St. Mary’s
Preschool
(301)762-4179
School
Founded in 2002
WELCOME
Monsignor Robert Amey, Pastor, Mrs. Kelly Sweet, Director, and the Staff of St. Mary’s Preschool would like to welcome all the parents and children to St. Mary’s Preschool. This will be a wonderful beginning for your child and an exciting, rewarding and satisfying experience for you as a parent.
The handbook is designed to acquaint you with our preschool. It includes the majority of information you will need and it will serve as a reference source throughout the school year. We ask that you become familiar with the contents of the handbook. It will also be available online at our website www.stmarysrockville.org
The staff looks forward to working with you and your child in the year to come. We are blessed to be with you and your child on this early childhood journey!
Philosophy
St.
Mary’s Preschool offers an early childhood program for children three and four
years of age. The goal of the school is
to promote the spiritual, emotional and intellectual development of each child
in a nurturing atmosphere with Christian values.
The
children are exposed to a wide range of experiences such as free play, music,
art, dramatic play, story time, and dancing.
The teacher and children gather for group experiences which develop
thinking, perceiving, memory and communication skills. Group activities encourage being part of a
whole community and instill respect while helping one another. The school environment provides the child
with a sense of self-worth and well being and always encourages the positive “I
can” attitude with emphasis on doing things for oneself.
Tuition
St.
Mary’s Preschool relies on your tuition money to pay its bills; therefore,
please pay your tuition on the 1st of every month. All checks are to be made payable to St. Mary’s Preschool. Checks should include your child’s name and
class in the lower left corner/or attached to a tuition coupon located in the
monthly newsletter. Checks can be mailed or should be dropped off in the
envelope located outside of the classroom door. A fee of 10% of base tuition
will be charged for any checks received after the 10th of each
month. Insufficient funds will require a
new check, as well as a check returned fee.
Exigent circumstances may be discussed with the Pastor. We need your support and your prompt payment. TUITION
PAYMENTS (excluding last month’s registration tuition) ARE REFUNDABLE ONLY IF A CLASS IS FILLED WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER THE CHILD
HAS WITH DRAWN. A one month’s
written notice MUST be provided. Please
remember that IN-PARISH status is for parishioners who have been registered at
St.Mary’s for 2 years. You regularly
attend Mass, receive the sacraments, regularly contribute using your envelope
and generally participate in religious and social activities of the parish. (all
policies are subject to change)
Substitute Teaching/Volunteers
It
is always interesting to see a classroom in action and to see your own child
interacting with other children away from home.
The school uses a list of substitutes to assist in the classroom when
the teachers or assistants are absent and volunteers for Lunch Bunch, Field
Trips (4’s), Classroom Parties etc. All
substitutes and volunteers are required to be fingerprinted (through the
Archdiocese), have criminal background checks, complete necessary paperwork and
have completed the Archdiocesan Child Protection Virtus Training. If you choose to substitute or volunteer, we must
remind you that each child comes to school with his or her own unique
personality and we ask that you do not discuss individual children outside the
classroom. We owe the children and their
parents this courtesy.
Tote Bags
Children
usually have several items to transport home each time they come to class, and
their small hands often have trouble holding their many treasures. We ask that you either purchase or make a
tote bag for your child to carry back and forth to school. The open shopping bag type is preferable to a
backpack, as often the treasures are an odd size. The St. Mary’s Preschool tote on sale at
school is ideal for this. Be sure to
label the bag with your child’s name and bring
it to school every day. Often their
tote bag saves their place at circle time/table spot at the end of the
day. You can also decorate it or attach
something to it that will help your child to recognize it as their own!
Clothing
Part
of our preschool day includes outdoor play, weather permitting and art projects,
which include finger painting and generally messy stuff! Therefore we ask that you dress your child
appropriately for class. Except during
rain or extremely cold weather, we will go out every day. Remember mittens and hats! If your daughter
insists on wearing a dress, which girls often do, have her wear pants or tights
underneath on cold days. We also have
found that party shoes, clogs, flip flops and sandals are difficult to run and
climb in. Please do not allow your child
to wear these. Clothing should be
washable and allow freedom of movement. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LABEL ALL OUTERWEAR!
*All
children MUST be potty trained. Pull-ups
are not permitted.
Health Information
If
your child is sick or has a temperature above 98.6º F (frequent coughing,
profuse nasal discharge, sore throat etc.), do not send him/her to school. If your child was sick the night before
school (fever, throwing up), it is best to wait 24 hours before returning. For
runny noses, the general guideline to follow is: clear mucus is okay for
attending, but keep your child home if the mucus is yellow/green. If your child is not well enough to play
outside, a staff member will not be able to stay inside with your child. If your child becomes sick during school, you
will be notified to come pick him/her up.
If the parent cannot be reached, the emergency contact will be
called. If your child is sick 3 or more
days from school, a note from the doctor or parent must accompany his/her
return to school. Please inform the
school if your child has a highly contagious illness such as chicken pox,
strep, lice or conjunctivitis.
