…Learning, Thriving, Leading PRESCHOOL PARENT HANDBOOK This handbook is designed to answer questions about the Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind (CSDB) preschool programs and its operating procedures. The preschool program at CSDB is licensed by the State of Colorado, Department of Health and open to preschool-aged children who have vision and/or hearing loss. CSDB policies are available on the CSDB website, www.csdb.org. Vision Statement CSDB…Learning, Thriving, Leading Mission Statement The Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind provides children and families statewide with comprehensive, specialized educational services in safe, nurturing environments. We empower learners to become self-determined, independent contributing citizens within their communities. Philosophy Statement CSDB believes that a high quality early education program provides a safe and nurturing environment that promotes the physical, social, emotional, cognitive and language development of young children. To accomplish this, staff will provide developmentally appropriate services for all children enrolled in the preschool programs. Communication Parents are encouraged to communicate frequently with their child’s preschool teacher with the goal of having the teacher maximize her time engaging your child in learning activities, 1|P age Revised 08/01/12 please leave phone messages or emails for the teacher during the school day. Your child’s teacher will return your call between 3:30 and 4:00 p.m. or between 7:45 and 8:30 a.m. If you have an emergency situation, please contact the front office at 578-2100 and a message will be sent to the teacher as soon as possible. Questions about the program or their child’s progress should be directed to the teacher. If the answers to the questions have not adequately addressed by the teacher, the next person to communication with should be the teacher’s direct supervisor, the Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. If your concerns have not been adequately addressed, an appointment with CSDB’s Superintendent can be scheduled. Parents must let your child’s teacher know if your address or phone number have changed as soon as possible. Age and Individual Appropriateness of Activities in the Preschool Children develop in predictable sequences of growth during the first nine years of life; however, individual variations in developmental needs and abilities are experienced. Each child is a unique person with an individual pattern and timing of growth. Each child has an individual personality, learning style, and family background. Both the curriculum and interaction with adults must be responsive to the individual differences in the developmental needs of children enrolled in the preschool. Learning in young children is the result of interaction between the child’s thoughts and experiences with materials, ideas and people. The CSDB Preschool Program will provide experiences that will match the child’s developing abilities, while challenging his/her understanding and interests. Play is a child’s “work” and is the way children learn about themselves and the world around them. Assessing Learning Needs Students with disabilities must be included in state and school-wide assessments or alternative assessment with appropriate accommodations. Any Individualized Education Program (IEP) developed for a student with disabilities will specify whether the student will participate in state and school-wide assessments or whether the student will take alternative assessments. The child’s IEP will also include a statement of appropriate accommodations necessary to measure the student’s abilities and needs. Refer to CSDB policy, School and State Program Assessments, Policy ILBA/ILBB. Program Admission Admission to the preschool programs in the Early Education Center (EEC) is based on the following criteria in order of priority. Children who are deaf/hard of hearing or children who are blind/visually impaired with documented sensory losses and whose primary impact of the disability is on vision or hearing functioning Siblings of current CSDB students who are deaf/hard of hearing or siblings of current CSDB children who are blind/visually impaired Siblings of children who are deaf/hard of hearing or siblings of children who are blind/visually impaired Children of adults who are deaf/hard of hearing or children of adults who are blind/visually impaired 2|P age Revised 08/01/12 Children of grandparents who are deaf/hard of hearing or children of grandparents who are blind/visually impaired Typical hearing peers or typical sighted peers If the appropriate program is at capacity, a wait list will be established. Movement within the wait list will take place based on the above criteria in order of priority, at the discretion of the Preschool Director and Preschool administrator. Children enrolled in the preschool program who are typical hearing peers or typical sighted peers may be asked to give up their place in the program for children who meet the criteria of a higher priority. The child asked to give up his/her place in the program will be placed on the wait list and given higher priority within the typical hearing peer group or typical sighted peer group on the wait list. Children who are enrolled in the program as peers cannot have a current IEP within the sending school district, nor can they be receiving any private therapies. Children who are peers are also subject to a 30 day diagnostic period during which the program staff determine if the children are an appropriate match for the program. Program Tuition Fees Tuition fees will be charged and collected for the following groups: Siblings of children who are deaf/hard of hearing or siblings of children who are blind/visually impaired Hearing children of adults who are deaf/hard of hearing or children of adults who are blind/visually impaired Hearing children of grandparents who are deaf/hard of hearing or children of grandparents who are blind/visually impaired Typical hearing peers or typical sighted peers Tuition fees will be charged for the number of days enrolled in the preschool program regardless of the number of days the child actually attends the program. 