HOLY REDEEMER SCHOOL

Holy Redeemer School warmly welcomes you and your children to our Pre-K Program. This handbook includes important information that you will need to know for the upcoming school year. Please keep this for your records & to refer back to whenever you have a question. This is in addition to the Holy Redeemer Handbook. If you do not find the answer you need, please do not hesitate to ask!

Our school strives to create a nurturing and caring atmosphere that makes children feel safe and inspires a love of learning. We hope that you will always feel welcome to contact us with any questions or concerns.

 Laurie Shoemaker Administrator 301-942-2567 School Policies and Procedures

Regular Class Times – The doors to the classrooms will remain closed before class begins. Please help your child to wait patiently until the teacher opens the door to mark the beginning of class. At the end of your child’s day, please be PROMPT for pick up, the teacher will dismiss each student by name into your care. Please pay close attention to siblings or other children who accompany you to school. There have been times when younger child have wandered off into the parking lot, classrooms and in our storage space…this could be very dangerous.

CLASS TIMES: 8:20 AM-12:20 PM

Book Bags – Every child needs to bring a book bag to school each day. It needs to be open at the top and about 14 inches deep. Please, no backpacks, bags with zippers, buckles, etc. We have Holy Redeemer School book bags for sale in the office in various colors.

Lunch– Please send a lunch in a lunch box, clearly labeled with your child’s first and last name, each day. Please remember to not pack any peanut or nut related items as we are a Peanut Free School. See Snack Policy.

Clothes Worn at School – Please dress your child comfortably (items he or she can put on and take off by themselves!) and according to the weather. Although we try to protect your child’s clothing, preschoolers are not known for their neatness  Please understand that we do art projects every day and play outside every day (weather permitting). RUBBER-SOLED SHOES ARE REQUIRED! Please do not allow your child to wear shoes such as flip-flops or sandals. Please remove drawstrings from clothing as they pose a threat of strangulation and choking.

LABEL ALL CLOTHING…especially BOOK BAGS, hats, coats, gloves, boots, sweaters etc.!

Mass - Daily Mass is held in the Chapel from 9 – 9:30 AM. It is important to respect those who are worshipping at this time. Please keep your children quiet in the hallways and do not allow them to run down the ramp during this time.

Holy Redeemer is a smoke free school . There should be no smoking during school hours anywhere on the premises.

Health – Please call us if your child will be absent for any reason, including Strep or any other contagious illness. Please teach your children how to sneeze/cough into their arm/elbow, blow their noses, throw away the tissue, and wash their hands. See Sickness Policy.

Head Lice – See Sickness Policy.

Toys, Hats, Costumes, Jewelry, Food, Candy, & Money– Please do not allow your child to bring toys, hats, capes, guns, swords, necklaces, rings, food, candy, money etc. from home. Usually they do not want to share their “treasures” and the other children do not understand this. In the end, we have tears and frustration! We also do not have weekly “show & tell” except when it relates to the unit the class is studying, i.e. – Native Americans, transportation etc.

Toilet Training & Bathroom Care – All children must be fully toilet trained before entering school. In addition, your children should be able to pull down their pants, use the toilet, wipe and pull up their pants by themselves. See Bathroom Policy.

Parking Lot – The upper parking is in constant use. The upper school use part of this area for PE and recess, individuals use this lot when visiting church and this is the designated parking area for Pre-K parents (please DO NOT USE THE LOWER LOT OR DRIVEWAY!). During pick up and drop off, please take your time and be cautious of pedestrians! You must be in control of the children in your care when loading and unloading your car. Children are not allowed in the parking lot without adult supervision. You are required to walk all children to the classroom door. Lower Parking Lot Use  Students use this area for recess.  After 12:20 PM dismissal, there are often cars coming into this area for after-school activities. Be Alert and supervise your children.  Senior citizens or those with disabilities use the lower lot for daily Mass.  Other adult activities may use the lower lot for handicap accessibility.