Classroom Visits
Parents
are welcome to visit the class and see their child in action. New prospective preschool families are also
encouraged to observe a class in session.
Call (301)762-4179 to set up an appointment. The most ideal situation for observing is
through a one-way mirror like those used in most college nursery schools. Since we do not have a mirror at St. Mary’s,
here are some helpful hints for successfully observing your child.
Be
sure to make arrangements with the teacher in advance. In the past we have discovered that 15 – 20
minutes is a good length to observe.
One
good way to inconspicuously watch your child in the classroom setting is to sign
up as an assistant to substitute or as a volunteer in the Lunch Bunch
program. Your child then sees you in a
working situation and not just as a “parent who is here to watch me.” Children who are being observed by a parent
often display behavior atypical from their usual classroom behavior. Do not be alarmed! It is just part of being 3 or 4 years old and
knowing you are being watched. After
observing, if you have any questions
about your child and his or her progress, it is best to wait until the end of
class or arrange for an appointment to discuss it with the teacher.
Parent Participation
There
is a general meeting in September that parents are asked to attend. Parent-Teacher
Conferences are held twice a year in which parents are also expected to
participate.
Parents
with special skills, talents, hobbies or places of work suitable for field
trips are encouraged to bring this to the attention of the Director. The 4 year
old classes will start going on field trips in January and parents are expected
to chaperone/drive.
Each
family will be required to assist and participate in the administration of the
school. A parent participation form will
be distributed, which will list volunteer positions available and descriptions. Parents will be asked to sign up.
Any
parent who has any contact with the children must be fingerprinted through the
Archdiocese, complete necessary paperwork and receive Archdiocese Child
Protection training.
Lunch Bunch
Lunch
Bunch is an optional program that offers your child a chance to socialize with
fellow classmates while eating and have extra time to play or do a craft. The program begins in October and it is
staffed and run by our preschool parents.
It would be offered for one hour in addition to your child’s regular
class and is paid for separately per session.
Lunch Bunch will be free for those children whose parents are working on
that session day. The continuation of
this program will depend on the number of volunteers available to run it, as
well as the level of interest of our preschool families. We will send further information as it
becomes available. If you decide to have
your child participate, please furnish a lunch and drink which do not require
adult assistance or refrigeration.
Please be sensitive to allergies in the group. When picking up your child from lunch bunch,
please enter the school lobby, go directly to the school auditorium, notify the
lunch bunch helper that you are there to pick up your child. The helper will call your child to you. Then
quickly exit through the side door of the auditorium. This will help ease any confusion during the
pick-up process and allow dismissal in an orderly fashion.
Field Trips
Parents
(4’s Only) MUST take turns driving
on field trips during the year. The children
eagerly anticipate their parents’ participation, therefore we ask that only
parents (not a relative or a baby sitter) fulfill this responsibility. Since we need a parent’s FULL attention on field trips, we cannot allow other siblings to
accompany you. Starting in January,
there will be scheduled field trips for the 4 year old classes. We will try our best to provide dates as far
in advance as possible so that working parents can also accompany us. A copy of
driver’s license and insurance information must be on file for all drivers of
field trips. ALL chaperones must be fingerprinted and complete all Archdiocesan
volunteer requirements. If there are not
enough chaperones for a scheduled field trip, the trip will be canceled.
Classroom Problems
On
occasion there may be a classroom problem you would like to discuss. The following is the procedure we would like
to have you follow: If possible please
discuss your particular problem with the teacher. If you feel it would be difficult to talk
with the teacher, you may discuss your problem with the Director/agent and a
meeting can also be arranged.
Behavioral Concerns
- If the teacher
determines that a child’s behavior is inappropriate, the teacher will
first attempt to resolve the situation with the child by actions including
but not limited to, talking to the child about what is appropriate and
acceptable behavior in the class, and/or giving time outs.
- If the behavior
continues, the teacher will discuss the situation with one or both
parents.
- If the behavior does not improve and/or
one or both parents do not agree with the teacher, the teacher will speak
with the Director/Agent and a conference will be arranged with one or both
parents, the teacher and the Director/Agent.
- If the situation does
not improve by the established deadline, the Director may ask the family
to withdraw from the school.
- If, in the Director’s
discretion, the safety and/or health of others in the school will be
impaired by the child’s continued attendance, it will be left to the
discretion of the Director, Agent and Pastor.
Admissions, Registration and
Withdrawal
Priority
registration for current students begins in December. Registration for siblings and general
applications will begin in January. A NON-REFUNDABLE application fee is due
at the time of registration and one month’s tuition deposit, which is applied
to the last month of the following year (May).
The May tuition deposit is only
refundable once the vacancy is filled within 30 days through May of the current
year. NO EXCEPTIONS. In addition, if
you wish to withdraw a child from the school, one month’s notice must be
submitted to the school director.
Acceptance Policies
Priority Registration
Allows
children currently enrolled in the preschool to have first priority.
Registration
-
Siblings are
accepted for admission first.
1.
