on this process at home will be dismissed from our program. Please note: we do not claim that ALL children are ready to toilet-train immediately at the age of two- however if your child is attending PSP they MUST begin toilet-training. If parents feel that their child (or they themselves) are not ready for the toilet-training process then they are not ready to attend PSP. Children who complete the Two-Year-Old class without being fully toilet-trained will not be allowed to enroll in our Three-Year-Old class.
A healthy snack is provided each morning and afternoon. The snack menu consists of: one serving of fresh fruit or vegetable, one serving of a dairy product, and one serving of a grain product. Water, juice and organic milk are available as well. Individual allergies and preferences are noted and respected.
Each child is required to bring their own lunch consisting of a variety of nutritious and age-appropriate foods. Beverages should be in a leak-proof cup or thermos. Lunchboxes and beverage containers should both be labeled with the child’s name. In an effort to promote earth-friendly practices we ask that food be sent in reusable conatainers only- juice boxes, Squeeze-Its, Capri Sun drinks and Lunchables are prohibited due to the non-recyclable nature of their packaging.
The following prayer is said at snacktime and lunchtime. “Thank you for the world so sweet, thank you for the food we eat, thank you for the birds that sing, thank you God for everything.”
Naptime is from 1:00 PM-3:00 PM. All children need to bring a blanket and small pillow for personal use. These items will be sent home on Friday to be laundered and returned to school on Monday. Children are not required to sleep during this time however they must stay on their cot and remain quiet so that they do not disturb the children that do sleep. After a reasonable amount of time if a child is still awake they will be given books or soft toys for entertainment. During naptime overhead lights are off and soft music plays- every effort is made to make this a pleasant and restful time. If you plan to pick up your child before closing we ask that you do so before nap or after nap but not during nap. This is to minimize disturbance to their rest time and we thank you in advance for your cooperation in this matter.
We work hard to encourage cooperation and inclusion at Pleasant Street Preschool so we ask that when giving a party, please make every attempt to include all the students in the classroom. On those occasions when the decision is not to follow this request, we ask that invitations be sent through the mail, not placed in the children’s cubbies- this is out of kindness and consideration for the children and families of PSP. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday at school please notify the director so that we can plan accordingly- we are always happy to celebrate!
Any personal item (blanket, stuffed animal, doll, etc.) that makes a child feel more secure is welcome at preschool and the child will NOT be asked to share this item with classmates. Other items that a child would like to bring and share with classmates are also welcome but PSP cannot be held responsible for lost or broken items.
Visiting friends and family members are always welcome at Pleasant Street Preschool but we ask that plans be worked out in advance with the director. Visitors can be frightening for the other children, so if we can prepare them for the visit ahead of time, it will run much more smoothly.
Pleasant Street Preschool values the health and safety of not just our students – but our staff as well. If we feel that travel conditions will endanger our staff and students then we may elect to cancel school. In case of extreme winter weather please check WLEX18 for school closings – we make every attempt to have this posted by 6:30 AM. The closing will also be posted on our facebook page as well as our twitter account.
OUTDOOR PLAY
PSP’s outdoor area is comprised of two parts: a playground and a children’s garden. Our playground is a fenced-in area with mulch covering that offers a wooden play structure, sand box, balance beam and climbing wall. In the children’s garden there is large grassy area with lots of room for tricycles, balls, hula-hooping, cartwheels and more! We actively monitor the temperatures for the day, and keep children indoors during inclement weather.
Spring & Fall: Please be sure your child has a sweater or light jacket to guard against the chilly morning temperatures.
Summer: We schedule our outdoor playtimes early in the day to take advantage of the cooler morning temperatures but still go out in the afternoon as well. We highly recommend sending sunglasses and a sunhat for playground use.
Winter: Children MUST have appropriate Winter weather attire. Coats are required, but hats and mittens keep us even cozier!
Discipline at PSP is seen as a form of guidance rather than punishment. Teachers use logical consequences for inappropriate behavior and children are encouraged to “use their words” to solve problems. Much time is spent in discussion and role-playing to help them learn how to do this. We encourage collaboration between parents and teachers in finding strategies that will help the child and also ensure consistency between the school and home. Sometimes, if both a parent and a teacher are present (i.e. drop-off, pick up, parties, etc.) a child may try to test boundaries. Please help show your child that even though you are there- they must still follow PSP rules and respects teachers, students and school property.
PSP discipline techniques are as follows:
1. Positive Reinforcement: Children will be complimented and encouraged when they are demonstrating acceptable behaviour.
2. Redirection: Children will be redirected to another activity if needed.
3. Time out: Occasionally a “time-out” is used so that a child has a moment to collect themselves and regain composure. When the child shows that he/she is ready to demonstrate acceptable behaviour, they are encouraged to join the rest of the group and try again.
If a child’s behavior is overly disruptive / dangerous / inappropriate on a regular basis and interferes with the class then parents will be asked to meet with the director to address the situation. If the behavior continues or worsens and is considered to endanger or threaten the health and safety of the children or staff then Pleasant Street Preschool reserves the right to dismiss the child after fair warning.