PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK (August 2014) 2717 W. Touhy Ave. Chicago, IL 60645 872-208-5182 1 Table of Contents About Shaarei Chinuch Day School Our School Philosophy Religious Instruction Fees and payment Holiday and Vacation Schedule Day to Day at Shaarei Chinuch Day School Daily Attendance Arrival/Dismissal Parking Information School Times Daily Schedule Parent Visits Policy for Personal Belongings Brought to School Dress Leave at School Severe Increment Weather Outdoor Play Plan Birthdays Special Activities Legal Responsibility Conduct Expectations for Students Behavior Consequences Health and Safety Standards Meal Program Illness, Injury and Healthcare Guidelines Hand Washing Daily Admission Notice of Communicable Disease Administration of Medication Form: Individual Risk Assessment Plan Health Records Immunization Requirements Emergencies, Accidents, and Treatment Emergency Preparedness Emergency Contacts In Case of Emergency In Case of a Large-Scale Emergency Insurance Getting Involved Give/Get Staying in Touch School website Facebook 2 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 11 11 11 13 13 14 15 15 16 16 16 16 16 16 17 17 17 17 17 Telephone Parent/Teacher Conferences Confidentiality Non-Discrimination Signature Page 17 18 18 18 19 3 About Shaarei Chinuch Day School Shaarei Chinuch Day School combines Judaic and secular education to provide comprehensive hands-on learning approach. The multi-age classroom provides a unique opportunity for children to learn from one another. Children of varied ages, developmental levels and Jewish backgrounds thrive in this type of classroom. The approach allows for teaching each child in his own way. As Shlomo HaMelech said: “Chanoch l’naar al pi darcho gam ki yazkin lo yosur mimeno (Educate a child according to his/her way; even when he is old he will not turn from it).” This is both at the core of Judaism as well as the core of the Montessori philosophy. We find that when doing this children learn to love learning in an unparalleled way. Each child is viewed as an individual to be nurtured and respected as a whole person, not just academically. Children are not only given the opportunity to grow and develop at their own pace, both emotionally and academically, but they learn the skills needed to become the directors and teachers to their own intelligence. Shaarei Chinuch Day School is a Montessori learning environment open to all children ages three through six with varying developmental levels and unique learning styles. The Montessori curriculum model has much to offer Jewish children. Love of learning, an inner sense of responsibility and motivation, and a deep connection to Torah, spirituality and the Creator are intrinsic to the life of a Jew and are the intentions upon which Dr. Montessori’s method focuses. The method works for all children in all times, because it begins with the idea that each child is a unique and special being with the capacity to construct himself and reach his highest potential. Our School Philosophy We believe that each child was created as a unique individual full of amazing potential. We believe in nurturing the soul and heart of the child. We believe in challenging the intellect of the child. We believe in an individualized Jewish Montessori curriculum. We believe in the promotion of self-esteem and self-motivation. We believe in respect and caring for the individual, classroom, community and world. We believe that we (teachers, parents and students) are all part of a team working together to help our children work toward reaching their G-d given potential. 4 Religious Instruction Each day, we daven (pray) with the children in the morning, as well as recite grace before and after meals and snack. Each week we discuss the weekly Parsha (torah portion), and encourage participation in related activities such as art projects, songs, and games. We celebrate all Jewish holidays, by learning about their history and observances, and participating in related activities such as art projects, songs, and games. Fees and Payment YEARLY (10 MONTH) TUITION: Half Day (Monday-Friday, 8:45 AM - 1:00 PM) $6000 Full Day (Monday-Thursday, 8:45 AM – 3:30 PM. Friday- 8:45 AM- 1:00 PM) $9000 Sporadic P.M. service for half-day children: $30.00 $75.00 REGISTRATION FEE Due with application/Non-refundable. Sibling Discount: 10% discount on lowest tuition(s) if two or more children are enrolled in school. Applicable only on full payments and payments made on time. Please submit head checks for total yearly tuition, before the child’s first day. The maximum payment schedule is monthly installments of equal amounts beginning the month that the child starts school. Checks should be dated no later than the first (1st) day of each month. NSF CHECKS: $30.00 per check plus late fees (see below). A penalty charge will be assessed on said amounts at the rate of five percent (5%) per