Carpooling – It is the responsibility of the parents to form their carpools. Please provide a list to the office AND to the teacher of who is driving and on what day. It is your responsibility to supervise the children in your carpool in the hallways and in the parking lot. Be sure that all items sent home with the students make it to their parents.

Bible Class – Every class will have Bible lessons taught to our students once a week. Weekly hand-outs will be sent home with your child the day it is taught. This paper contains a picture that can be colored, a review of the lesson and wonderful suggestions for family activities.

Conferences – Every parent will be scheduled for a formal conference with your child’s teacher in late January. However we are always available to confer with you concerning your child, at any time, should the need arise.

School Calendar – Generally, we follow the Holy Redeemer School calendar. However, there may be a few exceptions, but you will always be given sufficient notice. On SNOW DAYS, when Montgomery County Schools are closed, so are we. See Snow Policy & HRNS Calendar in HR Handbook.

Parents Selling Products to Holy Redeemer School Families – The school class lists and phone numbers may not be used for business purposes nor distributed to anyone outside of the school. Products may not be sold at the school unless ALL the profits go to Holy Redeemer School.

Birthdays – It is fun for the children to celebrate their birthday at school. A special treat for snack is certainly allowed, but please no candy, favors, hats etc. The star * next to a name on the co-op schedule indicates the child’s birthday. Unless you specify differently, you will be scheduled to co-op on your child’s birthday, or the closest school day. Please do not distribute birthday invitations at school. Also, if you have a party planned, do not begin or end the party at school unless the entire class is invited. We have had many hurt feelings while some children have gone off to parties and others have not. Please see Snack Policy.

E-mail – We require parents to provide an email address. In case of an unscheduled closing or delay (due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances) we will use email as the primary means of communication. Please rest assured that these email addresses will never be sold or provided to any third party etc.

Box Tops – The official General Mills Box Tops for Education coupons are located on the top flap of all participating General Mills products. Please save these for us and drop them off in the office! Don’t forget to ask your family and friends to save them too.

Work Day Policy – Every one is required to participate on this day. It is the last day, at the end of the school year, before the class picnic. Everyone will pitch in and help clean rooms for the following school year unless otherwise notified.

Field Trip Information – Parent volunteers will be needed to drive us on these outings. On the field trip day, please be on time. The teacher will give you a list of the students in your care. Be sure to keep your group accounted for at all times. Upon returning to school, do not leave until the teachers have given you the OK and no longer requires your assistance.

Fire Drills – A fire drill is conducted at least 2 times in September and then once a month during the rest of the school year. The children evacuate the building in quiet lines outside and away from building. Teachers take roll to ensure that every student is present. BATHROOM POLICY

In the three year old class, at the beginning of the school year, we expect to have OCCASIONAL “wet pants” even when a child has been toilet-trained for a long time. Although this is normal behavior, because of the new surroundings, we are only prepared to occasionally handle these “bathroom accidents.”

In recent years, we have noticed an increase in the regularity of these “accidents.” When these occur, it requires the attention of both teachers…one must leave the classroom with your child while the other teacher cleans up the puddles. Because this is not fair to the teacher, nor to the rest of the children, we must follow certain procedures, as stated below:

If a child consistently has wet pants and/or bowel movements during a one week period, we will ask your child to stay home the following week to practice toilet training. We will be in contact with the parents at the end of that week to determine the next course of action.

Children may NOT wear “pull-ups” to school. We have found that the “pull-ups” only slow down the toilet training process. Our rule is regular underwear ONLY!

We are sorry to do this, but it has always been our policy that all children must be toilet trained before school begins. We are only trying to ensure the well- being of everyone in the classroom. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. PLAYGROUND RULES

The safety of our children is our primary concern. Therefore we ask every parent to take seriously their role in achieving this goal. In order to properly supervise all of the areas, there should never be two adults together. SPREAD OUT and be watchful!!!

