Family Handbook

FamilyHandbook Contact Information: Amber Palicke Coordinator (810) 794-9317 option 1305 Angie Berube Lead Teacher (810) 794-8876 option 5 Nichole Brody Associate Teacher Dana Bosel Lead Teacher (810) 794-8876 option 4 Melissa Mann Associate Teacher Lisa MerloTransportation (810) 794-3555 Alan Latosz Superintendent (810) 794-9364 “These materials were developed under a grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Education” 1 Table of Contents o Eligibility & Enrollment 3 o RecruitmentPolicy 3 o Referral Policy 3 o Sliding Fee Tuition Scale Policy 4 o Program Philosophy 5 o Curriculum, Screening &Assessment 5-6 o Daily Schedule 6-8 o Transportation 8 o Attendance Policy 8-9 o Exclusion/Health Policy 9-10 o Medication Policy 10 o Dismissal Procedures 10 o Nutrition Policy 11 o Physical Activity Policy 11 o Rest Policy 11 o Clothing Policy 11-12 o Weather Policy 12 o Discipline Policy 12 o Accident/Injury Policy 12 o Emergency Policy 12-13 o Child Abuse/Neglect 13 o Confidentiality 13 o Grievances 13 o Parent Involvement 13-15 o Notice of Program Measurement 15 o Licensing 15 2 o School Calendar 16 Eligibility & Enrollment: The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) is a free preschool that prepares children for kindergarten. In order to be eligible for GSRP, students must be four years of age on or before September first of the current school year and meet income and risk factor requirements. Applications can be accessed online at www.acsk12.us and in the community at Pointe Tremble Early Childhood Center at 9541 Phelps Road in Clay Township.Completed applications and accompanying documents should be returned to GSRP staff at Pointe Tremble Early Childhood Center.Required accompanying documents include proof of family income, documentation of child’s date of birth, completed health appraisal signed by a physician, immunization record, completed child information record, volunteer ICHAT form, and a completed application for free and reduced price lunch. Completed applications are prioritized for enrollment based on income from lowest to highest family poverty level. Applicants at the same poverty level are ranked according to other documented risk factors. Enrollment is not first come, first served; those with the lowest income at the greatest risk will be served first. If a child is enrolled in the program and withdrawal becomes necessary, families should notify the child’s teacher as soon as possible. Recruitment Policy: A variety of methods are utilized by the staff, district, and advisory committee to connect with families and recruit children most at risk of school failure. Flyers are posted in local educational, medical, and recreational facilities frequented by young families. Flyers are sent home with all students enrolled in the district. Applications are mailed to district families with children who meet age requirements. Information is shared via the district newsletter and website, St. Clair County RESA, the community cable station and electronic bulletin boards. Flyers are handed out during local festivals and events and displays are set up at kindergarten orientations and school open houses. Families who are eligible for Head Start are notified of their eligibility and referred to Head Start as specified in the GSRP manual. Referral Policy: Families needing assistance with finding community resources in the areas of health, parent support, social/emotional health, basic needs, domestic violence, or childcare, can contact GSRP staff for a list of local resources. Developmental concerns will be documented with care and sensitivity and discussed with parents in the same manner. Accommodations will be made within the classroom to best meet the needs of each student. Should additional intervention be needed, a referral will be made to district special education staff for further evaluation. Results will be analyzed and discussed with parents to determine appropriate action. 3 Sliding Fee Tuition Scale Policy: Public Act 60 of 2013 (the state School Aid Act) refined the focus of eligibility for the GSRP, establishing that up to 10 percent of children enrolled may be from families above 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL) with extreme risk for low educational achievement as determined by number or severity of GSRP risk factors. These families must be charged tuition calculated on a sliding scale, based on family income. Over-income families are prioritized for enrollment based on the number and severity of risk factors as well as the deviation from the federal poverty level. Income and tuition fees are calculated at the time of enrollment. In the event the family situation changes during the academic year, families may request a re-calculation of income in order to determine a lower tuition. The tuition for GSRP over poverty income parents will be billed monthly. This rate was set by the St. Clair County RESA with guidance from the Michigan Department of Education. The calculation of the daily rate x the number of student days is shown below. Rates for income of 251% - 300%: Total Yearly Cost = $300.00 126 school days/ $300.00 = $2.38 per day September: 8 days x $2.38 = $19.04 October: 14 days x $2.38 = $33.32 November: 12 days x $2.38 = $28.56 December: 11 days x $2.38 = $26.18 January: 14 days x $2.38 = $33.32 February: 15 days x $2.38 = $35.70 March: 14 days x $2.38 = $33.32 April: 16 days x $2.38 = $38.08 May: 16 days x $2.38 = $38.08 June: 6 day x $2.38 = $14.28 **Adjustments will not be made for missed days, including absence due to unexpected illness or extreme weather.Billing statements will be sent monthly and payment can be made at the Algonac Community Schools administration office, 5200 Taft Road, Algonac 48001 . 