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Handbook Welcome to Sonshine School! This handbook is designed to inform you of our policies and procedures so we can work effectively together. Please familiarize yourself with this information, and keep it for future reference. Our Want List We want to “let our lights shine” in everything we do because it is a reflection of our beliefs and our Christ-inspired attitudes. We want you to be happy with the choice you made for your child’s care and education. You should know we are always striving to improve all areas of our school from our curriculum to our communication with you. We want Sonshine School to be a positive experience for your child. Open communication between you, the director, and your child’s teacher is vitally important and ensures your child’s best interest. We want you to keep us informed about your child’s experiences here and important events outside of school. Sonshine School Goals ? To be a place where Christian love and values are nurtured. ? To be a place where children are loved, accepted, and safe. ? To be a place where families are enriched and supported. Fees A non-refundable registration fee is payable at the time of enrollment: $25 for the fall session, $10 for the summer session. Monthly fees are due the first week of each month: $50/mo for one day/week and $93/mo for two days/week. If your child misses a day due to illness or vacation, the fees are still the same. Please see the director about making up missed days. Families enrolling after the first of a month may pay a drop-in fee for the number of class days remaining in the month. The drop-in fee is $15/day. Please make your check payable to Adams Blvd. Church of Christ, and give it to the director. You may be wondering, “Why are the fees the same every month when some months have more than or less than eight days?” Before school starts in the fall, we set our calendar and add up the number of days we will be in session from September to May. We then calculate the teacher and director salaries per day and multiply that times the number of days in the school year. We then divide that total by nine months (September-May.) The total is our monthly tuition. This school year the August tuition will be billed at $15/day because we meet only four days. We do not use the fluctuating payment schedule where you pay for the exact number of days in the month. When the school was established, both of these types of payment schedules were discussed, and the board decided it would be easier for parents to budget for tuition if the amount was the same every month. “What does the tuition cover?” All of your monthly tuition goes to pay your child’s teacher and the director. The registration fees you pay at the beginning of each session, private donations, and the Albertson’s Community Cards pay for your child’s supplies. If you have any further questions, please let us know. Enrollment Enrollment is open to all families with children ages 1-5. Please supply a copy of your child’s immunization record with your enrollment form and update it as your child has additional immunizations. Once our classes are filled, those seeking enrollment will be put on a waiting list and will be contacted as class space becomes available. Drop-ins Drop-ins for enrolled students will be welcomed if space available in the class. A drop-in fee of $15.00 must be paid on the day of use. · Please check with the director first before you drop in your child. We realize emergencies come up, and we want to help you out. · Please let the director know by 9:30 if your child will not be at school. This will enable other parents to drop in their children if they have an emergency and need to bring them to school. School Supplies Your child will need a backpack, lunch box, and cup with a lid; a sleeping bag or mat, pillow, and a lightweight blanket; a change of clothing and a plastic bag; diapers and wipes if your child still needs them. Please label all of these items clearly with your child’s name. Parking Please use the marked parking areas when dropping off your children. Teachers Our teachers put a lot of hard work and preparation into their classes. They are very sweet ladies who have a real love for your little ones. Please keep our teachers in your prayers. School Supplies Your child needs a large bag or backpack, preferably one with a large opening in the top; a change of clothing and a plastic bag (if your child still needs diapers, please include them;) a rest mat or sleeping bag, pillow, and a lightweight blanket; any security item your child might need for rest time; a lunch box and cup with a lid. Please label all of your child’s items clearly with first and last name. Separation Anxiety We will do our part to make your child as comfortable as possible on the first day. It is perfectly normal for children to be apprehensive about coming to school at first. Sometimes it is difficult for them to physically separate from you and come into the room. Here are a few suggestions to help this transition go as smoothly as possible.
