Transition Time
Family Concerns
Assessment
Curriculum
Touch Policy
Parent Advisory Committee
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Your child may take some time to get use to the new environment of our school. Generally, children take several weeks to adjust. They may possibly take longer if they attend fewer days. Most times the children do well the first few days, then start missing their family by the third and fourth days. The following are typical reactions you may see:
These are all symptoms of tension and stress in a new situation, and will disappear as your child becomes used to the teachers, other children and the classroom routines. Be sympathetic and supportive!
You can help by:
Early Education Station personnel strive to provide quality, educational services to all children and families. Any question, suggestion, or opinion is always welcome. The Board of Directors also takes great pride in the facility and realizes the importance of the program. Any opinions/concerns directed to them are welcomed.
Written suggestions are welcome. They can be placed confidentially into the tuition/suggestion box. Parents can speak directly to their child’s teacher or they can speak with the director or person in charge.
All persons on Early Education Station premises are recorded on a video computer system. Parents are welcome to view video at the office if they have a concern or question. Video is available for one week after being recorded.
Families have the right to review state regulations and report complaints.
Early Education Station participates in the Child Nutrition Program. In accordance with Federal Law and United States Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, age or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call, toll free, (866)632-9992. USDA is an equal opportunity employer.
The focus for classroom planning is to provide a developmentally appropriate educational program for children. Assessment, with family input, guides teachers in planning/implementing activities, adjusting program/classroom practices and environment, and supporting individualized learning/interest/needs. Assessment results can also be valuable to determine if other services could benefit a child/family because assessment helps describe the developmental progress and learning of children.
All children receive development screening within three months of program entry. The screening instruments meet professional standards for standardization, reliability, and validity, have normative scores available on a population relevant for the child being screened, and assess the child’s health status and their sensory, language, cognitive, gross-motor, fine-motor, and social-emotional development. If formal assessments are use, they are combined with informal methods, such as observation, checklists, and work sampling. Written progress reports are to be completed 3 times a year (Nov., Feb., & May) and sent to parents with parent/teacher conferences being offered in the fall and spring of each year. Verbal progress is given at least once during the summer months.
Teachers have been trained to assess children using developmentally appropriate methods, such as observations in familiar settings with familiar adults, no time constraints, small group size, and developmentally appropriate activities. Specific assessment information can be reviewed if requested by parents. If assessment indicates a possible delay of development in any area, including behavior, teachers will discuss development in a sensitive, supportive and confidential manner with parents. A referral can be made to appropriate resources, after receiving agreement and written consent from the family, to gain further information about the child’s development. Staff will share information about resources and support families to make primary decisions about services available.
Staff will work with other professionals, and families, to develop and implement an individualized plan based upon assessment information that supports the child’s inclusion and success. Individualized Education Plans (IEP) are developed for children over the age of three through Mason County Schools. Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) are developed for children birth to age three through the West Virginia Birth to Three Program. Both agencies can set up speech therapy for children, if needed. Therapists can work with children at our center, at a child’s home, or of a combination. Parents have the right to decline referral.
West Virginia state regulations require confidentiality of all records. Records are kept in a confidential manner by keeping anecdotal notes, checklists, child’s portfolios, and assessment forms locked or out of view of others. Classroom/office staff are the only individuals who have access to assessment records. Written parental permission will be acquired before any other individuals or agencies could review such information.
All parents are encouraged to be involved in the center program in order to help children reach their full potential. Staff likes family input to achieve consensus about assessment methods and teaching styles that will best meet the child’s needs. (Families can have full access to development assessment tools used by simply asking.) Teachers also attempt to be sensitive to family values, culture, identity, and home language.
The curriculum utilized for the infant classroom up to the three year old classroom is based on the West Virginia Infant/Toddler Standards, and West Virginia Early Learning Standards Framework: Content Standards and Learning Criteria for Pre-Kindergarten, and the book titled Developmentally Appropriate Practice by Carol Gestwicki. Creative Curriculum, which is universal for preschool classrooms within the Mason County Board of Education, is utilized for children within the four year old classrooms. The following basic beliefs are followed in each curriculum:
Touch is necessary for normal social and emotional development in young children. Research has shown that children who do not receive affection do not learn to trust and have difficulty forming relationships later in life. Just as young children learn about their world through hands-on experiences, children must be shown love with touching.
A responsibility of preschool programs is to promote normal development. Touch is a necessary part of this process. In recent years, the issue of touch has been raised by a few highly publicized cases of child abuse in group settings. Parents may be worried about the safety of their children. Early Education staff may be concerned about allegations of abuse and can be reluctant to show affection toward children. The purpose of this touch policy is to prevent misunderstandings by clarifying appropriate touch in the early childhood setting.
Early Education Station has a parent advisory committee which meets quarterly to review pertinent information about the program. Please gather more information from the director if you are interested in participating on this advisory committee.
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