4 Program Philosophy: All children deserve high quality education. The GSRP staff of Algonac Community Schools ensure that learning takes place in an environment that is developmentally appropriate and nurtures social and academic growth in all learners to promote school readiness. Throughout the year, we will use varying instruction and activities to help your child grow socially, academically, and physically. We will build: 1. Language Skillsby learning to speak clearly in expanded sentences with increased vocabulary. 2. Social Skills by separating from parents, working together, playing cooperatively, problem solving, and learning self-regulation. 3. Fine and Gross Motor Skills by gaining increased hand and finger control and learning to move whole body with balance and coordination. 4. Academic Readiness by practicing routines and acquiring skills necessary for school success in kindergarten. 5. Self-efficacy by increasing ability to accomplish tasks and reach goals. 6. Independence by making choices and developing self-care habits. Curriculum, Screening & Assessment: The GSRPstaff of Algonac Community Schools utilize the Creative Curriculum to ensure that Early Childhood Standards of Quality are met in an environment that is developmentally appropriate and nurtures social and academic growth in all learners to promote school readiness.Creative Curriculum focuses on eleven interest areas in the learning environment: blocks, library, dramatic play, toys and games, art, sand and water, discovery, music and movement, cooking, technology, and the outdoor space. It provides guidance to teachers to understand how to work with children at different developmental levels to promote learning and adapt the environment to make it more challenging. The Creative Curriculum is vertically aligned with the Common Core Standards used in elementary through high school. Child assessment is a necessary component of high-quality preschool programs. Ongoing, authentic assessment enables staff to support learning and development of individual children and classrooms of children, identify children who may need additional services and support, and communicate progress with parents and families. GSRP teachers utilize a variety of sources for gathering information on children including observations, work and language samples, parent interviews, and anecdotal notes. Using authentic assessment strategies enables teachers to get a picture of the whole child and their developmental progress. 5 The developmental screening tool used by the GSRP teachers is the Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ). The ASQ is a short survey that teachers complete with families at the initial home visit prior to the start of the program. This provides a snapshot of child development in the areas of communication, physical ability, problem solving, and social emotional competence. The ASQ may identify the need for further monitoring and potential assessment to verify any developmental delays. GSRP staff will share results and any needed action steps with families within the first month of school in a confidential manor. The primary assessment tool used in GSRP classrooms to record student learning and development is the Teaching Strategies GOLD (TS GOLD). TS GOLD is a research-based system proven to be valid and reliable for assessing children birth through kindergarten. It shows the developmental progress over 38 objectives in the developmental domains of social-emotional competence, physical ability, language, cognition, literacy, mathematics, and English language acquisition (when appropriate). GSRP teachers complete TS GOLD three times per school year and share progress with parents at family conferences held in the fall and spring. Daily Schedules: GSRP classrooms meet for a minimum of 126 days. Classes are held Monday-Thursday from 9:00a.m. until 3:50p.m. There are no classes during school vacations, on in-service days, or when Algonac Community Schools cancels school. Ms. Bosel & Mrs. Mann’s GSRP Daily Schedule 9:00-9:35 Arrival/Welcome/Breakfast Children arrive and use proactive measures to store their belongings and practice writing their names. Children have choice about whether to eat breakfast, spend time with books, engage with adults and one another, or demonstrate math and literacy skills using a variety of manipulatives. 9:35-9:45 Music and Movement Children work on rhythm, motor and oral language activities by singing familiar songs and fingerplays.

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