BIKES  One child per bike, please!  Children should sit on bikes and pedal with their feet; never use them as scooters  Children should never “crash” a bike into another bike; nor “crash” into the curb.

FIELD  Make sure children do not play near the property line close to the bushes.  No one is allowed on the hill!  Only use half the field…do not go past the second soccer net.

SANDBOX  Shoes must be worn at all times…even in the sandbox.  Do not throw sand.  Never dig outside of the sandbox…especially in the wood chips.  Never throw wood chips.

INSIDE THE FENCED YARD  There must be one adult on each side of the play equipment.  Only one child may go down the slide at a time.  Children must sit flat on their bottom, feet first on any slide.  Encourage children to move away quickly from the bottom of the slide to avoid collisions.  Do not climb on the outside railings of the equipment…especially near the arch bridges.  Never climb on the metal fence.  The fence and building are very close to the raised wall of wood chips enclosing the play equipment. Children should use extra caution to avoid “crashing” into the fence or building when running away from the equipment.

MISCELLANEOUS  Children should not run on the black top…it’s better to run on the grass!  Do not play on the ramp.  Do not climb on the railings near the ramp.  Never go up the stairs or hill to the parking lot…even if they see mom coming!  No one is allowed to sit on the STEPS (Adults especially!)  Children may not play under the trees by the backs of the homes!  NO SMOKING ANYWHERE OUTSIDE! 3s Snack Policy -4S DO NOT HAVE SNACK! Holy Redeemer Pre-K School is a “Peanut Free” school!

Each family will be responsible for providing a snack and drink for their child’s class approximately once a month. The co-oping schedule will let you know when you are to provide snack. If your name is underlined, you are the snack parent!

IF YOUR CHILD HAS FOOD ALLERGIES, YOU MUST PROVIDE THE DAILY SNACK FOR YOUR STUDENT!

What to bring –  Please do not bring a snack that contains peanuts or nuts. Thank you for being considerate of this situation. We know that no one would want to cause injury to any child.  Only nutritional snacks are allowed. NO CANDY, JUNK FOOD, STORE BOUGHT COOKIES OR CAKES. Birthdays are an exception to this rule. See Birthdays under School Policies and Procedures for further information.  Cooking experiences are planned in advance and will be listed on the co-op schedule. If you are scheduled on a cooking day, you will receive printed instructions as to what to bring.

Milk  MILK is required to be served at snack. Hot chocolate, made with milk, is a great choice in the winter!

Quantities –  Be sure to count the number of children in the class and then add enough for the adults (2 teachers and 1 or 2 co-op parents) that will be working in the room. Always provide a little extra to allow for special circumstances!

Serving the snack –  Generally, the child and parent who provide the snack will help in setting out the food, cups, napkins and drinks. Be sure the child (& adult) washes his/her hands and uses proper care in handling food. If your child is sick in any way, you MUST NOT allow him/her to handle the food.  When serving anything that the children will dip or spread themselves, we always put out individual plates and give each child their own serving. All plates, napkins, utensils, bowls, cups etc. are provided by the nursery school.

Food Suggestions – There are some things that are good year round!  Popcorn, fruit, cheese & crackers, veggies & dip, homemade breads/muffins. Be creative and remember to include your child when deciding what to bring for snack.  We have a microwave and 2 ovens for your use!

Forgot Your Snack?  Because it does happen we keep emergency snacks on hand! We will send you a note the next day and tell you what you can send to replenish our supply. Emergency Procedures

The safety and well being of our students comes first! Please read these procedures over carefully. These steps were developed after consults with doctors, nurses and the local rescue squad. Each case, of course, is uniquely different and the person in charge at the time must use his or her best judgment within the framework below. If you have any concerns please let me know.

MINOR INJURIES Cuts, scrapes, falls, burns, bites (animal or human)

Procedure:  We will administer soap and water, band-aids, and a little TLC.

