| Parent-Teacher
Conferences: |
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Two or three
regular Parent-Teacher Conferences are planned during the school
year. Conferences are special opportunities for teachers and
parents to share with each other in an effort to better understand
each child. Based on our understanding, we can work together
on your child’s behalf as we provide for his/her needs
and growth. For children who begin school in Spring and Summer
semesters, or who start after the semester has begun, the conference
schedule will be adapted.
Conference #1 - Home Visits or "Getting to Know You"
Conferences with New Families
Our first meeting with new families, usually held within two
to six weeks of the beginning of school, is designed to be an
information sharing experience. The conferences are about 30
minutes long. The purpose of the conference is to get together
with you and learn more about your child, and to share information
about your child's experiences in the program. Some things discussed
in this conference include:
- how your child adjusts to the classroom,
- what your child's day is like at home and at school,
- what your child's special interests are,
- what works and does not work in relating with your child;
and,
- any special events taking place at home or school that we
should be aware of.
Conference #2 - "Planning Conferences"
Planning Conferences take place during late October through
December. These conferences are about 30 minutes long and focus
on planning for your child's needs based on our home and school
observations. This is a good time to share your impressions
of your child's experiences at school so far and any areas of
concern you may have for your child's development.
Conference #3 - "End of the Year Conferences"
Our final conferences are scheduled from late Spring to early
Summer. The "End of the Year" conferences are about
30 minutes long and are times to come together and reflect on
your child's progress through the year. We will share about
how things are working for your child and touch bases about
the changes to anticipate in school or home if they apply. Parents
and teachers will assess the child's development in reference
to goals set in the planning conference and goals of the program.
Again, teachers will prepare a formal conference report following
this conference.
These are the basic conferences teachers arrange with each family.
However, if you would like to meet with teachers, or likewise,
if teachers need to meet with you, we will arrange additional
conferences.
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| The
Parent Program: |
An Invitation
to Join Us
Parents are their children's first and most important teachers.
Experiences at the Children's Center comprise a part of the children's
lives, and in the early years, the family and family life are
most important. We see our role at the Center as a support to
children and their families and value working together with you
on behalf of your child. There are many formal and informal ways
in which you can become actively involved in your child's life
at school. We extend our welcome to you and invite you to participate
in our program.
Communication
We cannot overemphasize the importance of open communication between
parents and staff. Your child will spend a good portion of the
day at school. Ongoing and honest communication between home and
school is an essential ingredient in our relationship. We will
try to inform you about events at school which affect your child
and encourage you to let us also know about any changes that are
happening at home. Big as well as small events in the lives of
adults can have a very pronounced impact on young children.
Changes in your life such as house guests, a new baby, an illness,
a parental trip, a move to a new home, a death in the family,
parental separation or divorce, even preparation for comprehensive
exams can be very unsettling to a toddler or preschooler. If we
are aware of these kinds of situations we can be more responsive
and better understand your child's behavior at school. Please
let us know right away if there are any changes in your child's
life.
We recognize that trust is essential for communication. You can
count on us to keep information you share with us confidential.
In turn, please understand why teachers will not give you information
about other children or families even if you have the best of
intentions in asking. We ask all families to refrain from looking
at teacher's clipboards, files, or notes left on desks because
it may contain confidential information.
Teachers use many different methods for communicating with parents.
We use the following tools to facilitate parent-teacher communication
within the school.
Informal Talk
Teachers from each age group are always available at the beginning
and ending of the day for passing on important information, touching
bases about your child's day, or answering any questions you might
have. During this time, teachers are also involved with supervising
children. As you know from your experience as a parent, uninterrupted
talk is unlikely with children around. Please do not feel offended
if a teacher must stop in the middle of a conversation to assist
children. If you need to speak in private, or for longer than
a few minutes, or if a teacher feels unable to attend to you at
the moment, a meeting time can be scheduled so the talk happens
at a more conducive time and place.
Classroom Files and the Parent Bulletin Board
Each family has a parent file for written communications. Please
check the file daily for notices, messages, and newsletters. At
the front of the file box, you will find a file for the classroom
teachers, the office, and the Parent and Teacher Hui (PATH). Messages
or notices for staff may be left in their classroom files. Office
files are checked daily for payments and messages to administrative
staff. The PATH file is checked on a regular basis by PATH officers.
Information of interest to families are frequently posted on our
parent bulletin boards. These may include school wide announcements,
learning trip notices, PATH minutes or announcements for upcoming
events, weekly plans and newsletters, menus, health alerts, and
information on other classroom, school, or community events.
Newsletters and Memos
Each month, your child's teachers will send a newsletter home
to share with you some of the classroom happenings. Newsletters
highlight the planned and spontaneous discoveries that happen
during the month. Teachers might also share curriculum goals,
songs, recipes, information on parenting topics, and various classroom
announcements. The office distributes memos from our Director
and occasional school newsletters.
Workshops and Classroom Events
Several forums or presentations for parents are held each semester.
Teachers plan one parent workshop or classroom event every semester.
To accommodate parent needs these are usually held in the evening
or at the lunch hour and child care is available. Events include
educational programs where parents learn about children, parenting
and education via guest speakers or staff. Other events include
parent support groups or open houses.
