Preschooler Enrichment at Arcadia We’re so glad you’re interested in an Arcadia experience for your child! Please contact us at (937)319-­‐1771 or info@arcadialearningcommons.org with questions or to register. About our Program for 2016-­‐2017 • We welcome children ages 3, 4, or 5 • Choose 1, 2, or 3 mornings per week from 9:30-­‐11:30. Classes meet for 32 weeks. • Teachers are experienced educators and are CPR/First Aid certified • If there are more than 8 children enrolled there will be a second teacher assigned to the class. The maximum class size is 12. • Enrichment subjects typically include music, art, drama, science, yoga, Spanish, and sign language, offered on a rotating basis • We recognize the social/developmental benefits of play and prioritize playtime • We build learning opportunities around individual interests and strengths, not a standard curriculum • A healthy snack is served. Due to allergy concerns we run a nut-­‐free facility. • Families of current students have registration priority. Additional children will be admitted on a first-­‐come, first-­‐served basis. • Fee is $15/class; $13/class co-­‐op option is available. • Early drop-­‐off is available starting at 8:30, for a cost of $4/day. This information packet contains • Calendar & Staff • Daily schedule • First Month’s Theme (All About Me) • Why we prioritize play • Our Curriculum • Policies • Registration form, Emergency medical form, Liability & Media release forms 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program 1 2016-­‐2017 Calendar There are 32 weeks in our academic year. Important dates: • First week of classes-­‐week of Sept. 6 • Thanksgiving Break-­‐week of Nov. 22 • Winter Break-­‐weeks of Dec. 20 & 27 • Spring Break-­‐week of March 28 (same as Wilmington City Schools) • Last week of classes-­‐week of May 9 Make up dates for inclement weather: weeks of May 16 & May 23 We maintain a calendar of weekly classes and special events on the Calendar page of our website. Staff Rhonda (Roni) Crum served for many years as a kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and special education teacher for East Clinton Schools. She also teaches GED classes to adults, raises honeybees, and plays the drums. Roni is in her second year of teaching at Arcadia. Nicole Friend is in her fourth year of teaching classes at Arcadia. Previously, she was a teacher for East Clinton and Wilmington Schools. She also loves to dance, cook, read, and try to keep up with her two sons. In addition to these teachers, a student intern from Wilmington College is generally placed with us. We are also in the process of identifying a third teacher who will join our staff in the fall. 2 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program Daily Schedule 9:30-­‐10:00 Play time 10:00-­‐10:15 Circle time 10:15-­‐10:35 Snack time 10:35-­‐10:50 Story time 10:50-­‐11:25 Enrichment time 11:25-­‐11:30 Circle time Morning greetings and free play with access to art/building/science/pretend/dress up materials, books, games, and active/motor development toys. Gentle encouragement & guidance from teachers with emphasis on trying new things when ready, problem solving, and social skills. Group meeting time with conversation, music, games, calendar, weather, science experiments, Spanish, sign language, and birthday/holiday celebrations. Bathroom break, wash hands, healthy snack & conversation. Independent reading as snack is finished, transitioning to group story time. Rotating selection of hands-­‐on centers, for example music, art, drama, math, & science. Occasional guest presenters or short field trips. Wrap up with compliments, songs, and yoga. This schedule is subject to adjustment to accommodate special events and individual teachers’ preferences. Thematic units: for rich, deep exploration of topics we find it helpful to organize our year into themes that last roughly a month. Usually we draw ideas for themes from the children’s interests. Examples of past themes include Dinosaurs, Transportation, Fairy Tales, the Senses, and Our City. The month’s theme is often tied to enrichment time activities and story time. Family Field Trips: Several times a year, we offer optional field trips for families to attend together. These trips allow parents to meet each other and kids to interact and explore in new settings. Siblings, friends, and neighbors are welcome to come too. We’re budget-­‐conscious so we look for free opportunities and group discounts. Parents are welcome to help host and/or organize these events. Examples of field trips include riding the train in Lebanon, animal encounters at the Caesar’s Creek nature center, and attending a play at a theater. 