1-2 days per week will be charged $30.00 per week. 3-4 days per week will be charged $60.00 per week. Fees are billed monthly and are due within 30 days after the date of invoice. After 30 days, the invoice becomes past due and the child may be required to forfeit his/her place within the preschool program if the overdue fees are not paid. Enrollment and Registration Procedures A child must be determined to have a hearing and/or vision loss through his/her school district’s Child Find Program and must be eligible to receive special education services through the IEP process. A request for enrollment must be made to the CSDB Special Education Director and an IEP, including current assessments, provided with registration papers. Before a child attends the preschool program, CSDB must receive: Emergency information & medical treatment forms Current physical (which must be renewed each year) Immunization record 3|P age Revised 08/01/12 Registration Form Photo Permission Form Current eye report if appropriate Withdrawal from Program Parents should let the preschool teacher know if their child will be leaving the program at least one week in advance of departure so the teacher will have time to gather information about the child’s educational progress for the student’s next school. If a child misses ten days or more during the school year, a child study meeting with the parents and representative of the school district of residence will be held to determine whether a different placement should be considered. Class Schedule Preschool class is offered Monday through Thursday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. If necessary, an afternoon class is offered Monday through Thursday from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. Additional classes will be established and times may vary based on the number of students enrolled in the program and the established student- teacher ratio. Notification of changes in class times and/or days will be provided to parents as soon as possible after decisions are made. CSDB provides a school calendar of events and closures due to holidays, in-service trainings, and school breaks. This calendar is also available on the CSDB website, www.csdb.org. The best time to call the preschool classroom is from 7:45 – 8:30 a.m., or 3:30 – 4:30 p.m. to minimize classroom disruption. CSDB staff are encouraged to return phone calls, emails and texts within 24 hours of receipt. Sign In and Out Parents, preschool staff, or district bus staff must sign the child in and out when dropped off and picked up. Parents must sign in and sign out using their first and last names and the times the child was brought in and picked up from the preschool staff. This documentation is required to meet licensure requirements and for the safety of the children. Pick Up and Drop Off Children will be dropped off at the bus lanes located on High Street. All children will be met by members of the preschool team. The preschool staff will bring the children to the classrooms. Children will be with the preschool team and within “line of sight” supervision throughout the day. If a child is dropped off late, the parent will need to go to the Administration Building located on Institute Street. After signing in with the receptionist and receiving a visitor’s badge, a security guard will escort the parent and child to the Early Education Center (EEC). Children must not be “dropped off” at the front desk or at the preschool without making sure the preschool staff are in the Early Education Center. 4|P age Revised 08/01/12 If a child is picked up during regular preschool hours, the parent will need to first go to the Administration Building and follow the same procedures listed above. Only authorized individuals are allowed to drop off and pick up children. Early/Late Drop Off and Pick Up Children will be allowed in the drop off area no more than 5 minutes prior to the start of class. Parents are required to pick up their child at the bus lanes promptly at the end of class. If early drop-off and late pick-up happens more than two times, the Preschool Director and the Preschool administrator shall be informed. Contact with the family will occur. If a child remains at the EEC 30 minutes after the end of class time and no one can be reached concerning the pick-up of the child, the Preschool Director and Preschool administrator will be informed and at the discretion of the director or administrator, the Department of Human Services will be contacted. Authorization to Pick Up Child Students will only be released to the properly designated individuals listed on the Emergency Information Sheet. A child will never be released to a person who is not authorized on the Emergency Information Sheet, unless there are unusual circumstances that arise and all safety precautions have been addressed to ensure the child is protected. Parents must submit a written