About the Ark Preschool

The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten is a preschool that operates under the guidelines of the State of Vermont and a kindergarten program that operates under the Vermont Department of Education.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, political belief or religion of parents.

All the staff at the Ark Preschool/Kindergarten will be working for the best interests of your child and for their welfare

STATEMENT OF PHILOSOPHY

The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten strives to provide a quality education and social skills program for children age 3, 4 and 5 years. First consideration will be given to the needs of children. We feel our preschool must serve the child as well as the parents. We believe that parents are the first and most important educators of children. We see each child and his/her family as unique; therefore, we strive to meet the individual needs in a respectful manner. We strive to create a mutual respect between parents and teachers – a partnership for the benefit of the child. We believe in providing an environment that is safe, clean, healthy and oriented to children. The classrooms are arranged to offer different choices throughout the day and provided space for whole group, small group, and individual activities. Our teachers create a caring and nurturing atmosphere for each child. We support the teachers with training, resources, and freedom to create a unique learning experience for children. We continually work to earn the trust in us.

STATEMENT OF GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Provide a safe, nurturing environment for children placed in our care.
Help to develop an understanding of God’s love.
Help build a lasting love and excitement for learning.
Help build a foundation of basic academic skills using developmentally appropriate practices.
Encourage curiosity and creative thinking.
Build listening and communication skills.
Broaden the child’s horizon beyond the home through varied experiences.
Develop self-confidence, self-reliance, and self-discipline.
Help the child feel they are accepted by others.
Provide guidance in showing interest in others.
Reinforce appropriate behavior through encouragement.
Help children create friendships with others.
Build good health habits and attitudes.
Develop fine and gross motor coordination.
Train independence in physical development.
Help the child develop problem solving skills.

OPEN DOOR POLICY

We encourage parents to be highly involved in their child’s learning experiences at the Ark Preschool. Parents have full access to the facility and staff during school hours. Parents also have full access to their child’s records. Parents are welcome to volunteer during many different times including field trips, special lunches and parties, reading, and projects with the children.

CONFIDENTIALITY

The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten does not share any child’s information with anyone without written permission from the parent.

ENROLLMENT

Children must be three years old and toilet trained to enroll in the preschool. Upon enrollment there will be certain forms that must be completed and returned in order to meet enrollment requirements for the State of Vermont. These are:

Registration Fee Parent Interview

Enrollment Form Financial Agreement

Attendance Form Enrollment Card

Child's Immunization Certificate

Each child enrolling in the Ark Preschool/Kindergarten is required to pay a non-refundable once-a-year fee of $35.00.

CURRICULUM FEE

This is a yearly fee for A Beka curriculum for each child for the entire year’s worth of worksheets, curriculum, etc. These workbooks will be ordered for your child after the fee has been paid. They are a daily part of the Ark Preschool/Kindergarten and are required in the curriculum.

$40.00 for preschool

$65.00 for four year old pre-kindergarten

$65.00 for five year old kindergarten

TUITION

The tuition for the Ark Preschool/Kindergarten is a fee set by the administration according to the program in which your child is enrolled. Full tuition is charged regardless of whether your child is present or not. If your child is absent for any reason, we reserve his/her place, therefore, we must charge for the service. This applies to all age groups and all sessions.

Our tuition is based on an annual fee that can be paid by your choice of the following plans. This annual fee is divided into a weekly amount that allows you to pay only during the weeks that your child is attending school. This allows you the freedom of not paying any tuition during the full weeks of school vacation, but tuition is paid during all the rest of the weeks beginning in August through the end of the school year. All other weeks are considered to be full weeks and should be paid each week in advance. Tuition must be paid in advance. You may choose to pay weekly, biweekly, or monthly, but each payment needs to be in advance of the week or weeks it is for. Please make checks payable to The Ark Preschool.