month after the fifth day of the month. ALL FEES AND DEPOSITS ARE NON REFUNDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE. 2014 Holiday and Vacation Schedule September 24-26- Rosh Hashana- NO SCHOOL October 3- Yom Kippur- NO SCHOOL October 8-17- Sukkot- NO SCHOOL November 27-28- Thanksgiving- NO SCHOOL December 18- Parent/Teacher Conferences- NO SCHOOL December 19- Chanukah- NO SCHOOL January 16-23- Winter Break- NO SCHOOL February 16- In-service/ President’s Day- NO SCHOOL March 5-6- Purim- NO SCHOOL March 31-April 12- Pesach Break- NO SCHOOL May 8- Parent/Teacher Conferences- NO SCHOOL May 22-26- Shavuot- NO SCHOOL June 11- Summer break begins *Please note: SCDS administration is aware that school is in session for some legal holidays and therefore understands that you may choose to have your child(ren) home for one or more of those days. If you do choose to do so, please notify us in advance. 5 Day-to-Day at Shaarei Chinuch Day School Daily Attendance It is expected and desired that children come to school every day in order for them to get the most out of the program and curriculum provided. It is best for the child if the only times he/she misses school is when there is no other option. Your child is part of the classroom environment and culture; therefore his/her absence has an effect on everyone. Likewise, coming in late disrupts the classroom flow and can cause your child and/or others to have a difficult time adjusting to their day. As we know, preschool age children in particular thrive on order and routine and the disruption of this can disrupt their entire day. Arrival/Dismissal Arrival - Children should arrive between 8:40-8:50 a.m. Parents should park in the loading zone or on the side street available parking and bring their child in to the facility- 2717 W. Touhy Ave. Half Day Pick Up – Children that are attending for half a day should be picked up between 1:00pm – 1:10pm. Full Day Pick Up – Children attending for full day should be picked up between 3:30pm and 3:40pm. Please remember that only you or someone you have authorized in writing may pick up your child from school. Your child anxiously anticipates your arrival. Please call the school if you are going to be later than usual. L ate fees for picking up your child after the above stated dismissal times are charged at a rate of $5.00 per every 5 minutes. Parking Information Please only park either in the loading area (subject to the signs provided) or in metered or side street parking. The parking lot associated with Katz, LLC is off limits for Shaarei Chinuch Parent parking. School Times: Half Day: Monday - Thursday Friday Full Day: Monday – Thursday Friday 8:45am – 1:00pm 8:45am – 1:00pm 8:45am – 3:30pm 8:45am – 1:00pm 6 Daily Schedule 8:45 - 8:55 Arrival, children do their weekly jobs 8:55 - 9:05 Circle time- Tefillah, community building activities 9:05 - 11:15 Work period- children choose work from any area in the classroom: math, sensorial, Hebrew language, English language, writing, pre-language, art, or practical life. Children can work independently, with a friend, or receive a lesson from a teacher. 11:15 - 11:20 Clean up 11:20 - 11:30 Circle time- Interactive group lesson on weekly Parsha/ holidays/ current theme, using songs, activities, and visuals. 11:30 - 11:55 Lunch 11:55 - 12:00 Bentsch (Grace after meals) 12: 00 - 12:10 Get ready for outside time 12:10 - walk to park 12:20 - playground/ outdoor play 12:50 - walk back to school 1:00 - 1:10 Dismissal of half day children 1:00 - 1:10 full day children get ready for rest time 1:10 - 1:30 rest/ quiet time 1:30 - 3:00 work period/ enrichment period- children choose work from any area in the classroom: math, sensorial, Hebrew language, English language, writing, pre-language, art, or practical life. Children can work independently, with a friend, or receive a lesson from a teacher. 3:00 - 3:10 clean up 3:10 - 3:20 game/music activity 3:20 - 3:30 get ready to go home Parent Visits All parents are allowed to visit their children at the school at any time of the day. 7 Policy for Personal Belongings Brought to School We ask that children not bring toys from home, except on days that we have “show and share,” which you will be informed of in advance. Dress Leave at school Pre-school children are required to have 2 complete changes of weather-appropriate clothing including: 2 pairs of underwear 2 pairs of socks 1 sweaters/sweatshirts 2 shirts 2 pairs of long pants or skirts 1 pair of rubber-soled slippers with backs. Children often have difficulty keeping clog-styled slippers on their feet and often trip over loose slippers. All slippers need to have backs. On the occasion that clothes provided by the school are taken home, please return promptly. Severe/Inclement Weather We go outdoors every day, even in the middle of winter. Snow does not stop us. The only days we do not go outdoors are when it is raining or the temperature