Hello! My name is Lyndsay Croxford and I will be your child's preschool teacher this year. This is my 3rd year teaching preschool at Wolf Branch and I'm so excited for the fun year we are going to have. Here is the information about our program that we'll address at our orientation on Tuesday, August 16th from 6:00-6:30pm. This is during WB's open house, which lasts from 5:00-7:00pm. I'm looking forward to meeting all of you!
When is tuition due each month?
Tuition will be due on the first of each month. The first tuition payment will be due September 1st. Since December and August are short months, we will only be asking for tuition during the month of December. Please do not send any tuition payments to the office. We will be handling all tuition payments in the classroom. Please put the tuition payments and tuition coupon in an envelope and place it in your son/daughter’s folder. Tuition coupons will be sent home a week prior to being due. This coupon will be sent back to you as a receipt for your payment.
What time does preschool start?
Our morning session is from 7:55-10:55am and our afternoon session is from 11:45 – 2:45pm. If you arrive before 7:55am, please bring your child to the day care room and sign in. Due to staffing concerns, children who are not part of the day care program may not arrive prior to 7:50.
What is the class routine when entering our room?
There will be a sign-in sheet for parents to sign each day. While you are signing the sheet, the children will be putting away their backpacks and coats into their assigned cubbies. They will also set their folders in the basket at the front of the room. Then, the children will work on a daily activity or a tub at the tables while we wait for everyone to arrive. After the first few days of school, the children need to take care of their own backpacks and folders without their parents’ help in order to promote independence and following routines.
What kind of curriculum do you follow?
For literacy development, we study a letter each week. We also work on Houghton Miffin’s Alligators to Zucchini with each child individually or in groups during their “Centers” time. For math, we do Houghton Miffin’s Every Day in Pre-K Math. Throughout the year, we have a variety of themes that usually correlate with the season or upcoming holiday. Our first theme is Bears. All of our centers will be based on those themes.
What is the purpose of the folders?
Each child will be provided with a folder. This folder is our means of passing information to and from school. Anything we would like for your child to take home will be in this folder, and you can put anything you would like to send back in there as well. Tuition will be handled through this folder. Please check your child’s folder each night for announcements, newsletters, class projects, etc…
What is the best way to contact the teacher?
You can contact me anytime through e-mail. My address is lcroxford@stclair.k12.il.us. However, I will not always have the opportunity to check my e-mail throughout the day. If it is an emergency, please call the office. I am always willing to conference with you as well! Just let me know a day in advance and I will do my best to be available. I’m also available most days after school if you’d like to stop by.
What should my child wear to school?
Please send your child in comfortable clothes each day. We will be participating in messy activities as well as outdoor activities. Our playground is covered in rocks and the children find it difficult to play if they are not wearing tennis shoes. We will also be having PE twice a week and tennis shoes will be needed on those days. During center time, students will have an opportunity to paint, but they will always wear a smock for this activity.
Does my child need a backpack?
Yes. Please send a backpack to school each day with your son/daughter. Backpacks with wheels are not allowed in preschool as they are too cumbersome for preschool students and will not fit into our cubbies. Please LABEL the backpack with your child’s name. Backpacks will be sent home daily with papers or projects that your child has worked on in school. Also, his/her folder will be sent home with papers from me or the office. Furthermore, this backpack is important as we are training your child to be a successful student!
Does my child need an extra change of clothes?
Yes. Please send in an extra set of clothes (shirt, socks, underwear and pants/shorts) in a Ziploc bag labeled with your child’s name. It will stay in his/her cubby. Please make sure you change the clothes according to the weather. You will also need an additional bag of clothes for the daycare if your child is attending. Your child should be fully potty trained and able to use the restroom independently. We are excited to have a restroom inside our classroom that your child will be encouraged to use when needed!
Where do I pick up my child after school?
If your child attends morning preschool, you can pick up your child at 10:55am at the top of the stairs. I will walk the children up the stairs to meet you so we do not disturb the other classes around our room. If your child attends afternoon preschool or is only in day care till the end of the school day (2:45), we will walk your child to the pick-up lanes in the back of the school to be picked up with the rest of the WB kids. Let us know at orientation if you want to pick your child up at the pick-up lanes. If your child is participating in the after school daycare, you can pick him/her up in the daycare room. Please make sure you sign your child out. Also, if someone other than you will be picking up your child, please send a note in the folder informing me of the change.
