information in the kitchen and in their classroom. When we take field trips we occasionally ask parents to pack a sack lunch. If parents provide a meal or snack we are required to provide a copy of the USDA guidelines. We are always interested to hear new ideas for our menu so pass along those good recipes that your children enjoy! QUIET TIME POLICIES Each day in every room we have “quiet time.” This time (at least 1/2 hour) is required by the state. If after 30 minutes a child is still awake or they wake up before quiet time is over, they will be allowed to do quiet activities until the end of quiet time. Children are more prone to illness when they are tired, so getting a good night’s sleep at home as well as a short rest during a busy day helps keep them healthy. Parents may bring in a crib sized sheet (those fit over our cots), 1 small blanket, a small pillow, and stuffed animal to make their child feel more comfortable during quiet time. If these do not fit on the cot, they may be sent home. All of these things MUST be taken home on Fridays (or your last day each week) to be washed. We do keep a few extra sets of sheets and blankets in case of accidents. During quiet time the lights are turned off, the shades are pulled, and lullaby music is played. The teachers rub the children’s backs and encourage them to sleep. In situations where the child resists the staff, cries, screams and fights the quiet time, we will work with the family to find a solution, since it is very disruptive to the other children. We do not make exceptions to this policy to any family. CLOTHING Please remember when dressing your child that we do a number of activities in which they may get dirty. We
Children at this age for many reasons may bite themselves, others, and toys. We remind children that it is okay to bite food, but not okay to bite themselves or others. If biting becomes a consistent behavior, we will talk with parents and decide on a plan of action. For the safety of our rooms, if we exhaust all efforts to change the behavior and see no results, we will ask the family to withdraw. This is to ensure safety for all of the children in the room. See “Biting Policy”, “Discipline Policy” and “Withdrawal Procedures” for more information. If you have questions or like to talk to your child’s caregiver, the best time would be between 1:00 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. when the children are resting. During this time the teachers are available to meet with you or talk to you on the telephone. EARLY PRESCHOOL ROOM The ratio in our Early Preschool Rooms depends on the age of the child. When the children are under 2 ½ the ratio is 6 children to 1 caregiver . When the children are over 2 ½ the ratio is 8 children to 1 caregiver. We have two full time caregivers in this room with a maximum number of 12 children. The lead teacher in this room must have early childhood training and previous experience with children. Each has a “Primary Caregiver.” This means one of the caregivers will primarily work with your child, comfort them, feed them and teach them. The other caregiver will be involved with your child, but will not be his/her main caregiver. Our Early Preschool Room is set up to encourage socialization, as well as growth in all of the developmental areas; gross and fine motor skills, language, emotional and cognitive. The rooms have four different areas: a book corner, a gross motor area, a dramatic play area, and an area for manipulatives. Short structured activity time is introduced in this room. We want your child’s day to be full of fun and good