drops below 27 degrees Fahrenheit. In order to insure that your child is prepared for Chicago’s winter winds, cold and snow, please send: Snow boots Warm coat Snow pants/suit Hat Scarf Mittens/gloves Outdoor Play Plan Children will be going to the park every day, weather permitting. Please make sure your children are dressed accordingly. We will be using Rogers Park as our outdoor play area. We will be using safety measures to walk to the park including but not limited to a stop sign for stopping traffic while crossing the street, the buddy system, and teachers positioned in the front and back of the line. 8 Birthdays Birthdays at Shaarei Chinuch Day School are celebrated by remembering each year of a child’s life. Parents are invited to join the class at the morning community time to share stories and memories of their child’s life. The child then creates a birthday timeline. Parents are asked to send in one picture from each year of the child’s life. If possible parents should bring in a copy of the pictures that they do not mind not getting back since the children will be gluing them onto their timeline. Parents are asked to send in a non-dairy cake mix to be prepared by the children as a snack later that day. Parents may donate their child’s favorite book in honor of the birthday and read it to the class. Special Activities At Shaarei Chinuch Day School we will occasionally take walking trips to local places of interest. The school may also arrange for special field trips. You will receive information about these special field trips in advance, including details about the destination and the transportation arrangements. Each child will sit in the appropriate carseat required by law, and will be securely buckled at all times. All drivers will be those working for an official school transportation company. You will be required to sign a permission form in order for us to take your child on the trip. Some field trips may also require payment of an activity fee. We encourage parents to join us on our field trips, as volunteers. Several annual events are designed to include parents in our special activities. These will be announced in the school newsletter. Legal Responsibility The persons who are legally responsible for the program and have immediate responsibility for the daily conduct of the program are: Daniella Adar 847-477-8441 2717 W. Touhy Ave. Chicago, IL 60645 Mushka Kulek 773-789-9579 2717 W. Touhy Ave. Chicago, IL 60645 9 Conduct Expectations for Students Behavior We believe that all students and teachers have the right to learn and teach in a safe, friendly, supportive and non-disruptive environment. We strive to educate our students to become responsible for their own learning. We also believe that students need to learn and uphold the responsibilities necessary to show respect and keep to the guidelines of maintaining a successful educational atmosphere. We strive to create a school environment where all members of our community can feel safe, physically, socially and emotionally. We will educate the students on appropriate behaviors that relate to classroom, school, interpersonal relationships and property. Students will be expected to abide by these guidelines. In order to achieve these goals we have outlined the following expectations: 1. No biting or consistently aggressive behavior. (We do realize that these are preschool age children and some behaviors will arise; however, we want to make sure all children and staff members feel safe). 2. Use respectful language with teachers and fellow students. Even when upset, one should communicate those feelings appropriately rather than by using inappropriate language and/or physical fighting. 3. Respect the property of the school, fellow students and staff members. 4. Behave appropriately during outside play time. Consequences Mistakes happen and it is normal for children to test limits. It is our goal to help our students learn and grow from their mistakes. As much as we don’t want to focus on the negative behavior, we also don’t want students to fall between the cracks. Monitoring student behavior helps us to notice if a specific child is having difficulty in a particular area and enables us to help the student get back on track. In order to determine an appropriate consequence for undesirable behavior, several factors will be taken into account such as the age of the child and the severity of the infraction. The following is a list of potential consequences which may result from a student not adhering to the aforementioned expectations. o Teacher-Student conference: the teacher holds a meeting with the student, and has a conversation about what the child did, why it was wrong, and how he/she can improve their behavior in the future. o Parent communication: a meeting is held with the parent(s) and teachers, to discuss the child’s behavior. Parents are invited to share their thoughts about why this may be happening, and to suggest solutions. Teachers and parent(s) work together to create a plan to help change the child’s behaviors. 