Parent Night will be held in early September. Information pertaining to this orientation meeting will be mailed to each family in mid August.
Open House for the children will be held during the first week of September. We encourage you to meet the teachers and visit the classrooms with your child between 9:00am and 11:00am. Just a short visit at open house can help make the first day easier for everyone.
Health and Emergency Treatment Forms must be completed and on file by the first day of school. State law requires that each child have a completed health assessment signed by a doctor or approved health department nurse. Immunizations required include 4 DPT, 3 polio, and MMR. Please see that all information requested is addressed completely. We require that the emergency medical treatment form be notarized.
Class Times are from 9:00am until 11:30am. Children should arrive for school no earlier than 8:55 and be picked up promptly at 11:30 am.
Arrival and Dismissal Policy requires that each child be escorted to the classroom door by an adult and left in the care of the classroom teacher. At dismissal time, the children will walk to the preschool exit and will wait with the classroom teacher until met by a parent or designated care giver who is at least sixteen years of age. The name of any person authorized to transport a child to or from the preschool must be included on a list, signed by the parent and on file at the preschool. Children will not be released to anyone else. If there is a last-minute change or an emergency, please phone the church office 913-722-2310 and send a signed and dated note of permission to transport with the individual calling for your child. The individual, if not known to the staff, will be asked for proper identification.
Supplies: Each child should have a large shopping-bag style school bag; a box of eight primary size crayons with the child’s name printed on each one; one box of facial tissues; one box of 5 ounce paper cups; one roll plain white paper towels and one package paper napkins. We also request that each child bring one can or bottle of fruit juice each month. Health Department regulations require that we use 100% fruit juice – not a fruit flavored drink. There will be occasional requests for snacks such as crackers, cheese, fruit etc. published in the monthly newsletters.
Communication between parents and teachers is extremely important. Please feel free to discuss any problems concerning your child with the teacher. Discussion should always be outside the child’s hearing. Parents may visit school at any time, preferably after the first month, and are encouraged to assist with field trips and special activities.
Discipline Policies forbid the use of any form of physical contact such as pulling on arms, grabbing shoulders, swatting, or any sort of roughness when disciplining a child. Verbal abuse can be extremely detrimental and will not be condoned in any form ie: yelling, putting down, being critical, name calling, making fun of or any other means of verbal abuse.
Children and teachers are expected to treat each other with kindness and respect.
Parent-Teacher Conferences for all children will be scheduled in February. However, you may request a conference with your child’s teacher at any time.
Monthly newsletters will inform you of school happenings, curriculum updates, other special events and vacations.
Clothing should be practical and comfortable. Jeans or slacks protect legs and tennis shoes are safer than sandals or cowboy boots for outdoor play. No flip –flops! We enjoy many messy activities, so please discourage special clothes except for very special occasions. Please provide a change of clothing including socks for your child. We do have spills and splashes! Each article needs to be marked with your child’s name.
Absences and Illnesses – If your child will be absent, please call 913-722-0449 before school hours and leave a message. A child should be free of fever and vomiting for 24 hours before returning to school. You will be notified if your child has been exposed to a contagious disease at school.
Accident reports are kept on all injuries beyond a minor scrape or bump. Parents are notified in writing of all other injuries to their child.
Special conditions, such as food allergies or other health concerns should be called to the attention of the teacher and a written health plan prepared by parent or pediatrician must be on file in the center. The staff does not administer medicines without detailed instructions signed by a parent or guardian. If your child has strict food requirements for health or religious reasons, please furnish acceptable snacks to be used by your child only. This is especially important when classmates celebrate birthdays or when we prepare special snacks in the classroom.
Birthdays are important occasions and may be celebrated by sharing special cookies or a cookie cake with the class. No cakes or cupcakes, please. Children with summer birthdays may want to celebrate with a “pretend” or “half” birthday sometime during the year.
Transportation authorization forms are required for each child. Please list any person who has permission to transport your child to or from preschool. Please notify the teacher, in writing, when your child will be riding with any one other than those named on the form. Teachers will request photo identification from individuals unknown to them.
Snow days will be observed with Shawnee Mission School District. A specific announcement regarding St. Mark’s Preschool will not be phoned to the radio stations, so please listen for S.M. school cancellations.
School calendars will be made available shortly after the fall term begins. Generally the preschool calendar follows that of Shawnee Mission School district with regard to dismissal days at Thanksgiving, Christmas and spring break. St. Mark’s will be in session when S. M. dismisses for other holidays or for teacher inservice days.
Staff members are all experienced teachers with training in early childhood education. Each teacher receives at least ten hours of additional training annually. All staff members and volunteers in this facility have participated in child safety classes as required by the United Methodist Church.
Pupil/teacher ratio is limited to ten to one in the classes for three year old children and twelve to one in classes for children four and five years old.