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program 3 First Month’s Theme: All About Me Play time will include activity centers that emphasize peoples’ faces & bodies, similarities & differences, emotions & interests. For example, there will be a felt board with a variety of facial features & expressions, and dress-­‐up clothes & accessories representing various occupations. Circle time will feature conversations, songs, and games that help us learn each others’ names and find out what we have in common and how we are different. Story time will feature book selections such as: I Like Me by Nancy Carlson What I Like About Me by Allia Zobel Nolan I Like Myself by Karen Beaumont A Rainbow of Friends by P.K. Hallinan The Night Before Preschool by Natasha Wing Some People are Deaf by Lola Shaefer The Colors of Us by Karen Katz Skin Again by bell hooks Giraffes Can’t Dance by Giles Andreae Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon by Patty Lovell You Be You by Linda Kranz Little Quack’s New Friend by Lauren Thompson Whoever You Are by Mem Fox Not Your Typical Dragon by Dan Bar-­‐el Enrichment time may include Sign Language words: friend, happy, sad, mad Art: name tracing with paint brushes, finger paint, crayons, or markers; face collages with magazine cutouts of facial features Yoga: identifying different parts of the body by “waking up” or “putting to sleep” one part at a time; using our whole body to illustrate different emotions Drama: acting out some of our favorite activities and various emotions, together or taking turns in a game of charades Science: measuring and recording our height and weight, and guessing how much we will change by next spring 4 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program Why we Prioritize Play at Arcadia Many parents worry that their preschool-­‐age children aren’t participating in enough structured, adult-­‐led activities. They reason that structured lessons and sports will help children to be academically and socially successful later on. Research studies clearly show, however, that time spent in play leads to kids who do just as well in school AND are more socially adept and imaginative. More playtime as preschoolers also means less likelihood that kids will later be diagnosed with ADD or depression! Here’s why: •
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play empowers children with a sense of choice. They don’t get many choices in a world that runs on big peoples’ schedules. Choice teaches kids to take initiative, weigh options, and focus their attention. play is self-­‐paced. Children can step back when overwhelmed and dive in when ready. Scientists know the brain needs breaks to assimilate new knowledge. We also know that kids’ developmental timelines differ greatly. play builds problem-­‐solving skills. Creativity is a huge 21st century skill, and it’s learned through experimentation, not direct instruction from adults. play builds language skills. Children can try out new words, especially those that describe abstract things. Playing with objects lead kids down the road to playing with words and ideas. play builds social skills and self-­‐regulation. Children learn what works when interacting with others. They learn the “rules” of the culture in which they’re growing up. play builds abstract thinking skills. The ability to imagine what cannot be seen allows children to understand history, math, science, economics, literature, etc. that are encountered in later learning experiences. Learning to allow one object to stand in for another (ex. A block is used as a phone) leads to the ability to grasp other forms of symbolism such as written language. children naturally play in their “zone of proximal development.” This means kids attempt and achieve a bit more with the help of peers or an adult than they could on their own. The zone of proximal development is constantly advancing, and along with it everything from attention span to motor skills to imagination are growing. Challenges mastered with assistance at first will eventually be mastered independently. play builds literacy skills, priming kids to understand the structure of a story. play builds numeracy skills. Almost 50% of child-­‐initiated play incorporates mathematical concepts. We believe that extended time periods of play, with children of varied ages, and with gentle guidance from adults, are crucial to healthy development. 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program 5 The Curriculum at Arcadia We haven’t made a list of what our students will learn this coming year. We consider that an impossible task, for even if we started with a plan there’s no way every child would end up acquiring the same skills and knowledge. Since every child’s developmental timeline and interests are different, and every class is a unique combination of kids and adults, all influencing each other, and interesting things happen in the world that kids might want to study, we don’t even try to make out a list. Instead we’ve chosen what’s known as an emergent curriculum. This means we follow where the children lead, personalizing everything and choosing common interests as areas of deeper study. It means that your child’s teacher is going to keep her classroom well-­‐stocked with learning materials, and come prepared with activities to offer, but that the class (or part of the class) might wish to head off in an entirely different direction and the day doesn’t go anything like the plan. Using an emergent curriculum means trusting kids and honoring their curiosity, instinct to play, and desire to do meaningful work. It means taking time to observe children carefully so that the tasks we give them are not too simple or