10 o Early dismissal from school: in situations where the child is doing things that create an unsafe environment for himself, his classmates, or the staff members, the child’s parents will be called and asked to pick him up early from school. Health and Safety Standards Meal Program It is our goal to provide a healthy environment for all our students. To that end, we offer 2 healthy snacks ( 1 f o r h a l f d a y c h i l d r e n ) and 1 hot lunch daily (kosher, cholov yisroel, pas yisroel and bishul yisroel). Pl ea s e mak e su r e t o l et u s k n ow ab ou t an y s p e ci al n eed s or al l e rgi es you r c h i l d / c h i l d r en may h av e as Shaarei Chinuch Day School will try our best to accommodate these special needs and allergies. In certain instances, in may be deemed best for a child to bring lunch and snacks from home in order to insure his or her safety. Kosher and dietary expectations will be discussed with these families on a case-by-case basis. In these situations, all food brought to school must be store bought and in its original packaging, and must display one of the following Kosher symbols: Illness, Injury and Healthcare Guidelines Our responsibility for conducting a safe and healthy school includes taking special care to limit the spread of illness. While we cannot prevent all illness, we can reduce its incidence and severity. These guidelines establish a framework for both staff and families to determine if a child is well enough to attend school. Hand Washing Frequent and proper hand washing prevents the spread of many germs. Parents, teachers and children should wash their hands upon arrival, after eating and after using the toilet (or being changed). Parents and staff are to wash their hands before joining children’s activities. Daily Admission When you arrive in the morning, you may let your child’s teacher know about any changes in behavior or eating and sleeping patterns. The state of Illinois requires that we not accept children into the class who exhibit any obvious symptoms of illness. Please use the following guidelines to determine whether your child is healthy enough to come to school: (We also use this list of symptoms to know when to contact you regarding any symptoms of illness that develop while your child is at school.) If your child has just one of these symptoms they must be kept away from school until they are symptom free for 24 hours: 11 Diarrhea (more than one watery stool within four hours or with any other associated symptom) Severe coughing (high pitched “croupy” or “whooping” sounds or the face gets discolored Tearing, irritation and redness of the eye lining, followed by swelling and discharge (pink eye or conjunctivitis) Undiagnosed spots or rash Vomiting If your child has one or more of the following symptoms with a fever of 100 or above or two or more of these symptoms even without fever they must be kept away from school until they are fever and/or symptom free for 24 hours: Green mucus Sore throat or difficulty swallowing Unusually dark, tea-colored urine Gray or white stools Severe itching of the body or scalp Headache with stiff neck Loss of appetite General lethargy Infected skin with crusty, bright yellow, dry or gummy areas You will be contacted by your child’s teacher if any of these symptoms are observed when your child is in the classroom and asked to come pick up your child. As doctors recommend, we ask that parents keep their child with a fever home until he or she is fever-free for 24 hours, as a fever may cycle up and down over a 24hour period. This allows your child to recover fully and return well-rested and able to participate in all activities. You are welcome to call us with any questions about whether your child is well enough to attend. Also, remember that if a child is too ill to participate in basic activities, including outside play, the child is too ill to be at school. Please call the school and leave a message as soon as you know your child will be absent due to illness. 12 Notice of Communicable Disease It is imperative that all communicable diseases be reported to the school immediately upon diagnosis. When we learn that a child has a communicable disease, we will notify the parents of the type of disease and when their child may have been exposed. To protect the child’s privacy, and in accordance with state and federal regulations, the name of the child who is ill is not mentioned in this notice. Any child or staff member may not return without medical authorization or until the signs and symptoms of the disease are no longer present. Chickenpox - All lesions are dry and crusted. Impetigo (Blisters that are covered with honey-colored crusts) - Child will be readmitted at least 24 hours after the start of medication. If there is not