authorization for changes to the authorization list. Individuals not known by the staff who are attempting to pick up a child are required to show staff a government issued photo identification. Staff will check the Emergency Information Sheet to see if the person is permitted to pick up the child. Staff will also verify the photo identification. CSDB employees are responsible for ensuring each child is released only to the proper parent/guardian or to a person listed on the authorization form. In the case of an emergency and no pre-authorization in writing, a person attempting to pick up a child will be referred to the Preschool Director and to an appropriate administrator to make a determination about whether the child’s safety is jeopardized. Parents who would like a sibling under the age of 18 years to pick up a child must make special arrangements with the Preschool Director or the Preschool administrator. Either parent may pick up a child unless CSDB possesses a copy of a court order restricting custody/visitation. In the case of restricted custody, CSDB security will be notified if a non-custodial parent attempts to pick up a child and the police will be called. Parent Emergency Information Changes Parents are asked to notify their child’s teacher immediately when there are any changes to the contact information, such as a new home address, home phone number, work number, email address, cell phone or pager number. It is also important to have an alternate person to contact if a parent cannot be reached in an emergency. Each child’s emergency information and medical treatment permission forms are taken with staff on all emergency drills and evacuations. 5|P age Revised 08/01/12 Visitors For the purpose of this handbook, visitors include parents and volunteers in addition to other visitors. All visitors must go to the CSDB front desk in the Administration Building to sign in and obtain a visitor’s badge in order to be on campus. Visitors must show a government issued photo identification. If the visitor refuses to give the required information and identification, the visitor must leave the premises. If the visitor refuses to leave, the police will be called immediately. All visitors must sign in upon arrival at the Early Education Center also. Parent and community volunteers are an important part of our preschool programs. Parents are encouraged to participate by volunteering as a helper. Helpers may assist in the classroom or help with other work in an alternate location. Parents who are a helper are required to make alternative childcare arrangements for any siblings during the time they volunteer. Parents volunteering in the classroom are also required to sign in on our visitor sign-in sheet. Parents will need to contact CSDB’s volunteer coordinator to learn about volunteer procedures to obtain prior approval before becoming a volunteer. We follow CSDB policy, Volunteer Program, Policy IJOC. When parents desire to observe their child participating in classroom activities, parents are asked to make an observation appointment with the preschool teacher to avoid having several parents observing at the same time and become a distraction to the children. Parents are encouraged to observe for thirty minute periods or less to avoid distracting the children from their learning opportunities. Parents are also asked to sit to the side or back of the classroom and be an observer of the instructional environment. Sitting in the “learning circle” or at a table with your child does not encourage your child to participate independently in the learning activities. A parent can observe more of their child’s independent engagement in activities by being a quiet observer of the learning environment. When parents visit the classroom for an observation, please make other arrangements for other children to minimize disruptions to learning in the classroom. Observers in the EEC may be asked to use the observation room to minimize the classroom disruption. Classroom Events Parents are encouraged to attend special classroom events. This is a special time for the parents to share with their child. Parents should make alternate childcare arrangements for siblings or children other than the student unless specifically allowed by the classroom teacher. If siblings and other children are allowed, it is the responsibility of the parents to monitor the activities of these children who are not CSDB preschoolers. Classroom Management Preschool staff establish rules that promote self-discipline, safe behavior within the preschool setting and provide alternatives to unacceptable behavior, including positive responses for acceptable behavior. Preschool staff are committed to providing a caring and nurturing environment in which children can develop their individual personalities. If a child engages in dangerous activities after various interventions have been tried, the teacher may separate the child from the group for a determined time. In extreme cases, the school will contact parents in an attempt to work together to resolve the problem. 