School Option

Full Days – 8:30-3:00

Five Days: $120.00 per week
Three Days: $75.00 per week

Half Days – 8:30-11:30

Five Days: $80.00 per week
Three Days: $49.00 per week

If your child is dropped off before 8:15 or picked up after 3:15 (or 11:45 for half day) an early/late fee will be charged. This fee will be $.25 per minute.

School Plus Option

Full Days – 7:30-5:00

Five Days: $144.00 per week
Three Days: $89.00 per week

Half Days – 7:30-11:30

Five Days: $89.00 per week
Three Days: $55.00 per week

The School Plus Option allows you to drop off your child any time after 7:30 and pick them up any time before 5:00 (11:30 for half days), while only paying one flat fee per week.

All children must be picked up by 5:00. There is a $1.00 per minute charge after 5:00.

SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE

7:30 -8:30 (School Plus) Free Play

8:30-9:00 Activity Time—Includes art/crafts, stories, songs, music, poetry, poems, verses

9:00-9:30 Circle Time—Includes pledges, songs, calendar, Bible story, character development story, show and tell

9:30-10:00 Restroom Break & Snack Time

10:00-10:45 Numbers & Phonics & Language Development

10:45-11:30 Recess

Half Day Dismissal

11:45-12:30 Lunch

12:30-12:45 Story Time

12:45-1:30 Quiet Time

1:30-1:45 Individual book time

1:45-2:15 Wake up, free play

2:15-2:30 Snack Time

2:30-3:00 Project, cooking, music

3:00 Dismissal

3:00-5:00 (School Plus) Free Play

ORIENTATION

Our goal is to make each child and family feel comfortable with the transition into preschool. All parents and children are encouraged to visit before enrollment or starting preschool. If you would like to stop by for a visit and see the facilities, classes, or teachers please call to set up an appointment. Depending on the needs of you and your child, more than one visit can be planned. Each year, we have an Open House prior to the beginning of school. During the Open House, you and your child can talk with the teachers, meet other families, and see the classroom set up and ready for the beginning of the new school year.

ARRIVAL

All parents must escort their child to the restroom to wash their hands upon arrival. After the child has washed their hands, the parent should enter the arrival time and then initial the daily attendance sheet.

PICKUP

Parents will provide a list of individuals that are approved to pick up their child. If there is a change in the person picking up the child, the Ark staff must be notified prior to dismissal. The person picking up the child should enter the pickup time and their initials on the daily attendance sheet.

SNACK

The Ark offers a nutritious snack for the children each morning and afternoon. Parents will also be given the opportunity to provide snacks.

LUNCH

The parents provide lunch. We request that you send a healthy, nutritious lunch with your child, e.g. sandwich, fruit/vegetable, drink, and healthy snack. We have a microwave if you would like to send a lunch item that needs to be warmed up, but we cannot cook items. Lunch and snack time is viewed as time for the children and staff to interact positively, and as an opportunity to practice skills such as good manners and healthy and nutritious habits. Candy, soda, and sugary snacks are strongly discouraged.

CLOTHES

We request a complete change of clothes for your child each day. Please provide appropriate clothing for your child that will allow him/her to be comfortable in the environment.

Please take time to be aware of weather conditions and have your child prepared to go outside. We go outside everyday it is possible. We recommend having your child wear sneakers outside. This allows them to run, climb, and play safely. If your child comes to school in boots, please make sure they have shoes or slippers to wear inside.

QUIET TIME

A quiet time is provided each day. Each child must have their own mat with a covering or sleeping bag. The blankets/sleeping bag must be in a bag. It is suggested that these be brought in a drawstring bag for easier storage. They may stay at the school throughout the week, but must be brought home each weekend to be washed.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

As stated above, we practice an open door policy at The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten. Parents are encouraged to be involved in many ways. Throughout the year we have special parties and luncheons that parents can attend. Other opportunities for parent involvement include:

Chaperone field trips

Help plan and assemble The Ark’s Memorial Day float Attend special work days,

Volunteer to help with luncheons/parties

Various other opportunities

Bring in snacks

Parents are also welcome to come by the preschool at any time to spend time with their child, observe their child’s day, or join in special activities.