Formal Conferences
Formal Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled three times a
year. The "Getting to Know You Conference" is held within
the first four to six weeks of the program (not during Summer
Sessions). "Planning Conferences" take place in the
middle of the Fall semester and "End of the Year" conferences
take place in the Spring semester. However, if you wish to speak
with your child's teacher at any time, please make an appointment.
Formal conferences will detail the activities and relationships
in which your child has been involved and will give you insights
into your child's life at school. They will also provide an opportunity
for you to share your insights as parents so that your child's
teachers can work more effectively with you as partners in your
child's early education.
Telephone Calls
The administrative staff handles personnel matters, admissions,
finances, and class placements. Please feel free to discuss any
of these with the administrative staff. Teaching staff will not
be called to the phone when they are on-duty with children, but
we are glad to leave messages for them. Emergency messages will
be delivered immediately.
If the administrative staff is unavailable to answer the phone
a voice message will be taken on the University voice mail system.
Usually the message will be received shortly after you call. To
enable families to build friendships and a social network within
the school, a student-parent directory with home phone numbers
is distributed each year.
The most effective communication method, however, is to come directly
to your child's teacher. Communication "grapevines"
almost always distort the original message beyond recognition,
so please come directly to your child's teacher or to a program
administrator with any concerns.
Parent Participation in the School
Parents are vital participants in the Children's Center team.
There are many opportunities for you to be a part of your child's
experience at school beginning with visiting your child in the
classroom.
Visiting the Classroom
The first visit with your child will take place during Orientation
Week, when you gradually help your child make the transition from
home to school. We hope you'll come back afterwards. The Children's
Center has an open door policy and we welcome parents to visit.
Arrangements for special visits can be made with your child's
teacher. The Children’s Center offers families a range of
opportunities for participation. Parents are invited in to classrooms
to share their skills and interests. Often we find that your special
expertise, not to mention your warm interactions, enrich the classroom.
Parents have come in to share songs, musical concerts, stories,
cooking activities, and cultural traditions for their families.
Parents also make it possible for us to go on the buggy rides
and learning trips we plan. If you would like to come and share
with us, or have resources that can add to our classroom curriculum,
please let teachers know. Please feel comfortable coming to just
hang out with us too!
How About a Lunch Date?
Many parents enjoy coming to eat lunch with their children. We
find that this is an enjoyable experience for many older children.
Sometimes, with two-year-olds and young three-year-olds, visits
can be more disruptive than enjoyable. Toddlers and younger preschoolers
may become confused when their parents arrive in the middle of
the day and then leave again without them. If you anticipate that
this will be your child’s response, it may be better to
visit for a special event such as a buggy ride. Your child’s
teacher can offer advice on when and how to make your visits fun
and a happy experience for you and your child.
If you decide to join your child’s class for lunch, please
sign up in advance by the previous Wednesday to purchase a school
lunch. The price for school lunches is subject to change. Check
with our Educational Coordinator to make arrangements if you will
be ordering a school lunch. If you elect to bring your own sack
lunch, make sure that it follows our school nutrition policy.
Visits by Others
For your child’s protection, visitors other than parent
or guardians of the children will not be allowed to visit any
child during the school day unless parents call or inform teachers
in advance and authorize such a visit. Friends, baby-sitters,
or relatives that wish to visit must have your explicit permission
before coming on to school premises to visit your child.
Work Credit Parents
The Children’s Center offers several opportunities for parents
to offset the cost of tuition by working in the program. Morning
and mid-day kitchen helpers are often needed to assist with snacks
and lunches for the food service program. A current T.B. clearance,
within six months from the time of hire, is required for work
credit positions.
The parent work credit rate matches the current rate of pay students
receive for working in the Center and is deducted directly from
your child’s tuition, lowering the amount of your payments.
If you are interested in a work credit job, please see the Educational
Coordinator to complete an application. Inclusion in the Work
Credit program is based on financial need, availability when needed,
specific skills, and compatibility with the rules, routines, and
expectations of the Center. There are a limited number of work
credit positions available each semester. Since we want to provide
assistance to as many families as possible, families who receive
Tuition Waivers will not be offered Work Credit.
Parent Work Days
Occasionally, the school organizes school-wide parent work days
to maintain or improve the school environment. Parents sign up
to help with special projects like cleaning the classroom environment
or adding new features to the playground. Many of the beautiful
features of our outdoor environment are the result of parents
and staff members working together. Our tropical area, outdoor
sheds, and hedges were all work day projects.
The University Children’s Center Parent and Teacher
Hui (PATH)
Parents, staff, and friends of the Children’s Center have
formed an independent association which is a registered ASUH student
organization. The PATH sponsors social and educational events
and raises funds for the Center. It provides an opportunity for
parents and staff to work together. Parents and staff also can
work on social events like family picnics, potluck dinners, and
campouts to build a spirit of community, friendships between families,
and feelings of connection. The PATH distributes membership forms
every Fall for interested families or you can find out about this
group by contacting a PATH officer.
Sharing Ideas for Policies and Procedures at the Children’s
Center
We acknowledge that our families come to us with a wealth of expertise
and outlooks. We appreciate feedback about how the operations
of the Children’s Center are working for you and suggestions
for improvement. Annually, we survey families to gather information
about the effectiveness of our program. Please don’t feel
like you need to wait for a survey! Share your ideas with the
director in writing or in person! |
| Family
Events: |
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| Field
Trips: |
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