frustratingly complex, so that we can respond to what’s going on in their lives, so that we can help life and learning fit naturally into each other. We’re striving for a holistic way of helping children develop their personalities, interests, social competence, physical skills, empathy for others, emotional resilience, and more. Below is our attempt to explain how we support learning in curricular areas, though in practice we see all these domains as connected. Math Math for young children means observing patterns, feeling rhythms, building with objects of different shapes, comparing sizes, sorting & organizing objects, and counting/comparing things with their own purposes in mind. Children naturally include math in their play, and as adults our role is to encourage them and, at the right moments, create opportunities for them to deepen their understanding. Kids don’t have to be writing and speaking about numbers to be absorbing mathematical concepts. At the same time, they’re quite curious about numbers and eager to help count how many snacks are needed, measure seedlings to make sure they’re growing, or find out how much play money they have to spend. Who needs flash cards and worksheets when there are so many useful and fun things we can do with math! 6 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program Literacy We want children to love language and understand its power, so again our approaches of choice are play and real-­‐life tasks. We choose stories, poetry, and songs that delight children, and enjoy them over and over. We listen carefully and encourage children to listen to each other during group or private conversations. When we try new things we learn new words to help us talk about those new things. Because sitting still, table-­‐top kinds of work aren’t developmentally appropriate for younger preschoolers (unless self-­‐
initiated), we try to keep things moving with kinesthetic experiences like acting out stories, using sign language, or playing games that require listening or responding. We use our wide selection of books to satisfy children’s curiosity for information and exercise their imaginations. By writing down children’s words, or helping them write their own words, we help them see that their ideas are important enough to be recorded and read over and over, just like the words they encounter everywhere in their world. Social Studies The most observable way we incorporate social studies is by celebrating together. We make a big deal out of birthdays—not with sweets and presents, but with stories & pictures from the birthday child’s life, and a game starring him/her. We also take time to celebrate favorite holidays from our culture and others in the world. The preschoolers’ class, of course, also is a culture. We do lots of talking—individually and in groups—about choices, rules, and responsibilities we all have. These conversations can help us work together to solve problems in a democratic way, keep everyone safe, and practice fairness and kindness. Our favorite guide to citizenship is the children’s book Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, which encourages kids to be kinder than necessary and to recognize how treating others with kindness makes you feel happier. Science Science is everywhere for preschoolers. No special equipment is needed for the infinite cycle of questioning, predicting, testing, observing, and adding new knowledge to your storehouse. Preschoolers are constantly probing their world’s workings with blocks & paint, sand & water, the movement of their bodies, and their interactions with peers and adults. They’re always inventing and creating with the raw materials we give them, deliberating about the properties of those materials and how they can be combined in new or useful ways. They don’t always have the “right” explanations for what they observe, and whenever possible we encourage them to put their assumptions to a test or compare their ideas with those of others. Our goal is to encourage kids’ capacity for observing, thinking, and questioning. With the natural world, and anything we bring in for observation or experimentation, we’re aiming to foster a sense of wonder, encourage exploration with all the senses (as safe and appropriate), and lead children to facts only when they’re hungry for them. 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program 7 The Arts & Physical Education We do a lot of process art, which means that experimenting with materials and their properties is the whole point. Just as play doesn’t often result in a physical product, process art is an experience that doesn’t always lead to something you can stick on the fridge. Even when we do art that results in a “pretty” product, we try to offer a variety of materials or approaches so that everyone’s finished work looks different. Our goal with either type of visual art is to exercise kids’ creativity. Music and movement offer repeated chances to focus oneself and practice both small and large movements lead to confidence, creativity, perceptual skills, and spatial awareness. Oodles of studies have shown that brains that grow in all these dimensions as a result of physical & arts education are primed for success in learning and life. Plus, we can’t imagine a class without the joy of movement, music, and art. A Word About School Readiness We are big believers in letting kids progress on their own developmental timelines. And we find that, in general, kids who get plenty of time for creative, active play, and have lots of interaction with their family and friends of various ages, and have some exposure to stories and numbers as used in everyday life, are going to be just fine in kindergarten. We’ll let you know if we have any concerns about your child’s academic, social, or physical development that might suggest a need for formal testing or specific types of support. 