Montessori Kindergarten
and Preschool
Parent Handbook
750 Cottonwood Avenue
Kamloops, BC V2B 3X2
Phone: (250) 376-6900, ext 242
Fax: (250) 376-6904
Internet: www.kamcs.org
Revised: February 2015
Introduction
The Montessori Kindergarten and Preschool Program exists for the purpose of fulfilling the intrinsic
needs of the 3 to 6 year old child to enable each child to reach his/her abundant potential. Every
child is unique with many giftings, is special to God, and is respected and honoured for their
individuality. This program encourages the blossoming of a life-long love of learning, through the
child using his/her curiousity and wonderful inquiring mind.
Philosophy
We believe that each child is unique and special to God and we provide a safe place where children
receive constant and consistent nurturing of Christian values, commitments and competencies they
need to equip them to be of service to others. We are committed to promoting the development of
the “whole” child through developmentally appropriate practice. As early childhood educators, we
encourage positive peer and social relations, development of critical thinking skills, and facilitate the
development of self-esteem by fostering independence and problem solving skills through positive
guidance. We believe that children learn best in an environment prepared for their learning.
Through this, children become active, involved learners. They follow their inner direction through
activities that are child-initiated and child-directed. We provide a program built around the
philosophy of Maria Montessori, an Italian doctor and educator who designed specific materials that
support the sensitive periods of learning that a child passes through. The 5 main areas in a
Montessori classroom are Practical Life, Sensorial, Science and Cultural, Language and
Mathematics. All these areas are found in the classroom as well as creative art, group-time, grace
and courtesy lessons, music and movement opportunities. We support a peace curriculum,
recycling, inclusion of all and encourage diversity in the classroom.
The Program
Our Montessori Kindergarten program is a multi-aged program for children 5-6 years old. It runs
Monday to Friday from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm. This program is a 5 day a week program.
Our Montessori Preschool program is a multi-aged program for children for children 3-5 years old.
This program runs from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, with your choice of a two day or up to five day a
week attendance.
*Programs will be closed on all statutory holidays, two weeks at Christmas, and two weeks of
spring break. As our fee is calculated on a yearly basis with these closures included, there
will not be a fee deduction for these dates.
I.
Responsibilities of the Staff
1. We will make sure the environment is safe.
2. Children are supervised at all times.
3. We will ensure safety latches on gates and doorways are in place.
4. Staff is trained to handle emergency situations. Ongoing training will be maintained.
5. First Aid training will be kept up-to-date.
6. Information that is shared with parents will be kept confidential.
7. We will keep parents informed of their child’s progress.
8. We will keep current with education requirements to teach.
9. We will keep parents informed of school happenings through Montessori Compass
(www.montessoricompass.com) and posted notices.
10. We will maintain records in accordance with Community Care Facilities Licensing
regulations.
II.
Responsibilities of the Parents
1. Children who are new to preschool may need gradual entry to become familiar with
the Montessori program. We will work with the parent and child to introduce them to
the program gradually until they feel comfortable enough on their own.
2. At least one alternate contact must be provided on the registration form.
3. A current picture must be provided for the Montessori program.
4. An extra set of labelled clothing must be provided in case of an accident, weather, or
mucky play.
5. Please bring the children on time, as they will make the transition into the program
easier at the beginning of the class.
6. Parents must pick their child up on time. In an emergency situation, you must
contact the staff. Further arrangements will be made this time.
7. All registration forms and payment arrangements must be complete before the first
class.
8. Lunch bags, inside shoes, and personal drinking cup must be labelled.
9. Please inform the staff of any major changes in the child’s life, (i.e. separation, a
move, a death, a new addition to the family, etc.), so that extra support can be given,
if needed.
10. Parent(s) agree to the commitment of payment of fees in full and on time.
11. Parent(s) will provide a healthy snack for their child daily, consisting of a least two of
the food groups from the Canada Food Guide. Fruit, vegetable, or bread products
are suggested. Water will be provided for the children.
Policy and Procedures
Guidance
Children’s behaviour is influenced by:
 Their health;
 Their overall development and inner control;
 Their environment; and
 The adults who care for them.
The Montessori Kindergarten and Preschool recognises that many factors influence behaviour.