6|P age Revised 08/01/12 Washing Hands and Preschool Materials To prevent the spread of germs in an environment where students with special needs may be medically fragile, frequent and thorough hand washing is the most important means to prevent the spread of disease both for teachers and children. Teachers’ and students’ hands will be washed upon arrival in the classroom, before and after food is handled, after each child assisted toileting event, wiping noses, or administering first aid. Tables are sanitized with a disinfectant before and after snack and at the end of each class session. Toys placed in a child’s mouth are removed from the play area and placed in a receptacle inaccessible to the children. The toys are washed at the end of the preschool day. Sunscreen Application If a parent wants a child to wear sunscreen at any time, the parent must provide the sunscreen and label it with the child’s full name. The parent must also sign and check the box on the student health appraisal form indicating the preference about sunscreen application. Medical Restrictions for Attending Preschool According to state licensing requirements and for the protection of children attending the preschool program, your child must be kept home if he/she shows any of the following symptoms: An oral temperature of 99 degrees or higher Intestinal problems with diarrhea or vomiting An undiagnosed rash Sore or discharging eyes or ears Yellow/green nasal discharge Productive cough If your child becomes ill at school or shows any of the listed symptoms upon arrival at school, you will be contacted to pick up your child from preschool as soon as possible. The regulations of the State Department of Public Health and Environment indicate the following communicable diseases must be reported to the health department if a child comes to school with the disease: Whooping Cough German or regular Measles Mumps Chicken Pox Pink Eye Diphtheria Pinworms Scarlet Fever If a child has any of the diseases listed above, the child may not attend the programs of CSDB until the child’s doctor provides a note clearing the child to return to school. The preschool should be informed immediately of the child’s diagnosis. Annual Medical Requirement 7|P age Revised 08/01/12 According to the Department of Human Services regulations, parents of each child enrolled in a preschool must provide a current physical exam dated and signed by a physician along with proof of all immunizations the child has received prior to the child attending the program. Physical examinations are considered current for one (1) year from the date of the exam. The physical form must be updated two weeks prior to the expiration date for the child to continue in the program. Preschool staff will provide the physical form for you to take to your child’s doctor when you register your child. If a new physical is not obtained before the required date, your child may not attend the program until a new physical is provided. Tuition fees will not be waived during this time. Administering Medication To ensure safe and accurate administration of routine medication to all children enrolled in preschool, a CSDB nurse will delegate and supervise the administration of medications. Nebulized medication, emergency seizure medications/procedures and emergency injections (Epi-Pen) require an individualized health care plan completed by a CSDB nurse. If a child needs to take any medication (prescription or over-the-counter) during school hours, the following procedure is followed: 1. Medication must be kept in the original labeled bottle or container 2. Prescription medication must contain the original pharmacy label that lists the: o Child’s name o Prescribing practitioner’s name o Pharmacy name and telephone number o Date the prescription was filled o Expiration date of the medication o Name of the medication o Dosage o How often the medication is to be given o Length of time the medication is to be given 3. A medication order is completed and signed by the physician stating the dosage and the specific times the medication is to be given to the child, is kept in the CSDB Health Care Office. The staff member who administers the medication must complete a medication log after each dosage is given. 4. All medication will be stored in the Health Care Office, with the exception of Epi-Pens, which will be kept in a locked cabinet in the preschool for immediate access. Immunization Exemptions Children whose parents have signed an immunization exemption may be enrolled in preschool. In the event staff receive a report of a student having a communicable disease, parents of children with immunization exemptions are required to keep their children at home during the outbreak or incubation period of the disease. If a Child Becomes Ill While at Preschool If a child becomes ill while in class, preschool staff will take the child to the CSDB Health Care Office to be assessed. The CSDB Health Care Worker, Preschool Director, or the Preschool administrator will make the decision whether to call the parent or the emergency 8|P age Revised 08/01/12 contact based on the child’s status. If necessary, the child may be required to stay at the CSDB Health Care Office until the parents arrive. Parents should arrange for their child to be picked up immediately. A preschool staff member will stay with the child until a parent arrives. If the parents are unable and/or unavailable to pick up the child and alternate arrangements for pick up cannot be made, the Department of Human Services may be called. Lost Child Procedure Children are supervised by staff at all times; however, in the rare event that a child becomes lost or separated from a group, all available staff will look for the child. If the child has not been located after a search of the EEC building and surrounding grounds, the Preschool Director and an appropriate administrator will be notified and the parents will be contacted. Injury Reporting If a child is hurt at any time, the Preschool Director and the Preschool administrator will be notified. A CSDB