KINDERGARTEN
WRAP-AROUND
PROGRAM
Madison
359 Woodland Road
Madison, NJ 07940
973-593-3100 *3112
Fax 973-301-2170
www.madisonpublicschools.org
Parent Handbook
May 2014
Welcome to the
Kindergarten Wrap-Around
Program!
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program
provides full school-day enrichment activities for
children enrolled in kindergarten. The Program is a
complement to the regular kindergarten session,
providing time, materials, and support to extend the
learning that children obtain in kindergarten.
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is
offered by the Madison School District. It is a
voluntary, fee-based program for families who
contract with the Community School to have their
child attend each morning before their regular
kindergarten session. The Program is housed in each
of the Madison Elementary Schools, so that children
are able to stay right in their home school for the
entire school day.
We look forward to working together with you
and your child in this exciting new program. We
anticipate a year of physical, social, emotional and
academic growth for all of our children!
Kindergarten WrapAround Program
Basic Facts
1. Program Administration
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is
administered through:
Madison Board of Education Community School
359 Woodland Road
Madison, NJ 07940
973- 593-3100 *3112
FAX: 973-301-2170
www.madisonpublicschools.org
2. Locations
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is housed in
one classroom in each of the Madison Elementary
Schools: Central Avenue, Kings Road and Torey J.
Sabatini.
3. Hours
Depending upon the AM or PM class your child will be
attending.
The morning program starts at the beginning of the
school day and ends when the regular PM
Kindergarten Classes begin: 8:40am – 12:30pm
The afternoon program starts after the AM
Kindergarten Classes ends and runs until the end of
the school day: 11:30am – 3:15pm
4. Program Calendar
Kindergarten Wrap-Around follows the calendar of
the Madison Public Schools. The Program will be
open when the Madison Schools are open, and will
be closed when the schools are closed. The Program
will also follow the District Policy for emergency
closings due to weather or other unforeseen
emergencies. There are no make up days in addition
to the days already scheduled in the school district
calendar.
5. Attendance
The Program is designed as a 5-day per week, full
school-year program. Children are encouraged to
attend every day. Children must be present at their
regular kindergarten session to be allowed to attend
the Wrap-Around Program each day. An exception
may be made for special circumstances, with prior
approval of the Madison School, the building
Principal, or the Wrap-Around Teacher.
Financial Arrangements
1. Registration Fee/Deposit
There is a non-refundable annual family registration
fee of $1,000.00, due at the time of registration.
The registration fee consisting of the first and last
month’s (September & June) monthly fees is due
upon registration. Only children who have paid the
registration fee in full will be allowed to attend the
Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program.
3. Monthly Payments
The monthly fee in the amount of $450.00 is due on
the first day of each month, but will be applied to the
following month’s service. The first monthly
payment is due by September 1 in payment for the
month of October; by October 1 for the month of
November; etc.
Please note—Persons in arrears greater than 3
months will be removed from the program and no
waivers or reductions in rate will be provided.
4. Monthly Bills
Monthly bills WILL NOT be sent by the school. It is
the responsibility of each family to assure that
payments are received by the first day of each
month.
5. Receipts
The parent’s cancelled check will
serve as a monthly receipt of
payment. Upon written request,
the Board Office will furnish a receipt for payments
which will include the Tax ID number.
6. Refunds
Once a child is enrolled in the Program, space is
reserved for him/her for the entire school year.
Parents are responsible for all fees for the reserved
space(s) for the program period (one school year),
not actual time spent at the Program. Therefore,
refunds will not be issued in the event of school
closings, early dismissals, child absences,
suspensions or expulsion from the program.
7. Withdrawal from the Program
Two weeks written notice to the Board Office is
required in advance of the date of withdrawal from
the Program. Any fees owed plus a $50.00
administrative fee will be deducted from all refunds.
Refunds take approximately 6 – 8 weeks from
receipt of a signed refund form.
