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Handbook

2022-2023 Parent Handbook (click for downloadable .pdf file)

ADMISSION CRITERA:
Three Year Old Classes: Must be 3 years old by September 1, 2022.
Four Year Old Classes: Must be 4 by December 1, 2022.
Five Year Old Classes: Must be 4 by February 1, 2022.
Criteria for Admission: Non-refundable $50.00 enrollment fee, Completed Health Appraisal Form, Up-to-date Immunization Record, Completed Child Information Record.

ALLERGIES:
Parents of students with food allergies are to provide an Emergency Health Care Plan, medications (EpiPen), and appropriate snacks for their child to be kept at school (packaged individually and does not require refrigeration) to eat when birthday treats are off limits. 

ATTENDANCE:
Please keep your child home if they have had a fever, severe cough, runny nose with thick yellow/green discharge, diarrhea, pink eye, lice, sores on skin such as impetigo, scabies, or ringworm, contagious rashes, or vomiting. Students must be symptom free for 24 hours before returning to school. Please fill out the Absence & Illness Reporting Form if your child will be absent and the reason (i.e. respiratory vs stomach flu). We report all illnesses to the Kent County Health Department. We will include him/her in our daily prayer time. See Illness.

BACKPACKS:
Please send your child with a backpack able to fit 8.5 x 11” papers. Please make sure your child’s name is clearly marked on the backpack. Backpacks are used to send home artwork, notes, etc. Please let the staff know if you are sending in documents/checks in their backpacks. We do not check the insides of  backpacks routinely.

BATHROOM NEEDS:
Children are expected to care for their bathroom needs without assistance. Hand washing is required after bathroom use. Teachers may help with belts, snaps, etc.

BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS & SNACKS:
We will celebrate each child’s special day! You are welcome to provide a classroom treat to make this occasion even more exciting. Please check with your child’s teacher regarding food allergy information. Maple Tree is a peanut free facility. Please be sure birthday treats do not contain peanuts or peanut oil. All birthday treats and classroom snacks must be store bought and individually factory packaged.

BOOK ORDERS:
Scholastic book orders will come home throughout the year. Ordering through Scholastic is an inexpensive way to build your home library. Books make great gifts for birthdays, Christmas, and everywhere in between. For every dollar that is spent, we receive bonus points for the classroom. We then can purchase books or other items for the classroom. If ordering online, Maple Tree’s class code is P63H2. 

CENTERS:
Maple Tree is divided into different exploratory areas. The number of children in each of these areas (we call them centers) is limited. this is to avoid overcrowding, to allow for sufficient materials, and to provide opportunity for constructive interactions, which reduces the opportunity for negative behaviors.

CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION:
Monthly newsletters will be emailed and posted in Google Classroom. Individual classroom communication will be made through Google Classroom including class lists, forms, and absence reporting. Photos of your child’s day will be posted daily in a private Facebook page. Other forms of communication include phone calls, emails, notes, and parent/teacher conferences.

CLASS NAMES AND PROGRAMS OFFERED:

  • Crickets 4-yr-olds (T/Th, 9-11:30 am): Mrs. Watson & Mrs. Smith
  • Eager Beavers 3-yr-olds (M/W, 12:30-3 pm): Mrs. Ouwinga & Mrs. Pattison
  • Explorers Young Fives (M-Th, 9-11:30 am): Mrs. Thompson & Mrs. Wiersma
  • Scrambled Eggs 4’s & 5’s (F, 9-11:30 am): Mrs. Thompson & Mrs. Smith
  • Wiggle Worms 4-yr-olds (M/W, 9-11:30 am): Mrs. Ouwinga & Mrs. Smith

*All classes and staff are contingent on enrollment numbers and are subject to change.

CONFERENCES:
You will receive a progress report about your child in December. Winter conferences are optional. Individual parent/teacher conferences will be held in March. Feel free to talk with your child’s teacher at any time regarding any questions or concerns you may have.

CURRICULUM:
Our curriculum is made up of planned units of study. Studies of the ocean, birds, mammals, reptiles, and insects are some of the units which are especially enjoyed by students. Units are taught, not only to increase knowledge, but also to demonstrate God’s power and diversity in creation. We incorporate Zoo-phonics, Handwriting Without Tears (HWT) and Teaching Young Children Using Themes. We expand our curriculum using various math manipulatives. Art projects, talking and listening, story time, exercises, music and fingerplays complete our education focus.

DAILY SCHEDULE:

  • 9:00-9:30/12:30-1:00      Arrive: Outdoor Play or Table Time & Centers
  • 9:30-10:00/1:00-1:30      Circle Time: Bible Story & Prayer, Story, etc.
  • 10:00-10:15/1:30-1:45    Table Time & Art (Wednesdays/Thursdays)
  • 10:15-11:00/1:45-2:30     Switch Sides: Center Time and/or Lesson
  • 11:00-11:15/2:30-2:45     Outdoor Play & Dismiss
  • OR
  • 11:00-11:15/2:30-2:45     Circle Time: Lesson
  • 11:15-11:30/2:45-3:00     Switch Sides: Sing & Dismiss
  • *Schedule may vary

DISCIPLINE:
Staff will use developmentally appropriate, positive methods of discipline which encourage self-control, self-direction, self-esteem, and cooperation. Teachers will set clear rules and guidelines, as well as fair and consistent limits for the children. Teachers will help children resolve conflict through individual attention. Teachers will remind children of rules and re-direct them to different activities. If a conflict cannot be resolved using the above steps, the child will have an individual quiet time at one of our tables. Every effort will be made to meet the needs of each child. If Maple Tree Preschool is not able to meet a child’s needs, the director will request placement of the child in a more beneficial program suited to the unique needs of the child.