improvement after 48 hours, the child should be reassessed by a physician. Conjunctivitis (Commonly known as “pink eye.” Defined as a redness of the eye with burning and thick purulent discharge) - Child will be readmitted at least 24 hours after the start of medication and/or drainage present. Lice and Scabies - Following medical treatment. Pin worms - No restrictions following start of treatment. Hepatitis - Physician’s statement required for re-admittance. Strep Throat - No sooner than 24 hours after the start of oral medication. Giardia - Following medical treatment. Further information regarding common child-related communicable diseases can be found at: http://www.idph.state.il.us/health/infect/comm_disease_guide.pdf Administration of Medication Administering medication to children by program staff requires that you provide, in writing, approval and instructions for administering the medication. Should your child need to take medication during the day, we ask that you adhere to the following procedures: Submit the permission form noted above for administration of medication. All medications, including over the counter ones, are to be sent to school in their original container and given to the office with your child’s name, time directions and dosage indicated clearly. All parents of students with allergies must fill out an Individual Risk Assessment Form (IRAP), found on the next page, and submit it at orientation. In addition, submit a labeled Epi-pen to the teacher (if needed). You may provide an additional one to carry with us when we go to the park. 13 INDIVIDUAL RISK ASSESSMENT PLAN (IRAP) Name: Class: Teacher: Allergic To: Severity of Allergy: Severe (Anaphylactic) Contact Sensitive? Yes No Inhalation Sensitive? Yes No Yes No Asthma? Action Plan) Moderate Mild Unknown Unknown (Severity: See Asthma CLASSROOM SAFETY BEYOND CLASSROOM TREATMENT & OTHER Other precautions: We have reviewed the following allergy plans for : Individual Risk Assessment Plan Emergency Action Plan Other: Teachers: Date: Parents: Date: Principal: Date: Plans should be reviewed and modified as needed before each school year. 14 Health Record Every child attending Shaarei Chinuch Day School must have a completed medical form on file. This form is issued by the State of Illinois and contains three parts: Medical History (with parent signature) Proof of Immunization (with physician signature) Physical Examination (with physician signature) In compliance with Illinois State Law, new health forms/updated health forms are required: For all new students Prior to the school year in which the child reaches 5 Dental examinations are required in the kindergarten year Completed examination forms must be submitted prior to the first day of school, as this is part of Shaarei Chinuch Day School’s reporting requirement to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS). Students without a health form on file will not be allowed in to school. Immunization Requirements The Illinois Department of Health requires each child to be current with the following immunizations: Measles DPT Oral Polio Rubella Mumps TB Lead Test Hib Hepatitis B Varicella (chickenpox) Exact dates of immunization must be indicated on the medical form completed by the physician. Please check the form before submitting it to the school to be sure that all information is properly completed. 15 Emergencies, Accidents, and Treatment Emergency Preparedness Our emergency preparedness program has been carefully designed to make certain that your children will be well cared for in an emergency. All of our teachers are certified in First Aid and Adult, Child and Infant CPR. We have emergency supplies on hand, including first aid, water and food supplies. Employees will wear disposable latex gloves when treating a wound. If needed, we will call 911 and transfer the child to the closest hospital; Swedish Covenant Hospital 5145 N California Ave, and attempt to contact you immediately. Emergency Contacts In the event of an emergency during school hours, we will immediately attempt to contact you or those listed as your emergency contacts at the telephone numbers you have provided on the Application Form. T h e r e f o r e , it is very important that you keep this information up-to-date and notify us in writing if any changes occur. In Case of Emergency If a child needs emergency care because of an accident or illness that occurs while the child is in our care, we will attempt to contact the child's parents at the phone numbers provided for that purpose. If unable to locate the parents, our attempts to do so will be documented in the child's file. Any major and minor accidents or illnesses that happen to a child will be recorded in the file, and parents will be notified. These reports will include the time and place of the incident or injury, and details about how it occurred. When medical care is necessary, a statement signed by the