8. Return to the Program
Enrollment in the Kindergarten Wrap-Around
Program is limited by space and is on a first-come,
first-served basis. A child who is withdrawn from the
Program is not guaranteed a space should they
desire to return at a later date.
Arrival and Departure
1. Transportation
Children will be transported to and from school on
the school buses provided by the Madison Schools
Transportation Department if they require
bussing. They will ride the bus to the
Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program in the
morning with the older neighborhood elementary
children, and ride the same bus home again after
kindergarten.
2. From Wrap-Around Program to
Kindergarten
Children enrolled in the Wrap-Around Program
will be escorted to the kindergarten room at the
dismissal time of the Kindergarten Wrap-Around
Program.
The kindergarten
teacher
will meet and
greet
children as
they
arrive.
Educational Program
1. Educational Philosophy
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program offers a
developmentally appropriate program designed to
enrich and expand the learning taking place in the
regular kindergarten classes.
The National Association for the Education of Young
Children, the authority in best practices for the
education of young children, has defined “early
childhood” as the ages ranging from birth to age 8.
Kindergarteners, at the ages of 4, 5, 6 and
sometimes turning 7, are at the center of this age
range, and benefit greatly from the application of
developmentally appropriate practices in their
learning environment.
The “Developmentally Appropriate Practice”
philosophy is based on knowledge of how young
children learn. Research shows that young children
learn through a mixture of their experiences in the
world and their own thinking. They learn by actively
interacting with the objects and people around them.
The staff provides lots of opportunities and
uninterrupted time for children to interact with
materials and people. This is done by offering
different learning opportunities containing many
different materials from which the children may
choose. The teaching staff interacts with the
children in the centers as the children interact with
the materials.
2. Curriculum
The Creative Curriculum by Diane Trister Dodge and
Laura J. Colker is used as a framework for curriculum
planning in the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program.
The Creative Curriculum is a nationally recognized
program which supports children’s learning in the
four key areas of development: Social/emotional,
Physical, Cognitive, and Language.
Children in the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program
are fortunate to have the extra time and materials to
experiment and grow in all of these areas.
3. Developmental Goals
• Social/emotional: children will develop
independence, self-confidence, and self-control,
follow rules and routines, make friends, and learn
what it means to be part of a group.
• Physical: children will increase large muscle skillsbalancing, running, jumping, throwing & catching –
and use the small muscles in their hands to do
tasks like cutting, drawing, and writing.
• Cognitive: children will acquire thinking skills such
as the ability to solve problems, to ask questions,
and to think logically – sorting classifying,
comparing, counting, and making patterns - and to
use materials and their imagination to show what
they have learned.
• Language: children will use words to communicate
with others, listen to and participate in
conversations with others, understand the purpose
of print, recognize letters, sounds, and words, and
begin writing for a purpose.
Daily Program
1. Daily Schedule
The schedule is flexible and depends upon the
weather, the seasons, and the plan or theme of
the day.
The group will meet together to discuss and plan
for the morning. Free exploration and learning
time will follow, and children will have an
extended period in which to interact with the
materials, other children, and with the teachers.
Small group instruction, including Guided Reading
and Differentiated Instruction, may occur at this
time.
Outdoor play/activity time will be provided every
morning that the weather permits.
2. School Assemblies
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program children
will be able to attend many of the school
assemblies, as space, time, and interest allows.
3. Outdoor Play
The time children
spend outdoors is just
as important to their
learning as the time
they spend in the
classroom. Unless
the weather is severe,
we take children outdoors every day.
Large muscle activities are essential for children’s
health and well-being. Too many children today
are overweight. One reason is they don’t get the
large muscle activity essential for healthy
development. Children need time each day to
run, leap, hop, jump, slide, climb, and throw and
catch a ball. These activities build strong muscles
and a sense of pride. Brain research shows that
physical activity actually wakes up the brain for
learning!
