College Hill Preschool Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 PARENT HANDBOOK 2016-2017 “Where All Can Grow” 2600 Kimball Avenue Manhattan, KS 66502 785-587-2830 Dear Parents, Welcome to College Hill Preschool! With a variety of program opportunities available for preschool children, we are excited that you have chosen us as the learning environment for your child. At College Hill you will find that our motto, “Where All Can Grow,” is the foundation of our program. We are dedicated to providing learning opportunities that help the children in our program grow and learn over time and have adopted a “whole child” approach to instruction. We strive to create classrooms where children are encouraged to solve problems and take pride in their individual accomplishments. We are devoted to developing strong relationships with families and watching these relationships grow and evolve through mutual respect. As your child’s first teacher, you will always bring a wealth of information to the classroom regarding your child’s individuality and we welcome you to share this information with us so that together we can help your child reach his/her highest potential. We are committed to helping our staff grow and strengthen their knowledge of early learning and child development. In conjunction with community partners we provide quality professional development to help them strengthen their skills, as well as training tracks to further their education. We are excited that you have chosen to grow with us this school year and are committed to ensuring your child leaves our program ready to succeed, not only in kindergarten, but later in life! Please feel free to contact me or your child’s teacher if you have questions or concerns throughout the school year. Thank you in advance for a wonderful year! Sincerely, Elisabeth Nelson Director, College Hill/ USD 383 Early Learning Programs Hours of Operation Our licensed teachers teach from 8:40-3:40 each day. This is the academic portion of our day. Some students attend only a morning (8:40-11:40) or an afternoon session (12:40-3:40). For our students attending our full day program (8:40-3:40), we offer extended care hours. These hours are 7:30-8:40 AM and 3:40-5:30 PM. This portion of the day and is not considered a part of our academic program. Arrival and Departure If your child is enrolled in our half-day program, he/she should arrive at school at 8:40 for the AM session or 12:40 for the PM session. Departure should be no later than 11:40 for the AM session or 3:40 for the PM session. A late fee of $1.00 per minute will be added to your monthly invoice for late pick up. If your child is enrolled in our full day program, he/she can be dropped off in the classroom after 7:30 AM and should be picked up by 5:30 PM. A late fee of $1.00 per minute will be added to your monthly invoice for late pick up. If you are going to be late, please call the school to let us know when you will be arriving. If you are not here and have not called, we will attempt to contact you and/or your emergency contacts. If no one can be reached, The Riley County Police Department will be called. An adult (18 years of age or older) must accompany the child into the preschool and “sign-in” with a staff member. Children may NOT be “dropped off” outside the building at arrival time. An individual (18 years of age or older) who is listed on the authorization to pick up form must “sign-out” with a staff member before departing. The individual may be asked to show proof of photo identification. This policy does not apply to parents whose children are transported by bus. Parking Parents should park in a defined space in the middle of the lot. Please do not “create” parking spaces for yourself closer to the building as it creates possibilities for accidents and is extremely dangerous during inclement weather. Meals College Hill Preschool participates in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The CACFP reimburses our center for the partial cost of meals. Participation in the CACFP enables us to keep our fees lower as well as serve nutritious meals to children in our program. The meals served under the CACFP program must meet certain nutritional guidelines. If a child has been determined by a doctor to have a food allergy, the school will provide substitutions. If you believe your child needs substitutions because of an allergy, there is a form that will need to be filled out by a doctor prior to beginning food substitutions. All families are asked to complete the CACFP nutrition form to help us monitor this program. Children who attend our full day program have the opportunity to receive breakfast, lunch, and snack on a daily basis. Breakfast is served during morning childcare from 7:30-8:15. Children who attend our half-day program will be provided either a morning or afternoon snack. College Hill Calendar (FULL DAY) The first day of school is August 16th. It is ONLY a half day and will run from 8:40-11:55. AM. No before or after school care is provided on this day. College Hill Preschool will be CLOSED on the following dates: September 5 Labor Day October 20 Parent/Teacher Conferences November 23, 24, 25 Thanksgiving Holiday December 21-January 3 Winter Holiday (Tuition Will be Pro-Rated) January 16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day February 16 Parent/Teacher Conferences May 26 Summer School Preparation May 29 Memorial Day July 4-5 Independence Holiday College Hill Preschool teachers follow the same schedule as other USD 383 employees. Therefore, on the following days, you must sign up for childcare: September 23 Collaboration October 14 Teacher Work Day October 17 Collaboration/Professional Development October 21 Teacher Comp Day November 21 Professional Development November 22 Collaboration January 4 Collaboration/Professional Development February 10 Teacher Work Day February 13 Professional Development February 17 Teacher Comp Day March 17 Collaboration March 20-24 Spring Break April 14 Collaboration/Professional Development May 5 Collaboration/Professional Development May 25 Teacher Work Day (1/2 day-afternoon) College Hill has a summer program that will run from May 30th until approximately one week before the start of the 2017-2018 school year. Parents who desire for their child to attend will need to complete a summer enrollment packet in the spring. College Hill Calendar (HALF DAY) The first day of school is August 17th. This is for morning and afternoon students. The last day of school is May 24th. This is for morning and afternoon students. College Hill Preschool teachers follow the same schedule as other USD 383 employees. Therefore, College Hill Preschool will be CLOSED on the following dates: September 5 Labor Day September 23 Collaboration October 14 Teacher Work Day October 17 Collaboration/Professional Development October 20 Parent/Teacher Conferences October 21 Teacher Comp Day November 21 Professional Development November 22 Collaboration November 23, 24, 25 Thanksgiving Holiday December 21-January 3 Winter Holiday January 4 Collaboration/Professional Development January 16 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day February 10 Teacher Work Day February 13 Professional Development February 16 Parent/Teacher Conferences February 17 Teacher Comp Day March 17 Collaboration March 20-24 Spring Break April 14 Collaboration/Professional Development May 5 Collaboration/Professional Development May 25 Teacher Work Day August and May tuition will be pro-rated based on the start and end date of school. Due to the number of closures, tuition will be pro-rated for the following months: October, November, December, January, February, and March .