Sonrise Sometimes circumstances arise when you need to drop off your children early. Our Sonrise extended morning program meets from 9-9:30 in the gym for your convenience. The Sonrise entrance is on the east side of the gym (through the double black doors.) Drop off your child in the gym with our Sonrise staffers. The gym will be set up with bikes and toys for your children to play with when they arrive. Please sign in your child, and leave backpacks and lunches on the cart by the door. Children will stay in the gym with the Sonrise staff until 9:20 when they will be escorted to their classes. There will be a $3 charge per child per day that is due at drop off, or parents can enroll and pay a monthly fee: $15/month for 2 day students, $7.50/month for 1 day students. Arrival Class begins at 9:30. We need your help to establish our morning routines. · Please drop off your child between 9:20 and 9:30. · Please do not bring your child to class before 9:20. Teachers will be busy preparing their rooms and gathering supplies for the day’s activities. ? Please drop off your child only when a staff person is present in the classroom. ? Please sign your child in and out each day. A sign-in sheet will be in each classroom. ? Please make your good-byes short and sweet. By leaving, you are letting your child know this is a safe and happy place for him/her to be. Teachers enjoy greeting parents each morning but need to be available to interact with the children as they arrive. If you have concerns that require lengthy discussion, please feel free to visit with the director or make a time to come back later and visit with your child’s teacher. Chapel Every day your children are here, they'll attend Chapel in the Youth Room. The 3's and 4's will go at 10:00, and the 1's and 2's will have chapel at 10:30. We sing songs and listen to a short Bible story. You are always welcome to come and participate with us. Lunch We have a microwave and can heat up food you send from home. Please send food your child can feed himself/herself. Ex: lunchables, cut up chicken or cheese, fruit, hot dogs. Our teachers are not able to spoon feed 8-10 children during lunch. In accordance with the building policy RED or PURPLE drinks are not allowed at school. (They stain the carpet.) Please send your child’s drink in a cup with a lid. Juice bags or boxes (like Capri-sun or Hi-C) are fine too. We appreciate your help. Dismissal Classes end at 3:00. Please pick up your child between 2:45 and 3:05. ? Please be prompt in picking up your child. ? Please inform the teacher, the director, and your child if someone different is to pick up your child. Your child’s safety is most important. You can call us, send us a note, or tell us in person when you drop off your child. We’ll need to know the name and phone number of the person picking up your child, and he/she will have to show a photo ID upon arrival. Special Events If your child attends only one day a week and a special event is planned on a day he/she does not normally attend, you are invited to bring him/her to school to join in the fun. Please plan to stay with your child. Most of our events will last 15-20 minutes. Birthdays Children enjoy sharing birthdays with their friends. We want to ensure they have a great time on their special days. ? Please check with your child’s teacher, and let her know ahead of time if you would like to send cookies or treats. ? Please do not send birthday invitations to school unless the entire class is invited. Clothing Children should wear clothing suitable for their day’s activities. We will go outside each day that the weather permits (sunny and above 50,) so be sure to dress your child accordingly. ? Please do not send him/her in anything you will be concerned about getting soiled. ? Please put your child’s name on each piece of outer clothing. ? Please bring an extra change of clothing and a plastic bag. ? Please send gloves and a hat on cold days. ? Please send your child in a good pair of lace-up shoes. This will reduce your child’s chances of tripping and falling. Illness and Medication Your child needs to be at school only when he/she is well. ? Please do not bring your child to school if he/she has had a fever, diarrhea or vomiting, a sore throat, a rash or skin irritation, eye inflammation, or head lice within the last twenty-four hours. ? We will not administer medication at school. ? Please be prepared if your child becomes ill at school; we will call you to come get him/her. Have a good backup plan in case you are unavailable to pick up your child. Discipline Sometimes discipline challenges arise during school. Teachers may use natural consequences or time out to handle these challenges. Teachers are cautioned not to overuse time out as it can lose its effectiveness. Using natural consequences whenever possible is always the best option. Please be assured AT NO TIME will a teacher ever shame or inflict physical harm (spanking) on a child. Listed below are our guidelines for handling discipline challenges. When a discipline challenge arises in class the first time, we redirect the behavior by giving a generic verbal reminder. Ex: “Please keep the sand in the middle of the sand table, not on the floor.” The second time, we give a specific verbal redirection and appropriate consequences. Ex: “John, come to the table and work a puzzle. Watch how your friends are keeping the sand in the table.” The third time, we give verbal redirection and stronger appropriate consequences. Ex: “You must keep the sand in the table. You need to go play in another center. The sand table is closed for you the rest of the day.” The fourth time, the child is sent to the director with an explanation of the disciplinary challenge and the actions taken to correct it. When disciplinary issues are taken care of in class, most of the time it is not necessary to tell parents. However, if the issues are serious or the actions are repetitive, then the disciplinary action needs reinforcement at home. If a child has caused an injury in anger (biting, kicking, pinching, hitting), it is absolutely necessary to tell the parent. We also will inform parents and ask for reinforcement at home if a child consistently disobeys a teacher (ex: stands up on the slide after being instructed not to for safety reasons,) and the corrections given by the teacher and director are having no affect on the behavior. Closings/Inclement Weather We will follow the Bartlesville Public Schools in regards to holiday closings. If we are blessed with “white winter weather,” we will be closed if the Bartlesville schools are closed. Listen to KWON 1400 AM for local closings. If it snows and Bartlesville schools are open, please use the north entrance of the church building (under the canopy drive-through at the top of the hill.) We will make arrangements to meet you in the upstairs lobby and walk your kids down to class.
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