MORE SERIOUS INJURIES Not life-threatening; the child is not in a lot of pain, but may need possible stitches or have a broken bone.

Procedure:  School Nurse is notified  A parent will be contacted first.  IF no parent can be reaches, we will contact the “relative” listed on registration form.  If we cannot reach either party, we will contact your pediatrician and follow whatever they deem necessary.

VERY SERIOUS INJURY Possibly life-threatening; falls where child is unconscious, bleeding that cannot be controlled, extreme broken bones; child is in a lot of pain etc.

Procedure:  911 is called immediately to summon Rescue Squad  Mom or Dad is called & School Nurse is notified  Child’s doctor is called if parents cannot be reached  “Relative” called if parents cannot be reached  We will then continue to try and reach parents

When the Rescue Squad arrives, it would then be determined if the child needs to go to the hospital. If the child is transported to the hospital, the doctor will be notified. If no parent is on the scene and it is necessary for the child to go to the hospital, a staff member will ride in the ambulance with the child. Even if the parent tells us on the phone not to transport the child to the hospital, we will still have the ambulance come to the school and check the child out for us. Just because the ambulance comes to the school, it does not automatically mean that they will take the child. Sickness Policy

WHEN TO KEEP YOUR CHLD HOME FROM SCHOOL

When your child is sick, keep him/her home from school. This not only benefits your child but other children and staff in the classroom at school.

WHAT ARE IMPORTANT SIGNS OF ILLNESS

Some important signs of illness are: 1. A temperature of more than 100 degrees orally 2. Nausea or vomiting 3. Stomachache 4. Diarrhea 5. Pale or flushed face 6. headache 7. Persistent cough 8. Earache 9. Thick yellowish discharge from nose 10. Sore throat 11. Rash or infection of the skin 12. Red or pink eyes 13. Loss of energy or decrease in activity 14. Itchy scalp/signs of head lice

WHAT SOULD I DO IF MY CHILD HAS ANY OF THESE SIGNS?

If your child has any of these symptoms when it is time for school, it is best that he/she stay home. Most childhood illnesses are over soon and no cause for worry. But if the symptoms are severe or persist for more than 24 hours, you should contact your private source of medical care. On the other hand, some children force themselves to go to school even though they are sick. There may be times that your child does not show signs of the above noted symptoms but may be ill. It is up to you to be alert to your child’s health and to decide when it is best to send him/her to school.

Head Lice is, unfortunately, extremely common in Montgomery County. We take all the necessary precautions when a case is found in our school. All head wear is removed from the classroom and all students are checked in that room. A note will be sent home notifying all families that a child in their class has a case of lice. Please inform us immediately if your child has lice so we can let others know, in order to prevent an outbreak in our nursery school.

WHEN MAY MY CHILD RETURN TO SCHOOL AFTER AN ILLNESS?

Generally, your child may return to school when he/she is free of signs of illness. However, there may be times when it is necessary for your child to see your source of medical care before returning to school. Please call the school nurse if you have any questions regarding a specific condition. We require the child to be fever free for at least 24 hours and to have been on Strep medication for at least 24 hours. In cases of head lice, the child may return to school once they have had a treatment of appropriate shampoo (RID or doctor prescribed) and you are sure that all the nits have been removed. Co-oping Everything you need to know on your participation day!

Who should come? Mom and dad are equally welcome to participate on your co-op day. We ask that you do not bring any other children (including siblings), grandparents or any other adults.

What should I wear? Come to school dressed to work in the classroom. Don’t wear anything that paint or paste could ruin. Keep in mind that many of the children’s activities take place on the floor.

What time should I arrive? Please plan on arriving 10 min. before class begins (8:10 am). Please be prompt!