Social behaviour is an ongoing learning process. The program incorporates social development into
the overall structure of the program. Maria Montessori had great faith in the self-control and innate
desire for order and peacefulness found within children. The teachers will use guiding techniques to
assist children to learn appropriate skills in communication, problem solving and peaceful
resolutions. Grace and Courtesy lessons introduce acceptable manners, respect for self, others and
the environment, and skills in greeting a guest or introducing themselves to others. Other guidance
techniques used may include:
1. Prevention

Anticipation – “That nest you brought to show us today looks very special.
After everyone has had a look, let’s keep it safe by putting it up on the
teacher’s counter.” When you can anticipate a disruption, redirecting the
flow can prevent conflict.



Reminding – “Walking feet.” Rather then saying, “Don’t run”, using a
positive reminder tells the child what to do rather then what not to do.
Redirecting – “When John is finished using that activity, he will put it back
on the shelf. You can choose another activity while you are waiting.” A
gentle hand on the shoulder or eye contact helps when redirecting a child.
Offering Choices – “It’s clean up time. Would you like to put your nametag
beside ‘washing tables’ or ‘sweeping the floor’, Susan?” Choices are
offered when there is an opportunity for a choice to be made.
2. Intervention

When a child is unable to control certain behaviours in a conflict situation
and these techniques have not helped, then the child will be directed to the
peace table or the book area to calm themselves. Once the child has
settled, the teacher will have the opportunity to discuss the behaviour and
agree upon how to solve future problems. When the problem has been
solved and the child is once again peaceful, they are then ready the re-enter
the activity area.
Child Abuse Policy
We are legally required to report by telephone to the local Ministry for Children and Families Office
any situation which causes us to suspect that a child has been abused or neglected, or that his/her
safety or well-being is endangered.
Emergency Procedures
Emergencies requiring evacuation or closure are…
 Fire
 Earthquakes
 Chemical spillage
 Power failure
 Bomb scare
 Extreme weather conditions
We have regular fire and emergency drills to familiarize the children with evacuation procedures.
In the event that the Early Learning Centre needs to evacuate or relocate due to an emergency, staff
will bring the children out to Jonah’s Cove. If it is determined that the children cannot go back into
the building, staff will use cell phones to call parents to come and pick up their children.
In the event that the Early Learning Centre needs to evacuate Jonah’s Cove upon the direction of
the CEO, the centre will proceed to Norkam High School gym with Kamloops Christian School. The
address of Norkam is 730-12th Avenue. Once the children are settled in the gym, staff will again
contact parents via cell phones to come and pick up their children.
If cell service is not available, please listen to the local radio for further information or contact
Emergency Services. Staff will remain with all children until they are safely picked up by authorized
person.
Safety and Child Release Policy:
1. Ensure that the staff person is aware that you are leaving with your child.
2. The staff must be informed of any alternate person picking up your child. Their names must
be documented on the registration form or written consent given. Personal Identification will
be needed if staff has not previously met the alternate.
3. Under no circumstances will a child be allowed to walk home alone or be taken in a taxi
without a parent or alternate.
4. If a child has not been picked up on time, the staff will phone parents. If unavailable, the
alternate will be contacted. The parent will be responsible for a late fee, which will be
$1/minute. Repeated late pick-ups will result in withdrawal of services.
Our staff takes on the responsibility to ensure your child is supervised and kept safe at all times.
General Information
Attendance:
Regular attendance is important for your child to receive the full benefits of the program. We
understand that some absences may occur, and ask that you contact the class teacher if your child
will be absent. There will be no refunds for absences.
Allergies:
We are an ‘Allergy Aware’ centre. This means that our teachers take annual training as
recommended by Anaphylaxis Canada to be aware and prepared for handling severe allergies.
Children who are in our care that are at risk of anaphylaxis MUST have a personal epinephrine autoinjector provided. Should a child with a known risk of anaphylaxis arrive without an auto-injector we
will not accept the child into care.
When a child is present that is at risk of anaphylaxis, we work on educating all of our families on
how to limit exposure to allergens and create a safe environment for all children. As Kamloops
Christian School is a peanut free building, we ask that you refrain from sending foods that contain
peanuts.
Children with allergies will have an individual care plan put in place upon registration. This includes
a written procedure that will be posted within the centre and indicating the procedure that staff will
follow in the case of an allergic reaction.
Arrival and Departure:
Children should be delivered into staff supervision at regular opening times. Please do not bring
your child earlier than the posted times. Should you need to drop off your child early, prior
arrangements can be made through our childcare programs for early drop offs providing we have
space available. (Note: There is a registration process and accompanying fees).
Please sign your child in when dropping off, and accompany them into the room to help them take
off their outer clothing. When leaving your child, always say goodbye. Please do not sneak out.