incident report will be completed by the person who witnessed the accident. The teacher must also be informed if the teacher did not witness the accident. The Preschool Director will determine if the parents should be contacted immediately or if the injury is minor enough to wait until the child is picked up from class to inform the parents. Parents will receive a copy of the student incident form. Refer to CSDB policy, Accident Prevention/Accident Report, Policy EBB/EBBB. School Closure In the event CSDB is closed due to weather or other conditions, preschool will be cancelled. CSDB closures will be listed on local television, radio stations and on the CSDB website. If a late start is necessary, there will be no morning preschool for the day. The afternoon class will meet as scheduled. If it becomes necessary to dismiss school early at CSDB, local radio, television stations, and the CSDB website will provide information about the closure. Parents should make arrangements for their children to be picked up immediately. In the event of early dismissal, preschool staff will be responsible for all children on campus until they are released to a parent, guardian, or other designated person. If your home school district is providing transportation to/from CSDB and the home district has a delayed start or cancellation but CSDB is open, you may choose to drive your child to school or keep your child home. Please do not send your child on the delayed bus. A child arriving at school more than 30 minutes after the class begins has much difficulty transitioning into the middle of the school day. Evacuation Procedures Exit directions from the preschool are posted in each classroom. The preschool teachers will bring their classroom backpack with supplies and the class emergency notebook that includes the student’s contact emergency information. In the event of a fire or practice drill, staff will lead all children out of the building via the safest escape route. 9|P age Revised 08/01/12 In the case of a tornado warning or practice drill, all teachers and children will go to the designated area and follow the procedures posted in the classroom for that situation. In the event CSDB must be evacuated due to an on-site threat, the preschool teachers should evacuate all students according to the individual school evacuation plan. School Lockdown Procedures In the event that CSDB must go into a lockdown, the following steps will be taken and the staff will refer to Building Lockdown Procedures in the crisis management guide. The Superintendent or designee will be notified by authorities. Staff will be notified of the lockdown by phone and/or banners. The preschool teacher shall bring their classroom backpack with supplies and the class emergency notebooks that includes the student’s contact emergency information. The electronic lock system will be used to lock all exterior doors. The building crises coordinator will verify all doors are latched. Staff and students will move away from windows and exterior doors. Staff and students will convene in the parent room. Staff will wait until they are notified by phone and/or banners of the next steps or that the lockdown procedure has been completed. Photographs of Children At registration, all parents are asked to sign a permission form for photographs that are taken of their children to be used for educational purposes. Parents are not allowed to take pictures of groups of children in the preschool without prior permission from the parents of the other children. Staff are not allowed to take pictures of groups of students in the preschool and then give the pictures to other parents without permission from a parent for each child included in the picture. Pictures of a single child can be taken and given only to that child’s parents. Toys from Home Please do not bring toys from home. CSDB is not responsible for lost or stolen property. Preschool staff will try their best to assure the best care for a child’s belongings; however, it is a safer practice to leave the toy at home or in the car when the child comes to school. Clothing Each child has an individually labeled space where clothing and a backpack are kept. Children are more comfortable when wearing play clothes and are able to independently manage their clothing needs by themselves during class time. Parents are encouraged to dress their children in closed toe footwear for safety as well as comfort. All garments, including outer garments (coats, hats, gloves) should be clearly marked with each child’s first and last name. A complete set of extra clothing, including underwear, shoes and socks, are required to be available at school each day. These items will be placed in a plastic box labeled with your 10 | P a g e Revised 08/01/12 child’s name. Parents are responsible to ensure there is always a complete change of clothing including shoes at the preschool. Extra clothes are sometimes needed after toileting accidents, spilled beverages, or playing at the water table. Also, bring an appropriate change of clothing when seasons change so children will be comfortable indoors or outdoors. Outdoor Activity Clothing Outside playtime is scheduled each day to provide opportunities for children to develop gross motor and socialization skills. Parents are asked to dress your child appropriately for outside play according to the season. Parents are also asked to put additional outerwear for weather changes in the backpack, including boots, mittens and a hat during colder weather. In the event of excessively hot or cold temperatures or