What are the classroom rules?
Our rules are simple so the children can easily understand them. We will review them often in the beginning of the year and refer to them throughout the year.
1. Helping hands
2. Listening ears
3. Walking feet
4. Quiet voices
What is the discipline policy?
Each child has a star that can rise or fall each day. If your child is following classroom rules, his/her star can go up. If the star rises 3 times, he/she will be a Super Star! Super Stars get to wear an award necklace and pick from the treasure chest. However, when a child is not following classroom rules, his/her star can go down. If the star goes down 3 times, the child must have time out of recess. A wonderful aspect of our star system is that if a child’s star goes down, it can go right back up when behaviors change and better choices are made. After all, our Pre-K kids are just beginning to understand correct classroom behavior and emotions of Pre-K students can sometimes fluctuate throughout a day. We take this all into account with our star system.
Will I find out if my child had multiple warnings on a particular day?
I will let you know if your child is continuously making poor choices. However, you may not always be informed if your child moved his/her star down once, but then moved his/her star back up. I believe that occasionally we all have times of poor decision making, and if we show effort in making good choices, we should be able to have a second chance! As always, though, please let me know of any concerns and I will let you know of ours!
When are progress reports sent home?
I will be sending home formal report cards two times a year. One will be in the middle of the year and the other at the end of the year. You may also elect to sign up for Parent – Teacher conferences scheduled in November and February. Furthermore, I send home copies of any assessment I do with the children.
Will you be offering any music classes or PE like other WB students?
We will be attending PE and music.
What if my child is sick?
If your child is sick, please keep him/her at home. If possible, send me an e-mail to let me know or contact the school office. Small children can spread illness around the classroom very quickly. Please remember that our school has a policy that all students must be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school. Also, please keep me informed of the current phone numbers in case we need to contact you during school hours if your child is sick.
Will you send home book orders?
Yes! Books are so important to children of all ages! We will be participating in book club orders each month. If you would like to order books from the club, please return the order slip and one check made out to Scholastic for the entire order price. Ordering books from the book club enables our classroom to earn free books!
Do I need to send in snacks to school?
No, the preschool program will provide snacks. Please let me know if your child is allergic to any foods if you did not inform me of this on your registration form. Students with multiple allergies may need to bring their own snacks.
Do you celebrate birthdays in school?
Birthdays are such a special time for children! If you would like to celebrate your son/daughter’s birthday at school, you may send in a snack or other treats. If you choose to do so, please let me know in advance to plan accordingly. We will do our best to make your child’s birthday a special one! I would be happy to pass out birthday party invitations for you, too. If your child has a summer birthday, consider celebrating their “half-birthday” sometime during the school year. They will feel so special! Furthermore, know that you can sign your child up to be “Snoopy’s Student of the Week” on the week of his/her birthday.
When is lunch and do I need to purchase my child’s lunches?
Children who are in daycare will have lunch everyday from 11:00-11:45. Lunch is included in tuition if they are participating in daycare. Lunch menus are on the school’s website. If your child will be arriving at school after 8am, please send in a copy of the lunch menu at the beginning of the month with your child’s lunch choices marked. This way your child will get what he/she wants for lunch! If not we will order choice A for your child. Also, remember that “peanut butter and jelly” and “peanut butter only” sandwiches are available as a choice every day.
What is Snoopy’s Student of the Week?
Throughout the year, your child will have an opportunity to be Snoopy’s Student of the Week. This student will be provided a piece of poster board the week before to decorate about him/herself and bring back to school on Monday. The poster board could include hobbies or pictures of family/friends/pets. It can also include favorite movies, foods, colors, etc. The other children will have an opportunity to ask Snoopy’s Student questions as we try to get to know your child better through this sharing time. Also, the student is able to invite a family member to come to our classroom and read a favorite story to our class. A note will be sent home the week before to remind you that your child will be featured. (When signing up your child, keep in mind that you can make your child Snoopy’s Student during the week of his/her birthday.)
Do you have show-and-tell?
Yes, we have show-and-tell almost every day. A bag is sent home with a different child every night throughout the year. The children and family members are encouraged to find something to put in the bag and share with the class. The item must fit into the bag and it will remain in your child’s backpack until show-and-tell. You may want to practice what your child will say about the item. This is a wonderful way to help the children with their communication skills!