4. Dressing for the Weather
Children must have outdoor clothing at school
that is appropriate to the weather every day. A
warm coat, hat and mittens are necessary in the
cold weather. Sleeveless tops, shorts, and sun
hats are needed for the hot months. And a
sweatshirt or light jacket should be kept at school
at all times in case of a quick change in the
weather.
5. Snacks
Morning snack takes place in the regular
kindergarten class each day. Please be sure to
send a healthy snack with drink to school with
your child for this morning snack. Please contact
your child’s teacher for more information on snack
procedures in his/her individual class.
Snack time will be offered in the Kindergarten
Wrap-Around Program for children who wish to
participate. Parents are also responsible for
providing snack for their child. Please be sure to
discuss with your child what items are to be eaten
for snack and which are to be for lunch.
All foods sent to school may be subject to
individual school restrictions to provide for the
health and safety of children with allergies.
6. Lunch
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around classes have time
designated for lunch at school. They may
purchase lunch from the school cafeteria or bring
their lunch from home. Wrap-Around Program
staff will help children navigate the lunch line,
purchase milk or snacks, and complete their lunch
in the classroom or cafeteria, dependent on the
individual school. Please visit the District website
at MadisonPublicSchools.org or contact the Food
Service Department at 973- 593-3117 *3190 for
more information on school lunches.
7. Questions and Concerns
Questions and/or concerns about the school
where your child is attending Kindergarten WrapAround Program should be addressed with the
building principal.
Health & Safety
1. School Nurse
A school nurse is on duty in each
elementary school during the time
that the Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program is in
session. Children will be sent to the nurse if they
show symptoms of any illness or if an accident
occurs during Program hours.
2. Medical Emergency Procedures
Any time you have a group of children together,
accidents may happen. The Wrap-Around
Program staff takes every precaution to prevent
accidents, but they will occur despite our best
efforts.
If a serious injury should occur, the Program staff
will first attempt to contact the parent/guardian.
If the parent/guardian cannot be reached, the
staff will contact the emergency persons named
on the child’s information form. If hospital
attention is necessary, the child will be taken with
a staff member to one of the local hospitals by
emergency vehicle for treatment.
3. Illnesses
Please be careful about keeping your child home if
he/she exhibits signs of illness or does not feel
well. Kindergarten children are quite susceptible
to illness as they are building their internal
immunities, and minor illnesses can spread
quickly. A sick child is an uncomfortable child!
Emergency Closings
1. Full Closings
The Kindergarten Wrap-Around Program will close
when the District schools close for bad weather.
Parents are strongly encouraged to sign up for
Honeywell Alerts, as Wrap-Around staff will not
make notification calls to parents.
2. Delayed Openings
The Wrap-Around Program will operate on the
same schedule as AM Kindergarten classes for
delayed openings.
3. Early Dismissals
In the event of any type of early dismissal, for
weather-related emergencies or regularly
scheduled early dismissal days, the Wrap-Around
Program will follow the schedule of the District.
The Wrap-Around Program will close when the
school closes, and children will be transported to
their homes via school bus as usual.
Parents must make emergency arrangements for
their child and ensure that the child knows what
to do in case of unscheduled emergency school
dismissal.
Terminating a Child’s Enrollment
We will work closely with parents to assure a
positive experience at the Kindergarten WrapAround Program for both parent and child. There
are, however, some reasons that will cause the
Program to terminate a child from our enrollment:
1. Failure to meet tuition requirements as per the
signed fee agreement and/or enrollment
contract.
2. Display by a parent of verbal or physical abuse
or threats toward staff, their own child, other
children, or another adult while on or off of the
premises.
3. The child’s inability to adapt to the Program’s
routine.
4. The child’s aggressive behavior causing danger
to self and/or others, including running away
behavior.
Two weeks written notice is required to remove a
child from the Program before the end of the
school year. Failure to do so will result in loss of
the tuition deposit.