any other adverse weather condition, the children will remain inside the building instead of having outside playtime. Diapering and Toilet Training One of the guidelines for admission to the preschool is that children must be toilet trained prior to enrollment in the preschool, with the exception of children with additional special needs. We realize occasional accidents will happen, so parents are asked to provide a complete change of clothing including shoes and socks. Your child’s clothing will be changed and the soiled clothing/shoes will be sent home in a plastic bag to be washed. Parents are responsible to ensure there is always a complete change of clothing at the preschool. Please check your child’s clothes box frequently to ensure there are appropriate extra clothing for the current weather season should an accident occur. Children who have been identified with special needs may have toilet training considered as part of their IEP and a program of toilet training will be initiated as appropriate. Parents are asked to provide disposable diapers or pull-ups and baby wipes, if toileting is a goal for your child. Newsletter and Website Teachers will communicate with parents on a regular basis. Information will be provided to inform parents of upcoming events such as class pictures, classroom activities, school breaks and upcoming schedule changes. Parents are encouraged to review the information communicated. Information related to school and classroom activities will also be posted inside the classrooms and on the CSDB website, www.csdb.org. Progress Reports and Conferences Written reports regarding your child’s progress are provided four times during the school year. These reports are only provided for students who are working to meet IEP goals. Parents are encouraged to discuss their child’s progress and/or development with the teacher. Scheduling an appointment with the teacher will ensure adequate time and availability. Television/VCR Policy CSDB’s Early Education Center allows viewing of TV or video materials in the classroom for educational purposes only. The Preschool Director or Preschool administrator must approve materials prior to use in the classroom to assure appropriateness of content. 11 | P a g e Revised 08/01/12 Snacks The CSDB preschool programs are “nut free”. Parents pay a monthly snack fee of $8.00 per student. Payment can be made by cash or check/money order made out to CSDB. The preschool teacher will collect snack fees at the beginning of each month. Please inform your child’s preschool teacher if your child has a specific dietary restriction. In some cases, you may be asked to provide a snack each day to meet their dietary needs. Food items provided by parents must be pre-packaged and purchased from a grocery store, according to the Department of Health regulations. These regulations provide information about healthy snacks. Please refer to the attached list of healthy snacks. Birthdays Parents of children celebrating birthdays may provide a healthy special snack to be eaten during snack time. The pre-packaged snack guidelines must be followed. No other party items may be distributed. Arrangements should be made with the teacher in advance. Licensing The Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Child Care licenses our Early Education Center. The current inspection report, the Health Department inspection report, and the Fire Department inspection report are on file at the Early Education Center and available to parents for review upon request. In the event of any concerns regarding suspected licensing violations, parents or staff may contact the State Department of Social Services located in Denver, Colorado to make an official report. Colorado Department of Human Services Division of Child Care 1575 Sherman Street, First Floor Denver, Colorado 80203-1714 1.800.799.5876 – toll free Child Abuse The Department of Human Services manual states: “Any caregiver or staff member in a child care facility who has reasonable cause to know or suspect that a child has been subjected to abuse or neglect or who has observed the child being subjected to circumstances or conditions that would reasonably result in abuse or neglect must immediately report or cause a report to be made of such fact to the county department of social services or local law enforcement agency.” In the event of suspected abuse or neglect concerning a child enrolled in the preschool programs, the staff members are legally responsible for reporting the circumstances. Staff shall notify the Preschool Director or Preschool administrator immediately of suspected abuse or neglect. A written report will be submitted to the Preschool Director or Preschool administrator. Refer to CSDB policy, Reporting Child Abuse/Child Protection, Policies JLF and JLF-R. The address and telephone number to report suspected child abuse is: El Paso County Department of Human Services 12 | P a g e Revised 08/01/12 105 N. Spruce St. Colorado Springs, CO 80903 719.444.5700 - day 719.475.9593 - evening CSDB does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, religion, marital status, disability, and genetic information* in admissions, access to, treatment, or employment in educational programs or activities in which it operates. *Nondiscrimination in relation to genetic information is applicable to employment only. Colorado School for the Deaf and the Blind 33 N. Institute Street Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903 719.578.2100 ● 719.578.2101 tty ● 719.578.2139 fax www.csdb.org 13 | P a g e Revised 08/01/12