SNOW DAYS

The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten will be closed when the Vergennes schools are closed because of weather. We will not have delayed openings like VUHS. We will open at our regular time. When the weather becomes inclement during the school day, we may find it necessary to close early. We will contact the parent in order for you to make the necessary arrangements for early pick-up. (A full day under these circumstances is until 1:30). Please refer to payment schedule about snow days.

ABSENCES

If your child is going to be absent, please call the school by 8:30 to let us know.

SICK POLICY AND ILLNESS

It is in the best interest of your child and other children in the preschool not to bring your child to school if he/she is ill. If your child becomes ill during the preschool hours we will contact you first, and if unable to reach you, then we will call your designated alternates. Reasons for sending a child home, or for keeping your child at home, include a temperature over 100 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea, or other symptoms of illness. Children that are sent home from school cannot return to school for at least 24 hours after symptoms are gone. We go outside every day, weather permitting. Due to staff/child ratios and the importance of fresh air and exercise, we cannot keep one child inside.

MEDICINES

Because of the limited number of hours your child is in the preschool, we prefer not to dispense any medication, but if it is necessary we will under the following conditions:

2. Medicine is in container showing name of child, doctor, dosage, time to be given

3. The parent giving the preschool permission to administer the medicine must sign an authorization form.

MEDICAL EMERGENCIES

In the event of an accident or medical emergency we will attempt to contact you or others you have listed as appropriate to contact in an emergency. If unable to contact anyone on your emergency list, we will contact your doctor directly, or go straight to the emergency room at Porter Medical Center.

FIELD TRIPS

1. An emergency bag will be taken on all field trips that will contain copies of emergency information on each child, consent forms, and the first aid kit.

2. In an emergency, we will attempt to contact the parents or alternates. If not possible, medical treatment will be sought from the scene of the emergency. We will continue to try to contact the parents.

FIRE DRILLS

The preschool will conduct at least 1 fire drill a month while children are in attendance. This will ensure that your child will be aware of what to do in an emergency and therefore adding to his/her safety during such times.

All staff at the Ark is trained in CPR and first aid. The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten has in place a written emergency response plan. It covers what would happen during various contingencies such as illness, missing child, fire, evacuation, and shelter-in-place (quarantine). You are welcome to ask to see a copy of our emergency response plan.

PARENT CONFERENCES

The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten staff will schedule a parent conference each spring to discuss your child’s progress and goals. Other conferences can be scheduled at any time during the year as needed by either the parent or child’s teacher. Progress reports will be sent out quarterly. Parents will be kept informed consistently through daily conversations with the staff, newsletter, and other notes sent in your child’s folder.

DISCIPLINE PHILOSOPHY

The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten sees discipline as equipping the child to learn good behavior and also to feel good about themselves. We will use gentle and positive guidance to help the child achieve this goal. We believe in clear and consistent limits for the children, thus enabling the child to learn to work within the framework of expected behavior. Teachers facilitate the development of self-control in children by using positive guidance techniques such as modeling and encouraging expected behavior, redirecting children to a more acceptable activity, and setting clear limits for the benefits and safety of all children.

POLICY OF REQUIRED REPORTING

All child care providers/preschools in the State of Vermont, by law, are required to report any incidents of suspected neglect or physical, emotional, or sexual abuse to the Department for Children and Families. The Ark Preschool/Kindergarten will report such incidents.

EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM LICENSING REGULATIONS

The State of Vermont provides access to early childhood program information and Early Childhood Program Licensing information by Internet at http://www.state.vt.us/srs/childcare/license.htm. You can also reach the Child Care Consumer Concern Line at 1-800-540-7942.

QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS

If you have any questions or concerns about any of these policies or procedures at the Ark Preschool/Kindergarten, please first talk to your child’s teacher or the director. If that is not possible please contact the Executive Administrator, Pastor Tim Taylor.