If you have any concerns about how your child is managing after drop off, do not hesitate to call the
program phone to check in: 250-572-5532. (Note: this number is for calls only, we do not receive
texts).
Children should be picked up promptly at the end of each day. When a parent is late, a child can feel
anxious and abandoned. This creates needless separation anxiety and can become a stressful
experience instead of a happy normal transition into independence. If an unforeseen circumstance
happens to cause a late pick up, please contact the class teacher immediately. Our centre has a late
pick-up protocol that requires staff to contact social services if a child is not picked up within 15
minutes and parent or emergency contacts cannot be reached.
Only the person(s) specified on your emergency card will be allowed to pick up your child. Please
note that the teacher will ask for ID from any pick-up person they do not recognize. In the case of
substitute teacher, parents may also be required to show ID. We will NOT release a child to a
person we have not met without proper ID.
Clothing:
As outside time is an important part of our program, please ensure that your children are
appropriately dressed for the outside weather. The best learning at this age often includes getting
messy. Please be sure that your child is dressed in clothes that can get dirty. An extra set of clothes
is required to be sent with your child each day.
Field Trips:
Our programs will sometimes include field trips to enhance learning. Trips that are outside of walking
distance may require parent participation and/or extra costs. Notice of field trips will be given in the
monthly newsletters. Please be sure to keep up to date with activities happening in your child’s
class.
Health & safety:
Children should be kept home when they show any of the following symptoms:
 Sore throat
 Runny nose
 Cough
 Rash
 Red eye(s)
 Earache
 Headache
 Lice
 Fever (temperature of 100 degrees or above)
 Anything contagious
 Vomiting/diarrhea
If your child is not well enough to participate in all activities, indoor/outdoor, they should be kept
home.
Over- the- counter medication (vitamins, aspirin, cough medication, etc.) will not be administered by
the teachers without a note from the child’s physician stating the amount of medication to be
administered and parent permission in writing.
Prescribed medications will only be administered according to the prescription, and must be in their
original containers that included prescribed label and instructions. A medication form must be filled
out and signed by the parent.
If a child becomes ill, the preschool supervisor will try to contact the parents to come and pick up the
child. If the parents can’t be reached, the supervisor will then try to reach the authorized emergency
contact person. The child will only be released into the care of the parents or the authorized
emergency contact person.
Items from home:
Children should not bring toys from home as we cannot be responsible for loss or damage.
However, we have regular show and tell days that will allow all children to have a turn bringing items
from home.
Reports and Record Keeping:
The Montessori program must keep up-to-date records of attendance, registration and health. In
order to keep the records current, parents must inform the staff of changes (e.g. address change,
phone, work place, emergency contacts, immunization updates, and allergies.)
Snacks and lunches:
Children must bring a daily snack. We encourage parents to send healthy food items that are easy
for your child to eat themselves.
 Please avoid sugary foods and juices.
 Please label your child’s food containers.
 We are very limited with refrigeration space and therefore ask that you use ice packs in your
child’s lunch kits if refrigeration is necessary.
 Please send a water bottle
Registration Information
Policies and procedures:
The following must be completed to register your child:
1. The registration form, all release forms, and an emergency card must be completed and
signed.
2. A non-refundable registration fee of $50.00 must be submitted. This will hold your spot.
3. If you child is currently enrolled full time in our childcare program, the registration fee will be
$25.00 for this program.
4. In addition, children enrolled full time in childcare and Montessori Kindergarten or Preschool
will received a 10% `dual program` discount on the highest cost program.
5. A copy of the child’s immunization records must be included.
6. A payment plan (post- dated cheques or pre authorised debit) must be in place by August 1st.
We cannot holds spots after this date without a payment plan in place.
*Note: Registration begins in March. To avoid wait lists, please have your child’s registration
completed ASAP.
The program is intended for children to attend for a full year (Sept –June). If your circumstances
change and your child cannot finish the year, 30 days written notice must be given to KCS Early
Learning Centre director or one month’s payment in lieu of notice.
If space permits, we may allow late registrations. But generally, we will not accept registrations after
January of the school year.
Children are required to be toilet trained prior to attending the Montessori program. We understand
that accidents can happen, so we ask that there is always an extra set of clothing at the Centre.
Closing:
Thank you for taking the time to read our handbook to learn more about our program. If you have
any questions or would like to enroll your child, you may contact the KCS Early Learning Center
office (250-376-6900; extension 242).