physician attending the child, describing the nature and the extent of injury, will also be included. In the Event of a Large- Scale Emergency Shaarei Chinuch Day School is registered with the Emergency Closing Center. If the school must be closed for any reason in the event of an emergency, we will alert the center to announce the closing in the following ways: AM Radio: WGN 720, WBBM 780 Television: CBS 2, NBC 5, ABC 7, WGN 9, FOX 32 Phone: 1-900-407-SNOW (.95 per minute) Email: Signup at www.emergencyclosings.com We will also send out a calling post phone message. Insurance Shaarei Chinuch Day School holds a general liability insurance policy with West Bend Mutual. Below are the coverage limits: General Liability: $1,000,000/occurrence $3,000,000 aggregate (includes Abuse and Molestation Coverage and Professional Liability) Medical Payments: $10,000 Hired Bus: Auto Liability $1,000,000 16 Getting Involved We will be posting a sign-up sheet for various opportunities for involvement which include such things as bringing in fresh flowers, snacks for the week, supplies for the school, etc. Please look for these sign-up sheets. There will also be a wish list posted both on the website and at the school. Give/Get We would like for parents to be involved, active participants in our school. In addition to creating a community-like feel, this sends a very important message to the children; that their education is a top priority for their parents. Therefore, each family is required to put in $500 worth of give/get time each year. How can this obligation be satisfied? For all volunteering time, such as chaperoning field trips, helping out with special events, shopping for school, etc, each hour spent counts as 20$ of give/get time. Attending Parent's Nights counts as 50$ of give/get time, for each parent that attends. Any money fundraised or spent for the school counts directly off your give/get requirement, dollar per dollar. At the year's end, parents that haven't filled their give/get quota will be billed the remaining balance. Staying in Touch We realize that you are interested in your child’s progress and may have various topics you wish to discuss with the teachers. Although this is the case, it is best to make an appointment to discuss your child rather than using drop off or pick up for this. The best way to contact your child’s teacher is via e-mail: Morah Daniella Adar - Daniella@scdayschool.com, cell: 847-477-8441 Morah Mushky Kulek - Mushky@scdayschool.com, cell: 773-789-9579 The email addresses that you provided on your enrollment agreement will be added to o u r email distribution list. School Website Our website www.scdayschool.com contains information about the school including news and upcoming events, daily activities and a gallery of pictures of the children. So visit often! Facebook For those who have Facebook accounts, please “like” our Shaarei Chinuch Day School Page as well as request to join the Shaarei Chinuch Day School Parents Group. The latter of the two is a closed group for safety reasons, so that anyone who is not affiliated with our school cannot view photos, videos and other items of interest. Notices of upcoming events, reminders and other pertinent information is regularly included on our page. Telephone Our school phone number is 872-208-5182. If nobody answers and you need to get through to us before the school day is over, please send a text message to 847-477-8441. 17 Parent-Teacher Conferences Conferences take place twice each year. A sign-up sheet will be made available a few weeks prior to the conference date. You may schedule additional conferences with your child’s teachers at any time. Confidentiality Shaarei Chinuch Day School guarantees the confidentiality and access of student records in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Non-Discrimination Shaarei Chinuch Day School is a religious Jewish school dedicated to the teaching of Torah values, Jewish culture and religious observances and practices in the Orthodox Jewish tradition. All students and faculty will be expected to respect and/or adhere to these practices during school. Subject to the foregoing, Shaarei Chinuch Day School is committed to a policy of non-discrimination on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other school administered decisions. Shaarei Chinuch Day School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. 18 ALL FAMILIES MUST READ THE ENTIRE HANDBOOK AND SIGN THIS PAGE! I am signing this document because I have read this whole handbook, and I understand Shaarei Chinuch Day School’s policies and expectations. I also understand that all Shaarei Chinuch Day School students/parents will be held accountable for the policies and expectations explained in this handbook. I will do my part to make sure Shaarei Chinuch Day School’s policies and expectations are followed. Student Name (printed) Parent/Guardian Signature Date 19