What are your classroom goals?
1. To develop to the fullest potential each child’s physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development.
2. To help each child develop a love for learning and especially a love for books.
3. To make children feel comfortable in their school environment and HAVE FUN!
4. To provide the children with many authentic learning experiences to expand their love of learning.
5. To help the children develop appropriate social interaction and social responsibility.
6. To teach children to accept change.
7. To help children have respect for self, others and property.
What are Class Books?
Throughout the year, we will be making various class books. Class books have pages included from each child. Morning and Afternoon preschool books will be separate. Baskets in the classroom will have the class books we have made. Please feel free to take a book home to read with your child. Sign the page inside the cover to say that you have read and enjoyed that book with your child! You may keep the book for a few nights, but please remember to send it back for other children to enjoy. At the end of the year, I will take out all the pages from each book and your child will get his/her own Preschool Book filled with all the pages he/she made throughout the year. This will be a wonderful keepsake for your child, so please handle the books with love and care throughout the year! Check periodically for new books! If you do not personally pick up your child from preschool but would like to view a book, let me know and I will send one home with your child in his/her backpack!
Should I send money to school with my child?
Your child should not need any money at school. The only money that will come to school will be tuition checks, book order money, field trip money, and money for any other fundraiser. If you are sending money for any of the above, please place the money in a baggie or envelope and label it with your child’s name, “preschool” (in case for some reason it would be found in the hall), and the reason for the money. Please put the envelopes or baggies in your child’s folder and I will send them to the appropriate people. Preschool does not buy ice cream at lunch time, so no need to send ice cream money. We will have our own yummy snacks down in our room!
Pre-K Programs
Pre-K will have special programs throughout the year, specifically our Grandparent’s Day program and winter play. We ask that ONLY grandparents attend Grandparent’s Day in order for your child to be the main focus. We understand that some grandparents may be the primary caregiver for a younger child, but please make other arrangements for that child. We want Grandparent’s Day to be extra special for your Pre-K student. ALL family is invited to the winter play and Graduation!
What happens on a WB half day or a day WB is not in session?
Morning Pre-K and all day Day Care are still in session on WB half days. We usually have a field trip or special activity planned for those half days. All kids, morning and afternoon, are encouraged to come to the morning session to attend this activity. Afternoon Pre-K will not be in session that day, but Day Care will have the same hours from 7am-6pm. When WB School is not in session at all, Pre-K and Day Care are not in session. You will be receiving a school schedule so you will know when these dates are.
Can I come in to read to the class?
Students will be able to invite an important adult to read to the class while they are Snoopy’s Student of the Week. However, I ALWAYS welcome guest readers. If Grandma and Grandpa are visiting for a few days, have them come in to read! If you are off work for the day and would like to come, please do! Try to give me a few days notice to plan and let you know when we will be available. However, I completely understand last minute free time and will do my best to adjust our schedule accordingly.
Day Care
Susan Chaney is our day care director. She has many years of experience running her own day care program and has been with Wolf Branch’s Pre-K program since the beginning 9 years ago. We love her! Susan’s day care is like a second Pre-K room. She reinforces everything we are learning over here in preschool, so your child will get twice as much exposure to the curriculum. Susan Chaney will be able to answer any questions you have that are strictly about day care. Her e-mail address is schaney@stclair.k12.il.us
What are daycare hours?
If you have signed up to send your son/daughter to daycare, you may bring him/her from 7am – 6pm. Unfortunately we cannot staff the daycare past 6pm. If you are running late, please make arrangements for someone else to pick up your child. If you are late to pick up your child 3 times, you will be asked to make other arrangements for your child’s after school care.
Does my child need anything for the daycare?
Yes, please send in an extra change of clothes for your son/daughter in a Ziploc bag labeled with his/her name. (Separate from Pre-K’s bag of clothes.) If your child is participating in afternoon daycare, he/she will need to bring a towel or small blanket for rest time. He/she may also bring a pillow or anything that might make rest time easier. Please make sure all items are clearly marked with your child’s name. Also, please take home the towels/blankets each week to be washed.
Potty Training
Every child must be potty trained in order to attend Wolf Branch Preschool. We completely understand the occasional accident, but if accidents occur frequently, we will notify you and other options for your child may be recommended.