DOCUMENTS:
Required documents for orientation or on the 1st Day of School include your child’s Health Appraisal Form, Immunization Record, and the singed and completed Child Information Record. If your child has severe allergies, an Emergency Health Care Plan is required. Other items needed include the signed Maple Tree Preschool Parent/Guardian Contract, Maple Tree Preschool 2022-2023 Fall Questionnaire, the Maple Tree Preschool Volunteer Supervision & Reporting Plan (if volunteering), a 4 x 6″ family photo, and an emailed closeup photo of your child.

DROP OFF & PICK UP:
Please drop off your child on time. If you arrive at any other time, you must use the buzzer at the double glass doors on the north side of 1st Reformed Church. One of the office personnel will assist you.

A child will only be released to persons listed on the Child Information Record. Please be sure to include the names of all such people when you fill out the card. You may ask to add or delete names any time during the year. If someone will be routinely picking up your child, please write the schedule for your teacher including their contact information.

Late Fee: Please be on time to pick up your child from school. We realize that emergencies and unforeseen circumstances occur on occasion. A child who is picked up late can get anxious and teachers need to be able to count on leaving their job promptly. Please call if you will be picking up your child late. There will not be a fee for the first violation unless the wait is extreme. For any further violations, you will be charged $1.00/minute beginning at 11:35 for morning classes and 3:05 for afternoon classes.  After 10 minutes, you will be charged $2.00/minute. You may pay this fee when you pick up your child or it will be added to your next month’s tuition.

We will only use the outdoor playground when the weather is permitting.

  • Crickets (T/Th am 4’s): On Tuesdays, drop off at classroom entrance and pick up at the outdoor playground. On Thursdays, drop off at the outdoor playground and pick up at classroom entrance.
  • Eager Beavers (M/W pm 3’s): always drop off at classroom entrance and pick up at outdoor playground (subject to change).
  • Explorers (M-Th am Young Fives): On Mondays & Tuesdays, drop off at the outdoor playground and pick up at office entrance. On Wednesdays & Thursdays, drop off at the office entrance and pick up at the outdoor playground
  • Wiggle Worms (M/W am 4’s): On Mondays, drop off at classroom entrance and pick up at the outdoor playground. On Wednesdays, drop off at the outdoor playground and pick up at classroom entrance.
  • Friday classes: drop off at the outdoor playground and pick up at classroom entrance

FIELD TRIPS: (may be cancelled or changed)
Field trips are a creative way to enrich a theme and expand the learning environment. The 4 & 5-yr-old classes will walk to the Grandville Fire Station and John Ball Park Zoo. Parents must transport or arrange transportation for their child and are responsible to pay for the zoo prior to the field trip unless they own a zoo membership. This will be prepaid, so parents and children may participate in a discounted group rate. The 3-yr-old classes will only go on walking field trips which include walking to the Grandville Fire Station, the Grandville Library, and Steenstra’s Royal Dutch Bakery.

ILLNESSES:
Please fill out the Absence & Illness Reporting Form, found in Google Classroom and on Maple Tree’s website, if your child will be absent. Please keep your child home if they have had a fever, severe cough, runny nose with thick yellow/green discharge, diarrhea, pink eye, lice, sores on skin such as impetigo, scabies, or ringworm, contagious rashes, or vomiting. Students must be symptom free for 24-72 hours before returning to school. If a child comes to school with cold symptoms, they will be asked to wear a mask. Lice Policy: A child may return to school after treatment and no signs of an active infestation for at least 24 hours. Rash: A child may return to school after rash free for 24 hours or with a doctor’s note. See Attendance.

KEEPING INFORMATION UPDATED:
For the safety of the child, it is critical that parents update all changes in telephone numbers, emergency numbers, addresses, authorized pickups, and other important information.  Please notify Maple Tree as soon as possible if changes occur.  Changes must be made in writing.

LICENSING NOTEBOOK:
Maple Tree’s Licensing Notebook is available for parents to view during school hours. It contains all the licensing inspections and special investigation reports and related corrective action plans (since May 28, 2010). Licensing inspections and special investigation reports from at least the past 2 years are available on the child care licensing website at www.michigan.gov/michildcare.