Siblings are defined as brothers/sisters of children
who are attending or previously attended St. Mary’s Preschool.
2.
Contributing registered parishioner siblings who
fulfill registration requirements will be considered for admission prior to
non-parishioner siblings.
-
Contributing registered
parishioners who fulfill registration requirements will be considered for
admission prior to non-parishioners.
1. Parishioner priority status will be based on longevity
in the parish, contribution status and
involvement
in the parish activity.
- Non-parishioners
who fulfill registration requirements will be considered in the following
order:
Catholic applicants transferring from out-of-state
Catholic Schools.
Catholic applicants transferring from in-state
Catholic Schools.
Catholic applicants transferring from
non-Catholic Schools.
Non-Catholic applicants transferring from
Catholic Schools.
Non-Catholic applicants transferring from
non-Catholic Schools
- All others will be placed on a wait list.
-The above is subject to final
approval of the Pastor, and Director.
Please consult current registration
procedures prior to registration.
Times and Dates
School Hours
Morning classes begin at
3:00 p.m.
Aftercare is available until 6:00 p.m. for Pre-K class only.
Late Fees
Punctual pick-up of students is important to the children
as well as being fair to our staff.
While we understand emergencies happen, please be considerate in
adhering to this policy.
The Late Pick-up Policy is:
Ten minutes after class dismissal, parents will be
fined $5.00 per minute according to the classroom clock. Habitual late pick-ups will require the
parents to have a conference with the Director and fines may be assessed. Fines will be collected by the Director and
must be paid within 14 days.
Weather Policy
During inclement weather, we are closed when
Montgomery County Schools are closed.
When County schools have a two hour delay, preschool classes would start
“one” hour late. When public schools have an early closing
including all afternoon activities, Kindergarten and Pre-K, there will be no
afternoon classes. (Code Blue)
Please make sure that the school has accurate phone
numbers, email addresses and cell phone numbers for your family. This can become extremely important in an
emergency when we need to contact families with a short notice.
School Communication
Conferences
will be held twice a year in November and April. A written evaluation will be given in the
spring. If you have any questions about
your child and his or her progress, please remember you may call a teacher or
request an appointment to meet with the teacher after the class. St. Mary’s Preschool has teacher information
posted on the Homework Hero link accessible through the St. Mary’s School
website. (stmarysrockville.org) Teachers
may not discuss your child’s progress through email.
Security Policy
All
students will enter the building through the front door. All parents will identify themselves as being
authorized to enter the building with a school authorization card received in
September. Individuals without cards
will be required to stop at the reception desk.
Additional cards may be obtained.
Please remain quietly with your child until the teacher/aide escorts you
to the classroom door. Your child will only be dismissed to those individuals
listed on your child’s pick-up form. A
driver’s license will be requested to confirm identity if the teacher has not
met the person picking up. (This is a license requirement and for the safety of
your child) A written notice from the
parent will also suffice. If play dates
are arranged, PLEASE send a note to your child’s teacher. Your child’s pick-up
form is located in the classroom and a copy in your child’s file. They can be updated at anytime.
Snacks
Parents
are asked to provide the snack for the class two or three weeks a year. We ask that you send a snack which is
nutritious and which requires no preparation by the staff. Please provide spoons or forks if needed. Please try to provide enough of the SAME kind
of snack for the entire class. For
example: ALL blueberry muffins (NOT 8
blueberry and 8 chocolate) or ALL chocolate iced cupcakes (NOT 5 chocolate iced
and 11 white iced).This makes it easier on everyone! J On your child’s birthday or ½ birthday, you may send
his/her favorite cookies, cupcakes or treat! Please remember if you are having
a birthday party we will be more than happy to deliver the invites during
class, but you must include either the entire class or all girls/all boys
i.e. Otherwise it would be best to mail
them as to not hurt a child’s feelings.
There may be a time when you are
asked to provide a specific snack to reinforce a lesson, but usually you can
send whatever you like as long as it is nutritious. Please be sensitive to allergies in the
class. You will be reminded of your snack
week by a volunteer snack coordinator.
Please see snack ideas. Our childcare license requires menus that list
your chosen snack for the week to be posted the previous week. Please submit them to your child’s teacher on
time. Copies are included in your back
to school packet. Extras are also
available in the classroom.
SNACK IDEAS
Orange Slices
Bananas
Grapes
Apple Slices
Raisins
Carrot Sticks w or w/o
dressing
Celery Sticks w or w/o
cream cheese
Jello Cups
Yogurt or Gogurt
Mini Pizzas or English Muffins
Sliced Bagels w/cream
cheese or plain
Bread Sticks
Apple Sauce
Pretzels or Hot Pretzels
Oyster Crackers
Goldfish Crackers
Graham Crackers or Sticks
Animal Crackers
Cheese and Crackers
String Cheese
Homemade Trail Mix (no
nuts)
*If your class has any
allergies, please avoid those foods completely.
All fruits should be washed, cleaned and sliced if possible. Please provide spoons and forks if needed.
Please
provide 1 roll of paper towels and napkins for your snack week.