8 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program Arcadia Policies Discipline Small disputes among young children can often be resolved by redirection with appropriate choices offered. Plenty of room to spread out in the play area, as well as guidance from adults, can help children successfully transition from playing alone, to side-­‐by-­‐side, to together with friends. When a child hurts someone or their feelings we remind him/her that we always accept him/her, but we cannot accept some behaviors. Children receive help in processing emotions and events, and are encouraged to apologize and forgive. We assist children with talking through problems and conflicts and developing plans for handling difficult situations with self-­‐control. In cases of repeated or aggressive hurtful behavior we will isolate a child from the group for a cool-­‐down period and work together with parents to eliminate the behavior. When a child does not want to participate in a group activity, we always give him/her a choice to occupy himself/herself quietly with an alternate activity. We never wish to coerce a child into participation—
doing so risks turning that child off to learning. If nonparticipation becomes a pattern, we will work with parents and the child to find an acceptable solution. Safety For everyone’s safety, there are always two adults present at Arcadia whenever there are children on the premises. At least one of those adults is a core staff member or supervising volunteer who is First Aid/CPR certified. All core staff members and supervising volunteers have passed a criminal background check. Emergency and crisis management plans are on file for inspection, and regular safety drills are conducted. Payment Payment is expected in advance for each four-­‐week block of classes. Parents will be reminded of due dates. The regular class fee is $15/class and the co-­‐op fee is $13/class. You may pay by PayPal, credit card, cash, or check (made out to Arcadia). A 3% processing fee will be added for PayPal and credit card transactions. The class fee covers a healthy snack and all supplies. The fee does not cover optional family field trips. Early drop-­‐off is offered for a fee of $4/day. This must be arranged in advance and is payable on a monthly basis along with class fees. There is no yearly registration fee. Payment for the first block of classes serves as your non-­‐refundable deposit. Once your child is enrolled, enrollment is assumed to continue until the end of the year unless one month’s notification is given. Adjustments may be made on a monthly basis. No refunds will be given for attending less than expected for any reason other than unforeseen, extended illness. If your family is now in or enters a period of financial hardship, please speak to a staff member about whether scholarship funds are currently available. If you are able to make a financial contribution to support a partial or full scholarship for a child in need, you can make a one-­‐time or periodic donation of any amount. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Arcadia can provide you with a receipt for tax deduction purposes. Any amount helps. 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program 9 10 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program Registration Form Preschooler Enrichment Program 2016-­‐2017 Arcadia Learning Commons Child’s full name:______________________________________________________________ Child’s preferred name: _______________________________Birth date: _________________ (Child must be 3 years old to enroll) Parent/Guardian name(s): _______________________________________________________ Phone number(s): _________________________________________________ ok to text? ____ Email address: _________________________________________________________________ (by providing your email address you agree to let us subscribe you to our email newsletter, and we agree not to share your email address) Home Address: ________________________________________________________________________ Mailing Address, if different: _____________________________________________________________ If custody of this child is split with another parent/guardian not listed above, please provide that person’s contact information and describe the custody arrangement: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Please list the names and phone numbers of people you will allow to pick up your child from Arcadia. Advise these people that they will need to present a valid photo ID before they will be allowed to leave with your child. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Dietary restrictions or considerations: (There is also a section on the emergency medical form to provide detailed information on allergies) _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Your child’s favorite healthy foods: ________________________________________________________ Is your child potty-­‐trained? ______ (If not you will need to stay on the premises during the enrichment program as we are not a full-­‐care facility) Concerns you have right now in regard to your child’s development, or goals you’d like us to support: _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program 11 Anything we should know about your child’s personality, interests, skills, routines, preferences, etc. Information you provide will help us personalize his/her learning experience. _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________ Session selection(s)-­‐-­‐all run from 9:30-­‐11:30am: ___Tuesdays (early drop off? y/n____ Co-­‐op? y/n ____) ___Thursdays (early drop off? y/n____ Co-­‐op? y/n ____) ___ Fridays (early drop off? y/n____ Co-­‐op? y/n ____) Payment Information Payment is expected in advance for each four-­‐week block of sessions. Parents will be reminded of due dates. Fees: $15/class (add $4/class for early drop off; subtract $2/class for co-­‐op). You may pay by PayPal, cash, or check (made out to Arcadia). A 3% processing fee will be added for all credit card and PayPal transactions. The fee covers a healthy snack and all supplies. The fee does not cover optional family field trips. There is no yearly registration fee. Payment for the first four-­‐week block of classes serves as your non-­‐
refundable deposit. Once your child is enrolled, enrollment is assumed to continue until the end of the year unless one month’s notification is given. No refunds will be given for attending less than expected for any reason other than unforeseen, extended illness. If your family is now in or enters a period of financial hardship, please speak to a staff member about whether scholarship funds are currently available. If you are able to make a financial contribution to support a partial or full scholarship for a child in need, you can make a one-­‐time or periodic donation of any amount. As a 501(c)(3) organization, Arcadia can provide you with a receipt for tax deduction purposes. Any amount helps. Parent/guardian agreement I attest that the information I have provided on this form is true and complete. I agree to the payment and enrollment terms described above for enrollment of my child in the Preschooler Enrichment Program. ________________________________ Parent/guardian name (print) ________________________________ _______________________________ Parent/guardian signature date
12 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program Medical Information & Emergency Authorization 2016-­‐2017 Arcadia Learning Commons Child’s full name:______________________________________________________________ Child’s preferred name: _______________________________Birth date: _________________ In case of emergency or illness, parents/guardians to contact (in order): Parent/guardian name Relationship Daytime phone number(s) Additional contacts in case a parent or guardian cannot be reached: Name Relationship Daytime phone number(s) Physical conditions & limitations, and health history we should know about, including allergies: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Medications or treatments we may need to administer and exact instructions: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program 13 PART I OR II MUST BE COMPLETED Please complete the applicable part in order to direct Arcadia regarding emergency treatment when parents/guardians cannot be reached. PART I: To Grant Consent I hereby give consent for Arcadia staff or designees to call 911 in response to a medical emergency involving my child and authorize emergency responders to treat my child. I further give consent for the following medical care providers and hospital to treat my child: Doctor: ___________________________________________ Phone: ________________ optional Dentist: ___________________________________________ Phone: _______________ Medical Specialist: ________________________________________________________ Specialty: _________________________________________ Phone: ________________ Medical Specialist: ________________________________________________________ Specialty: _________________________________________ Phone: ________________ Local Hospital: ___________________________________________________________ In the event reasonable attempts to contact me have been unsuccessful, I hereby give my consent for: 1) the administration of any treatment deemed necessary by above named doctors, or, in the event the designated practitioner is not available, by another licensed physician or dentist; and 2) the transfer of the child to any hospital reasonably accessible. This authorization does not cover major surgery unless the medical opinions of two other licensed physicians or dentists, concurring in the necessity for such surgery, are