NOTIFICATON PLAN:
If a child becomes ill while at school (fever 100, diarrhea, vomiting, rash, unusual lethargy) parents will receive a phone call. The child will be separated from the other preschoolers and tended to by a staff member until a parent or emergency contact arrives. If a child cries continuously for 10 minutes, parents will be called, and the staff will follow the parent’s directive. In the event of a minor injury (scrape, small cut, bruise) parents will receive an “Ouch Report” upon pickup.  For major incidents (head injury, broken bone), parents will be notified immediately by telephone and will receive an “Incident Report.”  If a parent, guardian, or emergency contact cannot be contacted and the child needs immediate attention, employees will call an ambulance, accompany the child to the hospital, and stay with the child until the parent arrives. FOR ALL SERIOUS INJURIES, 911 WILL BE CALLED.

OUTDOOR PLAY:
Outdoor play will be included daily in our program, weather permitting. Please send proper clothing for outdoor play. Please do not request that your child stay indoors. Children too sick to go outside should not be at school. Parents are encouraged to apply sunscreen and/or insect repellent. For staff to apply, parents must provide sunscreen and/or insect repellent and give permission on the Parent/Guardian Contract. Reasons to cancel outdoor play include inclement weather or if the temperature is below 25 degrees including wind chill. We use the ACCUWEATHER app to determine the current temperature. Note that the temperature changes depending on your location. Teachers will post in Google Classroom if outdoor play is cancelled.

PEST MANAGEMENT PLAN:
Pesticide applications may occur during the year. If so, you will receive advanced notice of these applications through an email and a note sent home with your child.

PHILOSOPHY:
We believe that children are an amazing part of God’s creation and should be given every opportunity to develop to their fullest the various gifts God has given them. Our goal is that each child would consider his or her own unique significance in God’s world and have a positive mental attitude toward himself/herself and others. Maple Tree is committed to the wondrous task of introducing children to God’s world and cooperating with parents in the awesome process of growth and discovery.

RELOCATION PLAN:
If the children need to be relocated due to a fire, other natural or man-made disasters, the preschoolers will be relocated to Grandville Public Library, 4055 Maple St. SW, Grandville, MI 49418. The staff will contact parents by email, phone calls, and/or texts.

SCHEDULE OF OPERATION:
Preschool begins September 7/8 and ends May 22/23. Morning classes meet from 9:00 am-11:30 am. Afternoon classes meet from 12:30 pm-3:00 pm. Preschool will be closed November 23-25, December 21-January 3, March 8-10, and March 31-April 7.

SCHOOL CLOSINGS:
Please check the internet at either  www.woodtv.com or www.wzzm13.com  or check channel 8 or 13 to see if Maple Tree Preschool is closed due to inclement weather. There will be no tuition reimbursement for these days. Closings will also be posted on Maple Tree Preschool’s main Facebook page and Google Classroom.

STAFF:
Maple Tree Preschool’s certified and degreed teachers bring a wealth of teaching experience to your little ones. All staff is certified in CPR and First Aid. The staff takes at least 16 hours of professional development every year. The staff has been selected for both their nurturing character and for their dedication to Jesus Christ. Each staff member has read and signed a statement verifying that she has never been involved in any abuse or neglect of children. Each staff member has had a comprehensive FBI background check. Staff members are mandated reporters of suspected abuse and neglect.

Teachers: Denise Ouwinga, Cindi Thompson (Director), and Becki Watson

Teacher Aides: Rachel Pattison, Joelle Smith, and Amy Wiersma

STAR STUDENTS:
Each student will have the opportunity to be the Star Student in his or her class. Star Students will be the line leader for the week and may be asked to perform special “jobs” on occasion!

TUITION FEES FOR 2022/2023:
A non-refundable $50.00 registration fee is required. Tuition may be paid monthly, by semester, or yearly. Acceptable payments include cash, checks, or payments made online. Yearly tuition fees are as follows-2 days: $864, 3 days: $1,188, 4 days: $1,548, 5 days: $1,854. Additional fees include admission to John Ball Park Zoo (if able to attend). The first payment is due the first week of school. Remaining payments are due the 1st of every month if paying monthly. If paying by semester, the second semester payment is due on January 13, 2022. Reminders will be e-mailed and will be in newsletters. You will not receive a monthly bill.

VOLUNTEERS:
Adult volunteers will always be under the direct observation of preschool staff. Volunteers will not be alone with a child. Volunteers will not help a child use the bathroom. Volunteers are mandated reporters of suspected abuse and neglect. Classroom volunteers must fill out and sign the Volunteer Supervision and Reporting Plan and will have a PSOR and iChat background check conducted.

Withdrawal Policy:
Every effort will be made to meet the needs of each child. If Maple Tree Preschool is not able to meet a child’s needs, the director will request placement of the child in a more beneficial program suited to the unique needs of the child. Reasons for dismissal include excessive biting or aggressiveness and non-payment of fees. If tuition payments become delinquent and remain so after the parents have been notified more than one time, the parents may be asked to withdraw their child from the program. If it becomes necessary for you to withdraw you child from preschool, a written notice must be turned in two weeks in advance. If a two-week notice is not provided, the parent is responsible for the additional two weeks of tuition.

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If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Cindi Thompson at [email protected] or (616) 534-5469 extension 114. Please not that Cindi teaches classes and will respond as soon as possible.