How should I treat my child and what should I do if a difficult situation arises involving my child? Remember first you are the parent of your child and second, you are an assistant to the teacher. You should not ignore your child or expect them to do the same…especially at first. Give them reassurance, but do not hover. If you are leaving the room, tell them. If your child is in a conflict, allow the teacher to handle it. Sometimes you will find that your child will respond to the teacher in a positive way, rather than to his mom or Dad. It may be helpful to move to another part of the room. With this said, each situation must be handled individually and the teacher will advise you of the best method.

How should I interact with the students? When talking with children, stoop to their level. Go out of the way to be friendly and warm with the children. Try to learn their names. Speak to each child during your day at school. Don’t hesitate to give a hug to an unhappy child or to make conversation with a lonely one, and be sure to SMILE! Always remember though, that the children are in a school to play with other children not with adults! Help the children gain independence, but not to the point of frustration! When assisting children with their coats, smocks, etc, wait to be sure they really need the help. When printing names on papers, ask first if they can do it themselves. If you do the printing, print neatly and say the letters as you write them. Use lower case letters and write in the upper left hand corner, if possible. This teaches the left-to-right, top-to-bottom eye movement used in reading. Do not do the work for the child! When working with materials with the students, try to avoid making definite patterns for them to follow. Keep all comments positive. The process is more important than the product!

How do I assist the Teacher? Always be alert to the teacher’s needs. During “circle time”, try to clean up in a way that will not call attention to yourself. Be aware of when the Teacher may need your help. When in doubt, just ask. Be sure to BE YOURSELF! Each of you is a unique person with something special that no one else can give ---yourself! A Sample Day

Arrival time - Discuss with the teacher the plans for the day. Help set up activities for free time. Help the children with their coats and bags as they arrive.

Free Time – Paint at easel. Help children with smocks, put brushes in paints; names on papers; put finished paintings on drying rack; put new paper on easel

Clean-up – Encourage children to help with the clean-up. When the children go to circle time, you finish the clean-up.

Circle time – Bring any children to circle who may be lagging behind. Then spray and wipe down tables, set up snack immediately; put paintbrushes in can of water, clean if time permits; check toys on shelf, proper toys in proper boxes, puzzles back together; straighten creative play corner; put away all art supplies and straighten art shelf.

Snack time – Pertains to 3 year old class only! Your child will help set out the snack while the others are at circle time. Be sure to sit with your child at snack time and enjoy the conversation with the children. Help with spills; remind children to throw away their own trash. When snack is finished; spray and wipe the tables; replace all snack supplies to proper place in the closet.

Outside – Please spread out on the playground to supervise the children. Do not sit on the steps and smoking is not allowed. Watch carefully the jungle gym and the slide. Sand stays in the sandbox; no throwing. Help each child to have a fair turn with the bikes. No child may leave the area without telling the teacher. No child may play on the hill. Watch for safety! Please see Playground Rules.

Lunch- Please send in a lunch in a lunch box, clearly labeled with your child’s first and last name.

Dismissal – Help children with clothing, if necessary. Be sure they get all their belongings together, this includes the art for the day. Help supervise children as the teacher dismisses at the door. Finish any clean up necessary. Plan on being the last one to leave.

Cell Phones - Please do not use your phone when you are co-oping. They are to be used in an emergency only!

Co-op Schedule – Our co-op schedule will be sent home once a month. You will receive it one week before a new month. Special requests are to be hand written, put in the envelope in the office. You must tell me if you switch co-op days with anyone! OUR WISH LIST 2013-2014

Odds & Ends Marbles Pringles Cans Quaker Oats cylinder boxes (Large) Plastic grocery bags Tiny acorns and pine cones Toilet Paper Rolls Paper Towel Rolls Lids from frosting containers Shoe Boxes Clear lids from yogurt (small)

Recycle your toys! Any pieces to add to Fisher Price sets – farm, zoo, airport, space station, fire house, school house Any Fisher Price person or animal Sesame Street Pirates Knight and Castles Horses Cups & Saucers Kitchen Dishes & Pans Plastic Dollhouse furniture