obtained prior to the performance of such surgery. _______________________________________ _______________________ Parent/Guardian signature date PART II: Refusal to Consent I do not give my consent for emergency medical treatment of my child. In the event of emergency or illness requiring emergency treatment, I wish the following course of action to be taken: ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________ Parent/Guardian signature date 14 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program Arcadia Learning Commons RELEASE OF LIABILITY READ CAREFULLY BEFORE SIGNING – THIS AFFECTS YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS In exchange for participation in learning activities and experiences organized by Arcadia Learning Commons (“Arcadia”), of 66 N. Mulberry St., Wilmington, Ohio, 45177 and/or use of the property, facilities and services of Arcadia, I agree for myself and (if applicable) for the members of my family, to the following: 1. I agree to observe and obey all posted rules and warnings, and further agree to follow any oral safety instructions given by Arcadia, or the employees, representatives, or agents of Arcadia. 2. I recognize that there are certain inherent risks associated with the activities described above and I assume full responsibility for personal injury to myself and (if applicable) my family members, and further release and discharge Arcadia and its board of directors, officers, volunteers, and employees for injury, loss, or damage arising out of my or my family’s use of the facilities or presence at the activities organized by Arcadia, whether caused by the fault of myself, my family, Arcadia, or other third parties. 3. I agree to indemnify and defend Arcadia and its board of directors, officers, volunteers, and employees (including teachers and adjunct teachers) against all claims, causes of action, damages, judgments, costs or expenses, including attorney fees and other litigation costs, which may in any way arise from my or my family’s use of the facilities or presence at the activities organized by Arcadia. 4. I agree to pay for all damages to the facilities and/or property of Arcadia caused by my or my family’s negligent, reckless, or willful actions. 5. I consent to the participation of my child(ren): ________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________, in activities arranged by Arcadia, and agree on behalf of the above minor(s) to all of the terms and conditions of this Agreement. By signing this Release of Liability, I represent that I have legal authority and custody of the above named child(ren). 6. I agree and acknowledge that I am under no pressure or duress to sign this Agreement and that I have been given a reasonable opportunity to review it before signing. I further agree and acknowledge that I am free to have my own legal counsel review this Agreement if I so desire. I further agree and acknowledge that Arcadia has offered to refund any fees I have paid to use its facilities and participate in its activities if I choose not to sign this Agreement. 7. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of this Agreement, whether standing alone or as applied to a particular occurrence or circumstance, shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision of this Agreement or of any other applications of such provision, as the case may be, and such invalid or unenforceable provision shall be deemed not to be a part of this Agreement. ________________________________ Printed name ________________________________ _______________________________ Signature date 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program 15 Arcadia Learning Commons Media Consent Form Child(ren)’s Name(s): ____________________________________________________________ I give permission for photographs, video, and audio recordings of the above named child(ren) and his/her/their work to be taken and used by Arcadia Learning Commons. These photographs and recordings may be used for the purpose of promoting Arcadia’s programs and events through print, television, radio, and the Internet (including social media). The right to record or photograph will last for the duration of membership as an Arcadia student, while the right to use of photographs and recordings is granted in perpetuity. Consent may be revoked at any time by written request of the parent or guardian, although materials already published cannot be recalled. In addition, copies of photographs and recordings may be provided to other entities, including the news media, for the promotion of programs or events. Once the materials are released to other entities, I understand that Arcadia retains no further control over their use. Arcadia Learning Commons will never release identifying information (last name, parent names, address, etc.) for any child in conjunction with use or release of photographs, video, or audio recordings, unless we first receive specific consent of the parent(s) or guardian(s) named below. ________________________________ Parent/Guardian name _______________________________________ _______________________ Parent/Guardian signature date 16 2016-­‐2017 Preschooler Enrichment Program